SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The key to a healthy life is being aware of the fuel you are feeding your body.
“Personalized nutrition is really important,” UCSF Health dietitian Bree Phillips said in this week’s episode of “As Prescribed” with KCBS’ Bret Burkhart. “It’s going to look different for everybody. There’s a lot of wellness and nutrition trends out there and they change all of the time – but it’s not a one-size-fits-all diet.”
Phillips said the biggest thing that most people should do with their diets is be consistent.
“I tell a lot of my patients that our bodies are really, really smart. Sometimes we have to train it to do its job when it comes to nutrition.”
That training includes the types of foods we are consuming and the frequency of when we do eat.
Additionally, what personalized nutrition looks like for each person evolves over a lifetime.
“When you are younger, you want to eat a good variety of foods. Protein is really important for growth, the carbs for energy, and vegetables are always tricky for kids – but the vitamins we get from them are so important.”
As we age, limiting processed foods and added sugars is important since activity levels begin to drop. Other factors also play a role in what a personalized diet may look like.
“If you are struggling with a disease or if you have other restrictions – or have a big family or you are feeding people with different things going on with their health, it’s going to look different.”
Phillips used her own diet as an example for what works best for her.
“I like to just focus on balance,” she explained. “I really love to focus on protein and bring in lots of colorful fruits and vegetables.”
She added that each part of that balance plays an important role.
“I like to center meals around protein and vegetables – getting a good variety of both of those is really important – but also carbohydrates. They tend to get a bad wrap, especially for those working on weight loss. Carbohydrates are our brain’s number one source of fuel, they give us lots of energy. Protein is key for satiety – so it helps us stay fuller longer and use that energy for a while. And then fruits and vegetables offer a ton of fiber and lots of vitamins which are really great for all of the reactions that make our body do what it does.”
On a plate, half would be vegetables and/or fruits. A quarter would be protein and the final quarter would be a high fiber starch – like whole grain pasta or whole grain toast.
As for including some add-ons to a vegetable – the dietician gives a thumbs up.
“If it gets you to eat something green – go for it,” Phillips said. “In moderation, things like butter and cheese can be an absolutely, perfectly fine part of a healthy balanced diet.”
Following social media food trends
Some people look to social media for food or diet ideas, which can create new challenges for dietitians.
Phillips said while online trends can create misconceptions among patients about what is right or wrong for each of them, it does present opportunities.
“It gives us new avenues that we can look into and research and learn more about,” the UCSF Health dietitian explained. “Right now, there’s lots of conversations about animal proteins and eating more animal foods – which, historically, has not been a recommendation by the dietary guidelines. There’s a big light shining on it now which is tricky to navigate because it’s not the healthiest choice for most people.”
Her advice for people intrigued by others sharing what they eat in a day is to use that content for occasional meal ideas – not to completely rework your diet.
However, there is one trend that Phillips does currently like.
“I’m all for the probiotic soda trend right now,” she shared. “So things like Olipop or Poppi. Those are great, low sugar alternatives with a functional benefit targeting gut health that I think is great.”
Listen to this week’s “As Prescribed” to learn more.