In today’s world, nutrition plays a vital role in our health and well-being. That is why it has been the philosophy of this column from the start to write often about nutritional issues.
Here are some recent developments in the field of nutrition science and practice, as gleaned from recent research, which may have practical applications on your day-to-day personal health and wellness.
The health halo effect
Think eating at a “healthy” restaurant means you’ll eat fewer calories? According to one study, people who go to fast-food restaurants with a healthier reputation (such as Subway) may end up eating even more calories than those at more traditional establishments.
Some waist-expanding findings:
¥ Just about everyone greatly underestimates calories. People at McDonald’s, for instance, thought a 1,000-calorie meal had 744 calories, on average.
• But those eating at Subway underestimated calories even more. They thought a 1,000-calorie meal had just 585 calories.
• Moreover, people eating a “healthy” meal from Subway were more likely to order calorie-rich side dishes, larger drinks, and dessert than those eating the “unhealthy” meals at McDonald’s.
• This “health halo” effect underestimating calories of “healthy” foods and then feeling more deserving of indulging elsewhere can lead to substantial gain over time.
Take-out message: Don’t assume “healthy” means low-calorie. A 12-inch turkey sandwich from Subway, for example, has as many calories as a Big Mac and several hundred more if you add cheese and dressing. And at any restaurant, whatever you order probably has more calories than you think.
Is organic more nutritious?
Surveys show that most people who buy organic produce think it is more nutritious. Is it? That question is impossible to answer on the basis of recent research. Many factors affect nutrition levels in fresh produce soil type, climate, season, plant varieties, shipping, and handling. Such variables make it hard to devise studies comparing nutrients in organic and conventionally grown produce.
In theory, at least, plants to which no pesticides are applied would make more phytochemicals in order to protect themselves. Some potentially healthful compounds are natural pesticides hence there would be more of them.


According to a review of research from the British Nutrition Foundation published last year, “Few differences in nutrient composition between organic and non-organic foods have been reported,” and these few differences are “unlikely to have any impact on human health.”
The real reason to buy organic if you can afford it is that organic farming makes use of crop rotation and good animal husbandry to control pests and diseases. The benefits are ecological rather than nutritional, and organic methods are safer for farm workers. Rising worldwide concern over the ethics of land use, animal management, and the welfare of farmers and farm laborers is a positive thing.
Five tips from successful dieters
How come some people lose weight and keep it off, while so many others fail? That’s what the US National Weight Control Registry has been looking into for over a decade. The registry has amassed information on nearly 5,000 people who have maintained at least a 30-pound weight loss for five or more years.
These successful maintainers share several key strategies:
• They eat a high-carb, low-fat diet. On average, they get most of their calories (55 to 60 percent) from carbohydrates and 24 percent of their calories from fat; the rest is from protein. They emphasize “good” carbs fruits, vegetables, and other high-fiber foods not high-sugar carbohydrates.
• They are conscious of calories. Successful maintainers know that total calories count, no matter what diet they follow.
• They eat breakfast. Eight out of 10 successful maintainers eat breakfast every day. This may help them better manage calories during the day.
• They self-monitor. Successful maintainers weigh themselves at least once a week. Many still keep food diaries.
• They engage in lots of physical activity 60 to 90 minutes a day. They carve out time every day for planned exercise, but they also look for ways to get more activity during the rest of the day. Walking is their No. 1 activity.
Food alchemy
There are always books on the market purveying notions about food combinations. Some say that it’s vital to eat foods in the right combinations never combining, for instance, carbohydrates and protein in the same meal. They usually also recommend that fruits always be eaten raw and alone.
There’s no evidence to support such contentions. Nearly all foods are themselves combinations. Beans, for example, contain carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, among other things. A simple dish like macaroni and cheese, or a peanut butter sandwich or oatmeal with milk, contains sugars and starches, protein, and fat. Our digestive system handles food combinations very efficiently. The process results in almost complete digestion and absorption of nutrients, no matter how they are combined.
The overwhelming weight of evidence is on the side of a varied, balanced diet, with foods eaten in nutritious, appetizing combinations. Most vitamins and minerals are best utilized when consumed as part of a complex mixture of food. For instance, foods high in vitamin C (such as fruits) boost the body’s absorption of iron from grains.
Variety aids digestion rather than making it more difficult.
The allure of the avocado
Though avocados are often shunned for being “fattening,” they are actually heart-healthy if you can eat them in moderation. They average about 300 calories each, most from fat, but their oils are primarily monounsaturated the kind that lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol but maintains HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
• Other good news: Avocados provide important nutrients, including folate, vitamins C and E, and potassium, as well as fiber (about 12 grams in each). Their phytochemicals include beta-sitosterol (a sterol that lowers cholesterol), gluthathione (an antioxidant that may protect against certain cancers), and lutein (a carotenoid that may help protect against macular degeneration and cataract). Research shows that avocados can significantly boost absorption of carotenoids from other foods, suggesting you should add a bit of avocado to your salad in place of less healthful toppings.
• How to handle them: Avocados ripen about a week after picking. Put them in a paper bag to speed the process. Wash them before cutting. Use avocados in dips, as a spread, and in place of ingredients that have more saturated fat. For every ounce of butter replaced with avocado, you’ll save about 150 calories and 18 grams of fat; for every ounce of cream cheese, you’ll save 50 calories and five grams of fat.
Decaf details
Does decaf coffee have the same potential benefits as regular? Decaf and regular coffee share many effects, since they share more than 1,000 naturally occurring compounds. Many of these are healthful, including a variety of antioxidants. Others are potentially harmful, such as substances that cause heartburn in some people.
Most research has focused on caffeine or caffeinated coffee. Over the years, coffee has been blamed for causing everything from high blood pressure to bone loss, but it has been cleared of nearly all health charges.
Decaf obviously does not have the drawbacks of caffeine: It won’t cause jitters, insomnia, or increased heart rate. But decaf also does not have caffeine’s benefits: It won’t improve reaction time, mental activity, alertness, and mood, or ward off drowsiness.
Some recent research indicating that coffee may actually prevent certain disorders has focused only on regular coffee. For instance, studies linking coffee to reduced risk of gallstone disease suggests that caffeine is the key element. In contrast, studies on diabetes have found that decaf also has a potential benefit. Most research on possible protection against Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease has included only regular coffee.