How Nutrition Savvy Are You?

Happy July! I hope you have been keeping cool and hydrated this summer. This month I am providing you with a chance to test your knowledge in place of an article.

Can you identify which statements are factual? After you test yourself, check your answers.

1. Eating a balanced diet is complicated, and it is hard for busy people to achieve.
2. People intelligent enough to graduate from college are unlikely to be victimized by quackery.
3. Blood tests are a guaranteed way to determine nutrient deficiencies.
4. Sugar contributes to cancer and diabetes.
5. The FDA analyzes all supplements for safety and purity.
6. Arizona requires special training for anyone providing nutrition counseling to the public.
7. Taking antioxidant vitamins has been proved to protect against heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
8. Homeopathic remedies are a safe and effective alternative to many drugs that doctors prescribe.
9. Ninety days after sending FDA information about product content and safety, a company can sell dietary supplements without FDA approval.
10. Taking daily mega doses of vitamin C can cut the incidence of colds in half.
11. DNA testing and supplement company questionnaires are reliable ways to determine which supplements you should take.
12. The Postal Service screens ads for mail-order health products before publication.
13. 1,250 calories daily are the appropriate amount to achieve weight loss for most people.
14. Most health-food retailers are well informed about the products they sell.
15. Bodybuilders and other athletes require supplemental protein or amino acid to achieve their goals.
16. Most health-related books and magazine articles undergo expert prepublication review.
17. Everyone would be healthier if they avoided gluten.
18. Before marketing dietary supplements, the manufacturer must prove that their products are safe and effective.
19. Not all health professionals selling products are quacks, but all health quacks sell products.
20. Most people should avoid soy foods like soy milk, tofu, and tempeh because they increase cancer risk.

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All statements are false except for #9 and #19. Fifteen correct answers suggest that you are relatively well informed. Twenty correct answers indicate that you are very well informed.

Nancy Teeter is a Registered Dietitian and a SaddleBrooke resident. Though she is mostly retired, she is passionate about sharing her nutrition knowledge with others. For dietary support, visit eatright.org.