Identifying Solid Nutrition Information

McKenna Roholt
Aug 16
3 min read

It’s easier than ever to find health and nutrition information online, but that means we all need to be discerning when it comes to determining whether that information can be trusted. You can trust that at Lettuce Eat Green, I’ll always cite credible, science-backed research in my blog and social media posts. Not all content is created equally, however. While some trends won’t provide you the results or health benefits claimed, others can be downright dangerous. Here are a few ways you can spot sources of credible information and how to avoid being duped by misinformation.

1) Don’t trust any diet that tells you to remove a major food group

For 90s kids like me, you’ll remember that fat was the boogey man, and all sorts of fat-free products filled grocery store shelves. Well, in order to make those treats palatable, food companies pumped sugar into those products to replace the fat. We now know it wasn’t healthy to load up on processed sugary foods in lieu of fats. Similarly, the keto craze has made people fear carbohydrates in all forms. Unfortunately for keto fanatics, carbohydrates are essential for health brain function. While it’s true that not all carbohydrates are created equally, they have been unfairly demonized in recent years. The keto diet can cause low blood pressure, kidney stones, constipation, nutrient deficiencies and an increased risk of heart disease(1). Research shows that eating a diverse diet full of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and legumes, and whole grains is the best diet for healthy aging and longevity.(2)

2) If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is

Beware a claim that a certain “superfood” can cure any ailment in a week or help you lose 50 pounds overnight. Healthy weight loss takes time. Losing about 1-2 pounds per week is considered a safe weight loss rate(3), and anything faster means you’re probably losing muscle, which you definitely don’t want to do. While it’s true that fruits and vegetables do contain all sorts of vitamins and minerals to help you maintain health, it takes time and intention to see lasting results. If you see something online making incredible health claims, make sure you question that source and think twice before spending money on a product that likely won’t support your health at all

3) Check your sources

This brings me to my final point. When you see someone making health claims online, see if you can find where they got their information. At Lettuce Eat Green, I cite my source in blog posts and credit other creators when I share credible health information they’ve posted. Look through websites for source material to determine where the information came from. Is it a trusted source, like a scientific research study or trusted research institution? Or, did the information come from someplace that will make a profit off the claims they make? That’s not to say that all companies are selling lies, but rather to make sure you check the facts before blindly believing anything you see online.

The bottom line is that nutrition and health information can be complex, and it can feel like drinking from a firehose when you see the plethora of information that exists out there. When it comes to healthy eating, research is pretty clear that eating a variety of whole foods is ideal. I like to follow Author Michael Pollan’s advice - eat food, mostly plants, not too much.(4)