How Do You Know Which Nutrition Study To Swallow?

Dietitians advise people to be skeptical when deciding which nutrition study to believe. They offer these guidelines for evaluating nutrition information:

If the advice is drastic or the promised benefits great, the study probably is flawed. Nutrition discoveries build on past discoveries, and recommendations change gradually, not in giant leaps.

One study alone isn’t conclusive.

Studies of long duration carry more weight than studies of a few weeks. Some human trials take years to produce valid results.

Large studies involving hundreds of people are more likely to be accurate than small studies.

Studies involving humans are more conclusive than studies involving animals.

Pay attention to who conducted the study. Was it a major teaching university or a manufacturer trying to promote a product?