Diet and nutrition Archive

Sugar is a carbohydrate that provides the body with energy and has an important role in nutrition. It is found in many healthy whole foods, but it is also abundant in unhealthy processed foods. The problem many people have with sugar is that they consume too much of the refined kind added to many processed food products, and not enough of the natural kind in fruits, vegetables, and grains.

In addition to major healthy lifestyle habits, such as exercising and eating a healthy diet, it's important to practice lots of little healthy habits throughout the day. Some should be observed every 30 minutes, such as taking a quick activity break and drinking a little water. Other habits, such as having a healthy snack or using eye drops, can be done every few hours. And some healthy habits help if practiced even just once a day, such as learning something new, chatting with someone outside of the household, or meditating.

One in three Americans takes a daily multivitamin even though research shows this doesn't provide any meaningful health benefits for most people. And because of the way supplements are regulated, some supplements make claims that have no evidence behind them.

A recent study suggested a vegan diet is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, and its lead author also said that people should try changing their eating patterns before turning to medication. But there is no evidence that changes in diet can prevent joint damage that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis.

A 2022 study suggests that eating meat (including poultry) fewer than five times a week may protect people from cancer. Consuming only fish and no meat or following a vegetarian or vegan diet may offer even greater protection.

Limiting meals to a certain window of time each day, an approach called time-restricted eating, didn't appear to help people lose any more weight compared with ordinary calorie restriction in a small randomized trial published in 2022.

Healthier alternatives to standard white pasta include spiralized vegetable "zoodles" (made from zucchini or yellow squash) as well as pasta made from whole-wheat flour, buckwheat flour, edamame (soybeans), chickpeas, or red lentils.

A 2022 study found that egg consumption equal to about one per day and greater dietary cholesterol intake were linked to a slightly higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.

Unsweetened cocoa powder has variable amounts of health-promoting flavanols, depending on how it is processed. Fruits and vegetables are better sources of these compounds, which may improve blood pressure and blood sugar.

Compared with eating carbohydrates, eating protein—particularly protein from plants— was associated with lower odds of later developing cognitive declines, according to a Harvard study in the January 2022 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.