Earth Day & Sustainable Diets

With Earth Day coming up on April 22nd, use this time to reflect on how the things we eat, and the choices we make surrounding what we eat, impact the planet. Continue reading →

Grilled Meats & You Are What You Eat

With the 4th of July holiday rapidly approaching, many Americans are due to enjoy the tasty delights of grilled meats this weekend. We can thank the Maillard reaction and myoglobin for the delicious taste and color on our burgers. Ever wonder why some people can eat as much meat as they want while others suffer high … Continue reading →

Eve Lahijani

Eve Lahijani graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Economics and Business and went on to earn her Masters in Nutritional Science at CSU Los Angeles. She is now a registered dietitian for Vitamineve, a nutrition counseling service, and a nutrition health educator at UCLA. Eve’s Fiat Lux seminars on body image and proper nutrition have … Continue reading →

Cheese Holes & “Imaginary Meals”

As it turns out, the holes in Swiss cheese may be from hay particles found in milk, say Swiss scientists. Also, scientists in California have developed a diet drug called Fexaramine, which may trick the digestive system into burning fat without food. Continue reading →

Lard Legacy: Does Your Diet Doom Your Child’s Health?

Now you can feel even more guilt about how that greasy cheeseburger might affect your future. A study by the National Institutes of Health suggests eating a high fat diet may also impact your child’s health1. Growing evidence links increased caloric and fat consumption to the rise in immune-mediated diseases, like arthritis, food allergies, and … Continue reading →

Big Soda & Food Perspectives

An advocate for anti-obesity and healthful diets worked at PepsiCo to change the way food companies marketed junk food. Also, our understanding of how what we eat affects our biology may change with an alternative perspective on food as a hormone. Continue reading →

5 Things About Eating Healthfully

Dr. Dena Herman stopped by the 2013 Science and Food course to make smoothies and teach us about the molecules of food and nutrition. During her lecture, Dr. Herman shared several fascinating facts about eating healthfully. Here are 5 interesting facts relating to nutrition: Continue reading →

Super Antioxidant Fruit Smoothie

If you take a look at the Nutrition Facts panel on your favorite snack, you can learn a lot about the different molecules in your food. These molecules—fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins, and minerals—are essential for our health: they provide energy for our bodies and can be recycled to form the molecular building blocks of our … Continue reading →

The Molecules of Food and Nutrition

Nutrition specialist Dr. Dena Herman introduced UCLA students to the molecules of food and nutrition as part of our 2013 Science and Food course. We learned all about essential nutrients, were introduced to the exciting new world of phytonutrients, and even got to make smoothies! Check out the highlights: About the author: Vince C Reyes … Continue reading →

Dena Herman

Dena Herman, RD, PhD, MPH, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Her research has focused on improving dietary quality among low-income populations, as well as the development of interventions to reduce childhood obesity. What hooked you on science? On food? My … Continue reading →