Why you should Take nutrition personally

As a nutritionist I’ve been quizzed about the strengths and weaknesses of different diet trends and fads. Usually my clients want a simple answer in response to a question like “Is veganism healthy” or “What do you think of Paleo”?

The truth is that different people have different dietary needs, tolerances and preferences, and nutrition is highly personal.

For example research tells us that the healthiest diet on the planet is a whole food plant based diet, so arguably veganism would be the closest you can come to achieving that. However, some people have a DAO enzyme deficiency which means levels of histamines (an amino acid but also secreted by the body in response to allergens) can rise too high. If someone has a histamine intolerance eating a diet high in nuts, seeds, beans and certain vegetables can over elevate their histamine levels. This makes this diet imperfect for some people, despite the fact that it is essentially a diet built on super foods.

Let’s consider another diet trending in popularity, the Paleo diet. This diet recommends the restriction of grains, pulses, beans, corn, dairy and sugar, and promotes animal protein and vegetables, fruit, animal fats and coconut oil as primary food sources. There are lots of great benefits reported by this way of eating. However, the approach doesn’t restrict processed meat (e.g bacon), which we know are linked to colon cancer. Typically people eat a high protein diet, on this diet, which for some is detrimental for their kidneys and digestive system and can be problematic for people who suffer from inflammatory conditions. And for someone suffering with Hemochromatosis (a genetic disorder where your body stores too much iron) this diet would be far too high in iron, making you vulnerable to iron toxicity.

So, in answer to questions about what the perfect diet is, I usually respond: “It really depends on you, and what you are trying to achieve.”

Personalised nutrition is fundamental for health. You need to be eating what is healthiest for your body, and that’s subtly different for everybody. In fact, I encourage people to take their nutrition, personally.