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. This is 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 living in the stone age )
~ 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, talk about ALA, DHA, EPA
~ absorbing vitamins A,D,E,K
The total amount of calories
Protein and essential fats, on their own, are only a small percent of the calories you need. 💬 discussion TODO: show maths The rest of the calories must be some combination of fats and carbs. The exact ratio doesn't matter as much as some people think - 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
⚠ Exception: For people with diabetes, carbs do matter - be careful. But the following applies to everyone else:
Contrary to popular belief,
💬 discussion TODO: explain why so many people think it matters: correlations found in studies, which can actually be explained by vitamins and minerals
it doesn't matter whether most of your calories come from carbs or fats. The overall amount of calories are what's important.
"Bad carbs" (i.e. sugar) vs "good carbs"
This section has not been filled in yet.
💬 discussion The carbohydrate molecules themselves aren't the issue
~ 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.
~ it's the glycemic index / glycemic load, which is affected by other factors like protein and fiber. So make every meal a balanced one, kinda
Fats
Saturated fat and cholesterol
Not harmful. Not essential either.
💬 discussion TODO: explain why: the body makes its own cholesterol and saturated fat (from any calorie source it gets).
~ Fats in the body are mostly saturated fat. Some fatty tissue is essential, but other fatty tissue is excessive if you're fat. Mention HDL and LDL cholesterol too maybe
~ Btw be clear that the earlier "people with diabetes are an exception" applies only to the carbs section above, not to this section on fats or any other section
~ Concerns about heart disease are debunked, but pro-meat lobbyists have played that up and tried to make {sat fat + cholesterol} seem like an "essential nutrient" which it isn't
~ Tl;dr: Saturated fat is just another source of calories.
Seed oils
Not harmful.
💬 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)
~ also talk about why some flavors have to be artificial, from a sustainability perspective
Preservatives & additives
This section has not been filled in yet.
💬 discussion be specific about what this applies to. Some chemicals are obviously still harmful (for example large amounts of lead and arsenic)
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 veg or non-veg. shitty nutrition is also possible either way.
But ethically, it does matter.
This section has not been filled in yet.
💬 discussion TODO: Add: "When it comes to ethics, plant-based is better (another controversial topic with lots of misconceptions - here's a page that clears things up).", after I make the page to link to.
Honorable mentions
Antioxidants
Flavonoids etc. 💬 discussion TODO: list foods examples. Be clear that these antioxidants are good to have.
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.
See also