College students are notorious for planning their menus around waking up late and cramming for exams, embracing Red Bull and JJ's chicken strips as two major food groups. But in the new era of obesity epidemics, mainstream tofu, and organic milk sold at Wal-Mart, collegiate pigs are looking for something better to fill their bellies, and Columbia is ready to help. Ina Tsagarakis, the University's new full-time dietitian, is making commendable improvements. As midterms approach, the threat of late nights, weakened immune systems, and sickness looms large. Students would do well to think about nutrition, evaluate what they eat, and reach out to Tsagarakis and her office as a valuable resource.

Tsagarakis, a registered dietitian, works four days a week for Housing and Dining, and spends her Tuesdays at Health Services. At Housing and Dining, she collaborates with John Jay chefs and retail location managers to plan healthier menus and to label food with nutritional information. At Health Services, she and two other dietitians consult with students individually to help them cope with eating disorders, to better tailor athletes' diets, and to assist anyone who wants to improve how they eat. The work Tsagarakis and her colleagues do marks a major improvement in the nutritional information and guidance available to students.

But the nutritional improvements do not stop there. At John Jay Dining Hall, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables have been replaced by fresh produce. Tsagarakis deserves praise for meeting the myriad of dietary requirements the student body demands; vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and Halal options are all available. Since last year, John Jay has also sold locally produced milk and apples, and Tsagarakis hopes to serve locally grown meats and more organic products in the near future.

In the United States today, obesity is paradoxically linked to low incomes, with the cheapest foods often loaded with sodium, saturated fat, and little nutritional value. Not surprisingly, many college students on time and money budgets also consume a heavily processed diet. Tsagarakis notes that among Columbia students, there exists a wide variety of knowledge about nutrition, with many students ignorant to the benefits of fresh ingredients and less-processed foods. While it is not a Core requirement, a healthy diet will benefit students far beyond witty cocktail conversation.