Food Is Medicine
Scientific research has well established that our risks for many common chronic diseases (including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and inflammatory diseases) decrease significantly when we eat a diet rich in wholesome, nutrient-dense foods. In short, a healthy diet can help you live well longer. A recent Harvard research study published in JAMA Internal Medicine followed nearly 120,000 men and women over 36 years and found that those who adhered to healthy eating patterns (e.g., Mediterranean diet and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, DASH, diet) had a 20% lower risk of death from any cause compared with study participants who had low adherence to such diets.
In this Q&A, Dana Hunnes, RD, MPH, PhD, Senior Dietitian Supervisor, UCLA Medical Center, provides insights on dietary choices that can help us potentially live longer and also live better.
What does the phrase “food is medicine” mean?
“This phrase means that what we eat has the ability to protect our health, as medicine can,” explains Hunnes. “When we use food to protect our health, we are eating in a way that lowers our risk for chronic conditions. Or if we already have chronic conditions, eating healthfully may help manage them or control them better. If we are fortunate, a heathy diet can possibly reverse them.”
For example, research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that study participants who followed an intermittent fasting regimen achieved complete diabetes remission, defined as maintaining an HbA1c level of less than 6.5% for at least a year without diabetes medication.
Why is eating whole foods so beneficial?
“There are many nutrients in whole foods that work synergistically with each other that make the “whole” greater than the sum of its parts,” says Hunnes. “By that I mean, we reap so many more benefits from eating a whole raspberry with all of its fiber and seeds. We gain more antioxidants, anthocyanins, micronutrients, and other anti-inflammatory compounds than we can ever get from eating one isolated nutrient extracted from said raspberry. When we eat ultra-processed foods or isolated nutrients, we are not getting that synergy. We are only getting single nutrients that likely don’t have the same effects.”
A good example of this is taking fish oil supplements for heart health. Numerous studies have shown that fish oil supplementation makes little to no difference in reducing the risk for heart attacks and stroke. But eating fish high in omega-3 fats may reduce risk of heart disease.
Why the buzz around adhering to a mostly plant-based diet?
“Whole plant foods are filling, lower in calories, nutrient dense, and are associated with lower risk for disease and disability. That doesn’t mean no risk. It just means reduced risk,” she explains. “Plants have naturally occurring compounds that protect them against disease and pests which are also healthful to humans. For example, there are bitter compounds in sulphorphane vegetables (e.g., broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) that protect them against pests, but are extremely anti-inflammatory and healthful to humans. Fiber also helps clean out the toxins from our digestive tracts, which is good. We don’t want to keep too much waste in our digestive tracts for long periods of time.”
Though eating these veggies raw provides the most nutrients, not everyone enjoys them raw. Steaming for a minute or two, lightly sautéing or even blanching helps maintain nutrients. Definitely avoid boiling because that method destroys valuable nutrients.
Can foods replace medicines and even cure diseases?
“While I’ve heard of these so-called miracles, they are relatively few and far between,” says Hunnes. “Certain chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease can be relieved, reduced, and possibly even reversed (sort-of like cured) by an extremely healthy diet. Other diseases, such as certain types of cancer, far less so, though (again) not impossible. With that said, it’s much easier to decrease the risk of ever developing these diseases, which are food/diet associated, than it is to try to correct/treat them after you have them. Healthy diet is always to our benefit.”
What are some simple ways to incorporate heathy foods daily?
“For easy snacks, keep sliced jicama, carrots, bell peppers, or other favorite veggies with hummus or pureed beans in the fridge,” she suggests. “For sweet treats, make your own trail mix of dried fruits and nuts, or enjoy fresh fruit such as blueberries, raspberries, or other blackberries with walnuts or almonds.”
Another strategy Hunnes suggests is to have a variety of whole and minimally processed foods in your kitchen. Also, be sure to stock canned and frozen healthy foods to ensure that you always have nutrient-rich foods available, regardless of the season. Leave the ultra-processed foods at the store and make rich desserts something you go out for as a special treat.
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