With the persistent return of the dark forces that have plagued our planet since late 2019, a new prodigy of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes emerged – the Registered Dietitian.
Hiding away from the limelight in Potter’s brawl against the Dark Lord, our registered dietitians played a critical part in concocting cutting-edge food potions that provide an invisible barrier of protection to our most vulnerable. Nourishing the communities in our senior homes, hospitals, and schools is daunting. All this while constantly battling against the transforming COVID demon even more so.
So, what does the science say are the latest ingredients to shield us from these lurking dementors?
What You Eat is What You Beat
You-Know-Who, The Devil COVID-19 – No single food, nutrient, or supplement can prevent infection, but eating right can significantly help fight this deadly virus that doesn’t need any polyjuice potion to change.
Dietary supplements can be helpful when taken regularly. Ginseng is an herbal supplement that helps prevent upper respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold and flu, also somewhat symptoms of COVID-19. Probiotics are live microorganisms – naturally present in some fermented foods, added to some food products, and available as dietary supplements. It helps improve immune function in several ways, such as enhancing the phagocytic activity of white blood cells.
People who tend to eat a well-balanced diet have stronger immune systems. In fact, according to a recent study, one who eats various fresh and unprocessed foods every day to get vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants has a lower risk of chronic symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Of more than 590,000 adults surveyed, researchers found that the quarter with the most plant-rich diets had a 9% lower risk of developing COVID-19 than the quarter with the least healthy diets.
Why the Virus Matters for Foodservice Companies
The Devil COVID-19 has forced foodservice businesses – of the wizard and the muggle world – to change how they operate. Small businesses often see the most impact of the Dark Lord. They usually do not have a dedicated safety professional to fight against evil. Without one, the responsibility for workplace safety falls to the owner or manager.
Food safety can be complicated, especially during a global pandemic when health is top of the mind for consumers worldwide. The pandemic’s lasting effects on foodservice offer opportunities for dietitians in various work settings. Registered dietitians working in foodservice at universities play a vital role in ensuring that menu options meet students’ nutrition and lifestyle needs.
As foodservice organizations simplify their menus, registered dietitians help diversify choices and customize options for consumers with specific dietary needs. Amid the unprecedented degree of fear of the death eaters, they are leading the charge in helping clients and patients make healthful food and lifestyle decisions.
Up until the pandemic, 25% of adults and 20% of children ate outside food at least once a week. According to a recent study, most have returned to scratch cooking.
A Menu Designed for Sustained COVID-Resilience
Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans were a must-have among the wizarding community. Now restaurant menu design focuses on clever ways of eating healthy under $1, 2, or 3.
In deference to an incendiary group of wizards and witches led by the dark forces, many foodservice companies are also trying to save money and limit inventory by cross-utilizing ingredients. By restricting the ingredients and the number of dishes, their kitchen staff maintains quality standards and better food safety and protects against COVID 19 contamination.
Some foodservice operators have removed menu items that are not easy to package and will not travel well. They are shifting focus on consumer changing demands, fresh food dishes, and popular easy-to-carry items, such as sandwiches, salads, and simple entrees.
Another trend that is a consequence of COVID-19 are take-out menus. These menus feature popular items and dishes that can be quickly packaged and travel well. These menus are available online through the website or QR codes. This approach also eliminates the need for reusable or disposable menus and reduces germs’ spread.
The wands of each registered dietician’s characters:
- Plant-based Nutrition – A fresh leafy food can sometimes work like magic when taken regularly. It consists of exclusively plant foods, including fruit, vegetables, grains, and legumes. A plant-based diet is full of fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals, free of cholesterol, and low in calories and saturated fat.
- Hot Drinks: A Hot Butter Beer is the perfect drink to warm up with your favorite Harry Potter movie. There is nothing wrong with a traditional Hot Toddy, Hot Buttered Rum, Spiced Apple Cider, or boozy Hot Chocolate. Research shows that drinking hot liquids when suffering from cold and flu. It relieves cold and flu symptoms and soothes the throat and nose inflammation.
- Clinical Care: Registered dietitians are playing in response to COVID-19, from the frontline in acute care to population-level advice and support in critical community care, primary care, food service, and education. Post-COVID-19, they have an essential role in the rehabilitation, reducing the risk of complications and shortening recovery times.
- Food Safety & Hygiene: Food safety and food hygiene are essential as they ensure that the food you handle, and produce is safe for consumption. If food safety and hygiene are not maintained, consumers could become seriously ill with food poisoning and foodborne illnesses. Therefore, food safety and food hygiene are of the utmost importance to protect consumers’ health.
Let’s talk
The pandemic has taught us new ways of doing things, modifying existing practices, and transforming thought processes. Apart from a healthy diet, sometimes COVID-19 affected people seek counseling and psychosocial support for their mental health and wellbeing. Registered Dietitians are like superheroes who save us from the dark forces.
In a post-COVID era, when new variants and new cases are still popping up, we witness a tech revolution that has only gained momentum. If you wish to be a part of this transformation and wave away any foodservice business-related concerns, we can make the magic happen. Drop by for a free contact today!
