Are These 5 Foods Really Healthy? A Doctor Weighs in
By Brooke Kato
Published Nov. 25, 2023, 12:41 p.m. ET
An apple a day keeps the doctor away — unless that doctor is Mijin Brown. The California-based medic — who runs a popular TikTok account — has shared a viral video detailing the five foods that many mistakenly believe are healthy, and fruit is on her list. From an “insulin resistance perspective,” the doc declared that both fruit and fruit juices pose an “obvious” health threat.
“Did you know that some fruit juices have as much sugar as a can of soda?” Dr. Brown stated in the clip, which has amassed more than 1 million views on TikTok. Fruit juice also lacks the fiber that accompanies eating a piece of fruit whole — but even “nature’s candy” isn’t a safe option, according to Dr. Brown.
“Fruit today, even veggies today, are nothing like they were a long time ago in nature,” she continued. “Most were small, fibrous and not too sweet, but fruit today is crazy.”
“They’ve been engineered to be bigger, sweeter and less fibrous, all of which impacts our blood sugar levels.” Dr. Brown offered a tidbit of metabolic health advice to her followers on TikTok. Fruit juice, she said, has too much sugar. While past studies have suggested agriculture has lost some of its nutrition value, it doesn’t mean you should cut out fruit cold turkey. While Dr. Brown said some fruits — like “mangoes, pineapples, bananas and grapes” —should “be treated as a dessert,” adults should consume approximately 2 cups of fruit per day, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Next on the chopping block: Oat milk. Sorry, vegans. Dr. Brown decried the high levels of carbohydrates and sugars — not to mention the inclusion of preservatives, emulsifiers and thickeners — present in oat milk. Take fan favorite Oatly, for example: A standard cup of the brand’s original oat milk contains 16 grams of carbs, 7 grams of sugar and only a meager 2 grams of fiber. Although, it is fortified with vitamins and minerals. Vegans be damned — oat milk is not necessarily a metabolic-friendly option. Oatmeal is great to get in some fiber, but contains a high amount of carbs. And, in a similar vein, the doc denounced oatmeal, which is a “controversial” recommendation for diabetics, who need to limit their consumption of carbohydrates. While oatmeal is a low glycemic food, certain varieties — especially with added sugar — is not ideal for people watching their blood sugar. Although it’s a great source of fiber, Dr. Brown recommends avoiding flavored kinds of oatmeal and opting for steel cut instead. Lastly, she cautioned against rice cakes. The snack’s low calorie count is alluring, but they lack fiber and have a high carb content, Dr. Brown boldly said. It’s hard to “be satisfied” when eating just rice cakes, unless foodies add some avocado or nut butter on top for protein or fat. While her recommendations seemed in good faith, viewers threw up their hands in defeat, unwilling to conform to the doc’s advice. “Is water safe guys?” one person mocked.
“What the hell are we suppose to eat then ??” another wrote. “At this point I’ll eat whatever then hope for the best,” someone else added, along with the face palm emoji.
Despite the online flack, Dr. Brown insisted in the comments that people can “eat everything in moderation,” and hopes to just bring awareness to the metabolic power of certain foods. She also offered substitutes, such a ssugar-free almond or coconut milk, eating whole fruit instead of juice, plain coconut yogurt rather than oatmeal or swapping rice cakes for celery sticks. “I want to inform people of the impact of some ‘healthy’ foods on the metabolic health,” she wrote. “You can still eat them but be mindful.”
