Washington University in St. Louis - Dining Services / Bon Appétit

Welcome to Washington University's Nutrition Information section. In this section you can find the basic facts about nutrition, what foods are important to a healthy body, how the latest food fads or diets measure up and practical tips for healthful eating.

In addition, you can access the campus menus to learn what is on today's menu, the nutritional information for your food choices or what options are available to meet your food allergy needs. Access this information by selecting from the drop down menu that follows.

You can also sign-up for the nutrition blog - Nutrition Bites - so that you can receive food and nutrition information on an ongoing basis. Highlights from the blog are listed below. For food and nutrition information not covered on the web site or in the blog contact the Director of University Nutrition Connie Diekman, M.Ed, RD, LD FADA.

One of the joys of Thanksgiving is the chance to spend time with family and friends. One of the challenges of Thanksgiving is that the occasion usually involves lots of food. There is Good News - you can enjoy the food without overdoing, if you follow a few simple tips. more

As you prepare for Halloween take some time to think about how to manage the candy, cookies and pastries that are so much a part of the holiday. Sweets can add enjoyment and variety to a healthful eating plan but if you aren't careful they will also add lots of fat, sugar and calories. The best way to enjoy Halloween is to have a plan that allows for small portions of treats. more

The annual Food and Nutrition Conference of the American Dietetic Association wrapped up today. The meeting was attended by more than 7,000 food and nutrition professionals. During this four day meeting attendees had a chance to learn about vitamin C supplementation, the importance of choosing healthy fats like corn, soy, canola and oil instead of butter and animal fats, how sustainability can, and should, include a component on nutrition and more than 70 other sessions. more

Today in Bangkok the 19th International Congress of Nutrition was kicked off by a welcoming address from Thailand's Royal Highness. The conference is off to a good start with several sessions on the issue of undernutrition. In addition a session on sodium reduction looked at sodium intake worldwide and steps that have been taken by Unilever to reduce sodium in their products. The challenge to the audience was to take an active role in educating consumers about sodium and its role in health and food production. more

Over the last several years there has been a great deal of attention paid to trans fats with consumers avoiding them like the plaque and food companies searching for options but the question is do you know how trans fats compare to sat fats? Possibly even more important than that question is the question, do you know how much fat is needed to be healthy? Yes it is true some fat is needed for health but the important issue is choosing the right fat so to make it simple let’s start at the beginning. more

If you are like most people you’ve noticed how sometimes nutrition advice comes from a nutritionist and sometimes it comes from a dietitian or a registered dietitian (RD). And if you are like most people you’ve wondered – What is the difference? more

The issue of organic foods versus conventional has been a hot topic of discussion for several years but a new study indicates when it comes to nutrition there is no difference. more

Most people who have dieted throughout their life are familiar with the statement that yo-yo dieting causes you to gain more weight and to lose more slowly each time. A new study indicates it isn’t the yo-yo dieting, it is the weight gain. more

Enjoying Summer Produce

One of the delights of summer is the availability of fresh produce. Heading to a local market or even the chain supermarkets is a treat when you see all of the brightly colored fruits and vegetables but do you know how to pick the best produce? more

Whole Wheat, Made with Whole Wheat, Whole Grain and Other Confusing Terms

Current guidelines recommend the intake of 48 grams of whole grain per day but since listing whole grain grams on the label is not required how do you know if you are getting that much or even if you are eating whole grains? more

Punch-Up Flavor with More Produce

Do you struggle to meet the recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption? If you answered yes count yourself among the millions of Americans who are consuming less than the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. The latest information from CDC shows that fewer than 25% of Americans get the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables and in Missouri that number is less than 20%. (1) There is good news, produce is at its peak during the summer and local markets can make trying it more enticing. more

Gluten Free, What Does it Mean?

The issue of gluten intolerance is not a new one but lately it is one that has attracted lots of attention. Gluten intolerance is a characteristic of the digestive disorder called Celiac Disease. Celiac disease affects about 1 in every 133 Americans and consumption of gluten leads to damage to the intestine. It is an inherited and chronic disorder that is only managed by the complete avoidance of gluten. Gluten is the general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and foods made from or containing these items. more

Sweet Facts

Are you confused about sweeteners? Do you know whether honey is better than sugar? When it comes to alternative sweeteners do you still worry about safety? And of course the big question is – Is high fructose corn syrup really as bad as they say? more

Simple Facts About Sodium

A pinch of salt maybe a boost to life but too much salt can trigger problems. Many people know the negatives of salt but few know why we need salt or how much is needed for health. more

Enjoy A Bite of Chocolate

If you’re searching for a sweet treat but don’t want to throw off your healthful eating plan too much consider adding a small amount of dark chocolate. more

Fat Facts

If you are like most consumers you know that Trans fats are not a healthful choice but likely you don’t know why that is true or that saturated fats are just as bad. more

Water, Water Everywhere but How Much do You Need?

Water, water everywhere but how much do you really need? The question of how much water is needed for adequate hydration is one that has more answers than many other nutrition related questions. The answer to the question is very simple. more

Protein Points

Most people know all about protein, or so they think, but in fact how much is needed is often a question that causes much confusion. Protein is essential to growth and repair of all tissues and cells within the body but it is also important to fluid balance, immune health and many other functions. As you might expect more protein is needed during periods of growth or times of healing or repair of cells that are damaged due to activity, surgery or other trauma. While protein has many functions the amount needed is much less than many people expect. more

Nutrition Bites

Welcome to the first Nutrition Bites blog entry! Nutrition Bites will appear on a weekly basis and provide insight into the basics of nutrition. Nutrition Bites will sort through the clutter of fallacies about healthful eating and serve-up the facts in an easy to use presentation. more



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