8 Nutrition Facts That Should Be Common Sense
It’s hard to get verified information about how to eat. Let’s clear the misconceptions and talk about what’s actually true.
1. Food variety is just as important as food quality
A year ago, I embarked on my healthy living journey by rotating the same 5 healthy meals throughout the week. I felt better about what I was eating, but it didn’t solve the main issues I was facing, which was chronic fatigue, lack of energy, and an auto-immune condition (psoriasis).
I had heard a lot of talk about how important the gut microbiome was but rarely had anyone told me how important food variety is too. Both the amount of good bacteria and variety of this bacteria are important. The only way to increase gut microbiota diversity is by eating a varied diet, which means rotating the same 5 meals throughout the week was unlikely to be as healthy as I had thought.
I started to incorporate a whole range of veggies and fruits in my diet. I added a probiotic (kefir, kombucha, unsweetened yogurt, kimchi etc.) every day. After a couple months, I was energetic and a sampling of my gut microbiome showed that it was more diverse. If you’re looking for ways to do the same, check out this Stanford study, which reveals how fermented foods can increase microbiota diversity and lower inflammation markers.
2. Scientists have created the healthiest 3-course meal
I recently learned that scientists at Leatherhead Food Research created a 3-course meal that satisfies 222 verified health claims that are backed by science.
What was the meal and why was it healthy?
- Fresh and smoked salmon terrine — contains omega-3s and DHAs for brain and heart health
- Mixed leaf salad with Extra Virgin Olive Oil dressing — helps maintain cholesterol levels
- High-fiber multigrain bread roll — contains high fiber and folate
- Chicken casserole with lentils and mixed vegetables — increases iron, vitamin, and mineral absorption
- Live yogurt-based blancmange topped with walnuts and a sugar-free caramel-flavored sauce — increases gut microbiota diversity and controls blood glucose
- Cranberry, raspberry, and elderflower sports drink — contains vitamins and electrolytes
I decided to give the meal a shot three times a week last month (June). I do feel that the meal was a little more than I was accustomed to eating, but it kept me energetic throughout the day. I noticed that on days I stuck to this meal, I was also in a much better mood. I don’t know if it’s coincidence, but my menstrual cycle was much easier during this month. I had virtually no PMS symptoms and a very easy flow, which rarely occurs.
3. “Natural” does not mean much
My body is normally very sensitive to what I put in it, which manifests in bloating, stomach cramps, and an exacerbation of psoriasis symptoms. I used to buy natural snacks, because I thought they would be healthier for my body… after trying out both the natural and normal snacks for different brands, I’ve noticed that my body reacts almost the exact same way. Especially for milk, natural milk was no better than normal brand milk for me.
After researching, I found that the FDA has minimal guidelines for the word natural. Most manufacturers interpret this as meaning the food is minimally processed without many artificial ingredients. Although minimally processed is definitely better than ultra-processed, the interpretation of what minimally means is left up to the manufacturer. This means it’s hard to say whether the food was actually significantly processed or not. Also, milk from cows raised with antibiotics and growth-hormones would still fall under this category. So, it’s easy to see that this label does not mean much.
Although not a perfect label, the “certified organic” label requires manufacturers to follow stricter rules, and I’ve found my body reacts much better to these foods.
4. You’re probably vitamin or mineral deficient
Vitamin D was the only vitamin that I had been aware that I was deficient in. After doing a full vitamin and mineral panel blood test, I found that I was deficient in a lot more than I had realized (magnesium, selenium, and vitamin E to name a few). What I was most surprised to find is that many of them were not routinely checked during annual physicals.
I tried a daily vitamin initially, but I still felt fatigued and lacked energy throughout the day, which made it obvious to me that it wasn’t the best answer. Although supplementing a daily multivitamin would have improved my deficiencies, I decided to get these vitamins from food sources. I’ve found that I reap the full benefits of different vitamins and minerals through vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
Here’s also a survey, which found that 94% of the US population is vitamin D deficient, 89% is vitamin E deficient, 52% is magnesium deficient, and the list goes on… considering that vitamins and minerals are some of the best preventative measures to take against chronic diseases and cancer, it’s obvious we need to be giving them more attention!
5. Refined carbohydrates could be causing chronic inflammation
Inflammation is not inherently bad — it plays a very vital role in our immune system. Chronic inflammation, which is slow, long-term inflammation, certainly does have negative health effects though. Six months ago, I started a mediterranean anti-inflammatory diet, which completely cut out refined carbohydrates.
Foods that include refined carbohydrates include white bread, pasta, pastries, and most sugary breakfast cereals. Once I completely cut them out, I noticed that my auto-immune disorder (psoriasis) improved drastically. I didn’t have as many scaly patches and my hair stopped thinning. I had been on healthy diets before that did not require me to completely cut refined carbs out. Although I felt better energetically, I didn’t notice much of an improvement with my psoriasis symptoms. Cutting out refined carbs was the only change I felt truly contributed to a drastic change in my symptoms, to the point that it was almost immediately noticeable.
6. The Western diet and disease are tightly linked
The western diet is the modern-day style diet of the western world. As I mentioned above, I recently switched diets to an anti-inflammatory one. This required me to switch from the western diet to the mediterranean diet, which I noticed improved symptoms of my autoimmune disorder. I also found recent research which validated my experiences. Researchers discovered that the rise in autoimmune conditions worldwide might be correlated to the spread of the western diet. Even East Asia and the Middle East are beginning to see the prevalence of certain diseases that they never had before!
This suggests that the western diet was likely fundamentally altering my gut microbiota and body in negative ways. Once my body was reset to a better diet plan, my auto-immune symptoms almost completely disappeared.
7. Eggs contain the highest quality of protein
I used to stay away from eggs because of all the bad press they get. But, I’ve come to learn that they actually do contain the highest-quality protein source. A high-quality protein source is one that contains all nine essential amino acids, which eggs do.
I started to incorporate eggs into my diet for better protein, and I’ve found it easier to meet my protein goals this way. I was also able to ensure I was getting enough “good”cholesterol. I haven’t noticed any negative effects of doing so, but I would definitely watch out if you have symptoms of egg intolerance.
8. The healthiest fat is likely extra virgin olive oil
There’s no doubt that extra virgin olive oil has heart-healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamin E, and vitamin K, which all make it one of the healthiest fats.
I’ve recently started to only use extra virgin olive oil. In terms of health benefits, it has certainly beat out sunflower, soybean, and corn oil (which I used to use). Extra virgin olive oil is also a staple used in Mediterranean diets, which are touted as extremely healthy. For the scientifically minded, here’s a peer-reviewed research article that details the protective effects that extra virgin olive oil has against cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.
Incorporating these nutritional changes into my diet has set me up for a healthier lifestyle. I am more energetic, motivated, and symptom-less than I have ever been!
I wish you all the best along your healthy food journey and please do follow to support a new writer❤
