Nutrition Articles and Guides

However simple some people may think it is, the topic of nutrition is incredibly complex.

It may seem that no-one can agree, and the media often confuses the public with their changing headlines from day to day.

However, there are also many things that we do know about nutrition and the essential nutrients we require.

This is a resource for anyone looking to learn a little more. On this page, you can find various guides to important nutritional topics.

Calories

The calorie is a unit of energy, and the calorie content of specific foods measures how much energy the food contains. We all need a certain amount of calories to meet our daily energy needs.

Additionally, the total amount of calories we consume influences our body weight. If we consume more calories than we burn, we will gain weight, and vice-versa.

Learn more: How Many Calories Are in Common Foods?

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are one of the three major macronutrients, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends that adults get 45-65% of their total calorie intake from them

However, you may have come across a common claim that if we eat too many carbs they “turn to fat” — is there any truth to this claim?

Learn more: Does Carbohydrate Get Stored As Fat?

Dietary Fat

Dietary fat is not just one thing; there are several different types of fat.

Furthermore, each fat category—saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated—contains a wide range of different fatty acids.

However, there are several questions people have about dietary fats, and it can be a confusing topic.

Is saturated fat bad for us? What are the names of the different monounsaturated fatty acids? Is dietary fat an essential part of the diet?

Learn more: Types of Fat: A Complete Guide To Fatty Acids

Diets

There are many popular diets, some of which are well-known for supporting good health, such as the Mediterranean diet. There are also diets that have achieved mainstream popularity over previous years including keto, plant-based, paleo, and more.

However, how do all of these diets compare? Are there any benefits and potential downsides to be aware of? And what are some common dietary mistakes?

In truth, most diets have potential benefits and drawbacks, and success with a particular diet really depends on the person, how well-formulated it is, and the overall context.

Learn more: 16 Popular Types of Diet: How Do They Compare?

Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the human body does not digest in the same way as it does with sugars and other carbohydrates.

Furthermore, we can often hear dietary guidance on the importance of fiber to a healthy diet, and we can find it in various plant foods.

However, there are actually a wide range of different types of fiber, and they do not all have the same effect.

What are these different types of fiber? What functions do they have? Are they all equally good for us?

Learn more: Dietary Fiber: What Is It and What Does It Do?

Health Markers

How do diet-related factors affect markers of health?

The truth: it’s the overall diet that matters most, but all foods have their own unique properties and potential effects on our health.

For example, in this article we discuss foods that have been demonstrated to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in randomized controlled trials.

Learn more: 15 Foods That May Lower LDL Cholesterol

Minerals

There are many essential minerals that the human body requires from the diet.

Some of the most well-known minerals are calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.

But how much of each essential mineral should we be getting per day? What functions do they have? And what are the best dietary sources?

Learn more: 15 Essential Minerals (and the Best Sources)

Nutrient Density

There are so many different diets that people follow, and people can have success with several different dietary patterns.

However, for any diet to be health-promoting, it should contain a variety of nutrient-dense—or nutrient-rich—food. Nutrient density relates to the amount of nutrients present in food comparative to its energy provision.

For example, some foods are relatively low in calories yet offer a large supply of beneficial nutrients. On the other hand, some foods may contain high amounts of calories yet offer relatively few nutrients.

Two excellent examples of nutrient-dense foods are oysters and hemp seeds.

In contrast, butter and vegetable oils are foods which are not particularly nutrient-dense yet contain high calorie levels.

Learn more: 14 Nutrient-Dense Foods To Consider

Polyphenols

Polyphenols are naturally occurring bioactive compounds present in plant foods. You may be more familiar with the word “antioxidant”, which is a little bit over-simplified, but these compounds are often referred to as ‘antioxidants’.

Coffee, dark chocolate, and berries are all rich sources of dietary polyphenols.

But what exactly are polyphenols, and are these compounds beneficial? What does recent research on the topic demonstrate?

Also, which foods offer the most polyphenols?

Learn more: The Top 100 Foods High In Polyphenols

Protein

Protein comes in many different forms, and dairy, meat, seafood, and legumes are all notable examples of protein-rich foods.

Does eating higher amounts of protein have benefits? How do animal-based proteins and plant-based proteins compare?

Additionally, what are the best dietary sources of protein?

Learn more: How Much Protein Do We Need Per Day?

Sweeteners

Sweeteners play a significant role in many packaged foods, and sugar is one of the most prevalent ingredients in the food chain.

However, there is a wide range of different sweeteners, each with its own distinct properties.

First, there are natural sweeteners such as honey and coconut sugar, which provide sugars and calories. However, there are also artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and other plant-derived options, such as stevia. How do they all compare?

Learn more: 19 Types of Sweeteners: How Do They Compare?

Vitamins

Alongside minerals, vitamins are another essential micronutrient that we need to consume within our diet.

Some of the more famous vitamins include vitamin C, which we can find in citrus fruit, and vitamin B12, which is present in animal foods such as beef.

Which vitamins do we need to get from our diet? Furthermore, what are the functions of each vitamin and how much constitutes a sufficient intake?

Learn more: The Essential Vitamins (and Where To Get Them)

Weight Loss

In one sense, weight loss can seem quite simple: we just have to eat less food.

However, weight loss is much more complicated than that, and there are numerous obstacles that can stand in the way of losing weight.

Despite this, people try all kinds of different techniques in attempt at losing weight. However, the key to sustainable weight loss does not lie in crash dieting.

Learn more: How to Lose Weight (Without Tracking Calories): 15 Useful Tips

More Nutrition Articles

• Nutrition books: Looking for some interesting nutrition books to read? Here are some books that cover a range of different topics, from ancestral-based diets to evidence-based nutrition books and more. Learn more: 8 of the Best Nutrition Books To Read
• Oxalates: Plant foods offer a lot nutritionally, and they are an excellent source of essential nutrients. However, some plant foods also contain oxalates, which may potentially cause problems for some individuals. Learn more: A List of 112 Foods High In Oxalate (Oxalic Acid)
• Food and nutrition products: Are you looking for some helpful food and nutrition-related products to make healthy eating and meal preparation easier? Learn more: 10 Helpful Nutrition-Related Products That Make Life Easier
• Nutrition myths: Sadly, there is a lot of misinformation online, and it is possible to see a wide range of nutrition myths. Here’s a guide to some of the most common myths alongside an explanation for each one. Learn more: 19 Nutrition and Diet-Related Myths To Watch Out For