Settle for Less Nutrition Misinformation

We hear all the time that social media and the internet as a whole are full of misinformation about politics, but what about the misinformation on nutrition?

I just started taking a nutrition class, and it's amazing how much misinformation is out there. Some misinformation is easy to spot - the too good to be true claims like eat what you want and still loose weight, but what about the information that looks legit?

Taking the class has raised my awareness about how important it is to be diligent when reading nutrition information. The area that really concerns me is supplements. Supplements are not necessarily safe for consumption.

Consider these points from a March 2022 Penn Medicine article:

• Supplements may interact with other medicines

• Federal regulations for supplements are not the same as drug regulations - one big difference is that supplements can have ingredients not listed on the label

And can too much of a good thing be bad for you?

Too much vitamin C or zinc could cause nausea, diarrhea, and stomachcramps. Too much selenium could lead to hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, fatigue, and mild nerve damage. - Cari Nierenberg

Settle for less nutrition misinformation by doing research. I recommend reading multiple sources and consulting a medical professional. Would you trust your health to an influencer? Much of the nutrition advice that I have encountered is for profit, so be on the look out for who produced the information and what they have to gain from it.