July 30, 2013 | 2 minute read

From top chefs to parents, it’s a question on everyone’s mind these days: how do we bring together flavor and healthfulness?

Food scientists are already hard at work on this. Last week a study out of the University of Florida shed light – literally – on how much flavor matters to us. Researchers used light treatments to enhance the taste and aroma of tomatoes and berries – a technology that could one day make its way into your home refrigerator.

Now the culinary world is getting in on the action. A hot field of study known as culinary nutrition merges the art of cooking with the science of nutrition – in other words, how to make healthful food taste delicious.

Let’s face it: no one wants to eat a tasteless tomato or bland meal, no matter how healthy. Yet the impact of what we eat on our risk of chronic disease cannot be put by the wayside. AICR’s report and its continuous updates link a diet filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables and fiber with a lower risk of many cancers.

To chefs, cooks and parents everywhere: your mission, should you choose to accept it: put the “good” back in “good for you.” 

How to employ new and old techniques to maximize nutrition without sacrificing flavor is the topic of our Tweet Chat tonight at 8pm ET: Chef Secrets in Your Kitchen (#aicrchat). Learn more about these trends and share your own techniques to inspire your family, customers, and/or patients to eat more cancer-protective foods… and actually enjoy them.