Using AI Tools for Nutrition

Information about food and nutrition has never been easier to come by . But as more and more people turn to TikTok, YouTube or Chat GPT for health advice , it's important to consider whether you're looking for inspiration or authority . It's not that you can't get credible information from social media or even from chat bots , but the most confident and convincing answers are not always the most accurate ones. Hello, I'm Monica Reinagel and you're listening to the Nutrition Diva podcast, a show where we take a closer look at the latest nutrition news, trends and research , and we answer your food and nutrition questions. This episode is part of a life after graduation series from the Quick and Dirty Tips Network , which features friendly expert advice on everything from nutrition and mental health to money management and first jobs. If you know students or families who might be interested in the entire series, we'll include a link in the show notes. It is graduation season , which means that you or someone you love may soon be heading into a new job or off to college, moving into a dorm , or setting up a first apartment . And part of that adulting is figuring out how to feed yourself in a way that's healthy, realistic, and affordable . There is certainly no shortage of advice about food, nutrition , and cooking out there. From TikTok and YouTube to Redd it and Chat GPT , answers to all of your questions and quanderies are literally a click away . And multiple surveys have found that younger generations are increasingly turning to social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube when they have questions health, food , fitness, or just life in general . And I understand the appeal . These platforms are often a lot more engaging than a government health website or an online encyclopedia . And there are legitimate experts sharing solid , useful information there . But it can be hard to distinguish trustworthy sources from influencers whose advice may be a lot less solid. Now, of course, no credential or degree is an absolute guarantee that someone is giving you good advice . People with lots of initials after their names may still be biased , outdated , or simply speaking outside their area of expertise . But looking for relevant training does increase the odds that someone knows how to interpret the evidence and to put things in perspective for you . Other good signs include citing specific and credible sources , addressing conflicting evidence or knowledge gaps , and allowing for nuance rather than pretending that every question has one simple answer . But here's the tricky part the most confident and engaging voices on social media are not always the most accurate or authoritative ones . Now, increasingly, people are also turning to AI tools for health and life advice, and that raises a slightly different set of concerns. AI can be quite useful for brainstorming meals, making grocery lists, adapting recipes , or helping you think through practical constraints like time, budget, cooking skills, or limited kitchen access . But AI also has a tendency to spew inaccurate information great confidence . It may end up reinforcing false assumptions that you already have . And it certainly is not a good substitute for a qualified health professional, especially when the stakes are higher , such as eating disorders, medical conditions, supplement use , or specific nutrient needs. Honestly, I'm not against social media or AI. Both can be great sources of inspiration. They can give you meal ide as, recipes, grocery shortcuts, lunch packing strategies, and creative ways to make healthy eating fit into real life . But inspiration is different from authority . A person doesn't need to be a nutrition expert to give you a good lunch idea , but they do need real expertise to diagnose your symptoms. Provide nutrition counseling or to interpret your lab work . So learning to recognize the distinction between inspiration and authority and which of those you actually need in any given situation may be one of the more important skills you can build as you head into this new stage of life . So when you see a video , a post, an AI generated answer about food or nutrition , the first question that you want to ask isn't do I like this advice or does this person seem confident or even does this sound scientific ? The first question what kind of claim is this ? Because some content really is simply offering inspiration. Here's a cheap dinner I made with canned beans and frozen vegetables. Here's how I prep my breakfast before an early class. Here's what I buy at the grocery store if I only have twenty dollars . And that kind of content can be useful . Honestly, the person sharing it doesn't necessarily need to be a nutrition expert , they just need to be offering you an idea that is safe and practical and relevant to your life and your circumstances . But I've noticed that sometimes a creator will describe a meal or a recipe as being packed with protein or loaded with calcium when the actual amount of protein or calcium is really pretty modest . For example, I recently saw an influencer post a recipe for a protein bowl in which the only real source of protein was the grain quinoa. Now the photos looked gorgeous , but the three quarters or so cup of quinoa that was included in that recipe only contributes six grams of protein . That's not nothing, but it's hardly a protein rich meal . And by the same token, they may describe something as being great for gut health or anti inflammatory or hormone balancing without having any real criteria for what those terms mean or whether that food is actually meeting those criteria . So the tip or the recipe might still be useful , but any specific health or nutrition claims attached to it may need a fact check , especially if the person making that claim doesn't have relevant training in nutrition . I would also be very wary of claims or statements like this food will destroy your gut or this ingredient is disrupting your hormones , or your bloating means you have parasites , or this is what your body type or your blood type or your genetic profile means that you need to eat. Once somebody is making claims about your metabolism, your hormones, your mental health, or your long term health risks , the bar needs to be a lot higher because now you're not looking for inspiration . You really do want someone speaking from authority . And this is where social media can be especially tricky because those platforms reward simplicity , novelty , and emotional punch . So here are three ways to increase your fiber is probably not going to get as much attention as this one food is destroying your gut , but the more dramatic claim is not necessarily the more accurate one . Good nutrition advice usually helps you build skills. It gives you more options , not more rules . Maybe it helps you understand trade offs . Definitely avoids grandiose claims . And good nutrition advice recognizes when what you really need is individualized guidance from a qualified health professional. Next, let's take a closer look at how artificial intelligence can add value without introducing error. AI tools can be helpful when you need help with a specific job or task. For example, I have a microwave , a mini fridge, and no car. What are five easy breakfasts I could make? Or what can I make with eggs, tortillas, spinach, and salsa ? Or can you suggest some lunch ideas that would include protein, fiber and vegetables? Those are great uses of AI. You're using it as a brainstorming partner , but you are still in charge of deciding whether those suggestions fit your budget, or your preferences, your schedule, and your actual life. AI is a lot less reliable when you ask it to act as a dietician , a doctor , or a therapist . For example, I would not rely on AI to tell you whether your symptoms mean you have a food intolerance, or whether you need a supplement or whether your blood work is normal . And I would be very cautious about using AI for precise nutrient analysis . It may be able to estimate calories, protein, fiber , or vitamins and minerals , but those estimates can be wrong, sometimes very wrong , unless they're tied to a verified nutrient database that's using accurate portion sizes . And sometimes you can't really tell . So my advice is to use AI to generate ideas , but not necessarily to make big decisions . And the same goes for TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, and any other source of online advice. They can expand your menu of possibilities , but they should not become the final verdict . No, my goal here is not to make you suspicious and skeptical of absolutely everything you come across because that would be exhausting . The goal really is to get better at knowing when some skepticism might be appropriate . And to that end, here's one final filter that you might find helpful . Ask yourself , what would it cost me if this advice were wrong. So a recipe idea, that's pretty low stakes. Go ahead and try it. A sample meal plan? Sure . A diagnosis? No . Three day clean se that promises to reset your gut, your hormones, and your metabolism hard pass . As you move into this new stage of life, you don't just have to figure out what to eat . You also need to figure out how to sift and filter the different sources of information and opinion that we all swim in these days. And that goes far beyond just food and nutrition . As I said, authoritative sources can absolutely be found on social media . And artificial intelligence can be used as a legitimate research tool . Just know that social media platforms are built to reward engagement . And chat bots are built to produce plausible, helpful sounding answers. And neither one of those things is the same thing as being accurate . So exercise your judgment when you're using those tools, double check those answers , especially when the stakes are high. And if you are in the thick of this graduation season transition or someone that you love is , find more from our life after graduation series from the Quick and Dirty Tips Network. Find the full playlist in the show notes for more on navigating What Comes Next. And if you have a food or nutrition question you'd like me to answer on an upcoming episode, you can email it to nutrition at quick and dirty tips. com or if you'd like to find out more about having me come and present at your next live or virtual event , you can learn more about that at wellnessworks here. com . Nutrition Diva is a quick and dirty tips podcast. Holly Hutchings is our director of podcasts. Steve Rikerberg is our audio engineer, Morgan Christensen heads up podcast operations and advertising, Rebecca Sebastian is our manager of marketing and publicity, Nat Hoops is our marketing and operations assistant, and Maram El Nagib is our podcast associate. Thanks to all of them thanks to you for listening.