Episode 300: 4 Things I’ve Changed About My Diet
Since the Nutrition Diva podcast debuted in 2008, new research has challenged a lot of the conventional wisdom on nutrition. How have my eating habits evolved over the past 6 years?
Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS
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Episode 300: 4 Things I’ve Changed About My Diet
The Nutrition Diva podcast hits another milestone this week: 300 episodes (and counting!). I asked my Facebook community for suggestions on how to mark this anniversary, and Jim, a long-time listener, wrote: “I’d be interested to learn where you feel the weight of the evidence has shifted the most, and if your own diet has changed as a consequence.”
Jim’s right: Over the past six years, new research has challenged a lot of the conventional wisdom in my field.
A growing number of researchers, for example, are questioning whether saturated fat or cholesterol are really bad for your heart. New data continues to undermine long-standing recommendations to avoid salt. And it turns out that breakfast may not actually be the most important meal of the day. (It’s probably somewhat immodest of me to say so, but a lot of the new research simply confirmed positions I’d previously taken.)
We’ve also seen plenty of dieting fads and trends come and go–with or without scientific support. It’s certainly given me lots to talk about every week.
I don’t think we need to overhaul our diets in response to every new headline or best-selling book, but nonetheless, my diet has definitely evolved over the last six years, in response to things I’ve learned along the way. >
How My Diet Has Changed Since Episode #1
1. I eat a lot fewer grain-based foods than I did 6 years ago. Don’t get me wrong: I still love bread, pasta, cereal, and crackers–and I still eat them. I don’t believe that grains (modern or otherwise) are killing our brains, causing the obesity epidemic, or sucking all the nutrients out of our food.
On the other hand, I think that grains are hugely over-emphasized in our current dietary guidelines. They aren’t terribly nutritious, and they are awfully easy to overeat. They contribute a lot of extra calories, and push other more nutritious foods off the plate. Despite everything they taught me in nutrition school, I have come to see even whole grains as optional, and best consumed in moderation.
Although it takes some will power, I have found that reducing the amount of grains and grain-based foods I eat improves the nutritional quality of my diet, and makes it easier for me to maintain a healthy weight.
2. I eat a lot less meat, poultry, and fish. Six years ago, I ate meat at least 3-4 times a week. Today, it’s 1-2 times a month, at most.
This is not really about nutrition, though. From a purely biological perspective, think the ideal diet for humans includes some animal protein. But I’ve become 
increasingly uncomfortable with what it takes to raise and harvest the amount of cheap fish, beef, and poultry we’ve become accustomed to. The amount of resources it consumes, and the harm to the environment and other species, don’t seem justifiable (or sustainable) to me. And while I don’t have an ethical issue with eating an animal, I do have an ethical issue with raising livestock under inhumane conditions.
Although my motivations are not primarily nutritional, I do have to say that eating less meat has had a beneficial effect on my diet. I eat a lot more vegetables and legumes because I don’t eat as much meat. And vegetarian entrees at restaurants often seem healthier than the meat-based ones.
3. I no longer use canola oil. Unlike my intake of grains and meat, which has decreased gradually over the years, I basically stopped using canola oil the day I wrote Episode #124, which talks about what happens to oils when you heat them. As I learned while researching that episode, polyunsaturated fats–even those with really high smoke points–can create harmful compounds when you heat them.
Some changes are worth making because the stakes are high. Others are worth making because they’re just not that difficult.
Up until then, I was a canola fan. As I wrote in episode #50, “canola is high in monounsaturated fats–the healthiest kind of fats–and it’s a better choice than olive oil when you want a neutral flavor.” And although canola is much higher in monounsaturated fats than most vegetable oil, it’s still almost 30% polyunsaturated. When I realized that, I stopped using it.
Some changes are worth making because the stakes are high. Others are worth making because they’re just not that difficult. This change definitely belongs to the latter category. I don’t think that continuing to cook with canola would kill me (or you.) But replacing canola with butter, coconut or olive oil was a really easy way to eliminate this concern.
4. I have learned to leave foods I don’t want to eat at the store. I eat a lot less junk food than I used to. This isn’t because I changed my mind about junk food. I knew six years ago that chips, pretzels, cookies, and ice cream weren’t nutritious. What changed was my behavior: I stopped bringing these foods into my house.
I used to always have a carton of ice cream in the freezer, a bag of pretzels on top of the fridge, and a box of cookies in the cupboard. As soon as we finished one, I’d put it on the grocery list to replace. You know: just in case company stops by.
Who was I kidding? If they were in the house, they got opened. And once they were open, they got eaten. It was a simple as that. And if I told you that they were always consumed in moderation, I’d be a liar.
See also: Why We Overeat
So I decided to take the advice I’d been handing out for years. I stopped putting these things in my grocery cart. I stocked up on more nutritious snacks, such as raw veggies, hummus, and popcorn. I replaced the cookies and ice cream with dark chocolate, which, unlike ice cream, I can actually consume in moderation.
This was a simple behavioral shift, not a conceptual one. But it nonetheless had a profound impact on my diet. If you’ve heard this advice before but never actually put it into action, I would encourage you to give it a try. Exercise your will power once a week at the grocery store, and you won’t have to stare down that bag of chips every night at 9pm.
See also: How to Overcome an Unsupportive Environment
How Has YOUR Diet Changed?
And now it’s your turn! Whether you’ve been listening since episode #1, or have joined the gang more recently, how has your diet changed–either because of something you heard here or elsewhere? What one change could you make today that would have the biggest impact on your nutrition? Let us know!
Photos of online nutrition info and fresh veggies courtesy of Shutterstock.
About the Author
Monica Reinagel is a board-certified licensed nutritionist, author, and the creator of one of iTunes’ most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts. Her advice is regularly featured on the TODAY show, Dr. Oz, NPR, and in the nation’s leading newspapers, magazines, and websites. Do you have a nutrition question? Call the Nutrition Diva listener line at 443-961-6206. Your question could be featured on the show.