by Nutrition information online is often inaccurate and can leave people more confused than when they started their search. Is it better to graze during the day or eat fewer large meals? What vitamins should I supplement with? Where do the people on TikTok even get their information anyway?
The Awesome sat down with Celeste Bouchaud, a registered dietitian and PhD student in human nutrition, to answer some of the top nutrition questions we’ve fielded in the editorial.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Do multivitamins work? Are they needed by the average person?
CB: Multivitamins usually provide a dose that meets the recommendations for all vitamins and minerals needed in a diet for most people [of a given demographic]. There are multivitamins for children, adults, older adults, with different dosages depending on the stage of life.
People will usually be able to meet most of their needs through nutrition alone and will only need to turn to multivitamins in certain circumstances – such as veganism or if a person is diagnosed with anemia or any other conditions – [where] you would then consult him [a] doctor and dietician to be able to determine [which] supplements may be right for you, and a multivitamin may not be. It could just be specific supplements, like iron or calcium.
There are generally recommended supplements. In Canada, we often recommend vitamin D. People don’t eat enough of it [it] and there’s not much sun in Vancouver, unfortunately.
What is the deal with intermittent fasting? Is it beneficial and is it clinically supported?
CB: Intermittent fasting is basically when you restrict your eating time. One of the most popular [types] fasting for 16 hours and eating over an eight hour period. [It] It can look like skipping breakfast or skipping dinner or … eating for smaller periods of time during the day.
Much research has been done on intermittent fasting in disease states such as diabetes, heart disease and research has also been done in relation to weight loss. In the case of diabetes, heart disease, etc., intermittent fasting can have beneficial effects depending on the person, their situation and how realistic it is for them to continue this over time.
For weight loss, it will really depend on the person. It could be beneficial to help reduce our overall calorie intake as we are on a time constraint. But it can backfire on people too. If they are very hungry, they may eat more calories than they would otherwise. So, overall, it’s better to rely on your hunger cues.
There is fasting [also] some of different cultures, such as Ramadan [and Lent]. [There are] plenty of different cultural and religious reasons for fasting, and that’s not a health problem. There are ways to do it right, just to make sure you are meeting your nutritional needs, but fasting itself is not a problem.
Regarding the time to eat, is it ok to eat after 8 pm?
CB: We want to have a bit of a fasting window overnight. If you’re a student going to bed at 1 am… maybe [stopping eating at] 8 pm is a long time… and you’ll be hungry at 8 pm or later – totally fine to eat after 8 pm if that’s the case.
Usually, we want to aim to stop eating about two hours before bed, but to avoid any digestive discomfort. Because when you’re lying down, your body doesn’t have time to digest what’s in your stomach and things like that can cause some reflux and discomfort in that space.
You are also thinking about the fact that sleep [uses] less energy, so it may be worth having more energy earlier in the day when you can use it to do things, learn, study, exercise, etc. Therefore, having a huge meal in the hour before you go to bed is not necessarily the most useful.
Does drinking warm water or liquids in general before meals help digestion?
CB: There’s no evidence to say, it’s really anecdotal. Sometimes some people find that works [and there are] no problem with that, [but] there is currently no scientific evidence to support that.
Staying hydrated [in general, with hot or cold water]however, really helpful for digestion, to ensure that your bowels are working properly, so hydration [is] in fact, extremely important for digestion [but] hot water [is] it’s not necessarily more beneficial than other things, but it’s not a problem at all.
Where can students find credible information about nutrition?
CB: Ideally, [you’re] looking for someone who has studied nutrition, so a registered dietitian is a great place to start.
There is a dietician on campus that you can also make an appointment with, if that is relevant to you. There are also dietitians available in Vancouver who can see you with or without a referral for more personalized advice.
Generally on the internet, again, [you’re looking] for blogs ideally written by dietitians or reviewed by dietitians. Dietitians of Canada has a complete list of blogs by dietitians.
You can submit your own nutrition questions to science@ubyssey.ca to be taken into account in the future What are you eating? article
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