The notion that one might have to sacrifice some flavor when choosing healthier food options never entered Daphne Oz’s mind.

An influential chef, New York Times-bestselling author, and Emmy Award-winning television host of ABC’s “The Chew,” Oz has for years sought to dispel the notion that healthy eating means depriving oneself of tasty food.

“I’ve spent my career trying to make people understand that eating well, fueling your body, letting your body thrive on good food — it should be delicious. It should not be a sacrifice; it should feel like an indulgence,” Oz said in an interview included in this episode of Taste Radio.

That perspective was a big part of her motivation to invest in Pure Spoon, a maker of high pressure processed organic purees for babies and children. In our conversation, Oz, who also joined Pure Spoon as its Chief Innovation Officer, praised the brand and its products as representative of the fresh, flavorful and eminently healthy food that consumers will embrace given the opportunity to try them. She also discussed how, as a writer, TV personality and social media influencer, she attempts to educate consumers about healthy eating in an authentic and meaningful way.

Also in this episode: an Elevator Talk double feature with pitches from the founders of two innovative food brands — No Evil Foods and Ayoba-Yo — and accompanying feedback from the hosts. This episode is presented by RISE Brewing Co.

	1:59: ATX, Pies and Videotape — Ray chats about a recent visit to Austin and notes the city’s embrace of homegrown brands, including Waterloo, Mighty Swell, HeyDay, High Brew and Shiner. Landis talks about a new video that details the application process for BevNET Live’s New Beverage Showdown. Craven explains what we do with samples that come into the office: added to our databases, photographed for social media, reviewed, consumed. Mike and Ray note that the samples often offer a glimpse into emerging trends.
	10:05: Interview: Daphne Oz, Chief Innovation Officer, Pure Spoon; Former Host, The Chew — Daphne Oz is a New York Times-bestselling author, Emmy Award-winning television host, and chef who co-hosted the ABC show “The Chew” for six seasons. She recently joined Pure Spoon, a brand of healthy HPP organic purees for babies and kids as the company’s Chief Innovation Officer. Mike Schneider met up with Oz at Natural Products Expo West 2018 where they spoke about her roles as an influencer and industry expert and her transition to entrepreneurship with Pure Spoon.
	37:24: Elevator Talk: We’ve got another extended edition of Elevator Talk, featuring Sadrah Schadel, Co-Founder, No Evil Foods, a brand of plant-based meat products, and Wian van Blommestein, the owner of Ayoba-Yo, a brand of South African meat snacks.

Waterloo, Mighty Swell, HeyDay Coffee, High Brew Coffee, Shiner, Topo Chico, Pure Spoon, No Evil Foods, Ayoba-Yo