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Shirin Pourafshar, a Registered Dietitian and Clinical Scientist, explains how to adopt food as medicine for our long-term health.
We all know that the food we put into our bodies is powerful. It can improve our health, or it can contribute to deteriorating it. This frame of thought is often termed “food as medicine“, a way to integrate nutrition into healthcare and disease prevention or treatment. Yet, as amazing as food is, it’s not a miracle cure, and the most important aspect of properly caring for our health involves having the right information. “Nutrition information is everywhere,” Shirin Pourafshar, PhD, MSCR, RDN, a Clinical Scientist and Registered Dietitian, states. “But reliable information should identify its sources, reflect the full body of evidence, and distinguish preliminary findings from established guidance.” That is how you filter the noise from the truth to understand exactly what you should be eating for optimal health.
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Eating healthier meals is also better for the planet. For patients using food as medicine, medically tailored meals, groceries, or produce prescriptions tend to focus on nutrient-rich, plant-based foods. The same goes for those of us simply seeking to improve our health. “Adding two servings of fruits or vegetables can increase fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, and a range of phytonutrients,” Shirin explains about the benefits. When compared to processed or animal-based foods, plant-based foods generally use less energy, water, and land and emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which is why organizations such as the World Health Organization and United Nations recommend sustainable diets to include more plant-based meals.
As a Clinical Research Manager at Standard Process Inc., Shirin translates complex data into tangible information we can incorporate into our everyday lives. In other words, she helps us filter out the news of false viral health claims. Here she shares how to use food as medicine the right way for long-term health benefits.
What does “food as medicine” mean to you?
To me, food as medicine means using nutrition intentionally as part of disease prevention and clinical care. Food is not a cure-all, and it does not replace appropriate medical treatment. However, what we eat can meaningfully influence blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipids, digestive health, and long-term disease risk.
In healthcare, the term can include medical nutrition therapy with a registered dietitian, produce prescriptions, and medically tailored groceries or meals. In everyday life, it is much simpler: build most meals from nutrient-dense foods and repeat those choices consistently. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) describes Food Is Medicine as nutrition-related resources integrated with healthcare and community support.
I encourage people to focus less on a single “superfood” and more on a varied pattern: leafy greens and other colorful vegetables, berries and other fruits, beans and lentils, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil. Culinary herbs and spices, including garlic, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, and parsley, add flavor and naturally occurring bioactive compounds. They are valuable parts of an overall dietary pattern, but they should not be described as drugs at ordinary culinary amounts.
The real strength is the combination: fiber, vitamins, minerals, fats, and plant compounds are packaged together in a whole-food matrix and work together in ways that influence digestion, nutrient absorption, and metabolism. Research increasingly suggests that nutrients consumed within a whole-food matrix may behave differently than isolated compounds, which is one reason nutrition scientists continue to study dietary patterns rather than individual ingredients.
Variety and consistency matter more than chasing one ingredient.
What are reliable resources to learn more about foods as medicine?
Good starting points include the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, USDA MyPlate, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, and evidence-based resources from professional organizations and major academic medical centers. A registered dietitian (RD) can help translate that information into a personalized nutrition plan tailored to one’s individual needs. I also recommend the WholisticMatters blog, which provides science-informed education and expert insights on all things nutrition and whole-person health.
I also encourage people to ask a few questions: Who wrote this? What are their qualifications and potential conflicts of interest? Are claims linked to human studies or authoritative guidance? Is the information current? Recommendations should be personalized for conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, food allergies, pregnancy, or digestive disorders.
Are there instances when food can be a prescription?
Nutrition and prescription medications serve different purposes, and the best care often uses both. Nutrition may be a first-line or essential treatment in some diet-responsive conditions; for example, a strict gluten-free diet is the treatment for celiac disease. In hypertension, diabetes, or abnormal blood lipids, dietary changes can substantially improve risk factors and may sometimes reduce medication needs, but medication changes should be made only with the prescribing clinician.
Turmeric is a useful example of why precision matters. It contains curcuminoids that have been studied for osteoarthritis and inflammation-related outcomes, but many trials used concentrated or specially formulated extracts, not the amount of turmeric typically used in cooking. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) concludes that early findings are encouraging for some osteoarthritis outcomes, although deeper clinical evidence is still needed. Culinary turmeric can be part of a healthy diet, but it should not be presented as a replacement for proven treatment.
Can supplements be food-as-medicine?What red and green flags should we look for?
Yes, supplements can be food-as-medicine. Dietary supplements can help fill a documented nutrient deficiency, address increased nutritional needs, or provide ingredients studied at levels that would be difficult to obtain from food alone. They should complement, not compensate for, a poor diet. So, the right question is whether the product is appropriate for the person, accurately labeled, well manufactured, and supported by relevant evidence.
Here are things I look for:
- A transparent Supplement Facts panel with specific ingredient forms and amounts.
- A dose that is consistent with the intended use and does not create unnecessary risk.
- Independent quality verification, when available, such as USP or NSF. These seals can help verify identity, manufacturing quality, and contaminant limits; they do not prove clinical effectiveness.
- Clear allergen information, lot or expiration information, and a way to contact the manufacturer.
- A company that can explain sourcing, testing, quality controls, and the evidence supporting the intended use.
Red flags include:
- Claims to cure, treat, or reverse a disease, or promises that sound too good to be true.
- Extremely high doses without a clear rationale, especially when they exceed established upper intake levels.
- Testimonials used in place of evidence, vague quality claims, or no reliable manufacturer contact information.
- Advice to stop prescribed medication or avoid discussing the product with a clinician.
Consumers should discuss supplements with a physician, pharmacist, or registered dietitian, particularly during pregnancy, before surgery, or when taking medication.
Can minor changes- for example, eating 2 more servings of fresh fruits or vegetables- have an impact?
Yes. Small changes are often how durable changes begin. Adding two servings of fruits or vegetables can increase fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin C, and a range of phytonutrients. The impact depends on a person’s starting intake and what those foods replace, but the direction is generally favorable.
Fresh produce is not the only option: frozen fruit and vegetables and appropriately selected canned products can be nutritious, accessible choices. Large cohort studies have associated higher fruit and vegetable intake, up to about five servings per day, with lower mortality, although observational findings do not guarantee an individual outcome.
Practical steps might include adding a vegetable to dinner, choosing fruit for a snack, adding beans to a soup or salad, or cooking one additional meal at home each week. The goal is not perfection. It is a pattern that is realistic enough to repeat.
Is there evidence that foods can prevent, manage, and treat chronic diseases?
The evidence is strongest for dietary patterns helping reduce disease risk and manage risk factors; it is not equally strong for every disease, every food, or every outcome. In some conditions, nutrition itself is an essential treatment. In others, it is one component of care.
In smaller clinical studies that I have personally participated in, we observed improvements in postprandial glucose variability when participants added a low-glycemic-index shake to breakfast. We also observed improvements in blood pressure and lipid profiles among participants consuming foods such as berries.
However, most high-quality evidence favors overall patterns rather than individual miracle foods. But with all the available evidence, rigorous studies, meaningful clinical outcomes, and honest interpretation remain important.
Have you seen firsthand how food prevents, manages, or treats chronic diseases?
I’ve seen the impact of whole-food dietary patterns in clinical nutrition practice. I have seen patients make meaningful progress when recommendations are individualized and practical. Depending on the condition, we may track blood glucose patterns, blood pressure, blood lipids, gastrointestinal symptoms, bowel regularity, energy, diet quality, or the ability to maintain a healthy weight—not just the number on the scale.
The most successful changes are rarely dramatic. They may involve distributing carbohydrate more consistently, increasing fiber gradually, reducing sodium while keeping meals flavorful, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, or identifying a true food trigger without creating an unnecessarily restrictive diet.
The best outcomes usually come from coordinated care: evidence-based nutrition, appropriate medication, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and regular follow-up. Food can be a powerful part of the treatment plan, but it should be used with the same respect for individual response and evidence that we expect from any clinical intervention.
Why is food as medicine not promoted more?
The U.S. healthcare system has also historically rewarded procedures and acute treatment more consistently than prevention. Clinicians may have limited visit time, nutrition training, referral pathways, or reimbursement for sustained nutrition care. At the same time, nutrition science is complex and evolves; that can make simple messages difficult to communicate without oversimplifying them.
The encouraging news is that this is changing. Nutrition education in medical training is receiving renewed attention, and HHS Food Is Medicine initiatives are connecting healthcare with food access and community services. To make progress, we need both individual counseling and systems that make nutritious choices affordable, accessible, culturally appropriate, and realistic.
What are your thoughts on backyard or potted gardens?
I am very supportive of them and have a backyard garden myself too! Even a few pots of herbs on a windowsill or patio can make cooking more enjoyable and can strengthen a person’s connection to food. Basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, mint, and oregano add flavor and may help people rely less on excess salt or sugar.
A garden does not need to supply an entire household to be worthwhile. The act of growing, harvesting, and using one ingredient can encourage home cooking and help children become more curious about unfamiliar foods. Community gardens can offer similar benefits for people without private space.
Are there foods you use in your daily life as medicine?
Yes, plenty! I try to have a balanced dietary pattern throughout the day and have supplements to address the gaps I have identified based on my individual needs. However, I do not think of one food as my personal medicine or expect a single ingredient to offset the rest of my diet. My approach is to use an overall pattern: vegetables in different colors, fruit, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil.
I also use herbs and spices generously: garlic, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, parsley, rosemary, and oregano, because they make nourishing meals flavorful and enjoyable. I think of these foods as everyday tools that support health over time, not as prescriptions. The “medicine” is the consistent pattern and the pleasure of preparing and sharing food, especially with family.
