Dietary patterns Archive

Carb cycling—alternating high- and low-carb days—may help athletes with fat loss and body composition when paired with structured exercise. But for most everyday exercisers, the regimen likely doesn’t offer benefits over simply following a healthy, balanced diet.

Orthorexia is an obsession with “pure” or “clean” eating that goes beyond healthy habits—marked by rigid food rules, anxiety around imperfect eating, and feelings of superiority. Though not a formal diagnosis, it’s treatable with help from a multidisciplinary team that includes various specialists in diet and mental health.

Bacteria, parasites, and viruses can all cause food poisoning. Proper handling, cooking, and storage of food help reduce the chances of an infection. If you get food poisoning, it usually can be treated at home by replenishing lost fluids and electrolytes.

A major study of survivors of nonmetastatic prostate cancer found that those eating the most saturated fat had a 24% higher risk of death over a 13-year period, mainly from heart disease and other cancers. Swapping animal fats for plant-based, unsaturated fats was linked to significantly lower risks.

While gluten-free packaged foods offer convenience, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, and naturally gluten-free grains often provide better nutrition at lower cost. Building meals around these staples, rather than relying solely on specialty products, makes gluten-free eating easier to sustain.

Kelp contains a nutrient that affects thyroid function, making supplement choices important for people with nodules or other thyroid concerns.

Nitrates are found in both leafy greens and processed meats. But it’s unclear how much these molecules matter compared with other components of those foods, as dietary nitrate levels have no proven link to heart disease risk.

“Anti-nutrients” like oxalates, lectins, and phytates are found in leafy greens, beans, and grains. They can slightly reduce absorption of some minerals, but aren’t reasons for most people to avoid these healthy foods. Food preparation and meal planning can help minimize such effects.

The MIND diet combines Mediterranean and DASH diet principles with an added emphasis on brain-healthy foods like leafy greens, whole grains, and fish. Linked in some studies with slower cognitive decline and lower dementia risk, it’s a flexible eating pattern with benefits at any age.

The DASH plan is one of the world’s leading heart-healthy diets. While it limits salt, sugar, saturated fat, and alcohol, it doesn’t have to be bland. With some flavor creativity and changes in shopping and meal planning, it can soon become second nature.