Browse the evidence

High intake of saturated fatty acids from modern diets is linked to endotoxemia and inflammation, whereas unsaturated fatty acids do not produce this response.

Be aware that high-fat meals, particularly those high in saturated fat, can trigger an inflammatory response (endotoxemia). Choosing unsaturated fats helps avoid this inflammatory spike.

High consumption of refined cereal grains (white rice/refined wheat) significantly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in Asian Indians by elevating dietary glycemic load and contributing to visceral obesity.

Reduce your intake of polished white rice and refined wheat. These foods make up half your calories and spike your blood sugar, driving diabetes risk. Swap them for whole grains, millets, or high-fiber rice varieties to lower your glycemic load without abandoning your staple foods.

Higher socio-economic status (SES) and higher educational attainment are associated with lower absolute and relative intake of energy, carbohydrates, sodium, and saturated fats, but higher intake of trans fats in men and monounsaturated fats (MUFA) in women.

In urban Colombia, lower socioeconomic status and education are linked to higher intake of energy, carbohydrates, sodium, and saturated fats, which increases chronic disease risk. However, higher education in men is also linked to higher trans fat intake, and in women, higher monounsaturated fat intake. Public health policies should target these specific demographic-dietary intersections rather than assuming uniform dietary improvements with wealth or education.

A short-term high-fat diet (65% energy from fat) for 5 days reduces large VLDL particles and small HDL particles (HDL-3/4) in men with overweight/obesity, which may be beneficial for cardiovascular health.

A short-term high-fat diet (65% of calories from fat) in sedent overweight men can improve specific lipid subfractions (reducing large VLDL and small HDL) which are linked to lower cardiovascular risk. However, this is a short-term effect in a controlled setting and should not be interpreted as a long-term dietary recommendation without medical supervision.

A higher proportion of saturated fatty acids relative to total fat intake (SFA/TFAT) is associated with a 23% increased risk of all-cause mortality, whereas a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids relative to total fat (PUFA/TFAT) is associated with a 14% reduced risk, mediated partially by the neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR).

To support longevity, focus on the ratio of fats in your diet rather than just cutting total fat. Ensure that polyunsaturated fats (found in fish, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils) make up a larger proportion of your total fat intake, while saturated fats (found in red meat, butter, cheese) make up a smaller proportion. This shift is associated with lower mortality risk, potentially by reducing systemic inflammation.

High starch intake (top quartile, >28.8 E%) is associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality compared to moderate intake (22.8-25.3 E%), creating a U-shaped risk curve.

Aim for moderate starch intake, roughly 20-30% of your total daily energy, rather than very low or very high levels. This range is associated with the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease and death in this population. Focus on the source of starch (e.g., bread, potatoes) as the study notes specific protein associations.

Pasta consumption is associated with reduced intake of added sugars and saturated fats in adults, and reduced saturated fat in children, compared to non-consumption, while energy intake remains similar.

Eating pasta is linked to eating less added sugar and saturated fat than people who don't eat it. You can include pasta in your diet without worrying about increasing your sugar or fat intake.

Fat-restricted (RF) diets lead to greater overall fat mass loss and greater reduction in insulin resistance compared to carbohydrate-restricted (RC) diets, despite both diets being isocaloric.

If you are trying to lose fat, both low-carb and low-fat diets work if you eat the same number of calories. However, a fat-restricted diet might lead to slightly more fat loss because your body burns extra energy trying to turn excess carbs into fat. Don't obsess over cutting carbs; focus on the total energy balance and the energy cost of processing nutrients.

Replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 and omega-6) reduces cardiovascular risk, whereas restricting total fat or saturated fat without replacement does not improve cardiovascular outcomes.

Stop fearing dietary fat. Instead of just cutting back on saturated fats (like those in red meat and full-fat dairy), actively replace them with polyunsaturated fats. Eat fatty fish at least twice a week, use olive oil, and include nuts and seeds. This substitution, rather than simple restriction, is what lowers your cardiovascular risk.

In adults with prediabetes, a high-carbohydrate (50% energy) diet reduces fasting glucose more effectively than a reduced-carbohydrate (35% energy) diet when both are calorie-restricted, despite similar weight loss.

If you have prediabetes, you do not need to severely restrict carbohydrates to improve your fasting blood sugar. A diet providing about 50% of your calories from carbohydrates, focusing on high-fiber foods like whole grains and vegetables, can lower fasting glucose better than a lower-carb diet, provided you are in a calorie deficit. Focus on the quality of carbs (fiber) rather than just cutting them out.

The quality and source of macronutrients (e.g., plant-based proteins, unsaturated fats) are more important for long-term health outcomes than the specific macronutrient ratio (low-carb vs. low-fat).

Don't just count macros; focus on the quality of your food. Replace refined carbohydrates and saturated fats with whole grains, vegetables, nuts, and unsaturated fats. This improves long-term health more than just restricting calories.

Reducing saturated fat intake reduces the risk of combined cardiovascular events, primarily driven by a reduction in coronary heart disease events, with no significant effect on all-cause or cardiovascular mortality.

To lower your risk of heart disease events, try reducing your intake of saturated fats (found in red meat, full-fat dairy, butter, etc.). This change is associated with fewer heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. However, don't expect this change alone to significantly extend your lifespan or prevent all heart-related deaths. Focus on a balanced diet rather than just cutting one nutrient.

Replacing saturated fatty acids (SFA) with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduces cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, whereas replacing SFA with refined carbohydrates (starches and sugars) has a neutral or adverse effect on CVD risk.

Don't just cut fat; look at what you replace it with. If you cut saturated fat (like butter or fatty meat) but replace it with refined carbs (white bread, sugar), your heart risk may not improve or could get worse. Instead, replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats (like olive oil, nuts, or fish). This substitution, not just calorie cutting, is what lowers cardiovascular disease risk.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) promote cardiometabolic disease and obesity through mechanisms beyond simple caloric excess, including specific metabolic effects of fructose and promotion of de novo lipogenesis.

Avoid sugar-sweetened beverages. They are linked to higher risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease through specific metabolic pathways (like liver fat production) that go beyond just adding calories. Water, unsweetened tea, or coffee are better choices.

A very-low-carbohydrate, high-saturated-fat diet leads to greater weight loss and abdominal fat reduction compared to a high-carbohydrate, low-saturated-fat diet, but results in less favorable changes in LDL cholesterol and C-reactive protein.

A very-low-carbohydrate diet may help you lose slightly more weight and abdominal fat than a high-carbohydrate diet over 8 weeks. However, this comes at the cost of less improvement in LDL cholesterol and inflammation (CRP) compared to a high-carbohydrate diet. If you have high cholesterol or inflammation, a high-carbohydrate diet might be a better choice for your cardiovascular markers, even if weight loss is slightly slower.

Sugary beverages contribute to weight gain and adverse metabolic effects (visceral/liver fat) when added to the diet, but replacing sugar calories with other carbohydrates does not change body weight.

Cutting sugary drinks helps you lose about 2-3 kg, but only because you are removing calories. If you replace those calories with other foods, you won't lose weight. Focus on the total calorie reduction, not just the sugar.

Low carbohydrate and low fat diets produce similar long-term weight loss outcomes, with differences largely explained by adherence and individual metabolic status (e.g., insulin resistance).

Don't obsess over whether to cut carbs or fat. Both work if you stick with them. If you have diabetes or insulin resistance, lower carbs might be easier and better for your health markers. Otherwise, choose the diet that fits your lifestyle and allows you to eat less without constant hunger.

The source of saturated fatty acids (SFA) determines their association with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk: SFAs from yogurt, cheese, and fish are associated with lower CHD incidence, while SFAs from red meat and butter are associated with higher incidence.

Focus on the source of your saturated fats rather than just reducing total SFA. SFAs from yogurt, cheese, and fish are associated with lower CHD risk, while SFAs from red meat and butter are associated with higher risk. Prioritize fermented dairy and fish over red meat and butter for heart health.

Graded whey protein supplementation (increasing from 25g to 150g daily over 6 weeks) combined with extreme-volume resistance training results in significant fat loss and lean body mass gains, but does not produce superior skeletal muscle hypertrophy compared to a control dose of whey or maltodextrin.

If you are doing very high-volume resistance training, you do not need to consume massive amounts of whey protein (up to 150g/day) to maximize muscle growth. A moderate dose (25g/day) combined with your training yields similar muscle gains to a graded high dose. However, the high-dose group did lose more fat. Focus on getting enough protein (around 1.6g/kg/day from food + supplements) rather than maximizing whey powder intake.

Higher habitual dairy intake causally increases lean body mass in adults, as evidenced by Mendelian randomization analysis of 182,041 individuals.

To support lean mass maintenance or growth, include dairy in your daily diet. The study suggests a causal link between higher dairy intake and increased lean mass. Aim for multiple servings per day if tolerated, as the benefit appears dose-dependent.

Ultraprocessed food (UPF) consumption is positively associated with body fat percentage, independent of energy expenditure, age, sex, and economic development rank.

If you are trying to manage body fat, the type of food matters as much as the amount. Ultraprocessed foods are linked to higher body fat even when you account for how much you move. Prioritize whole, minimally processed foods to improve satiety and potentially reduce net energy absorption.

Low-carbohydrate diets (<40% energy) are at least as effective as low-fat diets for short-term weight loss and improve triglyceride and HDL cholesterol profiles, but they increase total and LDL cholesterol levels.

If you choose a low-carb diet for weight loss, expect better triglyceride and HDL improvements than a low-fat diet, but monitor your LDL cholesterol closely as it may rise. The weight loss benefit is real in the short term (under 1 year).

In Korean populations, high carbohydrate intake (50-80% of energy) is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, elevated triglycerides, and lower HDL cholesterol, but a reduced risk of elevated total and LDL cholesterol.

If you eat a traditional Korean high-carb diet, be aware that high carb intake correlates with higher triglycerides and lower HDL. However, it may keep LDL lower. Focus on improving the quality of your carbohydrates (whole grains) rather than just cutting them.

Moderate carbohydrate intake (50-60% of energy) is associated with the lowest all-cause mortality risk, forming a U-shaped relationship where both very low (<40%) and very high (>70%) intakes increase mortality risk.

Aim for 50-60% of your calories from carbohydrates for optimal longevity. Both very low and very high carbohydrate intakes are associated with higher mortality risks.