Where can I find trustworthy nutrition and diet information?
October 5, 2016 1:21 PM Subscribe
I'm currently participating in the "Whole Life Challenge" which has me eating a paleo-ish diet for 2 months. I've been surprised by how quickly I've acclimated to it. It's gotten me interested in understanding more about nutrition. I'm particularly interested in actual facts regarding "paleo eating" and what nutritionists/doctors actually think of as a healthy diet these days.
As paleo is so popular at the moment I'm finding it really hard to separate the wheat from the chaff (HA!) with regards to hard science fact and well intentioned though perhaps ill-informed food bloggers/gurus. There's a ton of talk about toxins and 'inflmamation' and metabolism that I'm finding difficult to swallow (PUN!).
Can anyone point me towards a blog or a book or even a Medium post that discusses our modern accepted understanding of a balanced diet and/or info on a paleo-style diet that acutally sites sources (or is simply written by an obviously credible source)?
I see that this question was asked earlier this year, but it seems to mostly contain recommendations for expensive textbooks.
As paleo is so popular at the moment I'm finding it really hard to separate the wheat from the chaff (HA!) with regards to hard science fact and well intentioned though perhaps ill-informed food bloggers/gurus. There's a ton of talk about toxins and 'inflmamation' and metabolism that I'm finding difficult to swallow (PUN!).
Can anyone point me towards a blog or a book or even a Medium post that discusses our modern accepted understanding of a balanced diet and/or info on a paleo-style diet that acutally sites sources (or is simply written by an obviously credible source)?
I see that this question was asked earlier this year, but it seems to mostly contain recommendations for expensive textbooks.
Best answer: One source that I trust very highly is the Harvard School of Public Health, and in particular their Nutrition Source. For example, their "Healthy Eating Plate," i.e. alternative to the USDA food pyramid, is very straightforward and evidence-based. I had a good friend who studied at HSPH and was convinced that Walt Willett, the guy who heads it up, is absolutely incorruptible, vs. the USDA's political obligations to the meat and dairy industries. For instance, when he became convinced that the evidence showed that trans fats played a key role in heart disease (search for "Willett" in the references on that page), he led basically a crusade to get them eliminated from most foods, industry lobbying be damned. Bottom line, I find it very trustworthy and credible on scientific and factual bases.
I don't know if it will meet all your needs. I acknowledge the site pretty deliberately targets the lowest common denominator since the goal is to help families eat healthily rather than to provide nutrition knowledge in the abstract. Likewise it doesn't analyze or compare itself to alternative diets like paleo, low-carb, low-fat, or whatever else. It just makes evidence-based recommendations about what to eat without any woo.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 1:38 PM on October 5, 2016 [6 favorites]
I don't know if it will meet all your needs. I acknowledge the site pretty deliberately targets the lowest common denominator since the goal is to help families eat healthily rather than to provide nutrition knowledge in the abstract. Likewise it doesn't analyze or compare itself to alternative diets like paleo, low-carb, low-fat, or whatever else. It just makes evidence-based recommendations about what to eat without any woo.
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 1:38 PM on October 5, 2016 [6 favorites]
I will point you toward Stephan Guyenet and his blog Whole Health Source. He is by far the sanest and least woo-ified blogger in the "paleo" space that I've read. (And I've read a lot, hoo boy.) He often interprets the scientific literature in light of what it might mean for diet and health, but he doesn't have as much of an axe to grind surrounding specific foods.
posted by overeducated_alligator at 1:45 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by overeducated_alligator at 1:45 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Similar to the above, but perhaps a bit more tailored, the NHS offer an annual 'review' of trendy diets, and the one for 2016 includes Paleo. It's simple, but it is based on the best general research, collated and picked over intensely by experts.
The problem is that if you're not interested in reading textbooks, there's not a lot of good, well informed ground, as popnutrition generally wants to sell you something. As a rule of thumb, too, bear in mind that dietary science is incredibly rough and ready, and extremely hard to do as large scale human trials, not to mention that it has complex confounding factors to do with the differences between generations, nations, and individuals that are barely understood. The bigger and bolder the claim, the more likely it is to be based on very thin ground.
posted by AFII at 1:45 PM on October 5, 2016
The problem is that if you're not interested in reading textbooks, there's not a lot of good, well informed ground, as popnutrition generally wants to sell you something. As a rule of thumb, too, bear in mind that dietary science is incredibly rough and ready, and extremely hard to do as large scale human trials, not to mention that it has complex confounding factors to do with the differences between generations, nations, and individuals that are barely understood. The bigger and bolder the claim, the more likely it is to be based on very thin ground.
posted by AFII at 1:45 PM on October 5, 2016
Best answer: Here's a question from a few weeks ago on Evidence Based Health Blogs.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 1:50 PM on October 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 1:50 PM on October 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
If you are already eating paleo, you might enjoy Good Calories, Bad Calories, and The Big Fat Surprise, both of which go into the science behind low-carb diets.
Unfortunately a lot of nutrition science is paid for by companies that sell sugary drinks and carby foods, and have an interest in selling more of them, so take what you read with a grain of salt.
posted by Lycaste at 2:18 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
Unfortunately a lot of nutrition science is paid for by companies that sell sugary drinks and carby foods, and have an interest in selling more of them, so take what you read with a grain of salt.
posted by Lycaste at 2:18 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm skeptical of the scientific backing for the paleo diet, given that the historical (or rather, archeological) backing is non-existent: paleo people ate grains when they could get them. How do you think we selected them into domestication in the first place?
/Agricultural historian frustration
posted by jb at 2:37 PM on October 5, 2016 [19 favorites]
/Agricultural historian frustration
posted by jb at 2:37 PM on October 5, 2016 [19 favorites]
My Mr has found the book Good Calories, Bad Calories (linked above) and the blog Mark's Daily Apple useful in this regard.
posted by matildaben at 3:04 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by matildaben at 3:04 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Paleo Mom - she's a PhD and cites peer reviewed sources.
jb - sources such as the Paleo Mom are genuinely not concerned about the historical accuracy of said diet, focusing instead on how it affects people's health. Some people, mostly with digestive and/or autoimmune issues, genuinely thrive on a grain-free diet. Some do not. Save yourself the frustration, live and let live.
posted by Neekee at 4:32 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
jb - sources such as the Paleo Mom are genuinely not concerned about the historical accuracy of said diet, focusing instead on how it affects people's health. Some people, mostly with digestive and/or autoimmune issues, genuinely thrive on a grain-free diet. Some do not. Save yourself the frustration, live and let live.
posted by Neekee at 4:32 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
If you want facts, it's probably helpful to read criticism of the books of guru's that people are recommending. For example, read Good Calories Bad Calories, but also read this critical review or this even more comprehensive in progress chapter-by-chapter one.
Many books cites lots of sources, but if you check them out, you'll often find that it cites a very old source that has since been debunked by newer (still decades old) research. Cherry picking research (only citing research you agree with) is a real problem. So, I wouldn't use "actually cites sources" as a criterion to judge the quality of the book/article.
posted by blub at 12:28 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Many books cites lots of sources, but if you check them out, you'll often find that it cites a very old source that has since been debunked by newer (still decades old) research. Cherry picking research (only citing research you agree with) is a real problem. So, I wouldn't use "actually cites sources" as a criterion to judge the quality of the book/article.
posted by blub at 12:28 AM on October 6, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: nutritionfacts.org is written by a physician who searches the medical literature for nutritional information then posts videos analyzing the research. He also wrote a book: How not to Die. Warning: Paléo would not be what he recommends.. He says whole-foods, plant based is best.
posted by newsomz at 3:52 AM on October 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by newsomz at 3:52 AM on October 6, 2016 [2 favorites]
I've been reading the Marks Daily Apple blog for a while now and find it informative, he sells a 'lifestyle' but I don't find he is fanatical or misleading. He links to a lot of scientific studies to back up the information he gives which means you have more power to weigh up whether it is backed by actual facts or is just an overstated opinion and as new studies are undertaken he revises his statements to take it into account. I also like that he explores other things surrounding nutrition such as sleep and ties it all in, it might be slightly too 'guru-ish' for your taste but of the blogs I have read on this topic it's definitely one of the better ones!
posted by Peetree at 10:31 AM on October 6, 2016
posted by Peetree at 10:31 AM on October 6, 2016
Response by poster: Thanks for the links and info here, folks. And thanks Major Matt Mason Dixon, I totally missed that post!
posted by soplerfo at 10:38 AM on October 6, 2016
posted by soplerfo at 10:38 AM on October 6, 2016
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posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:33 PM on October 5, 2016 [1 favorite]