theCatch

Food & diet

Superfoods, food fears and diet hacks, checked against the studies behind them: what an ingredient really does, how big the effect is, and who it applies to. Every post links the original studies and ends with the catch.

All 71Supplements & vitamins 19Food & diet 18Gut health 8Brain & mental health 14Drugs & medicines 10Cancer 8Exercise, sleep & aging 13Health & disease 7
EAT LESS PROTEIN?. The catch: Risk goes up#62 · OCT 25Low protein intake and kidney diseaseTHE EATING WINDOW. The catch: No edge#64 · OCT 25Time-restricted eating vs muscleULTRA-PROCESSED CANCER?. The catch: Read the label#57 · OCT 24Ultra-processed foods and colorectal cancerMSG AND HEADACHES?. The catch: Could taste it#45 · OCT 22Does MSG give you headaches? Only in the studies where you could taste itAPPLE CIDER VINEGAR: WORKS?. The catch: Small trials#41 · OCT 22Apple cider vinegar for blood sugar: what the trials found. The catch? All diabetic patientsEAT FAT FIRST, LOWER SUGAR?. The catch: In mice#44 · OCT 22Eat fat before carbs to lower blood sugar? The mechanism works — in miceGARLIC DOES THE MATH. The catch: 9 points#39 · OCT 22Does garlic actually lower cholesterol?HONEY BEATS COUGH SYRUP. The catch: One age rule#37 · OCT 22Is honey better than cough syrup for children?EGGS: BAD FOR YOUR HEART?. The catch: Not randomized#35 · OCT 22Eggs and cholesterol: the 2020 study of 1.7 million people. The catch? None of it was randomized39 SWEETENERS ONE TEST. The catch: In vitro#33 · OCT 2139 sweeteners tested on gut bacteria: 3 in 4 changed growth. The catch? It was a lab dishFIRST 1000 DAYS OF SUGAR. The catch: Not a trial#31 · OCT 21Sugar in the first 1000 daysLEMON JUICE STAYS YOUNG?. The catch: No human data#27 · OCT 21Does drinking pure lemon juice preserve youthful skin?BUBBLE TEA DARK SIDE?. The catch: Lead + sugar#26 · OCT 21Bubble tea's dark side, fact-checkedBLUEBERRIES BOOST MOOD?. The catch: 18 people#18 · OCT 19Do blueberries boost your mood?DETOX TEAS: WHICH TOXINS?. The catch: Zero answers#13 · OCT 19Do detox teas remove toxins?DOES SUGAR MAKE KIDS HYPER?. The catch: It's not the sugar#10 · OCT 19Does sugar make kids hyper?CINNAMON + HONEY: A CURE-ALL?. The catch: Not really#09 · OCT 19Cinnamon and honey, a cure-all?BED RIGHT AFTER DINNER?. The catch: Small study#03 · OCT 18Going to bed right after dinner