Every article takes a claim you have already heard about food and follows the mechanism behind it — what actually happens in the body, what the research supports, and where the claim stops being true.
An unfamiliar menu raises three different questions that are usually confused: what is this dish, is it safe for me, and how many calories does it contain? Translation answers only the first, and not always.
Turkish menus are difficult not because of the language, but because of their structure: the same meat under four names differs by cooking method, and the calorie gap between them is greater than the gap between meat and fish.
Georgian menus are deceptive: half the items look like salads and appetizers but are closer to a main course in calories because of nuts and oil.
Thai food has a reputation for being light, and that is half true: vegetables, fish, and rice form its base.
An ingredients list in a foreign language in a Russian shop means either a violation, a detached sticker, or a purchase made outside Russia.
Pork is rarely called pork in an ingredients list.
In an unfamiliar supermarket, a package can look entirely unreadable, but usually only the words are.
Subway publishes nutrition information for its full menu in a separate document.
When you are visiting, you do not need to ask your hosts how many grams of oil they used or weigh every meatball.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a prescription for treatment or a diet, and it does not replace a consultation with your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, take medication, or follow a diet prescribed to you, decisions about food belong with your doctor.
Figures from regulations, guidelines and studies are given as they stood when this article was prepared and may since have changed; check them against the primary sources. This article is not advertising, an offer, or individual advice, and neither the author nor the site owner is responsible for decisions taken on the basis of it.