Debunking Common Nutrition Myths & How Much Protein You Really Need with Vanessa Risetto, RD
There is so much conflicting nutrition information out there, it's confusing to know where to start if you want to improve your diet.
Recently on the podcast, I sat down with Vanessa Risetto, registered dietitian and CEO and co-founder of Culina Health. Culina Health is an innovative start-up on a mission to make nutrition counseling more accessible. Founded by two Black women dietitians, Culina offers culturally competent, holistic nutrition counseling that's often covered by your health insurance so you don't have to pay out of pocket.
In the episode, Vanessa and I discuss key ways to make nutrition information easier to understand and implement in our daily lives.
Debunking Common Nutrition Myths
According to Vanessa, one of the most common nutrition myths she often debunks is the beliefs that carbohydrates are bad for your health. While people who have conditions like diabetes may need to be mindful of the carbs they consume and when, for the average person carbohydrates are an essential form of fuel for the body and are necessary to keep the body running properly.
Vanessa also weighed in on the current protein trend taking social media by storm.
How Much Protein We Really Need
Over the past few years, high-protein diets have become increasingly popular on social media. When we consume protein, our bodies break it down into amino acids. These amino acids then help repair muscles after exercise (helping them grow back stronger), support hair, skin, and nail health, and helps your body repair itself after injury. But how much protein do we actually need?
According to Vanessa, the average adult needs about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. With this recommendation, a 150-pound person would want to aim for about 55 grams of protein. People who are more active and regularly engage in activities like strength training will likely want to consume more protein, aiming for anywhere from 1.0 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of bodyweight.
Beyond nutrition myth-busting and protein consumption, we also discussed:
- Why working with a dietitian is more accessible than you think
- How to understand and alleviate common gut health issues through diet
- The pros and cons of taking weight loss medications like Ozempic
- How to avoid falling into the trap of fad diets and nutrition trends
- How to get health and nutrition assistance at a lower cost
Listen to the full conversation with Vanessa, and check out Culina Health for one-on-one support from a registered dietitian.