The Many Contradicting Headlines in Nutrition Research

There has been a veritable parade of new headlines about the benefits and dangers of various foods. So why is there so much variation in the conclusions of nutritional studies? This video explores that question.

One main reason is because animal models are frequently used in studies, and of course, that doesn't always reflect what happens in humans. There are many advantages of using animals for scientific studies that overcome the drawbacks, but obviously, humans aren't the same as these models. There might also be underlying differences in people that cause foods to have varied effects from person to person.

Another issue is that studies may focus on one compound that is found in a particular food while ignoring the many other chemicals that are also found in the same food, and which may change the effects of eating it.