Category: General Interest

Almost nobody eats the recommended amount

In recent years, carbs (short for carbohydrates) have been heavily criticized for their role in diseases, including brain issues. There’s a basis for this, as our modern diets are loaded with low-quality “empty carbs” like added sugars and refined baked goods, both of which may create issues in the brain when consumed regularly by way of metabolic and immune effects. Yet emerging research suggests that one of the most powerful nutrients for overall and brain health could be a carb, and almost nobody is eating the recommended amount. In this article, we’re breaking down the science on dietary fiber, and why it may still be one of the best-kept secrets for longevity, overall wellness and especially brain health and cover considerations around low-carb diets.

Dietary fiber is a carbohydrate (or carb) that’s indigestible to humans. This means we don’t break it down into sugar molecules, and that it passes through the stomach and small intestine to reach the large intestine intact. The data on fiber intake in the United States is sobering. Health guidelines recommend approximately 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories consumed — roughly 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams for men. Yet research consistently shows that the average American is consuming only about 10 to 15 grams per day, less than half the recommendation. More striking still, research suggests that only 5% of Americans are eating the recommended levels of fiber. This isn’t a US issue alone. Less than 10% of UK adults hit the recommended mark, and lower than optional levels of intake are seen from Mexico to European countries.

Fiber’s link to health

Decades of research suggests that a higher fiber diet may help to prevent cardiovascular issues, improve blood sugar, increase lifespan and decrease risk for a host of other issues, including brain health conditions. These types of data were most recently confirmed in a massive review of over 17 million people across 33 separate meta analyses.

As it relates specifically to the brain, an observational study on nearly 4000 Japanese adults found that those eating more fiber had a roughly 20% lower risk for developing disabling dementia over the observational period, with the biggest benefits seen with soluble fiber. In a 2025 randomized, placebo-controlled trial looking at multiple interventions, researchers found that people who took fiber had changes in the gut microbiome and improved cognition versus the placebo. Finally, in another 2025 study, scientists found a link to cognitive improvements in those eating more fiber with a peak benefit between 22 and 30 daily grams of consumption. While there’s lots still to learn, a key mechanism seems to involve benefits to the gut-brain axis that come from eating more fiber.

Why are people eating so little fiber? Modern food is a big reason. As we moved towards industrialized food products, especially refined grain products, we kept the carbs but lost the fiber. Data show that in general, the more ultra-processed food we consume, the less fiber we consume. Contrast this with our ancesters diets which are believed to have added up to 100 grams of fiber a day to our diets!

What are the different forms of fiber?
Two types of fiber are commonly described, although the reality is that there’s a whole lot of nuance, even there. Insoluble fiber, found in whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits (especially the skins) and leafy greens veggies doesn’t dissolve in water, and it helps aid in GI transit. Soluble fiber turns to a gel when we consume it and high in nuts, beans, fruits and chia seeds. It’s believed to help us feel full, in part by slowing digestion. As you can see, there’s considerable overlap in food sources, and a key consideration across the board here is that these foods are plant-based and mostly minimally processed whole foods.

Beyond these basics, some fibers are called “fermentable,” which means then can be digested by the microbes living in your gut. Many studies now additionally call attention to specific “functional” fibers like beta-glucans (which come from oats, barley, mushrooms and even algae) and resistant starch, which is high in unripe bananas and cooled rice. While there’s lots of interesting studies looking at various forms of fiber to consume, many expert sources like Harvard and the Mayo Clinic echo the same idea: focus on eating more fiber rich foods rather than hyper-focusing on nailing the specific forms of fiber.

Adding too much fiber into our diets, and especially if we do so quickly, is linked to increased bloating and other GI discomfort. This may be even more the case when we up our intake of fermentable fiber. Experts recommend increasing fiber intake by a few grams a day with adequate water, along with monitoring for tolerance. Additionally, those with preexisting GI issues or those undergoing or recently undergoing GI procedures may have more risk from increasing fiber intake.

What about all-meat or low FODMAP diets?
Fiber isn’t an “essential nutrient” in that don’t absolutely need it for survival, and there’s no defined “deficiency” state. That’s led many to challenge the idea that we need it at all.

For some individuals, particularly those with significant food sensitivities, elimination diets like carnivore can provide genuine short-term relief. Removing certain plant foods can meaningfully reduce bloating and GI distress for certain people with IBS — and that relief is real. It’s also true that our understanding of the microbiome is still evolving, and not every aspect of it is settled science.

With this said, the data are increasingly clear that eating more fiber for most people is a good bet for better overall health. This is where it’s helpful to speak to a qualified nutrition and health professional (like your doctor or dietician) to better understand your body and needs.

Some general ideas on how to incorporate more fiber into your day:

Finish reading: https://www.austinperlmutter.com/post/the-missing-carb-that-could-be-protecting-your-brain
1. Start your day with a fiber
Most people miss a huge opportunity at breakfast. Build in a higher fiber option with chia pudding, nuts, seeds, some greens or beans with your eggs, fruits or a fiber-rich smoothie

2. Add extra fiber on your favorite meals
Layer fiber onto your food with some ground flax seed on your yogurt, beans or lentils on your salad, or some extra veggies with your dinner.

3. Opt for plants with every meal
Distributing a bit of fiber into every meal can help you reach your fiber goals without being too concerned about any one opportunity. Think black beans with your morning eggs, seeded bread with your sandwich, and almonds with your dark chocolate for dessert.

Below is a list of some high fiber foods and the amount of fiber per serving

Vegetables
Broccoli (cooked) — 1 cup ~5 g
Brussels sprouts (cooked) — 1 cup ~6 g
Carrots (raw) — 1 medium ~2 g
Sweet potato (with skin) — 1 medium ~4 g
Spinach (cooked) — 1 cup ~4 g

Fruits
Apple (with skin) — 1 medium ~4 g
Banana — 1 medium ~3 g
Raspberries — 1 cup ~8 g
Pear (with skin) — 1 medium ~5–6 g
Avocado — ½ fruit ~5 g

Whole Grains
Oats (cooked) — 1 cup ~4 g
Quinoa (cooked) — 1 cup ~5 g
Brown rice (cooked) — 1 cup ~3.5 g
Whole wheat bread — 1 slice ~2–3 g
Barley (cooked) — 1 cup ~6 g

Legumes
Lentils (cooked) — 1 cup ~15–16 g
Black beans (cooked) — 1 cup ~15 g
Chickpeas (cooked) — 1 cup ~12–13 g
Kidney beans (cooked) — 1 cup ~13 g
Split peas (cooked) — 1 cup ~16 g

Nuts & Seeds
Chia seeds — 2 tbsp ~10 g
Flaxseeds (ground) — 2 tbsp ~4 g
Almonds — 1 oz (~23 nuts) ~3.5 g
Pumpkin seeds — 1 oz ~1–2 g
Hemp seeds — 2 tbsp ~1–2 g

https://www.austinperlmutter.com/post/the-missing-carb-that-could-be-protecting-your-brain

Every week, there’s a new conversation about a superfood, supplement or toxic ingredient for brain health. And as of right now, the significance of almost every one of these topics pales in contrast with the effect of overall dietary patterns. Now a landmark study from the UK Biobank further solidifies this point, tracking over 121,000 people across an average of nearly eleven years. These findings carry real implications for every one of us who cares about keeping our minds sharp as we age.

The research was published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism in 2025 and examined how closely following four different dietary patterns affected the risk of developing all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia in 121,521 participants (average age about 56, roughly 50/50 men and women). The four diets evaluated were the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, the Recommended Food Score (RFS), and the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI). Participants were grouped into quartiles based on how closely their reported diets followed each pattern and were then tracked for about 11 years to look for whether they developed dementia. People with preexisting dementia were excluded from the trial. The research models accounted for smoking, physical activity levels, social interactions, BMI, preexisting medical issue and even air pollution exposure.

The Mediterranean Diet: overall winner for lower risk for dementia

The findings in this study confirm something a variety of other articles have concluded: the value of the Mediterranean Diet. In this study, people in the highest adherence group showed a 47% lower risk of all-cause dementia compared to those with the lowest adherence. For Alzheimer’s disease specifically, the risk reduction was 45%. For vascular dementia the risk was as astonishing 54% lower hazard ratio.

Anchored in plant nutrients, fiber and healthy fat-rich foods like olive oil, fatty fish, abundant vegetables and legumes, whole grains, nuts, and moderate wine, this pattern delivers a concentrated payload of anti-inflammatory polyphenols, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants that may directly support neuronal integrity and cerebrovascular health, in part through beneficial effects on the gut, which communicates directly with the brain via the gut-brain axis. Chronic, low-grade inflammation is one of the most well-established drivers of neurodegeneration, and this dietary pattern attacks it from multiple angles simultaneously. That’s the power of a food pattern versus a single nutrient.

The MIND Diet: Another Top Contender

The MIND diet, which was specifically engineered for dementia prevention, performed well. A hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, it emphasizes leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, poultry, and olive oil, while limiting red meat, butter, cheese, pastries, and fried food. Those eating the closest to a MIND type diet experienced a 39% lower all cause-dementia risk. High MIND adherence was also associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

What This Means

The practical message from this research is both encouraging and clarifying. Sticking to relatively non-restrictive dietary patterns are strongly linked to brain protection. Consistent adherence to a whole-foods-forward, anti-inflammatory eating strategy — one that prioritizes vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, healthy fats, and quality protein, while minimizing processed foods and refined sugars is a generally good bet for long-term brain protection. Whether you call that Mediterranean, MIND, or simply “eating well,” the biology underlying the benefit is largely the same.

Diet is one pillar of brain health, and a critical one — but it works best in concert with sleep, movement, stress management, and social connection. The brain is an organ that reflects the totality of how we live.

Finally, a word of appropriate scientific context: this is an observational study. The researchers took important steps to minimize reverse causation (aka, that people chose dietary patterns because they had existing brain issues) but we cannot draw causal conclusions. What we can say, with growing confidence, is that the association between high-quality dietary patterns and reduced dementia risk is robust, biologically plausible, and worth taking seriously.

Your fork, it turns out, may be one of the most powerful brain health tools you own.

https://www.austinperlmutter.com/post/the-top-diets-for-dementia-prevention-according-to-a-major-new-study

Because one of the biggest nutrition mistakes I see has nothing to do with what people are eating. It’s how they’re preparing it.

The right food, prepared the wrong way, can lose the very compounds that make it worth eating in the first place.

Here are six simple fixes that change everything.

1. BROCCOLI: Chop it. Then walk away.

When you cut broccoli, it triggers the formation of sulforaphane, one of the most studied anti-inflammatory compounds in food science.

Research shows it can block cancer cell growth, reduce oxidative stress, and even cross the blood-brain barrier to protect your brain.

But sulforaphane needs about 40 minutes to fully form after the cell walls are broken.

Chop your broccoli and throw it straight into the pan? The heat destroys the enzyme before the sulforaphane ever activates.

The fix? Chop first. Prep everything else. Cook it last.

2. GARLIC: Crush it. Wait 10 minutes.

Garlic’s most potent compound, allicin, only forms when the cell walls are crushed and the enzyme alliinase is exposed to air.

Cook it immediately and the heat destroys the enzyme before allicin can form.

But crush or chop it and wait just 10 minutes? Those 10 minutes are the difference between flavouring and genuine medicine.

Allicin is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial that fights harmful bacteria, supports liver detox, and reduces key inflammatory markers.

3. TOMATOES: Cook them. Add fat.

Unlike most vegetables, tomatoes become more nutritious when cooked.

Heat breaks down the cell walls and significantly increases the bioavailability of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant linked to heart and brain health.

But lycopene is fat-soluble. Without a drizzle of olive oil or a few slices of avocado, your body can barely absorb it.

4. TURMERIC: Always add black pepper.

Your body absorbs almost none of the curcumin in turmeric on its own.

But adding black pepper increases absorption by up to 2,000%.

The piperine in black pepper blocks your liver from breaking curcumin down too quickly. A generous pinch is all it takes. Adding a healthy fat like coconut milk or olive oil boosts it even further.

This is why traditional golden milk recipes have always included pepper and fat. They figured it out long before the clinical trials caught up.

5. MUSHROOMS: Put them in the sun.

Mushrooms are the only non-animal food that can produce vitamin D.

Place them gill-side up in direct sunlight for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking and they convert ergosterol into vitamin D2, just like your skin does.

Any variety works. Even store-bought white buttons.

6. RICE, PASTA, POTATOES & OATS: Cook them and then cool them.

When starchy foods cool down after cooking, some of the digestible starch converts into resistant starch, a prebiotic fiber that your gut bacteria ferment into butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids.

The best part? Resistant starch largely survives gentle reheating.

So cooking a batch of rice or potatoes, refrigerating them, and reheating the next day gives you the same meal with bonus prebiotic benefits.

Your gut bacteria get fed without you changing a single ingredient.

For oats specifically, soaking them overnight also allows the beta-glucan fiber to fully hydrate, maximising its cholesterol-lowering and prebiotic effects.

None of these take more than a minute of extra effort. Most take zero.

They’re just tiny shifts in timing and preparation that unlock compounds your body and your gut bacteria are designed to use.

Your food is already powerful. It just needs you to prepare it in a way that lets it do its job.

Yours for better health, naturally

Sarah Otto
Nutritionist (Master of Human Nutrition)

Robert Verkerk PhD writes: “We need to be able to develop real powerful mitochondrial efficiency. We have enough energy in the system. And we need to recover from stress, from physical activity, from emotional stress, any of the stresses that are thrown at us. Those are the 3 keys. And so I’m now going to take you into some myths that I’ve been hearing about that I think are commonplace.”

https://anhinternational.org/news/5-fitness-myths-that-are-undermining-your-endurance-and-long-term-health/#elementor-toc__heading-anchor-0

Look around. Everyone’s talking about the same thing.

The triangle-shaped pen. The weekly injection. The pounds melting off like magic.

Ozempic. Wegovy. Rybelsus. Mounjaro. Whatever name they slap on it, the promise is the same: eat less, weigh less, fast. No willpower required. No sweating in a gym. Just a little poke in the belly and suddenly food loses its grip on you.

Sound too good to be true? That’s because it is.

https://thetruthaboutcancerofficial.substack.com/p/ozempic-lies-vs-the-healthy-truth