Nutrition

This page is going to ruffle a few feathers. There are so many misconceptions about nutrition out there - try to put all that aside when reading this page - try to rebuild an understanding from scratch. discussion Or maybe I should say: Temporarily put aside what you've heard before about nutrition - and when you're done reading the page, then think about how the stuff you heard before fits into this more solid framework. Idk if thats the most concise way to say it or not

Things that matter

Vitamins & minerals

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion ~ there are about 30 of them ~ almost everyone is at least somewhat lacking in one or more (...)( not outright deficiency, but insufficiency ) ~ essential for metabolism; one reason why some people have such a hard time exercising and burning calories (...)( side note: other things that get in the way include bad posture caused by electronics etc. link to page - there are solutions without return to monke ) ~ take a multi. ~ dispel misconceptions about absorbability ~ why food lacks these nutrients in the first place: long shelf life dry foods are why we don't have famines in the 'first world' - but this comes with tradeoffs, nutrients lost. but this can be made up for

Protein

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion ~ complete vs incomplete proteins: boils down to: essential amino acids and total protein. ~ even if u lift, your protein requirements dont increase that much (show maths and why) ~ digestibility: there are ways to make the proteins in plants as digestible as meat.

Essential fats

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion ~ omega 3 and 6 ~ absorbing vitamins A,D,E,K

The total amount of calories

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion because protein and essential fats, on their own, are only a small fraction of the calories you need. the rest of the calories must be some sort of mix of fats and carbs. the exact ratio doesn't matter as much as some people say - see below

Things that DON'T matter

This section is going to cause a lot of controversy, but it needs to be said. Again, try to put any pre-conceived ideas aside, and read the whole page before jumping to conclusions.

Carbs

"Bad carbs" (sugar) vs "good carbs"

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion ~ Be sure to make clear that people with diabetes are an EXCEPTION here ~ It's not the actual carbs that matter, it's the vitamins and minerals or the lack thereof. Refined stuff lacks nutrients, but that's ok if you still get those nutrients in other ways.

Fats

Saturated fat and cholesterol

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion tl;dr: Not harmful but not essential either.

Seed oils

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion howevers: ~ the seeds themselves have more nutrients than their refined oils. recipes ~ still beware of rancidity ~ make sure to get a balance of omega-3 and 6. ~ maybe mention something about crop yields and deforestation, it's not what you think

Chemicals

Natural vs artificial flavors

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion but there are some minor benefits to natural colors, which i think should be used more often (especially beetroot)

Preservatives & additives

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion we're not talking about lead and arsenic here tho

Animal-based vs plant-based

This section has not been filled in yet. discussion the body doesnt care whether it gets its nutrients as long as it gets them. digestibility doesnt have to be an issue: there are ways. phytic acid not as significant as u think. optimal nutrition diet is possible no matter if vegan or not. shitty nutrition is also possible either way. but when it comes to ethics, plant-based is better (another controversial topic with lots of misconceptions - here's a page that clears things up).

But ethically, it does matter.

This section has not been filled in yet.

Honorable mentions

Antioxidants

Flavonoids etc. discussion TODO: list foods examples These help prevent cancer to some extent, but not as significantly as the more essential antioxidants Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Fiber

This section has not been filled in yet.

FAQ

"WHAT??? You mean junk food is fine??? What about heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity???"

Obviously there are countless cases of people who get these health problems from an unhealthy diet full of junk food.

But almost every case can be explained by either an excess of calories or a lack of one or more essential nutrients (listed above in "things that matter"). Any studies that control for these factors will say the same thing.

That might sound pedantic, but it actually matters a lot:

Low-quality foods can be part of a healthy diet. People need to know this so they can eat well without spending their whole paycheck on food. discussion TODO: link to page that teaches how.