QUESTION: Should I be worried about arsenic in my food?  

ANSWER: There are two different types of arsenic, organic and inorganic. Inorganic arsenic is found naturally in rocks, especially in areas where there is or has been volcanic activity.

QUESTION: What kinds of things do you do as the dietitian for Ingles? 

ANSWER: My job is primarily to inform consumers and our Ingles Markets associates about nutrition and food-related issues. I have been the Corporate Dietitian for Ingles Markets for almost 15 years!

QUESTION: What is the difference between field corn and sweet corn?

ANSWER: First, let’s start with the fact that there are 6 different types of corn and they fall into two categories – SOFT or HARD corns based on the amount of hard or soft starch in the kernel.

QUESTION: I noticed that CELLULOSE is listed as an ingredient in my shredded cheese. What is that? 

ANSWER: Cellulose is part of the cell wall of all plants and is classified as a carbohydrate. Humans cannot digest cellulose so it’s is known as an indigestible or insoluble fiber. If you’ve ever taken a fiber supplement you might have seen cellulose listed as an ingredient.

QUESTION: I heard there’s a Taste of Local next week at one of your stores. Is it free? Who will be there?

ANSWER: Our next Taste of Local event is at the Ingles in Waynesville on Barber Blvd., Thursday, May 21st 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Expect to see about 17 or more local farmers and vendors there! At this FREE event you’ll be able to meet the farmers and vendors and sample their products.

QUESTION: I don’t like to eat red meat … How much protein should I be getting each day and what are some sources besides red meat?

ANSWER: The amount of protein you need each day depends on your age, activity level and also any medical conditions you have.  Generally a sedentary male should be consuming about 56 grams of protein per day and a sedentary woman about 46 grams each day.

QUESTION: Why is there sugar in my milk?

ANSWER: When you see grams of sugar listed on the nutrition facts panel of plain (unsweetened/unflavored) cow’s milk it’s lactose or milk sugar. Dairy farmers and milk processors haven’t added any sugar to that milk, it's just the naturally occurring sugar in milk (lactose) that is considered a carbohydrate.

QUESTION: My 8 year old child is very resistant to trying new vegetables. Can you give me some ideas on how I can get him to eat more vegetables?

ANSWER: It’s great that your goal is to introduce more vegetables into your child’s diet. The important thing to remember is that it may take multiple attempts to get your child to try a new vegetable – so don’t give up! There are a few ways that you can go about getting your child to taste (and hopefully enjoy) new vegetables.

QUESTION: When Ingles talks about offering “local” food what do you mean by that? Is there a certain area or geographic distance?

ANSWER: There is no legal definition for the word “local” so many retailers set a definition on their own. At Ingles all of our stores are within 250 miles of our Distribution Center in Black Mountain, NC so this is our first tier of our “local” region.

QUESTION: I heard you were going to be at the Mother Earth News Fair. When and where is it and what will you be doing there?

ANSWER: The Mother Earth News Fair will be held at the WNC Ag Center near the Asheville Airport on April 11th and 12th ( Saturday and Sunday).