You may have met Dr. Mike through Tiktok and Instagram. He’s a board-certified doctor who happens to specialize in creating educational videos (which often go viral!).
Now, he’s teamed up with MyFitnessPal to test strangers’ nutrition knowledge on the streets. You know, the basics like how much protein, sugar, and calories are in everyday foods.
The result? Well, pay attention to yourself:
Nutrition knowledge gap
Dr. Mack’s video isn’t the only evidence of the general population’s lack of basic nutritional knowledge.
In a recent MyFitnessPal survey, we found that most respondents underestimated the amount of fat in foods like fish tacos, Caesar salad, and avocado. In fact, these foods contain nearly twice as much fat as survey respondents guessed.
Even more surprising, 88% of respondents said they didn’t really know how much protein, fiber, carbohydrates, sugar and salt they consumed each day.
“No matter what your health goals are, it’s important to have at least a rough idea of how much you’re getting in each of the macronutrient categories,” says Katherine Basbaum, a registered dietitian at MyFitnessPal. “Even for generally healthy adults, getting too much of some nutrients and not enough of others can affect whether you achieve your goals.”
For example: If you want to improve your gut health and microbiome, it’s important to know if you’re getting enough fiber to help the healthy bacteria in your gut grow. It’s also good to know how much sugar you eat. Excess sugar can quickly wreak havoc on your gut health.
Calorie Confusion
If Dr. Mack’s video is any indication, people aren’t very good at estimating calories either. In the video, most people overestimate the calorie content of peanut butter. Their answers ranged from 100-800 calories (spoiler: it was 180 calories!).
“Overestimating the calorie content of foods can have a negative impact on your overall health for a number of reasons. Some foods contain lighter or healthier-sounding ingredients, which may equate to lower calories in our minds, but in fact , sometimes food sound richer and Foods that are more calorie dense actually contain fewer calories than foods that sound healthier,” Bussbaum said. “For example, according to a recent MyFitnessPal survey, many respondents guessed that one cheeseburger contains more calories than two fish tacos. In fact, one cheeseburger typically contains about 380 calories, while two fish tacos The tortillas combined contain approximately 490 calories.
That’s why it’s always good to check your calories from a reliable source. While counting calories may not be your first choice for tracking your diet, over- and underestimating calories can slow down or hinder your goals.
“There is no universal number for the number of calories everyone needs to maintain a healthy weight,” Basbaum added. “It varies from person to person and depends on many factors, including age, gender, weight, height and activity level. “
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How to improve your nutritional IQ
So, how do you know what your nutritional needs are? Where should you look for information about what’s actually in your food?
Don’t worry: brushing up on your nutrition knowledge is easier than you think. There are many ways to improve your nutritional IQ, and one of them is simply checking labels.
“Front-of-package images and health claims give you very little information about the nutrition and quality of the food inside,” Bussbaum said. “It’s a marketing tool to sell you a product.” If you really want to improve your nutrition IQ, read the Nutrition Facts label on the back of the package.
It’s not just packaged foods that contain this nutritional information. “The same goes for restaurant food. If it’s a chain restaurant with more than 20 stores, they need to publish nutritional information on their website and stores.
If you want a library of these foods and more, use MyFitnessPal. “It gives you nutritional information on nearly all your options, whether it’s packaged and restaurant foods or fresh foods like meats and produce, in one convenient place,” Basbaum said.
Second point from our members: According to our recent MyFitnessPal survey, 87% of respondents agreed that being able to accurately record the food they consume would help them keep tabs on their food/calorie intake.
No matter what you choose, understanding the nutrients in your food can help you make better choices, achieve your goals, and feel like a better version of yourself. If Dr. Mike walks up to you on the street and challenges your nutritional IQ, you’ll be prepared.
The post Dr. Mike tests strangers’ nutritional IQ in new video appeared first on MyFitnessPal Blog.
