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We have heard tons of myths from our childhood till now; swallowing gum would stay in your stomach and become larger and larger. Make a certain face, and you will be like that forever, or eat fruit seeds, and the whole fruit will grow inside you.
We have believed all of these myths as a kid taking them as facts. And same goes for nutrition. There have been a lot of facts shared over the years, among which few are backed by science while others are just folklore. But as our research technology is getting better and better, science evolves and truth changes.
But how would you know which fact you should believe and which you should not? In this lesson, we will tell you how you can use your critical thinking muscles and decide what is fact and what is just a myth. You will be playing a detective role with a solid magnifying glass to find out the facts between myths. How?
Let's tell you;
Let's take an example here: You are using social media and your friend posted an amazing article about weight loss, full with all the study links and research. You must be thinking this article would be full of facts as it contains all the research studies. Right?
But you don't have to be in a hurry, just take a step back and ask yourself a few questions FIRST. ( this FIRST we use here is an acronym, which will be working as a magnifying glass and reach you to the facts.)
So, What Does FIRST Stand For?
Well, This FIRST stands for, funding, investigation, results, subject and time- the methods which will lead you a step forward in your investigation. Let's take a closer look at each one of these;
Funding
Do you know who paid for this study? Did they have any purpose or special interest in the outcome? It can be possible. There are plenty of companies out there who can pay to perform a whole research study just to make their product look good.
For Example: A recent study found out that drinking sugary drinks won't make you gain weight as long as you are involved in regular workouts. Seems a myth, right? Well, it is. Because that study was just funded by a top soda company, just to obtain results favorable to their company.
Investigation
Results
Subjects
Time
Play the Detective
Now you know about all the ways through which you can evaluate the facts it's time to put on that detective hat and get to work. We are going to tell you the three different case studies, and let's see which ones are facts or which ones are mere words published by high funds.
Case #1: Daily Consumption of Almonds Can Benefit the Cognitive Function
According to a study published in An International Journal on Nutrition, Diet and Nervous System, taking almonds on a daily basis can improve cognitive function, including the improvement in visual memory and learning. This may be due to the high amount of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants present within the almond.
Let's take a Look at Facts FIRST
Funding:
The study was supported by the Agriculture Research Service and the Almond Board of California.
Investigation:
All the subjects underwent the screening which included the medical history, blood clinical chemistry and physical examination. Their cognitive health and brain function were monitored properly.
Results:
The study concluded that: there were not any major cognition improvements within the subjects. However, the groups showed significant improvement in the measure of visual memory, learning ability and executive function. However, a larger sample size is required in order to provide further evidence of the beneficial effect of almonds on cognitive function.
Subjects:
In this study, 423 healthy non-smoking men and post-menopausal women were recruited at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University. 68 subjects who met the eligibility criteria were enrolled, and 60 subjects completed the study by September 2018.
Time:
The subjects were screened for almost two years from March 2016 to January 2018. During that time the subjects underwent computerized cognitive assessment, to test their memory, processing speed and attention.
So, now the FIRST system has been done, what do you think about the study? Is it trustworthy? Does it have some good points & some flaws? Or is it just garbage without any facts at all?
Well, in our opinion, it looks like a trustworthy research study, the study was conducted for a long period of time, and the scientists use modern techniques like computerized cognitive assessment to check cognitive function. Moreover, the funding companies are also reliable and trustworthy.
Case #2: A Diet Rich in Whole Grain, Fruits & Vegetables can Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
According to a study published in the Journal of American College of Nutrition, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains will not only help in losing weight but can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in obese and overweight women. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a fiber rich diet from different sources on weight loss and cardiovascular risks.
Let's put those FIRST skills to good work again.
Funding
This study was funded by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The research reported in this publication was approved by the ethical committee of the School of Nutrition and Food Science.
Investigation:
It was a randomized clinical feeding trial. All the factors including waist circumference, body weight, and cardiovascular risks were examined throughout the trial.
Results:
The results show the benefits of a fiber rich diet in losing weight and improving heart health. all the participants have shown significant reduction in their weight, waist circumference, and fasting blood sugar. Moreover, the group with a whole grain diet had a more beneficial effect as compared to the group with a fruit and vegetable diet.
Subjects
As the study was a trial for obese and overweight women, around 75 women were randomized for this study. And were divided into groups, according to their diet combination.
Time
The participants were in that trial for almost 10 weeks, in that time period their weight, blood pressure, fasting sugar, and triglyceride levels, all were examined properly.
Now the examination is over, it's time for the truth. Is this study trustworthy or not?
Well, according to us this study has both good points and some flaws. One good point about this study was that all the participants were examined thoroughly during the trial.
Some of the flaws we think were: all the subjects who participated in the study were only obese and overweight women, the study was not at a large scale, and more participants would be needed for authentic results.
Case #3: Drinking Grapefruit Juice Can Reduce LDL Cholesterol
According to a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Food and Nutrition, Grapefruit juice can reduce the serum cholesterol in healthy adults. Which may result in a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke.
Ready to FIRST this Research?
Funding:
The funding was mostly provided by the grapefruit juice manufacturers of the country. And yes some other resources were included as well.
Investigation:
In order to investigate the effect of grapefruit on the cholesterol level of healthy adults, the scientists compared grapefruit juice with apple juice in the same participants.
Results:
According to the researchers, grapefruit juice reduces LDL cholesterol by 6%. But it was not significantly affected by the apple juice
Subjects:
28 healthy participants volunteered for the study and took 250 ml of grapefruit juice on a daily basis for three weeks.
Time:
One study trial was three weeks, and after that a three-week gap for washout and then a three-week trial of apple juice.
Ok, so what do you think about this study? For us, it is total garbage just for grapefruit juice marketing. Why?
The sample size was very small- only 28 participants. Moreover, two different juice experiments were done on the same participants. That does not seem relevant at all. Does it?
Final Words
So, now that you have developed all the skills of being a good detective. Next time whenever you get confused about the authenticity of anything, just put on that detective cap and use your critical thinking skills. And everything will be crystal clear.
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