David Jimeno, nutrition expert: “Don’t eat oats—they’ve been used to fatten up pigs for ages”

When it comes to nutrition, there are certain foods that are almost universally considered appropriate for long-term consumption if the goal is weight loss while also reducing body fat, improving muscle tone, and, most importantly, supporting overall health.

That said, not every food category inspires the same level of agreement. David Jimeno, a nutrition expert, appeared on the podcast Golden Circle, where he covered a wide range of topics related to diet and nutrition. At one point in the interview, he focused on the foods he believes people should avoid if they want to make meaningful improvements to their health.

“One single change to improve your health: get rid of seeds,” the nutrition expert began, while also acknowledging that this is not an easy claim to make. “I know that stings. I’m from Valencia, and I grew up with paella, so it hurts me too. The worst of all are legumes,” he added.

Jimeno then went on to criticize grains and, more specifically, rice and especially oats. “Grains, and that includes rice, and above all oats. Stop eating oats. Oats have been used to fatten up pigs for ages, and people think they’ll somehow make humans lose weight. They can’t fatten one species and slim you down. That’s not how it works,” he said.

“The good oils come from fruits”

When discussing nuts, the nutritionist claimed that, in his view, only one type stands out as a healthy option, while the rest are harmful.

“As for nuts, there’s only one that gets a pass for me: macadamia nuts, because they’re low in anti-nutrients, have a good omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, are high in fat, and low in carbohydrates.”

He also shared his opinion on cooking oils: “Which oils are good? The ones that come from fruits, like coconut, olive, and avocado. Fruits don’t have anti-nutrients because plants want you to eat them. It’s the only way they can reproduce far away from where they’re growing,” he concluded.