Three Things You May Not Know About Nutrition

We all eat food every day, and we all have a vague idea that there are right and wrong ways to go about it. Here to try and make it all a little clearer is Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) Clinical Dietitian, Jackie Gao. In this post, she shares three things she wishes people knew about her field.

1. Balance is key

Healthy eating is not about strict dietary limitations, staying unrealistically thin, or depriving yourself of the foods you love. Rather, it’s about enjoying the food you love, feeling great, having more energy, and improving your health. As a matter of fact, I eat sweets! I love sweets, but I’m also able to keep my diet healthy and balanced. That’s the key. 

2. Keep it simple

Eating a healthy diet doesn’t have to be overly complicated. While certain foods have been shown to have a beneficial effect, it’s your overall dietary pattern that’s more important. You don’t need to eliminate certain categories of foods from your diet, but rather select healthier options within each category.

3. Don't believe everything you read

Certain foods may be marketed as superior to others but, if you look closely (or chat to a dietitian!), you’ll find out it may not be the best. For example, there’s a big hype about coconut oil being a healthy plant source of oil but, as a matter of fact, it may not be as healthy as other oils that you see on the market, including butter or other plant oils. Coconut oil is 92% saturated fat, and that's the not-so-healthy kind. It can have more saturated fat than certain types of butter. So, from a heart health point of view, it’s not the best option. I also want to point out that a recent report by the American Heart Association (AHA) based on a recent review of clinical trials advises against cooking with coconut oil due to its high saturated fat content. 

Clinical nutrition uses evidence-based practices. We practice based on clinical trials and clinical evaluations. We critically read the articles and the trials to see if it’s a good-quality study and if it’s applicable to the general population. 

Often, the hype comes from one particular study that is either low in quality or is not representative of the whole population. However, people get the messages very quickly, and I guess that’s where the misconceptions come from. It’s my role as a clinical dietitian to correct those misunderstandings because of other evidence around it. It’s hard for people in the community to look critically the clinical trials but, whenever there is a claim like that, be smart and, if you have doubts, ask a dietitian. There is no right or wrong food; it’s the overall diet that matters. 

Jackie Gao is a Chinese-born, Australian-trained dietitian and nutritionist. To make an appointment with her, please call our service center at 4008-919191.

• Want to read more diet tips from Jackie? Here you go. 
  

• Have food allergies and struggling to find food you can eat? Check out our tips for navigating  Beijing's culinary landscape with dietary restrictions.

• Want to fuel your body well during your next sporting endeavor? Check out our part-time nutritionist Suiqian Liu's tips here.