In 2022, a plethora of diet and nutrition research was released, revealing unexpected links between what we eat and drink and our health. For example, eating bread has more benefits, red wine drinkers have less belly fat than liquor drinkers, and butter may not be as bad as previously believed. The seven facts we discovered about diet and health in 2022 are listed below.
Top 7 Surprising Nutrition Facts Scientists Learned in 2022
- Eating a wide range of proteins may reduce the high blood pressure risk.
According to a study, eating a wide range of proteins like beans, whole grains, seafood, and lean meat may help reduce the chance of developing high blood pressure. According to Insider’s Gabby Landsverk, scientists examined the dietary habits of 12,117 Chinese adults to their blood pressure during a median of six years of follow-up.
Those who ingested four or more protein sources had a 66% lower risk of developing high blood pressure than those who only ate one or two.
- Butter and full-fat dairy may be healthier.
Due to their high levels of saturated fat and associations with poor heart health, foods like butter have long been considered hazardous. Still, new research published in Scientific Reports in August reveals that some forms of saturated fat may benefit health.
According to a study by public health researcher and veterinary epidemiologist Stephanie Venn-Watson, moderate levels of saturated fat, known as C15:0, present in butter and full-fat dairy may lower the risk of disease and increase health and well-being.
- Fiber from whole grain bread may be good for heart disease risk than fruits and veggies.
Numerous foods include fiber, which is necessary for a healthy diet. According to a March study, whole grain fiber may be even better for your heart than fruit and vegetable fiber, according to Landsverk. In addition, according to a study in March in JAMA Network Open, fiber-rich foods like dark bread, bran, and cereals (like oats) may help reduce inflammation and the risk of heart disease.
- A Mediterranean diet may reduce preeclampsia risk in pregnancy.
The deadly pregnancy problem known as preeclampsia, which causes severe high blood pressure and organ damage, can have long-term implications on heart health. However, a study published in April by American Heart Association suggests that a Mediterranean-style diet may lower the risks, particularly in Black individuals. Fresh fruit, vegetables, grains, fish, olive oil, nuts, and beans are prioritized in the Mediterranean diet.
- Eating two servings of fish per week is linked to an increased skin cancer risk.
A study published in June in Cancer Causes and Control also identified a link between consuming two servings of fish per week and an increased risk of skin cancer. Fish has long been known to have several health benefits, including decreasing cholesterol and stabilizing blood sugar.
According to Landsverk, poisonous mercury, arsenic, and other substances associated with cancer can be found in fish like tuna. But further research is required, and it can still be a part of a balanced diet.
- Red wine drinkers may have less stomach fat than liquor or beer drinkers.
According to a study released in the February Journal of Obesity Science and Practice, red wine consumers have less belly fat than those who consume beer, white wine, or alcoholic beverages.
In addition, the study found that red wine drinkers had less visceral fat, which surrounds the abdominal organs and is associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. However, according to licensed dietitian Rhiannon Lambert, drinking alcohol poses more health hazards than advantages.
- Vegetarian women are more likely to have hip fractures than meat-eaters.
According to a study in August in BMC Medicine, vegetarian women are more likely to experience hip fractures as they age than meat-eaters. Third more vegetarians than regular meat eaters were found to break a hip, according to research that examined data from more than 26,000 women between the ages of 35 and 69 over 22 years.
Researchers suggested that nutritional inadequacies or women’s lower average BMI could be contributing factors.