Diet – what is the right thing to eat?

Research on diet

Research on diet is relatively difficult, as it is extremely difficult to set up study frameworks in a way that gives us answers about what the right diet is. Both because people are really bad at self-reporting, but also because the period we want to follow a particular diet often is relatively short.

Most research with diet is therefore correlation more than it is causation.

This means that there are some trends that are recurring, but we cannot be completely sure that it is precisely the diet that made the difference when we see that people feel better or live longer. It is also extremely difficult, if not impossible, to blind participants to the diet they consume, which is why placebo can be thought to be a contributing factor in most dietary studies.

What do we know about diet?

We basically have four macronutrients that can give us energy to function. These are:

• Carbohydrates
• Fat
• Proteins
• Alcohol*

*Alcohol is a macronutrient, however, with harmful consequences when consumed. Therefore, in this article we will not focus on alcohol, as we should minimize it as much as possible, knowing that it tastes great and can contribute to some great parties.

However, something we do know a lot about is proteins. Proteins are important for your body to function and for you to maintain and build muscles and bones, and proteins are also what are used for enzymes in your body and a wide range of other functions.

In addition, we know that it is important to get plenty of fiber. Fiber is found in soluble and insoluble forms and in different combinations in, for example, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber increases the speed of passage through the gastrointestinal system, while balancing the absorption of sugars. This is the big difference between drinking freshly squeezed juice, which is free of fiber, and eating whole fruits does not have the same effect on our blood sugar.

In addition, our gastrointestinal bacteria live on fiber and a high diversity of beneficial bacteria in our gastrointestinal system appears to be correlated with a wide range of benefits and reduction of various diseases (Sources: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition & Netdoktor).

How much should I have?

If we look at the research, we should aim for somewhere between 25-35 grams of fiber daily. Most people are between 16-24 grams per day in Europe and here the primary source is grain products. So this is definitely a place where we can start. You can find different lists that contain the amount of fiber per 100 grams, but the most important thing is that you get enough fiber and from many different sources. That way you can feed your entire intestinal flora through the way you eat and you also get a good mix of both soluble and insoluble fiber, both of which have their benefits (Source: National Library of Medicine 1).

Can’t I just take it as a supplement?

It can be excellent to supplement with a fiber supplement, but you should be aware that it never replaces a fiber-rich diet, which contains other beneficial elements such as minerals, vitamins, and secondary substances.

There is also a slight difference in the composition of fiber types, where it is primarily the soluble fibers that you get, such as with HUSK. There are supplements on the market that contain very good fiber distributions and that may possibly have beneficial effects on digestion, which some studies have indicated, but nothing really beats it (Source: National Library of Medicine 2). Fiber is what falls under the category of prebiotics (Source: National Library of Medicine 3).

Why do I feel worse when I eat more fiber?

There are some individuals who experience worsening of eating a high-fiber diet. This is one of the things that the Low-FODMAP diet tries to address by removing fiber or complex carbohydrates for a period of time and then trying to reintroduce it (Source: Netdoktor). When you react negatively to the intake of fiber, it CAN be an expression of, for example, intestinal problems or that the composition of the bacteria in your gastrointestinal system is not in balance.

This is among other things something that can be tested through Functional Medicine and the tests that can be ordered privately. It is therefore important to find out why fiber bothers some individuals and how the intestinal system can be trained to tolerate this again.

There is much more that can be said about fiber, but let’s move on to some of the other aspects of the diet.

Is fat good or bad?

As with most other topics surrounding the body, it is neither black nor white.

Fat is essential for our cells and without it we would not be able to function at all – this is one of the reasons why the body is able to form fat from sugar.

We should not be afraid of fat as was previously believed, but conversely, in some cases it may make sense to limit intake. For example, saturated fat, which we know can be a contributing factor to increased cholesterol particles in the blood of the type LDL (low-density-lipo-protein), which can lead to circulatory diseases. Fatty acids such as omega3 and omega6 are also beneficial for our immune functions and cholesterol is the big winner when we talk about the production of sex hormones, stress hormones, cell membranes and bile. It is therefore often more a question of how we get fat and that we avoid direct trans fatty acids (Sources: Journal of Clinical Lipidology, AHA Journals & Sundhed.dk).

It is true that fat does add up to a bit of the famous calorie count, but if your fat comes from good healthy sources, you don’t need to be scared of fat. Good sources like nuts, seeds, fish, eggs, olive oil, avocado, grass-fed animals and much more should not be withheld in most cases. However, there may also be clients who need to be aware, which is always taken into account during consultations.

Sugar – an easy fuel

Sugar has been much maligned and for good reason.

We eat too much sugar, and it accumulates as fat deposits in the body and increases the risk of a wide range of diseases if consumed in excessive quantities.

But sugar or glucose is the absolute most efficient source of fuel, which is why the body is also able to form sugar from fat, proteins and lactate. This is through a process in the liver called gluconeogenesis. The problem is not sugar in, for example, fruits, berries, vegetables and whole grain products, but the amount of added sugar in processed foods, as well as our high intake of sugary drinks and snacks. More and more people are getting diseases related to the intake of sugar, which ultimately leads to an excess of calories and thereby weight gain.

We know that obesity is correlated with a wide range of diseases, such as cancer, Diabetes II, circulatory diseases and much more, but it is especially the lifestyle that leads to obesity that is the culprit more than the obesity itself. It must be said that diseases such as fatty liver can easily affect slim people and be a result of too much sugar. So it is not only the obese who are at risk here (Source: National Library of Medicine). Sugar is not poison, on the contrary, it is a fantastic fuel for your body, but too much is the problem.

What should I do?

If we’re going to keep it simple – and I think we should in an article like this – then your focus could look like this:

1. Focus on proteins and prioritize them at all your meals (both animal and plant-based)
2. Lots of fiber in the form of vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds daily. Over 600 grams of vegetables and about 1 handful of nuts and seeds daily is a good place to start.
3. Limit your intake of added sugar to special occasions, such as processed foods, candy, ice cream, etc.

Have I tried all of this?

That said, diet is a place where you can focus much more purposefully. This can be in relation to body pain, stomach aches, headaches and much more, but also in relation to physical performance, mental resilience and weight loss. In these more specific measures, it is important to get the right guidance, where all aspects of your life situation are taken into account.

It is therefore important that the therapist can juggle between the different subjects such as neurology, biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, immunology, etc., which our experts in Functional Medicine can do and see as their most important task.

No one is the same, although there are some recurring dietary trends, and therefore it is important that individual measures are taken.