As someone who writes a lot of about food and healthy eating there are a few subjects I like to steer well clear of. One of those subjects is whether or not a given item of food or drink will prevent or cause cancer. Red wine, for instance, has been said to give you cancer and stop you from getting it. Superfoods, detox diets and the like are also deeply suspect. By the time you’ve written the article you’ll find that whatever study that claims are based on has been either discredited or wildly misinterpreted by the journo who first picked up the story.

It can sometimes seem that science, the systematic approach to learning as much as we can about the universe, is just a huge game of he-said/she-said. Well, the truth is, this is the fault of the journalists rather than the scientists, and so long as you cut past all the rubbish there are a few guaranteed truths that will help you lead a healthier lifestyle.

Sugar is Bad

Yep. Believe it or not sugar is bad for you. You probably already know that sugar, being nothing but empty  calories, will cause you to pile on the pounds. You might not realise it’s killing you at the same time. The high fructose content in sugar is believed to be responsible for obesity, cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.

When fructose is metabolised by the liver over time it causes non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, can make you resistant to insulin and cause abdominal obesity and high cholesterol. Meanwhile, your brain is becoming resistant to a hormone called leptin, which is basically the hormone that tells you to stop being hungry. That’s bad.

Omega 3s are Good

It turns out all those adverts for fish fingers were right. Your body, particularly your brain, desperately needs Omega 3 fatty acids, and you probably aren’t getting enough of them. A deficiency in Omega 3s can give you a lower IQ, depression and numerous mental disorders, as well as being related to conditions such as heart disease. Good sources for Omega 3 fats include fish, grass-fed meat, pasteurized eggs and fish oil.

Vegetables are Good for You

Science is still discovering the huge array of vitamins, fibre, minerals, antioxidants and other nutrients found in all kinds of vegetables. Basically, study after study after study shows that if you eat loads of vegetables you’ll be healthier. They’re a good base for hundreds of healthy low fat recipes, and they’re tasty too.

Does that seem obvious? Yes, yes it does. But that’s the thing about nutrition, it’s actually remarkably easy to know which foods are good for you. This is why so many food and health writers and nutritionists (a term that anybody in the UK can use without any qualifications) have to keep coming up with these bizarre and contradictory “secrets” to eating healthy. It’s the only way they can keep themselves in a job.

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Author: Sam Wright is a freelance writer who loves his vegetables.