Posted on 05/27/2026 3:36:30 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Many people are turning to artificial intelligence for help with their diet. Experts weigh the potential pros and cons.
When Julie Bernstein’s doctor recently recommended that she start eating chicken and steak to get more protein, she felt a bit irritated. Ms. Bernstein, 76, had been vegan for decades, and she was not about to start eating meat again, she said. Her physician, lacking ideas on how to guide her toward vegan protein sources, suggested she turn to ChatGPT.
A few weeks later, Ms. Bernstein typed her goals into ChatGPT on her iPad and marveled at how quickly it churned out protein-forward menu ideas, grocery lists and meal-prep instructions that incorporated lentils, quinoa, protein powder and chia seeds.
“It was like a cookbook tailored for me,” said Ms. Bernstein, who lives in Harbor Springs, Mich. The responses seemed to “get” her, she said.
Since ChatGPT was released in 2022, chatbots have become a popular source of health information. In a survey of more than 5,500 U.S. adults published in April, one in four respondents said they had recently used chatbots for health guidance. Another survey, published in January, found that among 1,000 U.S. adults, a third reported having used ChatGPT or another artificial intelligence-powered tool to create nutrition or weight loss plans.
We recently asked New York Times readers to share their experiences with using chatbots for help with nutrition; more than 500 people responded. Their stories were overwhelmingly positive, with many delighting in the bots’ abilities to provide quick and helpful advice.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
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Maybe from a Chinese chat bot named Donna Chang.
As long as she’s not some girl from Long Island.
But you should not get it from some loon on the internet either.
I don’t take nutrition advice from anyone.
I just eat as I please and figure life is not forever.
Only if you’re retarded.
Should You Take Nutrition Advice From a Chatbot?
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If they have good sources, of course. It’s like evaluating any argument. Next stupid question.
You shouldn’t take ANY advice from any type of AI/chatbot.
I'll be 79 in August. I've never taken nutrition or supplement advice from anyone. What I've been eating hasn't killed me yet, so I'll continue to do what I've been doing all these years. I outlived everyone else in my family because they all smoked and I never did. I'll take whatever years the good Lord gives me, and enjoy eating what I want.
No. And don’t take advice from anyone with a nose ring, ID Lanyards, or bureaucracy interests.
I just eat as I please and figure life is not forever.
"The world is my oyster."
Jackie Gleason
“I’ll be 79 in August. I’ve never taken nutrition or supplement advice from anyone.”
No one? That is really hard to believe. Where were your parents?
Me to Claude: "Why should I take nutrition advice from you?"
Claude to me: Honestly, you probably shouldn't — at least not without skepticism. A few reasons:
I'm not a dietitian or doctor. I have no clinical training, can't assess your individual health, and don't know your medical history, medications, or specific needs.
I can get things wrong. My knowledge has a cutoff date, nutrition science evolves, and I can make mistakes or oversimplify complex topics.
I'm generic by nature. Good nutrition advice is personalized. What works well for one person may be wrong for another.
What I can reasonably help with: explaining general concepts (what does fiber do?), summarizing what mainstream nutrition science says on a topic, helping you formulate questions to ask an actual dietitian, or thinking through meal ideas based on preferences you share.
For anything that actually matters to your health — managing a condition, significant dietary changes, weight loss, etc. — a registered dietitian (RD) or your doctor is the right call. I'm a decent starting point for curiosity, not a substitute for professional advice.
a registered dietitian (RD) or your doctor is the right call
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How much are registered dieticians paying AI?
AI can get you to the best data available but you have to dig and dig deeply.
LOL!
Sure. Right up to the moment that it tells you to commit suicide or kill someone else.
Putting up with my pickiness. I didn't eat many things that my mother made. She was a terrible cook. My Dad cooked on the weekends, and I always enjoyed what he made. There were plenty instances as a teenager, that if I didn't like what was being served for supper during the week, that I'd go outside, light a charcoal fire in the grill and cook myself a couple of hot dogs.
“How much are registered dieticians paying AI?”
LOL...now there’s a thought! Just like paying Google to get your search results moved to the top.
More objective than a Pharma doctor
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