Browse the evidence

Higher intake of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) is associated with a reduced risk of overall mortality, whereas Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) intake is positively associated with increased mortality risk.

Increase your intake of Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFAs) by eating more fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel), walnuts, and seeds. Simultaneously, reduce your intake of Saturated Fats (SFAs) found in red meat and full-fat dairy. This shift is associated with a lower risk of death.

Adherence to a healthful plant-based diet (high intake of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes) is associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, whereas adherence to an unhealthful plant-based diet (high intake of refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, sweets) is associated with a significantly higher risk of these outcomes.

To lower your risk of dying from heart disease or other causes, prioritize whole plant foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and legumes. Avoid relying on refined plant foods like white rice, sugary drinks, and sweets, as these are linked to higher mortality risk. You do not need to eliminate animal products to gain benefits, but the quality of your plant food intake is the critical factor.

Adherence to the DASH diet significantly reduces total cholesterol (-0.35 mmol/L) and LDL cholesterol (-0.28 mmol/L) within 8 weeks, with greater magnitude observed in male participants.

Adopt the DASH diet pattern: eat 6-8 servings of grains, 4-5 servings of vegetables, and 4-5 servings of fruits daily. Include 2-3 servings of low-fat dairy and limit meat to under 180g per day. You can expect a measurable drop in cholesterol within two months, especially if you are male.

Recreational athletes can maintain endurance and strength performance by switching to a well-planned plant-based diet without significant performance loss compared to an omnivore diet.

If you are a recreational athlete, switching to a plant-based diet does not require you to sacrifice performance. Ensure you are eating at least two servings of plant protein daily and meeting your overall calorie and carbohydrate needs. You may need to experiment with different plant protein sources (like whole foods vs. processed alternatives) to find what tastes good and keeps you satisfied.

High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is associated with increased risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

Limit sugar-sweetened beverages. Each daily serving is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. The risk is linear, meaning even moderate consumption adds up. Choose water, unsweetened tea, or coffee instead.

Preservation of lean mass during GLP-1/GIP-induced weight loss requires high-quality protein distribution (1.2–1.5 g/kg/day) and resistance exercise to mitigate sarcopenia and maintain oncologic treatment tolerance.

To prevent muscle loss while on GLP-1/GIP drugs, eat 1.2–1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, spread across meals, and engage in regular resistance exercise.

A plant-based diet providing 1.6 g/kg/day of protein induces muscle hypertrophy and strength gains comparable to a mixed diet containing ~80% animal protein when total protein intake is matched.

If you are vegan or prefer plant-based eating, you can build muscle and strength just as effectively as omnivores. The key is to ensure you are consuming enough total protein—specifically around 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. You can achieve this through whole foods and supplements like soy protein isolate. Do not worry about the 'quality' or 'bioavailability' of plant protein as much as you worry about hitting your daily total protein target.

Older adults require approximately 0.40 g/kg of high-quality protein per meal to maximize muscle protein synthesis, which is nearly double the 0.24 g/kg threshold sufficient for young adults.

To build or maintain muscle as you age, you cannot rely on the standard 'one size fits all' protein recommendation. You must eat roughly 0.4 grams of high-quality protein (like meat, eggs, or whey) for every kilogram of your body weight at each meal. For most people, this means aiming for 25-30 grams of protein per meal, spread evenly throughout the day, rather than eating most of your protein at dinner.

Complementing habitual diet with a mixed plant-based protein blend (soy/pea) yields equivalent resistance training-induced muscle mass and strength gains compared to animal-based protein (whey) in healthy young men.

If you are doing resistance training, you do not need to buy whey protein to build muscle. You can use a blend of plant proteins (like soy and pea) instead. Take 15 grams of this blend three times a day with your main meals. This will help you gain muscle and strength just as well as animal protein, provided you are eating enough total protein and training consistently.

An additional daily protein intake of 1 g/kg from supplements, resulting in a total daily intake of approximately 2 g/kg, is most effective for enhancing athletic performance.

Aim for a total daily protein intake of about 2 g/kg of body weight. If you eat enough protein from food, you may not need supplements. If you use supplements, adding 1 g/kg/day of protein powder is likely the optimal amount for performance gains.

Reducing overall carbohydrate intake (Low Carbohydrate Diet) demonstrates the most evidence for improving glycemia in diabetic individuals compared to other dietary patterns.

To manage diabetes effectively, prioritize reducing your total carbohydrate intake to 26-45% of your daily calories. Focus on non-starchy vegetables, whole foods, and lean proteins while minimizing added sugars and refined grains. This approach has the strongest evidence for lowering blood sugar (A1C) and improving other metabolic markers like blood pressure and cholesterol.

Diets high in fiber, low-glycemic index carbohydrates, and healthy fats contribute to better glycemic control and reduced HbA1c levels in Type 2 diabetes.

Prioritize high-fiber, low-glycemic foods like whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and lean proteins. Include healthy fats and limit processed sugars. This approach helps prevent sharp blood sugar spikes and improves long-term control.

High-fiber diets improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, primarily through weight loss and reduced postprandial glucose spikes.

Focus on increasing your fiber intake from whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. This can help manage blood sugar spikes and support weight loss. Aim for 25-38g of fiber per day, depending on your gender and age.

DASH and Mediterranean diets improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, primarily through weight loss and improved diet quality.

Focus on eating a variety of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limit sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. This approach can help manage blood pressure, blood sugar, and weight.

Under energy-matched conditions, low-carbohydrate diets (≤44% TDCI) produce greater reductions in fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol compared to high-carbohydrate diets (≥45% TDCI).

If you want to improve your fasting blood glucose and insulin levels without changing your total calorie intake, try reducing your carbohydrate intake to below 44% of your total daily calories. This shift, while keeping total energy the same, has been shown to significantly improve these metabolic markers compared to eating more carbohydrates.

Under energy-matched conditions, low-carbohydrate diets (≤44% TDCI) lead to greater reductions in body mass and fat mass compared to high-carbohydrate diets (≥45% TDCI).

If your goal is to lose fat, reducing your carbohydrate intake to below 44% of your total daily calories may be more effective than eating more carbohydrates, even if you keep your total calorie intake the same.

High intake of added sugars and refined carbohydrates is positively associated with elevated triglycerides and reduced HDL, whereas high intake of whole grains is associated with a reduced risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease.

To improve your triglycerides and HDL, focus on reducing added sugars and refined carbohydrates. Conversely, increasing your intake of whole grains can lower your risk of ischemic heart disease by approximately 13% compared to low intake. The source of your carbohydrates is more important than the total amount for these specific markers.

Trans-fatty acids produced through partial hydrogenation increase the risk of ischemic heart disease, whereas saturated and monounsaturated oils are more stable and safer for high-temperature cooking.

When cooking at high heat (frying, searing), use stable fats like butter, ghee, or high-oleic oils. Avoid heating polyunsaturated vegetable oils (like soybean or corn oil) to high temperatures, as they break down into harmful compounds. Trans-fats from partial hydrogenation are harmful and should be avoided.

Adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or mixed nuts significantly reduces the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death by approximately 30% without requiring caloric restriction or weight loss.

Adopt a Mediterranean-style eating pattern that emphasizes extra-virgin olive oil and mixed nuts. You do not need to restrict calories or lose weight to get the significant (approx. 30%) reduction in stroke and heart attack risk associated with this diet.

High intake of industrially produced trans fats increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, while polyunsaturated fats are inversely associated with diabetes incidence.

Avoid industrially produced trans fats, as they are linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Instead, include polyunsaturated fats in your diet, which are associated with a lower risk of developing the disease.

Replacing saturated fatty acids (SAFA) with unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA or PUFA) significantly reduces LDL cholesterol and improves insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing cardiovascular disease risk.

To lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) and improve insulin sensitivity, swap 5% of your calories from saturated fats (found in fatty meats, butter, full-fat dairy) for unsaturated fats (found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish). This swap should be isocaloric, meaning you don't add extra calories, just change the source. This change is supported by strong evidence from meta-analyses of clinical trials.

High dietary fiber intake (25-29 g/day) and whole grain consumption (40-50 g/day) are associated with a 15-30% decrease in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and a 20-30% risk reduction in coronary heart disease.

Aim for 25-29 grams of dietary fiber and 40-50 grams of whole grains daily. This can reduce your risk of dying from heart disease or other causes by 15-30%. Replace refined grains with whole grains and eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts.

Adherence to the DASH diet or the Plate Method leads to improved glycemic control, reduced HbA1c, and better blood pressure management in patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Adopt the DASH diet or the Plate Method. For DASH, focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy while limiting sodium and saturated fats. For the Plate Method, fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter with lean protein, and one-quarter with carbohydrates. These approaches have been shown to lower HbA1c and improve blood pressure.

Highly processed foods (HPF) contribute to excess sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars, which are strongly associated with negative health outcomes including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Focus on reducing foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars, rather than avoiding all processed foods. Include nutrient-dense processed options like whole grain bread and yogurt in your diet, as they offer health benefits and are often necessary for practical, affordable, and accessible eating.