When it comes to food, we often classify things into two camps: the “good” stuff like veggies and lean meats, and the “bad” stuff like milkshakes and fries. It’s a simple way to navigate our choices, but could this mindset, influenced by food labels, be impacting our health more than we realise?
At Precision Nutrition, they challenge this rigid thinking, with over 100,000 clients taught that “there are no bad foods.” This approach is not just about reshaping food perceptions; it is about understanding how our beliefs about food can affect our bodies.
Exploring the Power of Perception: Placebo and Nocebo Effects
Scientists have long known about the placebo effect—where believing a treatment will work can actually make it more effective, even if it’s not active. On the flip side, the nocebo effect shows that believing something is harmful can sometimes create negative outcomes.
A recent study from Queen’s University in Canada dug deeper into this idea, focusing on how our perception of food impacts our health.
Inside the Study
They studied 25 young women, aged 18 to 30, looking at their health markers, stress levels, and how well their blood vessels functioned. Participants came to the lab twice while fasting and were given what they believed were different milkshakes.
Here’s the twist: Both shakes were exactly the same nutritionally, but one was labelled as a “healthy nutrishake” (low-calorie, low-fat, low-sugar). In contrast, the other was called an “unhealthy vanilla milkshake” (high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar).
Surprising Results
When the women drank the “unhealthy” milkshake (perceived to be high in calories and sugar), their blood vessel function actually worsened. Strangely, this effect wasn’t seen when they drank the identical shake labelled as “healthy.”
Insights for You
The Power of Perception: Labels that demonise certain foods as “unhealthy” or “bad” might not motivate healthier choices as we think. In fact, this study suggests that negative food labels could have more impact than the actual nutritional content of the food itself.
Understanding the Nocebo Effect: Believing that certain foods are harmful can trigger stress responses in your body, potentially affecting your health markers like inflammation. While this study didn’t directly link stress levels to blood vessel function, it raises important questions about how our beliefs about food influence our bodies.
Adopting a Neutral Perspective: It might be beneficial to rethink how we label foods. Instead of categorising them as “good” or “bad,” think of them as providing different nutritional benefits. Removing guilt and shame from food choices can empower us to make more balanced, sustainable dietary decisions based on our health and well-being.
The Takeaway
While the quality of food certainly matters, perhaps it’s time to reconsider how we think about food choices. By adopting a more neutral perspective, we can make informed decisions that support our health and happiness without unnecessary guilt.
For personalised advice on making balanced food choices, book a free consultation with a health coach today.
References:
Milkshakes, shame, and your heart. Precision Nutrition.
McGarity-Shipley EC, Vitez ME, Curd ED, Etwaroo R, Ferguson EJ, Lew LA, et al. Does perceived caloric and nutrient intake influence the acute effect of beverage consumption on cardiovascular function? J Appl Physiol. 2024 Apr 1;136(4):739–52.
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