As a health reporter who’s been following nutrition news for decades, I’ve seen a lot of trends that made a splash — and then sank. Remember olestra, the Paleo diet and celery juice?
Watch enough food fads come and go, and you realize that the most valuable nutrition guidance is built on decades of research, in which scientists have looked at a question from multiple perspectives and arrived at something like a consensus.
Here are 10 science-backed pearls to carry you into the new year.
1. The Mediterranean diet really is that good for you.
Decades of research support the Mediterranean diet — which is centered on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, nuts, herbs and spices — as one of the healthiest ways you can eat. Its heart-health benefits are numerous, and it has been linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline and certain types of cancer.
If you’re interested in adopting the Mediterranean diet but aren’t sure where to start, stay tuned. Starting Jan. 15, we’ll be sharing a week of practical guidance and recipes for Mediterranean-style eating in the Well newsletter, which you can sign up for here.
2. It’s OK to drink coffee on an empty stomach.
Some people may experience heartburn, but there’s no evidence that drinking coffee on an empty stomach can damage your gastric lining or otherwise harm your digestive system, experts say. And there are reasons to feel good about your morning brew: Drinking coffee has been linked to a longer life and a lower risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
8. Cottage cheese is back.
You might associate cottage cheese with fad diets from the 1970s, but it’s a food that has stood the test of time. Cottage cheese was a breakout hit on TikTok this summer, and for good reason. You can eat it plain or use it as a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory snacks, and it offers an impressive array of nutrients including protein, calcium, selenium and more.
9. Tofu really is good for you, too.
In past decades, people have worried that tofu and other soy foods might be linked with cancer or fertility problems because they contain estrogen-like compounds. But studies have put those fears to bed, scientists say. In fact, research suggests that eating soy-based foods may reduce your risk of heart disease and even some types of cancer.
10. It’s challenging to separate nutrition myths from facts.
Myths about nutrition tend to linger in American culture and in our minds, leaving us confused and sometimes even anxious about our eating decisions. We asked 10 nutrition experts which myths they wished would disappear like plates of fresh cookies at a holiday party.
Kama mwandishi wa habari za afya ambaye amekuwa akifuatilia habari za lishe kwa miongo mingi, nimeona mwenendo mwingi ambao ulifanya mtiririko na kisha ukashuka. Kumbuka Olestra, mlo wa Paleo na maji ya celery? "Kama unaangalia vyakula vya kawaida vinavyokuja na kwenda, unatambua kwamba mwongozo wa lishe wenye thamani zaidi umejengwa juu ya miongo ya utafiti, ambapo wanasayansi wameangalia swali kutoka kwa mtazamo mbalimbali na kufika kwenye kitu kama makubaliano. """ Hapa kuna 10 ya ajabu ya sayansi ya pearls ya kuvutia kwa ajili ya mwaka mpya. 1. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Chakula cha Mediterania ni muhimu sana kwa afya yako. Miongo ya utafiti inasaidia mlo wa Mediterania - ambao unazingatia matunda na mboga, nafaka nzima, mboga, mafuta ya zeituni, karanga, mimea na viungo - kama moja ya njia zenye afya zaidi unazoweza kula. Kuna faida nyingi za afya ya moyo, na imehusishwa na hatari ya chini ya ugonjwa wa kisukari wa Aina ya 2, kupungua kwa utambuzi na aina fulani za kansa. Kama una nia ya kupitisha mlo wa Mediterania lakini hujui ni wapi pa kuanza, endelea kusikiliza. Kuanzia Januari 15, tutashiriki mwongozo wa wiki ya vitendo na mapishi ya kula mtindo wa Mediterania katika jarida la Well, ambalo unaweza kujiandikisha hapa. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Ni sawa kunywa kahawa kwa tumbo tupu. Wataalamu wanasema kuwa kuna uwezekano wa kuwa na maumivu makali ya tumbo, lakini hakuna ushahidi kwamba kunywa kahawa kwa tumbo tupu kunaweza kuharibu utando wa tumbo au kuharibu mfumo wako wa kumeng'enya chakula. Kuna sababu nyingi za kufurahia kinywaji chako cha asubuhi: Kunywa kahawa kumehusishwa na maisha marefu na hatari ya chini ya ugonjwa wa moyo na ugonjwa wa kisukari wa Aina ya 2. 8. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Cottage cheese imerudi. Cottage cheese ni chakula cha kawaida cha miaka ya 1970, lakini imesimama kwa muda mrefu. Cottage cheese ilikuwa hit breakout juu ya TikTok majira ya joto, na kwa sababu nzuri. Unaweza kula kama kawaida au kuitumia kama kiungo cha kila aina katika vitafunio vitamu na vyenye ladha, na inatoa safu ya kuvutia ya virutubisho ikiwa ni pamoja na protini, kalsiamu, seleniamu na zaidi. 9. (a) Kwa nini? Tofu ni nzuri kwa ajili yenu, pia. Katika miongo iliyopita, watu wamekuwa na wasiwasi kwamba tofu na vyakula vingine vya soya vinaweza kuhusishwa na saratani au matatizo ya uzazi kwa sababu zina misombo kama ya estrogen. Lakini utafiti umeondoa hofu hizo, wanasayansi wasema. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba kula vyakula vyenye soya kunaweza kupunguza hatari ya kupatwa na magonjwa ya moyo na hata aina fulani za kansa. Kumi. Ni vigumu kutenganisha hadithi za lishe na ukweli. Hadithi kuhusu lishe huwa na kuingilia katika utamaduni wa Marekani na katika akili zetu, kutuacha kuchanganyikiwa na wakati mwingine hata wasiwasi kuhusu maamuzi yetu ya kula. Wataalamu kumi wa lishe waliuliza ni hadithi gani ambazo wangetamani ziondoke kama sahani za biskuti safi kwenye sherehe ya likizo.