Browse the evidence

Very low-carbohydrate/ketogenic, Paleolithic, and low-carbohydrate dietary patterns have low to moderate or poor alignment with 2021 AHA Dietary Guidance due to restrictions on whole grains, legumes, and oils, and high saturated fat content.

If you follow a low-carb, Paleo, or ketogenic diet, be aware that it may not align well with heart health guidelines. These diets often restrict whole grains, legumes, and healthy oils, and may be high in saturated fat. Consult a registered dietitian to ensure nutrient adequacy and minimize cardiovascular risk.

Intake of fish, poultry, and eggs is not significantly associated with incident atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in older adults.

You can likely continue to eat fish, poultry, and eggs without increasing your risk of heart disease or stroke, according to this study of older adults. These foods do not show the same negative association with cardiovascular health that red meat does. Focus on reducing red meat intake while maintaining these other protein sources.

Iso-caloric substitution of poly-unsaturated fat for saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of cancer-related mortality.

If you are replacing saturated fats (e.g., from butter, cheese, or red meat) with poly-unsaturated fats (e.g., from vegetable oils, nuts, or fish), this study suggests your risk of dying from cancer may increase by 12%. Consider balancing your fat intake and not relying solely on PUFA-rich oils as a health strategy.

GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) such as semaglutide and tirzepatide induce significant lean mass loss (muscle wasting) alongside fat mass loss, which exacerbates sarcopenia and frailty in patients with advanced heart failure.

If you have heart failure and are using GLP-1RAs (like Ozempic or Wegovy), be aware that you will likely lose muscle along with fat. To protect your strength, prioritize high-protein foods and engage in resistance exercise regularly. Discuss these risks with your doctor to balance heart benefits against muscle loss.

Increasing daily protein intake to 1.4 g/kg body weight, specifically emphasizing lean beef, does not enhance resistance training-induced adaptations in skeletal muscle volume, strength, or patellar tendon cross-sectional area in older women compared to a normal protein intake of 0.8 g/kg.

If you are an older woman doing resistance training, you do not need to force-feed yourself high amounts of protein or lean beef to see muscle and strength gains. A standard intake of 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight is sufficient to support these adaptations. While higher protein (1.4 g/kg) from beef did not hurt, it also did not help more than the lower amount. Focus on consistent training rather than maximizing protein intake beyond standard recommendations.

Increasing protein intake from 1.0 g/kg/day to 1.6 g/kg/day via egg white or whey protein supplementation does not further enhance physical performance (strength, endurance, aerobic capacity) in recreationally trained males and females undergoing high-intensity functional training (HIFT).

If you are already eating about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, adding extra protein supplements (like whey or egg white) will not make you stronger or more enduring during high-intensity functional training. Focus on your training consistency and total daily protein intake rather than buying extra supplements.

High carbohydrate intake (highest tertile, median 59.3% energy) is associated with increased MRI-detected vascular brain injury (covert brain infarcts and white matter hyperintensities) and lower cognitive scores (MoCA and DSST) in middle-aged adults.

If you are middle-aged and concerned about brain health, look at your overall macronutrient balance. High carbohydrate intake (over 59% of calories) is linked to more silent brain injuries and lower cognitive scores. Try shifting some of those carbohydrates to healthy fats, like those found in nuts, olive oil, or fish, which were associated with better brain health in this study.

Higher total protein intake (up to ~116g/day) is not significantly associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), coronary heart disease (CHD), or stroke in middle-aged adults.

If you are a middle-aged adult concerned about heart disease, simply eating more protein than you currently do is unlikely to lower your risk of heart attack or stroke. Focus on overall dietary patterns and established risk factors rather than just maximizing protein grams.

Higher diversity of protein sources (specifically 'count' of sources) is weakly associated with a marginally higher risk of CVD, while 'dissimilarity' of sources shows no association.

Don't assume that eating many different types of protein (e.g., chicken, beef, fish, beans, tofu) will protect your heart. This study suggests that having a high count of protein sources might be weakly linked to higher risk, possibly due to what those sources are (e.g., processed meats).

Modern commercial Paleolithic diet variants (low-carb/high-fat) and extreme Carnivore diets contradict anthropological evidence of ancestral carbohydrate intake (35-72% of energy) and may increase cardiovascular risk by promoting high saturated fat intake and dyslipidemia.

If you are following a commercial Paleo or Carnivore diet, be aware that your macronutrient profile (very low carb, high saturated fat) differs significantly from what anthropological evidence suggests ancestral humans ate. Current scientific consensus links high saturated fat intake to elevated LDL and cardiovascular risk. While these diets may offer short-term benefits (possibly via elimination of processed foods or FODMAPs), long-term adherence to high saturated fat levels may increase cardiovascular risk. Consider aligning your diet with evidence-based guidelines that limit saturated fat, rather than relying on evolutionary arguments alone.

Time-restricted eating (TRE) does not significantly preserve lean body mass compared to control groups in adults with obesity.

Don't worry that TRE will cause you to lose muscle faster than a standard diet. The evidence shows lean mass loss is similar to control groups. Focus on protein intake and strength training to preserve muscle, as TRE itself doesn't offer a specific advantage in this regard.

High-fat diets and saturated fatty acids can disrupt intestinal barrier integrity and promote systemic inflammation via TLR4 activation and bile acid alterations.

Limiting saturated fat intake and focusing on unsaturated fats can help maintain gut barrier integrity and reduce systemic inflammation, especially in individuals prone to metabolic issues.

Age-related insulin resistance in older adults is primarily driven by increased visceral adiposity and central fat distribution rather than aging itself, as accounting for body fat and distribution eliminates age as a predictor of insulin action.

Focus on maintaining a healthy body weight and minimizing visceral fat through diet and exercise. This is more critical for metabolic health in older age than simply accepting 'aging' as the cause of metabolic issues.

Obesity-induced infiltration of M1 macrophages into metabolic tissues (adipose, liver, muscle) drives chronic inflammation that directly causes insulin resistance by interfering with insulin signaling pathways.

For those with obesity, reducing the inflammatory burden on metabolic tissues is key. This involves strategies that reduce macrophage infiltration, such as weight loss and potentially anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, to improve insulin sensitivity.

As income and food system industrialization increase, per capita supply of animal-source foods increases, while supply of pulses and coarse grains decreases.

As your income rises, you may naturally gravitate towards more animal proteins and away from pulses and coarse grains. Be aware that this shift is a common economic trend, not necessarily a nutritional improvement. Pulses and coarse grains remain valuable, nutrient-dense components of a balanced diet.

Peri-operative protein or amino acid supplementation does not significantly improve muscle strength (quadriceps or handgrip) or functional outcomes in total joint arthroplasty patients.

Do not expect protein supplements to restore your leg strength after surgery. The evidence shows they help keep muscle mass from shrinking, but they do not significantly improve strength or walking ability on their own. You must combine supplementation with physical therapy and exercise to regain strength.

Depletion of Kupffer cells (liver macrophages) improves insulin signaling and hepatic insulin sensitivity in obese mice.

Targeting liver inflammation may be a viable strategy for improving insulin sensitivity, though current clinical applications of macrophage depletion are limited.

Adopting vegetarian or vegan diets significantly improves cardiometabolic risk factors, including lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, and fasting glucose, compared to omnivorous diets.

To improve heart health and metabolic markers, shift your diet towards plant-based sources (vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains) and reduce or eliminate animal products. Expect improvements in cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight management, though you should monitor nutrient status, particularly B12.

Adopting a healthful plant-based diet (high in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes; low in refined grains, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and animal foods) is associated with favorable health outcomes, including reduced risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and mortality.

To improve your health, focus on the quality of your plant-based foods. Prioritize whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes while minimizing refined grains, sweets, and sugar-sweetened beverages. You do not need to eliminate animal products entirely to see benefits; simply increasing the quality of plant foods in your diet is associated with lower risks of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and mortality.

Consuming yerba mate drink (YMD) alongside a pre-exercise carbohydrate meal significantly increases fat oxidation and improves time trial cycling performance compared to consuming either YMD alone in a fasted state or a carbohydrate meal alone.

If you are a trained cyclist, drinking yerba mate daily and eating a carbohydrate-rich meal (1g per kg of body weight) about an hour before your workout can boost your fat burning and improve your performance. This combination works better than drinking yerba mate while fasted or just eating the carbs alone.

Female volleyball players should consume 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day of protein to optimize training adaptation and preserve lean mass, particularly during energy deficits.

Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight every day. This helps your muscles recover and grow, especially if you are training hard or trying to lose fat. You can get this from food like chicken, fish, eggs, or dairy, or supplements if needed.

Female volleyball players should consume 6–10 g/kg/day of carbohydrates to optimize muscle glycogen storage and 7–10 g/kg/day for recovery.

Eat 6 to 10 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of your body weight each day. On days with heavy training or matches, aim for the higher end (7-10 g/kg) to help your muscles recover and store energy. Good sources include pasta, rice, fruits, and vegetables.

Distributing protein evenly across the day (0.4g.kg per meal, minimum 4 meals) optimizes muscle protein synthesis, recovery, and adaptation in rugby players compared to disproportionate intake.

To maximize muscle growth and recovery, eat 0.4 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight at four different meals. For a 90kg player, that is 36g of protein at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack. This keeps your body in an anabolic state throughout the day. If you struggle to eat enough, use protein supplements, especially after training.

Higher dietary protein intake is significantly associated with higher Phase Angle (PhA) in athletes, independent of fat-free mass, sex, and age.

If you are an athlete, ensure your daily protein intake is sufficient (likely >1.2 g/kg/day, with higher intakes up to ~1.8-2.1 g/kg/day potentially offering higher Phase Angle benefits). Focus on high-quality protein sources like meat and eggs, as these were specifically linked to better Phase Angle values independent of total calories or muscle mass. This suggests that optimizing protein intake supports cellular health and muscle integrity, which can be monitored via Phase Angle.