How we read research, talk about uncertainty, and disclose relationships.
Sources we lean on
Our default sources are major dietary guidelines (US Dietary Guidelines for Americans, EFSA, NICE), large clinical society position statements (ACSM, ISSN, ADA, AHA, ESC), Cochrane reviews, and primary trials in peer-reviewed journals. We treat blog posts, podcasts, and white papers as starting points for further reading, not as evidence.
How we read a study
- We prioritise pre-registered randomised controlled trials and high-quality cohorts over mechanistic claims and animal studies.
- We weigh effect size, not just statistical significance. A statistically significant 1% improvement in a biomarker rarely matters in real life.
- We note who funded the work. Industry funding is not disqualifying, but it is part of the context.
- We read the methods section before the abstract.
How we talk about uncertainty
Most of nutrition science sits in a band between “clearly established” and “contested.” When we summarise a topic, we try to communicate where on that band a particular claim sits. If a guideline body says one thing and a recent meta-analysis says another, we name both. If a finding is widely reported but rests on a single underpowered study, we say that.
How we cover digital health tools
When we write about nutrition-tracking apps, AI food recognition, sleep trackers, or other digital health products, our default stance is descriptive rather than ranked. The category contains many products of broadly similar quality whose differences are mostly about design philosophy and which trade-offs they make. We point to academic benchmarks (e.g. published comparisons of AI dietary assessment systems) when readers want a head-to-head accuracy figure, rather than producing one ourselves under conditions we cannot fully control.
Corrections policy
We correct in place. Material corrections are logged at the foot of the article and dated. If a correction changes our description of a topic, we surface it on the homepage for a week.
Medical disclaimer
Articles are written for general informational purposes only and are not medical advice. Talk to a qualified clinician for any clinical decision.