Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Soyoung Lee, a third-year PhD student at Friedman, is studying how diet shapes metabolic health through protein networks.

🔬

Instead of looking at individual proteins, her research identifies groups of proteins that show coordinated patterns when people eat healthier diets.

Her work could help identify people at higher risk for metabolic disease earlier and support the future of precision nutrition: https://bit.ly/4uKfOJj

Big news from Friedman's Food is Medicine Institute: a new online toolkit to help healthcare providers put nutrition-based care into practice.

🍽️ 🥬

The Food is Medicine Toolkit gives clinicians and health system leaders practical guidance on implementing programs like medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions. It covers everything from program design to clinical integration to measuring impact.

Explore the toolkit: fimtoolkit.tufts.edu

What a weekend celebrating our Friedman Class of 2026 at commencement!

🎓🌱

From first day of classes to graduation day, these students have worked incredibly hard to get here.

We're proud of their achievements and can't wait to see how they'll change the world through nutrition and public health.

Congratulations to all our new alumni!

Congratulations to our 2026 Honos Civicus honorees: Camila Sánchez-González, MS, MPH and Jessica Wallingford.

🎉

Honos Civicus, in partnership with Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, recognizes Friedman students who demonstrated outstanding civic engagement and community service.

Camila Sanchez-Gonzalez (MS/MPH) worked on USDA-funded nutrition research, re-established the Friedman Run Club, and is co-developing SHEfe, a startup addressing maternal and infant mortality. She begins her dietetic internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital this fall.

Jessica Wallingford (PhD, Agriculture, Food and Environment) volunteers with Nourri-Source Montréal, maintaining free weekly breastfeeding clinics for underserved populations in Québec.

🌱 Read more about our honorees: https://bit.ly/3R0Mfo2

New research shows consumers will pay a premium for snacks labeled 'FDA healthy' - and they're significantly more likely to choose them.

🥨 🔍

The study, led by researchers at Oregon State and Friedman School, found consumers were willing to pay 59 cents more on average for products with an FDA-endorsed label. Trust in government institutions played a key role in the label's effectiveness.

Sean Cash, senior author, explains: 'Labels act as signals for consumers. When they're viewed as credible - such as when they have government endorsement - they're more likely to influence eating patterns and purchasing habits.'

Read more about the study on Tufts Now: https://bit.ly/3Qnh7yO

No kitchen? No problem.

🍋‍🟩 🌮

Tufts medical, dental and Friedman school students made taco-spiced seared tempeh using just portable pans at Jaharis Cafe as part of their culinary medicine class.

The takeaway: healthy cooking doesn't always require fancy equipment - something future healthcare providers can understand when advising patients with limited kitchen access and resources.

With the Boston Marathon approaching, Tufts scientists explain what actually works when it comes to carbo-loading and what doesn't.

👟 🏃‍♀️

Dr. Sai Krupa Das, senior scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, breaks down the science: your muscles depend on glycogen stores for endurance.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 10-12 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight 36-48 hours before the race.

But there's more to marathon prep than pasta.

💧 Hydration is critical - glycogen storage requires water, so eating carbs without adequate fluids won't optimize performance. During the race, aim for 30-60 grams of simple carbs per hour to avoid 'hitting the wall.'

Good luck to all Boston Marathon runners this year!
Read more on Tufts Now: https://bit.ly/4mBHcpJ

Last week, The New York Times published a thoughtful piece on medical education and the Food is Medicine movement.

🍽️ The core question: if doctors are going to recommend dietary changes, shouldn't they understand what those changes actually look like in practice?

Right now, nearly 60% of medical students receive no nutrition education. Meanwhile, more than 60 medical schools have started teaching culinary medicine - not cooking for its own sake, but to help future doctors prescribe food interventions with real understanding.

💭 Moving nutrition from an afterthought in healthcare to a covered, essential service - that's the goal: https://nyti.ms/4stKRXO

Congratulations to Dr. Udita Sanga on her selection for the Belmont Forum's Advancing Leadership Program!

🌏

This international fellowship brings together researchers and community leaders to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity through transdisciplinary collaboration.

Dr. Sanga's work bridges Indigenous knowledge and systems science to advance climate-resilient food systems.

Her current research in Jharkhand, India, focuses on revitalizing intergenerational foodways while preserving community authority and cultural identity.

🗞️ Read more here: https://bit.ly/4soAPHA