Browse the evidence

Substituting vegetable protein for carbohydrate or animal protein significantly reduces coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in postmenopausal women, whereas substituting animal protein for carbohydrate shows no such benefit.

If you are a postmenopausal woman looking to reduce heart disease risk, focus on replacing carbohydrates with vegetable protein sources (like legumes, nuts, and tofu) rather than animal protein. The study shows a 30% reduction in heart disease mortality when vegetable protein replaces carbs or animal protein. Be cautious with red meat and dairy, as replacing carbs with these animal sources was associated with a 41-44% increased risk of heart disease mortality.

Intermittent feeding or short periods of fasting can partially reverse biochemical EFA deficiency by mobilizing linoleic acid from adipose tissue stores.

If you are on a fat-free diet, incorporating short periods of fasting or switching to intermittent feeding can help your body access stored essential fatty acids, potentially mitigating deficiency symptoms.

A eucaloric low-carbohydrate/high-fat diet reverses metabolic syndrome in obese individuals independent of weight loss, primarily by improving atherogenic dyslipidemia (triglycerides, HDL, LDL particle size) and reducing circulating saturated fatty acids and de novo lipogenesis markers.

If you have metabolic syndrome, switching to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet can improve your blood lipids and metabolic markers within 4 weeks, even if you do not lose weight. Focus on reducing carbohydrates (to ~6% of calories) and increasing fat, while keeping total calories stable. This approach improves triglycerides, HDL, and LDL particle size more effectively than high-carbohydrate diets, regardless of changes in body weight.

Animal-based diets high in saturated fats and proteins promote the growth of bile-tolerant and proteolytic bacteria, leading to the production of potentially harmful metabolites like TMAO, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide, which are linked to inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

If you consume animal products, be aware that high intake of red meat and saturated fats can promote gut bacteria that produce harmful metabolites like TMAO and hydrogen sulfide, linked to heart disease and inflammation. Balance animal proteins with high-fiber plant foods to encourage beneficial SCFA production and mitigate these risks.

Traditional Australian Aboriginal hunter-gatherer diets were characterized by high protein intake, low carbohydrate availability, and high fiber content, resulting in a macronutrient profile distinct from modern Western diets.

Focus on a diet where protein is the dominant macronutrient source, carbohydrates are limited and derived from fibrous plant sources, and fiber intake is high. This mirrors the macronutrient distribution of traditional hunter-gatherer diets rather than modern Western patterns.

Consumption of arachidonic acid (AA) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) increases pro-inflammatory gene expression, specifically upregulating IL-8, IL-6, and TNF-alpha in adipocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

Be mindful of the types of fats you eat. Diets high in arachidonic acid (found in eggs, dairy, red meat) and saturated fats can trigger inflammatory gene expression. Prioritize anti-inflammatory fats like Omega-3s and monounsaturated fats to mitigate this response.

Training with low muscle glycogen increases fat oxidation and muscle-derived triacylglycerol oxidation in well-trained cyclists without improving time trial performance compared to high glycogen training.

If you are a well-trained cyclist, you can train with low muscle glycogen (by doing two sessions close together without eating between them) to improve your body's ability to burn fat. However, this will not make you faster in time trials compared to training with full glycogen, and you will likely have to ride at a lower intensity during high-intensity intervals. This strategy is useful for metabolic flexibility but not for maximizing speed or power output.

Dietary fiber from the Mediterranean Diet reduces colorectal cancer risk by decreasing systemic inflammation, modulating gut microbiota, and reducing contact time of carcinogens with the intestinal epithelium.

Increase your intake of dietary fiber through whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. This helps feed beneficial gut bacteria, reduces systemic inflammation, and may lower your risk of colorectal cancer.

Acute net muscle protein balance following resistance exercise and essential amino acid (EAA) ingestion accurately reflects the net muscle protein balance over a full 24-hour period.

To maximize muscle growth, you should combine resistance exercise with protein (specifically essential amino acids) intake. This study proves that the acute boost in muscle protein synthesis you get from this combination adds up over the full day. You don't need to worry that your muscles 'forget' the workout or that your body cancels out the benefit later in the day; the acute positive balance contributes directly to your 24-hour net gain.

Consuming 50g of extra virgin coconut oil daily for 4 weeks does not significantly increase LDL cholesterol compared to extra virgin olive oil, whereas butter significantly increases LDL cholesterol compared to both oils.

If you are replacing butter with coconut oil in your diet, you likely will not see a negative spike in your LDL cholesterol, and it may behave similarly to olive oil in this regard. However, coconut oil does raise HDL (good cholesterol) more than olive oil or butter. It is not a free pass to eat unlimited fat, but it is not as detrimental to LDL as butter.

Consuming 50g of extra virgin coconut oil daily for 4 weeks significantly increases HDL cholesterol compared to butter and olive oil.

You can expect your HDL (good cholesterol) to rise if you switch to coconut oil, more so than if you eat butter or olive oil. However, because coconut oil does not lower LDL (unlike olive oil) and butter raises it, the overall cardiovascular benefit is not clear-cut.

Higher dietary and serum intake of linoleic acid and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is associated with significantly lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in middle-aged men.

For middle-aged men, prioritizing the quality of fats over the total amount consumed is crucial for heart health. Specifically, increasing intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and linoleic acid—found in foods like vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds—and replacing saturated fats with these unsaturated fats is associated with a significantly lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Total fat quantity alone is not a predictor of risk.

The LIPC -514C/T polymorphism's effect on HDL-C concentrations is conditional on dietary fat intake; specifically, the T allele increases HDL-C only when fat intake is >=30% of energy, whereas high fat intake decreases HDL-C in TT genotype carriers.

If you carry the LIPC -514 TT genotype, your HDL cholesterol levels may drop if you consume a low-fat diet (<30% of calories from fat). Conversely, if you consume a higher fat diet (>=30% of calories), this genotype is associated with higher HDL. This suggests that individuals with this specific genetic variant may not benefit from standard low-fat dietary recommendations for lipid management and might require personalized fat intake targets.

High consumption of processed foods (up to 30% of calories in rich urban households) and palm oil (vanaspati) contributes to the 'double burden' of malnutrition and NCD risk, independent of total caloric intake.

Reducing the intake of processed foods and palm oil (vanaspati) is critical for improving health outcomes in India, especially for higher-income groups who consume these items frequently. Shifting away from subsidized cereals and processed foods toward whole foods can help address the double burden of malnutrition.

Short-term fluctuations in energy balance (surpluses or deficits) are compensated almost exclusively by changes in fat stores, rather than carbohydrate or protein stores.

Your body uses fat stores to absorb day-to-day overeating or undereating, not muscle or glycogen. This means you can fluctuate in energy balance daily without immediately changing your body composition, but sustained surpluses will eventually increase fat stores because fat is the primary storage buffer. Do not panic over daily weight changes; they are mostly water and glycogen.

Isocaloric restriction of dietary fructose (replacing sugar with starch) improves metabolic syndrome parameters in children with obesity, independent of weight loss.

For children with obesity and metabolic issues, simply reducing sugary foods and replacing them with starchy foods (like bread, pasta, cereal) without changing the total amount of food eaten can significantly improve blood pressure, blood sugar control, and cholesterol levels, even if their weight doesn't change immediately.

The mortality risk associated with low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets depends entirely on the quality of macronutrients consumed; diets emphasizing refined carbohydrates, saturated fats, and animal proteins increase mortality, whereas diets emphasizing whole grains, unsaturated fats, and plant proteins decrease mortality.

Do not follow a generic 'low-carb' or 'low-fat' plan if your goal is longevity. Instead, ensure your carbohydrate sources are whole grains and vegetables, and your fats are unsaturated (plant oils, nuts, fish). Avoid refined sugars, refined grains, and saturated animal fats. The quality of your macros matters more than the total percentage.

Dietary acculturation to a Western diet (higher intake of red meat, trans fats, lower fiber) is associated with a lower Prevotella to Bacteroides ratio and lower fungal diversity, while a healthier diet (higher AHEI score) is associated with a higher P:B ratio.

Your diet plays a huge role in your microbiome. A healthier diet (higher AHEI score), characterized by more whole grains, vegetables, and less red meat and trans fats, is associated with a healthier P:B ratio. If you are acculturating to a Western diet, try to maintain the fiber-rich aspects of your traditional diet (beans, vegetables, whole grains) and reduce processed foods and red meat to support a diverse microbiome.

Consuming 5.4% of total dietary carbohydrate as resistant starch (RS) significantly increases postprandial lipid oxidation compared to a 0% RS meal, whereas higher doses (10.7%) do not provide this benefit.

If you want to use resistant starch to boost fat burning, aim for a moderate amount—roughly 5% of your total carbs in a meal. Adding more than that (e.g., 10%+) may not provide extra fat-burning benefits and could lead to digestive issues or excretion of the starch. Ensure your meal is balanced in fat and fiber, as RS alone may not significantly impact your blood sugar or insulin in a mixed meal.

Adults in France exhibit high prevalence of nutritional non-adherence, specifically failing to meet recommendations for carbohydrates, fiber, and saturated fat, while fruit/vegetable and seafood intake remains insufficient.

Current average intake in this population fails to meet basic health guidelines for carbs, fiber, and fats. To improve status, prioritize increasing fiber intake to >25g/day and ensuring fruit/vegetable consumption reaches 400g/day, as these are the most frequently unsatisfactory metrics.

Low-carbohydrate diets (LCDs) and low-fat diets (LFDs) result in equivalent weight loss when caloric restriction is matched, though LCDs may be preferred for patients with insulin resistance.

Whether you choose low-carb or low-fat, the key is sticking to a calorie deficit. If you have insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, a low-carb approach might offer additional metabolic benefits, but for general weight loss, both are equally effective if calories are matched.

Dietary strategies that replace carbohydrates with saturated fats (e.g., cheese, meat, butter) or include monounsaturated/polyunsaturated fats (e.g., olive oil) can increase HDL cholesterol levels.

Consider reducing your carbohydrate intake and replacing it with healthy fats, such as those found in olive oil, nuts, or even moderate amounts of saturated fats from cheese and meat. This dietary shift can help increase your HDL cholesterol levels.

Dietary interventions that restrict specific macronutrients (particularly protein and amino acids) or utilize time-restricted feeding can extend healthspan and lifespan without requiring overall caloric restriction.

You can improve your metabolic health and potentially extend lifespan without eating less food by changing WHAT and WHEN you eat. Focus on reducing protein and specific amino acids (like methionine) or restrict your eating to an 8-9 hour window each day. These strategies have been shown to prevent metabolic diseases even in mice eating unhealthy diets, suggesting they are powerful tools for human healthspan.

Excessive dietary intake of carbohydrates, particularly fructose and sucrose, drives hepatic de novo lipogenesis through the activation of the transcription factor ChREBP, contributing to NAFLD progression.

If you have fatty liver, reducing sugar and refined carbohydrates (especially fructose from sodas and juices) can directly reduce the liver's production of new fat. This is because high carbohydrate intake activates specific genes (ChREBP) that turn sugar into fat in the liver, even if you aren't eating much dietary fat.