Hi Reader,

You know when you see some startling headline, like what I just saw yesterday –

“sparkling water now linked to colorectal cancer” ​
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and you want to know whether it’s ACTUALLY a real concern, or if you can just go on living your life?

I wanted to make it quick and easy for you to get to the bottom of it, no matter what the headline is.

So I created a prompt that you can copy and paste directly into ChatGPT that will evaluate the claim the same way I would. (Except ChatGPT will do it 10 thousand times faster than it would take me to read through all the research.)

I tested it out on several different claims – including the sparkling water + colorectal cancer claim, and another recent one where a doctor was telling people to stop putting bananas in smoothies – and it gave great answers!

So save this email for later when you want to look something up. Or try it out right now!

Here is the prompt:

I came across this nutrition or health claim:

[PASTE THE CLAIM, ARTICLE, SOCIAL MEDIA POST, PODCAST TRANSCRIPT, OR LINK HERE]

Help me figure out whether this claim is actually supported by good evidence and whether the evidence is strong enough that I should change what I eat or do.

Look at the whole body of research, not just whether there is a study that supports the claim. The existence of one small or preliminary study is not enough to make a nutrition recommendation.

Consider:

• How much research exists and whether the findings have been replicated
• The quality, size, and type of studies, giving more weight to high-quality human research and systematic reviews
• Whether the research measured actual health outcomes or just biomarkers, nutrient absorption, short-term changes, or theoretical mechanisms
• Important limitations, funding sources, and conflicts of interest
• Whether there is direct evidence about the food or behavior being discussed, versus a theoretical concern based on an ingredient, contaminant, biological mechanism, or related exposure
• When relevant, the difference between hazard (whether something can cause harm) and risk (how likely it is to cause harm at the amount people are actually exposed to)
• Whether the headline or person making the claim goes beyond what the research actually found
• Whether the overall evidence is strong and consistent enough to justify changing what someone eats or does

Keep your answer short, practical, and easy to understand. Do not give me a lengthy breakdown of individual studies or biological mechanisms unless it's essential.

Use this exact format:

THE CLAIM:
​Summarize what I'm being told in one sentence.

WHAT THE EVIDENCE ACTUALLY SAYS:
​In one short paragraph, explain how much evidence there is, how strong it is, and the most important reason(s) to trust or question the claim. Focus on the overall body of evidence, not individual studies.

BOTTOM LINE:
​Choose one:

• 🟢 Strong evidence — worth paying attention to
• 🟡 Some evidence, but we don't know enough yet
• 🟠 Very preliminary — not enough evidence to change what you eat
• 🔴 Misleading or unsupported

Then explain the verdict in 2–3 sentences maximum, including whether this is something I actually need to change or worry about.

Do not present a theoretical risk, biological mechanism, association, or finding from a single small study as an established health risk. If the evidence isn't strong enough to make a recommendation, say that clearly.

Provide links to the most important original research or high-quality reviews at the end, but don't include a long reference list.

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​The things you need are here.​

ICYMI

I shared my recent favorite read on IG, and y’all shared so many book recommendations back with me! My TBR list has never been longer. If you’re looking for your next read, click here to see what books everyone’s been loving!

​And here’s the one that is my top read of 2026 so far!​

Have a great week,

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© Mama Knows Nutrition 2026
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