Lisa M. Renzi Hammond Institute of Gerontology | College of Public Health University of Georgia
Why nutrition advice—like crop decisions—should be based
on long-term research, not social media trends.
Are eggs good or bad? What about alcohol, dark chocolate or red meat? How much protein do you really need? When it comes to nutrition, how do you know what to believe?
As a nutritional neuroscientist, I study how what we eat shapes brain health. In my work, people ask me oddly specific questions: “Should I eat coconut oil?” “Is ‘fibermaxxing’ (whatever that is) a good idea?” I get far fewer questions about overall dietary patterns—the fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and other foods someone should eat. When I ask about the sudden interest in coconut oil, the answer is usually the same: someone on social media “swears by it.”
Science has a lot to say about why we turn to non-expert influencers for nutrition help. Influencers are always available—no appointment needed—and a few curious clicks can lead to a feed full of advice. Influencers feel relatable and trustworthy, speaking in plain language from their kitchens rather than in technical terms from laboratories. Compared to that, scientific communication can feel out of touch and not “for us.”
As trust in influencers has grown, trust in science and medicine has declined. Instead of reading dense research papers, we rely on influencers and reporters to interpret findings. At the same time, scientists are sharing results more openly than ever—posting full datasets and “preprints,” or studies released before other scientists have scrutinized them—making it easier for early findings to become headline news.
This transparency is valuable—science only works if it is shared—but it also allows unverified results to spread quickly through social and mainstream media. Claims that chocolate is “good” or “bad” for you may be based on a single study in a single group of people who are different from you. One paper is just one data point; scientific truth emerges only when findings are repeatedly tested, scrutinized and confirmed over time.
Think about it this way: you wouldn’t choose a cultivar based on an influencer’s insistence that planting it would change your life. Instead, you would examine years of data across different conditions—soil pH, weather patterns, yield consistency—before deciding what works best. Nutrition science works the same way.
We feel frustrated when “science” tells us that something that was good for us one day is suddenly bad for us on another day, but it helps to remember that “science” isn’t telling us that. An influencer is. Social and mainstream media are powerful tools, but when it comes to what you put in your body, they shouldn’t be your main source.
And the eggs and dark chocolate? It turns out they are healthy foods for most people, especially when we don’t overdo them. Now, though, you know where to look to see if you agree.
By Lisa M. Renzi Hammond Institute of Gerontology | College of Public Health University of Georgia