Renowned Nutritionist Dr. Marion Nestle Has Eating Advice for Iowans

Dr. Marion Nestle is someone I've followed and admired from afar, ever since I watched Super Size Me at a young age (you can tell between this and my friendship with Don Gorske that few films have had such a profound impact on me). Dr. Nestle was the subject of a recent profile in The New York Times, which prompted me to reach out to her to see if she'd be willing to chat.

Sure enough, she was game. The 88-year-old nutritionist and public health advocate is steadfast in not letting the grass grow under her feet. She's readying two books for publication this year, and at least one in 2026. Moreover, she's a testament to continue fighting for what you believe in, for right now, a lot of her research over the years is having a major moment.

When her book, Food Politics, was published back in 2002, Dr. Nestle routinely got asked "what does food have to do with politics?" Well, in lieu of U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy's crusade against seed oils, obesity, and other factions of this country's diet in effort to "Make America Healthy Again," she doesn't get asked that question any longer.

How Can Iowans Better Their Health?:

I wanted to catch up with Dr. Nestle not only to ask her opinion on things like seed oils, beef tallow, and the most pressing issues facing the food industry and America's dietary habits, but also see if I could pick her brain on the local front. Amidst our lovely conversation, I asked her what Iowans specifically could do to better their health....

Iowa is a state that loves large portions, fried food, and hearty meals. Consistently, heart issues impact thousands in the state, be it stroke, cardiovascular disorders, high cholesterol, and more. I wanted to know what advice she had for people in a state where fried food and high saturated feeds seem to run amok.

Iowa used to be the vegetable capital of America. This was many years ago. But, Americans fruits and vegetables were grown in Iowa until it converted to corn and soybeans. We need to go back to eating fruits, vegetables, grains, healthier foods, and not so many products made from corn and soybean ingredients. I would like to see Iowa become the state that represents really, really healthy diets. Eat your veggies, and don't drink too many sugar-sweetened beverages - Dr. Marion Nestle, per our interview

Dr. Nestle Has Great Takeaways on Seed Oils and Beef Tallow:

Our conversation inevitably found itself on the topic of seed oils and beef tallow, two very popular talking points in the food landscape today. Dr. Nestle preaches moderation in everything. Based on her expertise and research, she doesn't believe neither seed oils nor beef tallow are inherently harmful. She notes that whether you fry your foods in vegetable oils or beef tallow, you're still consuming over 100 calories per tablespoon.

Therein lies the importance of moderation, the likes of which she's constantly preaching.

Take a listen to my interview with Dr. Marion Nestle below. Learn more about her, her research, and her published works on her "Food Politics" website.