Browse the evidence

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, olive oil, and low in red/cured meat) attenuates inflammation and oxidative stress, thereby modulating immunosenescence.

Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet, emphasizing plant-based foods, olive oil, and limiting red meat, can help reduce chronic inflammation associated with aging. This dietary pattern is linked to lower levels of inflammatory markers like CRP and IL-6.

Arachidonic acid supplementation affects body composition, muscle function, and power output in strength-training individuals.

If you are strength training, ensuring adequate ARA intake may support muscle function and power output. Since ARA is naturally present in animal products, a balanced diet likely provides sufficient amounts for most athletes.

Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets improve glycemic control and reduce medication needs in type 2 diabetes, though long-term weight loss benefits may be equivalent to moderate-carbohydrate diets.

Reducing carbohydrate intake can lower blood sugar and reduce the need for diabetes medication. While this may help with short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss is similar to other balanced diets. If you choose this approach, prioritize healthy fats and monitor your cardiovascular health.

Vegetarian and vegan diets improve glycaemia and plasma lipids in type 2 diabetes patients, with vegan diets showing greater improvements than conventional ADA diets.

Adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet, particularly a low-fat vegan one, can significantly improve blood sugar control and lipid profiles in type 2 diabetes. While weight loss may be similar to standard diets, the metabolic benefits are superior. Ensure adequate protein intake from legumes and whole grains.

COVID-19 restrictions lead to increased consumption of snack foods (chips, cookies) and decreased consumption of fast food/take-out among parents and children.

Expect an increase in snack food consumption during periods of stress or boredom. To mitigate this, keep healthy snacks accessible and involve children in meal preparation. Focus on reducing fast food/take-out by cooking more meals from scratch, which many families found to be a positive change.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) improve biochemical and radiological markers of NAFLD.

Including polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in your diet can improve liver markers and imaging results in NAFLD. Focus on healthy sources of fats like fish, nuts, and seeds, rather than avoiding all fats.

VLCK diets result in a preferential loss of trunk (abdominal) fat compared to low-fat diets, reducing the ratio of trunk fat to total fat.

Focus on reducing abdominal fat? A very low-carb diet may help target this area more effectively than a low-fat diet, particularly for men. This is a key health benefit of VLCK diets.

Obese men who successfully maintain weight loss after a one-year program exhibit meal patterns characterized by higher energy intake density, lower fat intake density, and higher protein intake density compared to those who regain weight.

To maintain weight loss, focus on eating high-quality meals with more protein and fewer low-quality snacks. This approach was associated with better long-term success in obese men compared to those who regained weight.

Quarantine leads to unhealthy dietary habits, specifically increased consumption of energy-dense, shelf-stable foods (high in sugar, salt, and trans-fats) and decreased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables, resulting in micronutrient deficiency and increased oxidative stress.

Stock up on shelf-stable healthy foods like frozen vegetables, canned beans, nuts, and whole grains. Avoid relying solely on processed, high-sugar, and high-salt shelf-stable foods. Aim to include antioxidants and vitamins in your diet to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.

Not consuming healthy foods (ignoring healthiness of food choices) is significantly associated with increased weight gain during lockdown.

Pay attention to the healthiness of your food choices. The study found that ignoring whether food is healthy or not was significantly linked to weight gain. Try to prioritize fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, even if you are stressed.

A strict low-carbohydrate diet decreases plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in obese patients with type 2 diabetes.

If you are concerned about heart health markers like triglycerides, switching to a low-carb diet (20g carbs/day) for two weeks can significantly lower them. Total cholesterol also dropped, while 'good' (HDL) and 'bad' (LDL) cholesterol levels stayed the same. This suggests that reducing carbs, not just fat, is key to improving these specific lipid markers.

A high-protein diet (30% protein) may offer minor differential improvements in lipid profiles (specifically maintaining HDL-C) and postprandial glucose response compared to a low-protein diet during energy restriction, but does not improve reproductive outcomes.

If you are following a weight loss diet for PCOS, choosing a higher protein intake (around 30% of calories) might help preserve your 'good' cholesterol (HDL) and blunt post-meal blood sugar spikes compared to a lower protein diet. However, this is a minor benefit compared to the main goal of losing weight.

A low-protein diet (15% protein) during the weight maintenance phase may lead to a deterioration in the Free Androgen Index (FAI) compared to a high-protein diet, potentially reversing some metabolic benefits achieved during weight loss.

When you stop dieting and start maintaining your weight, be careful with very low-protein diets. This study suggests that a low-protein diet might cause your androgen levels (like testosterone) to creep back up, undoing some of the hormonal benefits you gained from weight loss. Keeping protein intake moderate to high may help maintain these improvements.

Saturated fat intake interacts with genetic variants (such as APOE4, APOA2, and obesity genetic risk scores) to modulate cardiovascular risk and obesity, suggesting that personalized dietary recommendations based on genetics may be beneficial for specific subgroups.

If you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, you might be more sensitive to saturated fat. Consider getting genetic testing or consulting a professional to see if a lower saturated fat diet is beneficial for you, especially if you carry the APOE4 gene.

Adhering to a vegan diet results in superior overall dietary quality scores (HEI-2010 and MDS) compared to omnivorous, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, and pesco-vegetarian diets, primarily driven by higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and lower intakes of saturated fat and sodium.

To maximize your dietary quality, adopt a vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber while minimizing sodium and saturated fats. This approach yields the highest scores on standard dietary quality indices (HEI-2010 and MDS) compared to omnivorous or other vegetarian diets. Pay specific attention to calcium intake, as vegans in this study had lower levels, and consider fortified foods or supplements to meet recommendations.

Vegan diets are associated with lower total energy intake, lower saturated fat, lower sodium, and higher dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake compared to omnivorous diets.

Switching to a vegan diet naturally reduces your intake of saturated fat and sodium while increasing fiber and polyunsaturated fats. This shift contributes to a healthier macronutrient profile without requiring active calorie counting, as total energy intake tends to be lower.

Industrial hempseeds provide a nutritionally complete protein source with a balanced essential amino acid profile and a unique, perfectly balanced fatty acid composition, making them suitable for human dietary supplementation.

Incorporate industrial hempseeds, hempseed oil, or hemp protein powder into your diet. They offer a complete protein profile with all essential amino acids and a balanced ratio of fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6. Ensure you are buying products from legal industrial hemp varieties (THC <0.2-0.3%) to avoid any psychoactive effects or legal issues.

A 21-day Daniel Fast, characterized by the consumption of plant-based foods while excluding animal products, refined carbohydrates, and additives, significantly improves cardiovascular risk markers including blood pressure, total cholesterol, and LDL-C, and reduces biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation.

To try a Daniel Fast, eat only whole plant foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) and water for 21 days. Avoid all meat, dairy, refined sugars, white flour, additives, caffeine, and alcohol. You can eat as much as you want of the allowed foods. This approach has been shown to lower blood pressure and cholesterol significantly.

Greek Orthodox Christian fasting periods, which function as variants of vegetarianism involving abstention from animal products and olive oil, are associated with decreased body mass, total cholesterol, and LDL-C levels.

Adopting a plant-forward diet similar to Greek Orthodox fasting rules (avoiding meat, dairy, and olive oil on certain days) may help lower cholesterol and body mass, though results on blood pressure are inconsistent.

Avocado consumption is associated with higher diet quality, improved nutrient intake, and a 50% lower risk of metabolic syndrome in US adults.

Include avocados in your diet to improve overall diet quality and nutrient intake. They are associated with a significantly lower risk of metabolic syndrome and better lipid profiles (higher HDL) without increasing total calorie intake. Focus on the healthy fats and fiber they provide.

Alcohol consumption immediately post-exercise impairs muscle glycogen storage by displacing carbohydrates and potentially interfering with synthesis, particularly in the first 8 hours of recovery.

Avoid alcohol immediately after training or competition. It displaces carbohydrates and impairs glycogen storage, even if you replace the calories. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation and ensure you have consumed your required carbohydrates first.

Dietary intake tends to decline with age, leading to potential nutrient deficiencies, but nutrient density may remain adequate or even improve in some groups.

Be aware that your energy needs decrease with age, but your nutrient needs may stay the same or increase. Focus on nutrient-dense foods to maintain health.

Adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet significantly reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults without established cardiovascular disease (primary prevention).

To lower your blood pressure, adopt a Mediterranean-style diet. This means using olive oil as your main cooking fat, eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and including tree nuts. This approach has been shown to modestly but significantly reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people at risk of heart disease.

A Mediterranean-style diet reduces the risk of stroke in high-risk individuals, but does not significantly reduce total mortality or myocardial infarction compared to a low-fat diet.

If you are at high risk for heart disease, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts can significantly lower your risk of stroke. While it may not prevent heart attacks or death in all cases, the protection against stroke is a critical health benefit.