Don't eat bread, steer clear of seed oil, and make sure you get plenty of protein. You hear all kinds of claims about nutrition and healthy food online. But what should we believe? In the third episode of the science podcast 'Oh Ja Joh?!', nutritional scientist Coen Dros from Erasmus MC shares his takes.
Coen Dros works as a nutritional scientist and dietitian at Erasmus MC. In addition, he runs an online platform: Coenfirmation_Bias. On his Instagram he checks whether online claims about nutrition are accurate: 'It starts with someone making a claim online and citing a scientific source. I then go through the source and see what is stated in that study. And then you sometimes discover that people are citing studies that do not substantiate what they claim at all.'
Misinformation, but not disinformation
Even though the information is incorrect, Coen is convinced that most people do not share this to harm others: "I have come to realize that no matter how extreme statements sometimes are, there is an underlying need to help. Most people genuinely want to help others, and when it comes to nutrition, that means helping others live healthier lives. We must not lose sight of that, even though we disagree."
What can we believe online? According to Coen, that is very difficult. 'I think that without a background in nutrition and health, you actually cannot distinguish who is telling the truth online. People can cite all kinds of sources, and if you don't take the time to check those sources, it could all be nonsense. So I advise everyone to look at the guidelines for good nutrition from the Voedingscentrum (Netherlands Nutrition Centre).'
New "Schijf van Vijf"
How do we eat healthily? Where can you go for advice? And how does Coen view the new "Schijf van Vijf"? Listen to the episode in your favorite podcast app and find out.
- More information
More information about nutrition and healthy food can be found on the website of het Voedingscentrum.
Want to know more about the podcast? Have a look at Erasmus Extra.
- Related content
