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12 Scientifically Proven Observations For Better Nutrition

I promise you should follow this version of The Science

December 05, 2022

  1. You’re likely not eating enough protein. Your body requires ~0.8g of protein per pound of body weight to sustain muscle mass. 1 in 3 adults over the age of 50 do not consume the minimum recommended daily requirement of protein. Worse still, that suggested requirement is only ~0.4g per pound of body weight.

  2. Replacing sugared beverages with those that contained a non-nutritive sweetener (aspartame, sucralose, etc.) had a positive effect on weight loss. Consuming liquid calories such as those found in soda and juices can add to your caloric intake without you realising.

  3. You suck at estimating calories by sight alone. A study of 2000 participants determined that people only accurately guess calorie counts 25% of the time. Even “correct” guesses had a margin for error of 20%. If you’re counting calories for any purpose, a scale will be a key tool for success.

  4. Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse and nature’s multivitamin. A single egg contains 6 grams of protein, 15% of the daily value of selenium, and essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, B12, B6, folate, and riboflavin. Eating eggs is also linked to increasing levels of good cholesterol and reducing inflammation. Eggs are also a great source of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.

  5. Exercise can help regulate your hunger signals and aid in feeling more satisfied with meals, naturally causing you to eat the correct amount. Even a minimal amount of exercise can cause this to happen.

  6. Long term weight regulation is heavily dependent on your ability to consistently adhere to a "diet". The type of diet you follow has been shown to not matter based on meta-analysis of diet studies. All diets fall into one of 3 categories, nutrient restriction (low carb, etc.), time restriction or caloric restriction. Choose the one that feels least restrictive for you long term.

  7. A meta-analysis of over 1,000,000 people showed a decrease in all cause mortality of 10% for every 10g of dietary fibre they consumed in a day. Fibre also has additional benefits for you gut microbiome, for best results vary your fibre sources (whole grains, beans, fruits).

  8. Be mindful of the processed and non-processed foods you consume. Highly processed foods can cause you to unintentionally take in an extra 500 calories each day.

  9. Avoid seed oils as much as possible, these contain Omega-6 fatty acids which can be inflammatory if consumed in large amounts.

  10. Include healthy fats in your diet, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and yogurt.

  11. Be aware that fitness trackers/devices can overestimate your calorie burn by up to 93% and on average will overestimate by 27%.

  12. Time restricted eating or intermittent fasting has been shown to have some of the most positive effects on weight loss and improvement of key biomarkers of health. It’s linked to weight loss, better blood sugar levels, and improved insulin sensitivity (main factor in diabetes). It can also increase the amount of time that you spend in deeper, more restful sleep cycles.

The Refinery

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