Written by Kristin Markey, founder/CEO Nest Health Connections

Good Food, Not Fads: Nutrition Simplified

Last month our Nest programming focused on Nutrition, and per usual, — it sparked so much conversation. It’s easily the most requested topic among our corporate clients, yet somehow, still the most confusing.

I am in the wellness field and it’s dizzying to keep up: Is coconut oil healthy or too high in saturated fat? Can we eat egg yolks now? What’s the deal with almond milk, gluten, lectins, stevia, dairy? The questions never end.

I was thinking…..at the heart of it, most people just want to know:
👉 “If I eat this… is it good for me?”
But maybe that’s not the only question. Maybe we should also be asking: “Why do I crave this in the first place?”

Taste: Nature’s Design, Rewired

Remember learning about the five flavors as a kid — sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami?
Our taste buds were designed to help us survive and enjoy real food. A crisp, slightly tart Honeycrisp apple. A smooth, bittersweet square of dark chocolate. The tang of plain Greek yogurt or the earthiness of roasted peppers.

But over time, our taste buds were hijacked — not by accident, but by design.

Food scientists learned how to engineer the “bliss point” — the perfect ratio of sugar, fat, and salt that triggers dopamine, the brain’s feel-good chemical. These ultra-processed foods override our natural satiety cues, making it almost impossible to stop eating once we start .

“Highly engineered foods can worm their way into the brain’s reward system, triggering powerful ‘eat more’ signals,” notes Science News .

And that’s exactly what the food industry wanted. Former tobacco companies — experts at addiction — poured billions into snack and processed food brands, applying the same psychological tactics used to keep people hooked on nicotine .

Big Food, Big Problem

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are designed in labs, not kitchens. They’re energy-dense, nutrient-poor, and filled with additives and preservatives we can’t pronounce — emulsifiers, flavor enhancers, colorants, stabilizers.

These foods now make up over half of Americans’ total calorie intake, according to the CDC .

And the consequences? Heartbreaking.

↑ 37% higher risk of type 2 diabetes
↑ 32% higher risk of hypertension
↑ 32% higher risk of obesity
(Meta-analysis, 2023, NIH/PMC)

In one controlled study, participants on a diet of ultra-processed foods ate ~500 more calories per day and gained weight, even though both diets offered the same foods by category — they just looked and tasted more “hyperpalatable” .

“Ultra-processed foods may lead to cravings, loss of control, and withdrawal — features seen in substance use disorders,” reports BMJ .

This isn’t about willpower. It’s about biology being manipulated.

How Do We Get Back to Real Food?

So how do we retrain our palates to crave a juicy mango instead of a bag of Skittles?
It starts with awareness, curiosity, and small shifts.

When I first started Nest Health Connections, I avoided giving nutrition “advice.” Instead, I focused on inspiring people to cook again — with real, whole, local ingredients. Later, after completing my nutrition certification, I realized the foundation was still the same: eat real food, close to nature, as local as possible.

Here are my 3 non-negotiables:

1️⃣ Listen to your body.

How do you feel after eating something? Energized or sluggish? Clear or foggy? Bloated or light? Your digestion and energy are data. If dairy makes you miserable, eliminate it (trust me, it took me years to admit this one). Food sensitivity testing or elimination diets can be eye-opening.

2️⃣ Eat Real Food. Period.

Skip the ultra-processed stuff. Eat colorful, whole foods. Try new herbs, spices, and cuisines. Avoid industrial seed oils like canola, soybean, and corn. Cooking is fun — put on music, invite friends, and make it social again.

3️⃣ Hydrate wisely.

Your beverages count, too. Watch out for hidden sugars, chemicals, and caffeine overload. Aim for ½ your body weight (in ounces) of water daily. Often, your craving isn’t for food — it’s thirst in disguise.

The Bigger Picture: Our Metabolic Wake-Up Call

The metabolic health of America is in crisis. Fewer than 1 in 8 adults meet criteria for optimal metabolic health (normal blood sugar, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides) .

It’s not just about vanity or waistlines. What we eat affects our energy, focus, productivity, mood, immunity, and longevity.

Nutrition isn’t about perfection — it’s about connection. To the food we eat, the farmers who grow it, the people we share it with, and ultimately, to our own bodies.

If we can tune out the noise and return to real food, we don’t just eat better — we live better.

References

Moss, M. Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us. Random House, 2013.
UC Berkeley Research, “How the tobacco industry drove the rise of ultra-processed foods,” 2025.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Data Brief No. 536, 2025.
NIH UPF exposure and adverse health outcomes, 2024.
Hall et al., Cell Metabolism, “Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain,” 2019.
BMJ, “Ultra-processed foods and adverse health outcomes,” 2024.
NIH, Araújo et al., Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, 2019.