SALT LAKE CITY — The food you eat does more than fill you up — it can prevent disease, fight illness, and keep your body running at its best.
Dr. Michael Woodruff, executive medical director at Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Utah, broke down what "food as medicine" really means and how simple changes to your diet can make a significant difference.
"Medicine means two things, and it does two things. First of all, it cures disease, and second of all, it keeps you healthy. And we're learning more and more every year, especially over the last 10 or so years, about how the food that you eat can do both of those things," Woodruff said.
What healthy foods do for your body
Woodruff outlined several key categories of nutrients and the roles they play in overall health.
Protein helps maintain and build muscle and strength.
Vitamins and antioxidants — including vitamin C, D, and E, along with zinc and omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and other whole foods- play an important role in reducing inflammation and strengthening your immune system. They also reduce the incidence of cancer and other illnesses.
Healthy fats, found in avocados, olive oil, and nuts, support brain and heart health and provide the most concentrated form of energy the body can use.
Fiber, found in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, and nuts, helps regulate blood sugar, improves digestion, supports gut health, and reduces the risk of chronic disease.
Complex carbohydrates, like those found in oats, beans, and whole grains, provide sustained energy without causing a large spike in blood sugar.
The dangers of too many calories and processed foods
Woodruff pointed to both the quantity and quality of food as major factors in poor health outcomes. "We have a math problem. The average American consumes about 3,600 calories a day, but we only burn between 2,000 and 2,500 calories a day, even if we're exercising," Woodruff said.
He explained that excess calories get stored as fat, which causes inflammation and creates a cycle that impacts the heart and other organs.
On the quality side, Woodruff identified ultra-processed foods as the biggest culprit. "These ultra-processed foods, they're actually engineered. Do you want your food to be engineered? The reason it's engineered is they want you to eat more of it and buy more of it. Often it's high in calories, high in these simple or refined sugars, they're really addictive and unhealthy fats," Woodruff said.
How to start making changes
Breaking habits built around processed foods is not easy, but Woodruff said small steps can make a big difference. He encouraged people to start by learning to read nutrition labels.
"Number 1, if there's more than 2, 3, or 4 items on the ingredient list that you don't know what it is, I want you to be skeptical and think, is this really food that's gonna be good for me?" Woodruff said.
He also advised paying close attention to added sugars listed in the nutrition facts panel. "I want you to stay 25 grams or less per day," Woodruff said.
That target can be easier to miss than people realize. A single can of soda can contain 39 grams of added sugar — already over the daily limit Woodruff recommends.
For those hoping to improve their diet, it is OK to start with one change, like reviewing ingredient lists, and building on that progress over time.
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