Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - May/June 2023 - 12

1 HR
CE
CBDM APPROVED
NUTRITION C ONNECTION
BENEFICIAL
BEVERAGES
BY KRISTIN KLINEFELTER, MS, RDN, LDN
AS YOU ARE SITTING DOWN TO READ THIS ARTICLE,
do you have your favorite beverage in hand? If not, please go
grab one, or at least bring your favorite beverage to mind. Now
that you have your beverage in hand or mind, take a moment
to think about why it is your personal favorite. Do you simply
like the flavor and temperature? Do you enjoy the feeling of
alertness or " energy " it provides? Does it contribute to your
daily micro or macronutrients needs to sustain your health?
You might even answer " because if I don't drink this, I will get
a headache. "
Now, think about the hydration services you offer your clients
daily. You have calculated each person's fluid needs and have
policies and procedures in place for hydration. Your team
provides this vital service for whoever your customer is. Have
you ever thought of the beverages you serve providing benefits
beyond hydration? There are benefits that beverages can
supply to improve nutrition as well as the bottom line in your
operation.
WHAT IS A BENEFICIAL BEVERAGE?
A functional or beneficial beverage provides nutritional,
flavor, or even psychological benefits beyond simple
hydration. Protein, antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins,
and minerals are a few of the additions to beverages for
nutritional benefits.
THE KEY PLAYERS
Research finds that the antioxidants in coffee (in moderation,
about 200 mg daily) reduce our risk of certain cancers, type
2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, and other chronic diseases. The key
word here is moderation, as there are negative effects of excess
caffeine consumption such as lack of mental focus, high
blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and in extreme cases, death.
Remember that caffeine is the only legal addictive substance
available for all people to purchase and consume in the United
States. According to Zippia, the coffee industry is worth
$90 billion in the U.S. Many commercial coffee companies
are now venturing into " functional coffee " drinks, such as
protein coffee. Chances are, coffee is one of the four main
beverages you serve your clients daily (water, milk, juice,
and coffee are included on most menus). Don't worry,
decaffeinated coffee still contains beneficial antioxidants.
Other key beverages with benefits include tea for its antiinflammatory
effect, milk for calcium, phosphorus and
protein, sports drinks for electrolytes, and commercial
protein fortified or enriched beverages.
Protein Beverages
One can argue that health care was the trendsetter for
the now popular protein drink trend. For several decades,
the healthcare industry has used nutritional supplements
in the form of beverages to optimize health outcomes
such as weight gain, skin healing, and chronic disease
management. Your department may have supplements
as a budget line item, or they may belong to a different
department, such as nursing. Regardless, you are fully
aware of the cost of commercial supplements and have
most likely explored a 'food first' or homemade supplement
program for your at-risk clients.
Some operators and managers choose to make their
supplements in-house, providing a food cost savings. This
is a calculated decision which, of course, means you need
to have enough labor for preparation. If you have not
done so, conduct a Make versus Buy cost and taste analysis
for liquid supplements in your operation. The CDM, CFPP
Practice Standard for Calculating Food Costs worksheet
may be helpful as you analyze your supplement costs (link
in References section).
12 NUTRITION & F OOD SER VICE EDGE | MAY-JUNE 2023
Nutrition & Foodservice Edge Magazine - May/June 2023

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