Ultra-processed foods are uniquely harmful to both mitochondrial health and the microbiome.

“Would you say that ultra-processed foods are uniquely harmful from the standpoint of mitochondrial health?”

Highly processed foods and their emulsifiers can disrupt gut mucosal linings and interfere with satiety signaling.

“Those emulsifiers strip away the mucosal lining of the gut and they actually cause the neurons that innervate the gut, that extend those little processes we call axons into the gut, to retract deeper into the gut. And as a consequence, you're ingesting a bunch of food and the signals like CCK never ”

Focusing on minimally processed foods is beneficial because it helps prevent the spontaneous overconsumption of calories.

“I would 100% agree with what you said that trying to focus on minimally processed foods is very important. The one caveat I would say is I think it's important to understand why processed food just gets people to spontaneously eat more.”

The definition of food is a substrate that contributes to either growth or burning, and many ultra-processed items fail to meet this standard, making them essentially poison.

“So if a substrate that passes your lips does not contribute to growth and does not contribute to burning, is it a food? >> I guess not. >> I guess not. >> What is it then? It's a poison.”

The basics of good nutrition, such as eating vegetables, fiber, and protein while minimizing low-nutrient ultra-processed foods, are straightforward and well-agreed upon.

“stay hydrated, get nutrients, you know, eat eat a variety of foods, eat minimal, you know, low nutrient, ultrarocessed foods, and and and that's and you're going to be better off than 90% of the country, right?”

There is a significant difference between the RDA for protein, which prevents deficiency, and the much higher amount required to optimize body composition and health.

“But there's a difference between what is essential and what is optimal. And it's a big difference when it comes to protein. It's a very big difference.”

He believes the current protein guidance of 0.8g per kilogram of body weight is too low and based on outdated studies.

“what it's not an idea. It's the guidance, of 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight, which I think is horrendously low. It's based on outdated natural imbalance studies.”

She argues that consuming at least 1.2g of protein per kilogram of body weight is the minimum requirement, especially for those looking to build muscle.

“if you look at the research, everything is pointing towards a minimum of 1.2g/kg of body weight.”

Nutrition science should focus on consensus areas like increasing vegetables and whole foods while decreasing refined grains and sugars instead of emphasizing controversy.

“it's my mission to show how much more consensus there is than controversy more vegetables more Whole Foods less added sugar and less refined grain those are four of the biggest problems with the U.S diet”

Nutrition science provides clear foundations, centered on whole plant-based foods, for making informed decisions to prevent chronic disease.

“We have so much research now around like what makes up a healthy dietary pattern that we can make really good informed decisions. Really, when it comes to nutrition is pretty simple. At least the foundations are.”