How our thinking influences our health

When is an "unhealthy" food healthy? When you think it's healthy.

Research shows that how we perceive the healthiness of food affects how our bodies react to it. One study had participants drink either a high-fat, high-sugar milkshake, a low-fat, low-sugar milkshake or water and then tested flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a marker of cardiovascular health.

Surprisingly, FMD only worsened in those who drank the high-fat milkshake - but only if they knew it was unhealthy. Both milkshakes were identical, but the perception influenced the physical response. This illustrates the "nocebo effect", where negative expectations can affect health.

These findings show the importance of food perception. Participants who believed the milkshake was healthy had similar arterial functions as when drinking water. This does not mean that people should drink milkshakes every day, as high-calorie and high-sugar foods in large quantities can be detrimental to health. It is about developing healthy eating habits and understanding that food is not inherently bad.

Keep moving!
Frederic Steppat
Master of Arts Prevention and Health Management

Quellen:

• Plasek, B., Lakner, Z., & Temesi, Á. (2020). Factors that Influence the Perceived Healthiness of Food—Review. Nutrients, 12(6), 1881. MDPI
• Cambridge Core. (n.d.). The heuristics that guide healthiness perception of ultra-processed foods: a qualitative exploration. Cambridge.org