Podcast Episode 199: Nutrition Science Insights: Behind the Scenes at the Avocado Nutrition Center – Dr. Nikki Ford

This episode is sponsored by Fresh Avocados – Love One Today® and we thank them for their support of the podcast. Love One Today^® is a leading source of the healthiest reasons and tastiest ways to enjoy fresh avocados. A science-based resource, it provides turnkey solutions that make it easy for health professionals to stay on top of the latest research and confidently recommend avocados.

Dr. Nikki Ford is the Senior Director of Nutrition at the Avocado Nutrition Center.

Behind the Scenes at the Avocado Nutrition Center

After a series of avocado-centric podcasts with Love One Today® dietitian spokespersons, we are talking with Dr. Nikki Ford to discuss her role as Senior Director of Nutrition at the Avocado Nutrition Center. This episode covers Dr. Ford’s work directing the world’s only independent resource for comprehensive avocado nutrition research, provides updates on published and pending peer-reviewed research and highlights the steps that go into growing the body of evidence supporting the many ways fresh avocados may promote human health.

Tune in to this podcast to learn about:

1. Nutrition research initiatives and study designs being used to increase the scientific understanding of avocado consumption on human health, especially in relationship to cardiovascular health, weight management, type 2 diabetes and healthy living at all ages
2. Translating novel research on avocados into meaningful evidence-based guidance in practice.
3. Practical and actionable ways to incorporate fresh avocados into a balanced dietary pattern, including where avocado fits into the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for American’s MyPlate food group recommendations.

Nikki Ford, Ph.D

Dr. Nikki Ford is the Senior Director of Nutrition at the Avocado Nutrition Center. In this role, she directs a clinical nutrition research program, and oversees a nutrition affairs program, which aims to ensure that avocados can be promoted based upon nutrition research.

Before joining the Avocado Nutrition center, Nikki was involved in medical research at the University of Texas at Austin and held an adjunct faculty position at Texas State University. Nikki’s scientific career has focused on understanding the health benefits of consuming fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods.

Nikki holds a B.S. in Animal Science from Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Science with a certificate in business management from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has authored more than 39 scientific articles and book chapters, and regularly speaks at scientific and health professional meetings and industry events and conferences.

At the end of the day, our goal is to publish high-quality nutrition science that grows the body of evidence about fresh avocados’ role in supporting human health. We want health professionals, research scientists, and public health experts to feel confident in their knowledge of avocado nutrition and their ability to guide consumers with facts. We ground our research in four health pillars: heart health, weight management, type 2 diabetes, and general healthy living.”

Resources:

• Avocado Consumption, Abdominal Adiposity, and Oral Glucose Tolerance Among Persons with Overweight and Obesity*
• A Moderate-Fat Diet with One Avocado per Day Increases Plasma Antioxidants and Decreases the Oxidation of Small, Dense LDL in Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial*
• Using the Avocado to Test the Satiety Effects of a Fat-Fiber Combination in Place Of Carbohydrate Energy in a Breakfast Meal in Overweight and Obese Men and Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial*
• Avocado Nutrition Center
• Fresh Avocados – LoveOneToday®
• Avocado Nutrition Center – Research Initiative

*These studies were supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center as part of the Love One Today® education program.

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Music by Dave Birk

Produced by JAG in Detroit Podcasts

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