The Rich Roll Podcast – Food Is Medicine: Christopher Gardner, PHD On Using Diet To Prevent Disease

Intro

In this episode of “The Rich Roll Podcast,” host Rich Roll sits down with Dr. Christopher Gardner, a leading nutrition researcher, to discuss the role of diet in preventing disease. They delve into various dietary topics, debunk common misconceptions, and explore the importance of personalized nutrition for long-term success.

Main Takeaways

Four Pillars of a Healthy Diet

• More vegetables, whole foods, and beans
• Less added sugar and refined grains

Consensus in Nutrition Research

• Vetted, peer-reviewed nutrition research has more consensus than controversy
• Experts agree on primary nutrition points despite public perception of controversy

Hot Dietary Topics

• Plant-based vs. carnivore vs. low fat vs. low carb vs. Mediterranean diets
• Protein requirements and common misconceptions

Importance of Individualization

• Personalized nutrition and finding a sustainable diet for long-term success
• Balancing generalizability and rigor in nutrition studies

Confusion and Clickbait

• Clickbait titles and reductionist briefs on studies confuse the public
• Social media exacerbates the issue with clickbait headlines promoting contrarian views

Exploring New Areas in Disease Prevention

• Traditional risk factors are not enough; metabolic health and inflammatory markers need exploration
• Chronic inflammation underlies many diet-related chronic diseases

Comparing Low Carb and Low Fat Diets

• Identifying insulin resistance can help determine which diet works better for an individual
• Short-term studies suggest people with insulin resistance do better on low carb diets

American Heart Association Guidelines

• Whole grains, veggies, beans, salt, and saturated fat are important for heart-healthy diets
• Consensus across various dietary patterns on key nutrition points

Understanding Protein Intake

• Nature ensures adequate protein intake for predominantly plant-based eaters
• Protein intake is often overemphasized; variety in the diet meets recommendations

Effects of Beyond Meat on Cardiometabolic Factors

• Beyond Meat may be a better option than red meat for some people
• Impact of plant-based meat on performance of recreational athletes

Creating Demand for Healthier Food

• Ordering healthier options in institutional settings can lead to changes in the food system
• Making simple, healthy foods more accessible and convenient

Summary

Four Pillars of a Healthy Diet

Dr. Christopher Gardner highlights the importance of including more vegetables, whole foods, and beans in our diets, while reducing our intake of added sugar and refined grains. These dietary changes can have a significant impact on our overall health and disease prevention.

The Consensus in Nutrition Research

Contrary to popular belief, there is more consensus than controversy in vetted, peer-reviewed nutrition research. Experts agree on the primary nutrition points, but confusion arises due to clickbait titles and reductionist briefs on studies, which often promote contrarian views.

Personalized Nutrition and Individualization

Dr. Gardner emphasizes the importance of individualizing nutrition and finding a sustainable diet for long-term success. Balancing generalizability and rigor in nutrition studies is crucial to ensure the validity and applicability of research findings.

Exploring New Areas in Disease Prevention

While traditional risk factors for disease prevention are well-known, Dr. Gardner suggests exploring new areas such as metabolic health and inflammatory markers. Chronic inflammation is found to underlie many diet-related chronic diseases, and understanding and addressing it can be key to preventing these conditions.

Comparing Low Carb and Low Fat Diets

Dr. Gardner discusses the challenges of defining low carb and low fat diets and highlights the importance of individual factors such as insulin resistance in determining the effectiveness of these diets. Short-term studies suggest that people with insulin resistance may benefit more from low carb diets.

American Heart Association Guidelines

The American Heart Association has refined its dietary guidelines, emphasizing the importance of whole grains, veggies, beans, salt, and saturated fat for a heart-healthy diet. Despite various dietary patterns, there is consensus on the need for more vegetables, whole foods, less added sugar, and refined grains.

Understanding Protein Intake

Nature ensures that predominantly plant-based eaters meet their protein requirements. Dr. Gardner highlights that protein intake is often overemphasized, as less than 10% of muscle strength building and maintenance comes from diet. A reasonable variety of foods in the diet is sufficient to meet the recommended protein intake.

Effects of Beyond Meat on Cardiometabolic Factors

Dr. Gardner discusses a study comparing the effects of Beyond Meat and organic beef on cardiometabolic factors. The study suggests that Beyond Meat may be a better option than red meat for some individuals, as it led to improvements in LDL cholesterol and TMAO levels. However, further research is needed to understand the long-term effects.

Creating Demand for Healthier Food

Dr. Gardner emphasizes the importance of creating demand for healthier food by ordering it in institutional settings. This can lead to changes in the food system and make healthier options more accessible to a larger population. Making simple, healthy foods more convenient can also help improve diets.

Conclusion

Dr. Christopher Gardner’s insights shed light on the importance of personalized nutrition, the need for rigorous and interdisciplinary approaches in nutrition research, and the impact of dietary choices on our health and the planet. By understanding the basics of nutrition science and making informed choices, we can optimize our diets for long-term health and well-being.