Ty Beal, nutrition researcher and Research Advisor on the Knowledge Leadership team at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), has spent the last few years diving into the science globally to see what the most nutrient-dense foods are.

He also studies the nutritional deficiencies that we’re facing worldwide — in developing and well-off countries — to see what’s really happening here.

In this episode, you’ll learn what the most nutrient-dense foods are, the most common micronutrient deficiencies we’re currently facing and why this is crucial to pay attention to, how we can address these issues, and what the real food rankings should look like.

Ty and Dr. Anthony Gustin also discuss regenerative agriculture, different diets like vegan and carnivore, whether seed oils are unhealthy, and the bioavailability of food.

You’ll also hear Ty’s opinion on whether we should reduce our meat consumption, including red meat, his thoughts on saturated fat, and whether plant toxins are really an issue.

If you’re not familiar with Ty Beal’s work, he’s a Washington, D.C., based researcher and Research Advisor on the Knowledge Leadership team at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).

His objective work has been quoted in dozens of research papers to date, and he has extensive experience studying diet quality, food affordability, sustainable food systems, micronutrient deficiencies, global health, and more.

You’ll find a breakdown of the topics Ty Beal and Dr. Anthony Gustin get into in this episode below:

What got Ty Beal into nutrition research
What he changed on his own health journey
What makes a food ultra processed?
What makes ultra processed foods so bad for your health?
The most prevalent nutrient deficiencies worldwide
Why are these nutrient deficiencies happening?
What are some of the most nutrient dense foods?
Where Ty goes to see the nutrient density of a food
What about the bioavailability of foods?
Is there enough scientific evidence to say that we should reduce our animal consumption?
Ty shares his thoughts on regenerative agriculture and using circular systems, including what the latter is
Should red meat be demonized as much as it currently is?
Is saturated fat really bad for us?
Ty also shares his thoughts on consuming seed oils

Resources mentioned in the episode:

168: Ty Beal - The Most Nutrient Dense Foods, Addressing Nutrient Deficiencies, The Bioavailability of Foods, Are Seed Oils Healthy?, and More

The Natural State with Dr. Anthony Gustin