Questions tagged [nutrition]
Questions relating to the intake, safety, effects of nutrients, and their biochemical interactions with our body.
522
questions
48
votes
1
answer
5k
views
How many eggs can one eat per day?
I've read conflicting information on how many eggs one can eat per day:
Daily Health Post - How Many Eggs a Day Can You Safely Eat?
How many eggs a day can you safely eat? Apparently, as many as ...
- 10.2k
47
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is food prepared in a microwave oven less healthy?
There are people who avoid preparing their food in microwave ovens for various health-related reasons. The claims most often stated are:
Microwave radiation is harmful.
Microwaving destroys vitamins ...
- 1,081
42
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Is eating spicy hot (pungent) food (hot chilli & peppers etc.) healthy or harmful?
I love all kinds of pungent food such as chili peppers etc., the hotter the better.
I'd like to know, are there any significant dangers or benefits related to consuming them?
41
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Are organic foods healthier than conventional foods?
There is a popular perception, and many marketing claims, that organic produce (and food in general) is healthier than food grown with conventional methods.
Most commonly, the reasons given are: less ...
- 5,107
24
votes
4
answers
829
views
How much coffee can a healthy adult drink?
How much coffee can a healthy adult drink before it starts to affect them in a bad way?
For example, some friends of mine get headaches if they drink more than 2 cups in a single day.
- 1,830
24
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are artificial sweeteners safe?
There seems to be a lot of noise about health risks of consuming artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame and saccharin. Many sources argue that these chemicals carry huge risks of developing ...
- 5,107
22
votes
2
answers
653
views
Is rapid weight loss unhealthy?
A commonly quoted figure is that 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) a week is a healthy rate at which to lose weight, and that 'crash diets' are bad for you. What is this figure based on, and in what way is ...
- 339
21
votes
2
answers
888
views
Is it better to eat fruit as they are, than to have them in liquid form?
For example, I have 4 oranges. I can either eat them whole (assume I consume every last bit of the flesh) or blend them into a juice and drink it (assume I consume every last bit of it). Which is ...
user7
21
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Is eating a meal with 2000 Calories at once any different from eating 4 times at 500 Calories?
I wonder if there any difference in how many times I eat per day?
Let's say I eat one big meal in the morning at 2000 kcal (at 9am). Is that any different than having 4 meals at 500 kcal throughout ...
- 271
21
votes
1
answer
492
views
How do you read a US nutrition label?
I want to clean up my diet, and be more aware of what I'm eating and how much, but I'm not sure how to read a nutrition label.
I see the breakdowns of various vitamins, the calories and the ...
- 6,630
20
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How should ovo-lacto vegetarians compensate the lack of meat in their diets?
An ovo-lacto vegetarian includes both eggs and dairy products in his diet, but meat is completely excluded. In a regular non-vegetarian diet, meat is very important and provides many benefits if ...
- 1,004
19
votes
1
answer
339
views
Are calcium supplements harmful, even if you stay short of the maximum dose?
Source: Do You Really Need Calcium Supplements?, Margaret Polaneczky MD, 2014 Oct 2
You may also have heard that taking calcium supplements can lead to heart disease. It’s still an open question. Some ...
user14
19
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does intake of processed sugar lower the immune system?
Growing up, my parents were very strict about sugar intake, because they had heard "somewhere" that eating refined sugar lowered your immune system function for 12-24 hours.
At the time, this seemed ...
- 5,107
18
votes
2
answers
770
views
How can I boost my immune system? [closed]
There are a lot of products, foods, and activities that claim they "boost" the immune system.
I've heard good things about yogurt, probiotics, superfoods, herbs, oils, supplements, acupuncture, yoga.....
- 5,107
18
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why am I advised not to eat immediately before exercise?
It is commonly said that, after eating, you should wait 2-3 hours before exercising. It isn't recommended to eat and right afterwards to exercise (or swim).
But I haven't really understood why that ...
- 1,830
17
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Is exceeding the US RDA for vitamin C dangerous?
When I travel I take vitamin C supplements. The product I use has 1000 mg of vitamin C. When traveling I take multiple doses every day. This way exceeds the US RDA of 90 mg for adult males. Is it bad ...
- 1,462
17
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Side effects of genetically modified food products
We are genetically modifying crops to change the way they look, to produce more out of less, or to make them resistant to certain diseases; they are subsequently being consumed by humans and animals.
...
- 3,354
17
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Does 3500 calories really equal a pound?
If you are attempting to lose weight via dieting and/or exercise, you will see this number EVERYWHERE on the internet.
If you create a deficit of 3500 calories you will lose one pound, as simple as ...
- 722
17
votes
1
answer
380
views
Which are the effects of removing sugars from a balanced diet for an otherwise healthy person
What effects would removing sugars from a balanced diet have on an otherwise healthy person have? I've heard that both refined and natural sugars can have a negative impact in the body. Is it safe to ...
- 1,004
16
votes
2
answers
667
views
Why is natural sugar healthier than refined sugar?
The WHO recently published this recommendation regarding sugar consumption:
Keeping intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth ...
- 1,081
14
votes
1
answer
381
views
Calcium supplements versus "fortified with calcium"
(By 'fortified', I refer to this definition: increase the nutritive value of (food) by adding vitamins.)
Are there any differences between calcium supplements (as pills or tablets), and foods ...
user14
14
votes
1
answer
8k
views
Does decaffeinated coffee inhibit iron intake as much as normal coffee does?
Apparently, coffee consumption can inhibit iron intake and in some cases is even linked to iron deficiency anemia, as Wikipedia says. It is unclear to me, however, how this happens. On the page about ...
- 290
13
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What are the health tradeoffs between eating while standing vs. sitting vs. in reclining position?
Is it better to stand or sit when eating? If it is better to sit, what posture should I go for?
- 10.2k
13
votes
2
answers
294
views
Are bread molds dangerous to ingest?
I will occasionally notice minor molds developing on bread I've left for a few days at room temperature. Often, there will be some mold noticeable on a few pieces, while other pieces are fine.
I know ...
- 5,107
13
votes
2
answers
279
views
Is there any downside in eating whole-grain rice instead of white rice?
Health benefits of eating whole-grain rice are often mentioned. But is there any downside in eating whole-grain rice instead of white rice?
- 10.2k
13
votes
3
answers
17k
views
How often should you drink water? Not how much
We all know how much water we should be drinking. However, I have a close friend that only drinks 1.5 litres of water once a day. Keep in mind that they do consume other liquids with food. ...
- 313
13
votes
2
answers
979
views
What are the health benefits and risks of ingesting Aloe vera?
Aloe vera seems to be everywhere these days, especially in skin products. However you can also buy Aloe vera gel intended for human consumption and food items that contain Aloe vera.
A study by ...
- 1,081
13
votes
3
answers
289
views
How do artificial sweeteners affect weight loss?
One common suggestion when trying to lose weight is to switch from sugary sodas and juices to zero-calorie drinks, such as water and diet soda.
Do the artificial sweeteners in diet products affect ...
- 1,225
13
votes
1
answer
315
views
What evidence is there for and against Alternate Day Fasting?
I am looking into alternate day fasting (and it's variants such as the 5:2 diet and so forth) the internet is full of opinions and anecdotes and such but I would like to get my hands on some actual ...
12
votes
1
answer
123
views
Are farm raised fish unhealthier than their wild caught counterparts?
I like to eat fish on a regular basis, most notably salmon and tuna. Recently, I've been reading about some of the dangers of fish raised on fish farms. Notably, these can include
Increased level of ...
- 6,630
12
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Does the Jewish law forbidding the mixing of milk and meat have health benefits?
Mixing milk and meat is prohibited by an ancient Jewish law. Jews have followed those rules for millennia out of religious belief, not science.
Modern science can probably dig deeper and find actual ...
- 1,301
11
votes
1
answer
227
views
What is the relation between the sensation of being full and the ability to fall asleep?
I struggle with insomnia. Sometimes if I'm not able to fall asleep, one of the best ways to resolve this is to munch until I feel full, and I get so sleepy that I almost can't make it to the bedroom ...
- 1,021
11
votes
1
answer
217
views
Does it become harder to lose weight as you age?
In general, the average person will experience worsening metabolism with age. What makes it harder to lose weight for someone who is 40 versus say 20 assuming that the only difference is their age?
- 1,021
11
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How much cinnamon is too much?
Cinnamon is touted to have many health benefits - helping fight fungi, helping lower blood sugar, helping with lipid management, helping fight Alzheimer's - but it also has a limit. Ignoring whether ...
- 353
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is rock salt? Is it helpful for diabetics?
I am a type-2 diabetic on oral medications (not insulin). On the recommendation of a relative, I started using rock salt in my food. Now, I have few questions on consumption of rock salt.
Primarily, ...
- 211
11
votes
1
answer
184
views
Are there health benefits associated with avoidance of gluten?
Some people have celiac disease and are instructed to avoid eating gluten, a protein found in certain grains. However, food manufacturers market gluten-free products to the general public as if gluten ...
- 4,866
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Does fasting inhibit healing?
Fasting stresses the body. Whereas the body may normally rely on fats, proteins and carbohydrates from food, during a fast extending beyond a few days the body is forced to consume fats in place of ...
- 3,286
11
votes
1
answer
440
views
Can we survive on liquid diet?
What if I am getting all my nutrition from fluids that includes vegetable and fruit juices, milk etc. Will it effect my body, metabolism, or digestive system in any way?
- 111
10
votes
1
answer
14k
views
How do you feed a starving person in a way that won't kill them?
AFAIK people that suffer from severe starvation (e.g., prisoners liberated from concentration camps in the end of WW2) can die if you allow them to eat "at will". There is documented evidence that ...
- 423
10
votes
1
answer
196
views
Is it ineffective to drink cold water to cool down when you are warm?
I have heard many times that drinking cold water when you are warm is not an effective way to cool down.
The most common supposed reason that I have heard is that the body needs to spend a ...
- 201
10
votes
2
answers
265
views
Can a person die of hunger while still being severely obese?
A severely overweight American is imprisoned in some country XYZ after accusations of spying. Whilst in prison the XYZ people put him on a diet of just plain water. He is not placed on any kind of ...
- 215
9
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Why are carbs said to be fattening?
I have friends who are trying to lose weight and they keep saying they can't eat certain foods because it is high in carbs and carbs are fattening.
This doesn't make sense to me, I lost weight myself ...
- 722
9
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Why is the percentage of daily value for sugar omitted on US Nutrition Facts labels?
Why does the Sugars category not have a %DV column on US Nutrition Facts Labels?
On Nutrition Facts labels in the US, almost every major category of nutrient has a daily value. Sugars, which appears ...
- 201
9
votes
1
answer
81
views
Does increased consumption of fructose cause increased insulin resistance in humans?
As far as I understand it, diabetes is a disease that is composed of essentially two issues:
The pancreas' insulin production capabilities
The body's sensitivity to insulin
and I'm asking a rather ...
- 269
9
votes
1
answer
152
views
Would it be better to have fruits on an empty stomach rather after a full meal?
I was used to have fruits normally after my main meal. Recently I read an article saying it is pointless and we need to try fruits on empty stomach or there should be an at least two hour gap with ...
- 91
9
votes
2
answers
382
views
Which herbal teas have been proven to energize?
Summary (TL;DR): In the interest of brevity, I abbreviate 'herbal tea' as tisane.
Is there any evidence that tisanes can energize? If so, which ones?
Please exclude teas with caffeine (eg black and ...
user14
9
votes
1
answer
191
views
Does cinnamon accelerate metabolism?
In the past couple of days, I've repeatedly heard and read that cinnamon consumption increases the metabolic rate in humans. A Google search brings up plenty of results.
However, few of them cite any ...
- 191
9
votes
2
answers
293
views
Can vegan or vegetarian diets have a positive effect on people with diabetes?
Can a vegan or vegetarian diet help people treat their diabetes, or at least have a positive effect on them? Why?
- 1,505
9
votes
1
answer
109
views
What do the European reference intake values used for food labels actually mean?
In the European Union, food labeling is currently harmonized by Regulation 1169/2011. In it, the Reference Intakes or RI (previously Guideline Daily Amount or GDA) are defined as follows:
Energy or ...
- 1,081
9
votes
1
answer
141
views
What foods count towards 5 a day?
5 a day is where it is recommended that you should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, similar to 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away'.
Wikipedia
NHS
Most things count, but ...
- 1,513