Do Food Blogs Serve as a Source of Nutritionally Balanced Recipes? An Analysis of Six Popular Food Blogs

Newswise — Philadelphia, PA, November 7, 2013 – More people are cooking at home, and more people are finding their recipes online via food blogs. The photos of dishes posted on the blogs, however, may attract potential cooks more than the nutritional value of the recipes. In addition, many food companies sponsor these sites, so the recipes become advertisements for their products. This has the potential to change the healthfulness of the recipes.

Researchers in Massachusetts investigated whether food blogs provided nutritionally balanced recipes for the public or not. According to lead author Elizabeth Schneider, MS, RD, Nutrition Department, Simmons College, Boston, “We identified 6 food blogs that were very popular. It is really surprising that these blogs may have more than 2 million visits per month. This large reach makes the food blog an important component for nutrition education.”

Their final sample included 96 recipes for entrees, which were then classified according to their main ingredient. Not surprisingly, the vegetarian entrees were lower in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. Overall, the sampled recipes were acceptable in calories but excessive in saturated fat and sodium. This creates an opportunity for nutrition educators and dietitians to educate clients, partner with bloggers, or begin their own food blogs that post healthier recipes.

The authors point out that multiple opportunities exist for a dietitian’s presence online and that it is the responsibility of food and nutrition professionals to recognize these opportunities and continue to come up with ways to inform the public on the nutritional value of recipes as consumers use online search more than ever.

“It’s exciting to live in an online generation and I believe there is a need for dietitians to have a spot in the food blogging culture,” concludes Schneider. “Wouldn’t it be great to find a ‘dietitian approved’ icon next to healthy online recipes, giving the public peace of mind knowing that the recipes are nutritious?”

# # #

NOTES FOR EDITORS“Do Food Blogs Serve as a Source of Nutritionally Balanced Recipes? An Analysis of 6 Popular Food Blogs,” by Elizabeth P. Schneider, MS, RD; Emily E. McGovern, MS, RD; Colleen L. Lynch, MS, RD; Lisa S. Brown, PhD, RD, appears in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, Volume 45, Issue 6 (November/December 2013) published by Elsevier.

Full text of the article is available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Eileen Leahy at 732-238-3628 or [email protected] to obtain copies. To schedule an interview with the authors, please contact. Lisa Brown at [email protected].

An audio podcast featuring an interview with Elizabeth P. Schneider and information specifically for journalists are located at www.jneb.org/content/mediapodcast (under embargo until November 7, 2013, 12:01 AM ET). Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media; contact Eileen Leahy to obtain permission. Once the embargo lifts, the podcast will be publicly accessible atwww.jneb.org/content/podcast.

FOOD BLOGS INCLUDED IN STUDYBusy at Home (Nebraska, US)Chocolate and Zucchini (Paris, France)Pinch My Salt (California, US)Pioneer Woman (Oklahoma, US) Simply Recipes (California, US) Smitten Kitchen (New York, US)

ABOUT THE JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR (www.jneb.org) The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education and dietary/physical activity behaviors. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research, emerging issues, and practices relevant to nutrition education and behavior worldwide and to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. It supports the society’s efforts to disseminate innovative nutrition education strategies, and communicate information on food, nutrition, and health issues to students, professionals, policy makers, targeted audiences, and the public.

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior features articles that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice, and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests of health, nutrition, education, Cooperative Extension, and other professionals working in areas related to nutrition education and behavior. As the Society's official journal, JNEB also includes occasional policy statements, issue perspectives, and member communications.

ABOUT ELSEVIER Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet (www.thelancet.com) and Cell (www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier’s online solutions include ScienceDirect (www.sciencedirect.com), Scopus (www.scopus.com), SciVal (http://info.scival.com) Reaxys (www.elsevier.com/reaxys), ClinicalKey (www.clinicalkey.com) and Mosby’s Suite (www.confidenceconnected.com), which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, helping research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier (www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc (www.reedelsevier.com), a world leading provider of professional information solutions. The group employs more than 30,000 people, including more than 15,000 in North America. Reed Elsevier Group plc is owned equally by two parent companies, Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. Their shares are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RUK and ENL.