You probably already know Doctor Mike from Tiktok and Instagram. He’s a board-certified doctor who is great at making educational videos (which often go viral!).
And now he’s teamed up with MyFitnessPal to quiz strangers on the street about their nutrition knowledge. You know, the basic things like how much protein, sugar, and calories are in everyday foods.
The result? Well, see for yourself:
Gaps in nutrition knowledge
Dr. Mike’s video is not the only evidence that the general population lacks basic knowledge about nutrition.
In a recent MyFitnessPal survey, we found that most respondents underestimated the number of grams of fat contained in foods like fish tacos, Caesar salad, and avocado. In fact, these foods contain almost twice as much fat as those surveyed assumed.
Even more surprising is that 88% of respondents said they really have no idea how much protein, fiber, carbohydrates, sugar and salt they consume daily.
“No matter what your health goals are, it’s important to have at least a general idea of how much you’re getting in major nutrient categories,” says Katherine Basbaum, registered dietitian at MyFitnessPal. “Even for the average healthy adult, having too many nutrients and too few nutrients can affect meeting your goals.”
For example: If you’re trying to improve your gut health and microbiome, it’s important to know if you’re getting enough fiber to support the healthy bacteria in your gut. It’s also good to know how much sugar you are consuming. Too much sugar can quickly harm your gut health.
Calorie confusion
If Doctor Mike’s video is any indication, people aren’t good at estimating calorie counts either. In the video, most people overestimated the number of calories in peanut butter. Their answers ranged from 100 to 800 calories (spoiler: it’s 180 calories!).
“Overestimating the calorie content of foods can have a negative impact on overall health for several reasons. Some foods contain lighter or healthier-sounding ingredients that, in our opinion, could equate to having fewer calories, but in fact, sometimes foods that sound richer and The higher-calorie ones actually have fewer calories than the healthier-looking ones,” Basbaum says. “For example, according to the recent MyFitnessPal survey, many respondents assumed that one cheeseburger contains more calories than two fish tacos. In reality, one cheeseburger typically contains around 380 calories, while two fish tacos add up to around 490 calories.”
That’s why it’s always good to check calories from a reliable source. While calorie counting may not be the usual way to track what you eat, overestimating or underestimating calories can slow or stop your goals.
“There is no generic amount of calories that each person needs to maintain a healthy weight,” adds Basbaum. “It varies from person to person and depends on a number of factors including age, gender, weight, height and activity level.”
you may also like
Why it is important to choose the right calorie goal for weight loss >
How to Improve Your Nutritional IQ
So how can you know what your nutritional needs are? Where should you look for information about what’s really in your food?
Don’t worry: brushing up on your nutrition knowledge is easier than you think. There are many ways to increase your nutritional IQ, and one way to do this is to simply check the label.
“The pictures and health claims on the front of packages provide very little information about the nutrition and quality of the foods they contain,” Basbaum says. “It’s a marketing tool to sell you the product.” If you really want to increase your nutritional IQ, read the nutrition facts label on the back of the package.
Not only packaged foods have this nutritional information available. “The same goes for restaurant food. If it is a restaurant chain with more than 20 locations, they must publish their nutritional information on their website and in their locations.”
If you want a database containing these foods and more, use MyFitnessPal. “It can give you almost all the nutritional information in one convenient place, whether it’s packaged and restaurant foods or fresh foods like meats and produce,” Basbaum says.
Our members back this up: According to our recent MyFitnessPal survey, 87% of respondents agree that being able to accurately record the food they eat would help them control their food and calorie intake.
Whatever you choose, learning about the nutrition of your foods can help you make better decisions, achieve your goals, and feel like a better version of yourself. And if Doctor Mike ever approaches you on the street to challenge your nutritional IQ, you’ll be ready.
The post Doctor Mike Tests the Nutritional IQ of Strangers in New Video appeared first on MyFitnessPal blog.
