There is a lot of misinformation out there when it comes to health and nutrition. Even certified health professionals can be at a disadvantage when it comes to spreading accurate information to the public. So what is mythical about nutrition and why does it make a difference?
For example, some people think that eating carrots will improve your vision. While carrots are high in Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy eyesight, they won’t actually improve your vision if you don’t already have a deficiency. Other health benefits that are often thought to be mythical include the idea that chocolate is good for your heart health and that drinking red wine can help prevent cancer. While there may be some truth to these claims, the evidence is far from conclusive.
There are so many conflicting messages that it’s difficult to know which advice to follow when it comes to eating healthier.
Here, I go through several popular misconceptions to assist you to eat healthier.
What you will learn
Breakfast needs to be a big meal to give you energy
For years, we’ve been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
And it’s true – what you eat for breakfast can have a big impact on how you feel the rest of the day.
A big, carb-rich breakfast including whole grains, whole wheat bread, honey, marmalades, and all the processed foods and products, promoted as a healthy diet, leads to a blood sugar crash later on. Hormone imbalances caused by high carb intake in the morning are responsible for slow metabolism and weight gain.
On the other hand, a low carb breakfast can help to stabilize blood sugar levels and give you sustained energy throughout the day. Breakfast should also be relatively high in fat and protein covering the real needs of the body. Needless to say that saturated and trans fats should be avoided.
So what is better?
You should follow low fat diets for weight loss
Far from being the enemy, healthy fats are actually essential for our bodies to function properly. Trans fat, on the other hand, is the type of fat that we should be limiting in our diets. Trans fats are found in processed foods and have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
In contrast, healthy fats like Omega-3s play an important role in maintaining a healthy heart and brain. What’s more, a high fat diet has been shown to lead to weight loss and improved blood sugar levels. So next time you’re feeling guilty about indulging in a little healthy fat, remember that it’s actually good for you!
You should avoid carbs to lose weight
Another myth of our world. For years, we’ve been told to avoid carbs at all costs. But what if I told you that carbs are essential for proper health? Yes, that’s right – carbs are not the enemy! In fact, they are necessary for proper muscle function.
When we exercise, our muscles need the energy to perform all the various movements. And where do they get this energy? From glucose, which is derived from carbs! That’s why it’s so important to include healthy carb sources in your diet like whole wheat pasta and brown rice. Not only will you have more energy to power through your workout, but you’ll also be providing your muscles with the fuel they need to repair and grow.
Red meat is bad for you
One of the most persistent food myths is that red meat is bad for you.
While it’s true that a diet high in red meat has been linked to heart disease, the picture is actually more complicated than that.
Moderate consumption of lean beef can be good for you. Lean beef is an excellent source of macronutrients (lean protein) as well as micronutrients Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and selenium. So, if you’re looking to get the most out of your beef, go for lean cuts and moderate consumption, as a part of a balanced diet.
Eating after a certain time at night causes you to gain weight
When it comes to eating healthy, there are three things that matter most: how much you eat, what you eat, and how much physical activity you get throughout the day. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should gorge yourself at every meal or go overboard on unprocessed, nutrient dense foods.
Moderation is key. But as long as you’re mindful of portion sizes and making healthy choices most of the time, you’ll be on the right track.
While you may be tempted to indulge in a late-night snack before bed, It’s essential to keep your calorie intake low before bed since this might cause stomach and sleep troubles, which may lead to bad eating habits the next day.
Gluten-free foods are healthier
A gluten-free diet is not necessarily healthier for those who do not have celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity.
Avoiding gluten might restrict your fiber, vitamins, and minerals in the long run. A gluten-free diet is designed to aid individuals with this condition, not to help them lose weight.
In fact, some studies have shown that going gluten-free can actually make you gain weight. So if you’re looking to lose weight, do not avoid gluten-free diets unless you have a medical reason to do so.
Dietary supplements are necessary to either lose weight or weight gain
The idea that we should get all of the nutrients we need from our diet is not only sensible, but it’s also essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The reality is that most people do not eat a balanced and nutritious diet, and as a result, they are deficient in certain nutrients. This is where supplement companies come in.
By selling supplements, these companies can capitalize on the fact that people are not getting all of the nutrients they need from their diet. However, there are a few problems with this approach.
First, taking supplements can be expensive, and second, taking too many supplements can actually be harmful. For example, taking too many protein supplements can lead to kidney diseases.
Therefore, it is important to be careful when using supplements and to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients you need from a healthy and balanced diet.
Following a very low calorie diet is the best way to lose weight
When it comes to weight loss, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there.
One of the most common is that reducing calorie intake is the key to success. And while it’s true that cutting calories can help you losing weight, reducing your intake too drastically can actually have the opposite effect.
When you follow a very low calorie diet, your body’s metabolic rate slows down, you feel more hungry, and you may feel less full. Additionally, you may also experience unhealthy metabolic adaptations that make it harder to lose weight in the future.
So if you’re looking to lose weight, focus on eating a healthy diet with plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, complex carbs, fruits and vegetables, and not on drastically reducing your calorie intake.
Eggs are bad for my heart
Egg yolks indeed have a lot of cholesterol in them, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad for you. In fact, eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat.
They’re an excellent source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. And despite their high cholesterol content, studies have shown that eggs have little to no effect on blood cholesterol levels.
Healthy people can eat an egg a day without problems since their body simply compensates for any increased dietary cholesterol intake by manufacturing less of it. The chief heart-disease culprits are saturated fat, which has a much greater impact on raising blood cholesterols in those who suffer from these conditions (family history being one example).
It’s never too early to start learning about food. While a three-egg omelet may seem like a delicious way to start the day, you should think carefully before indulging in such an unhealthy routine. You don’t have to eat three-egg omelets every morning if you want to be healthy.
Weight loss is hard
Don’t be fooled by dramatic weight loss stories and posts that present the weight loss journey as a very hard process. On the other hand, do not believe supplement companies and stores present rapid weight loss as e piece of cake.
Weight loss is neither easy nor difficult. Yet, I am pretty sure that it is easier than you may believe.
The only hard part is to change your mindset about nutrition and forget the fad diets which lead to weight gain.
Then comes, consistency, hard work, and patience.
If you are struggling to lose weight, it is not your fault. The best thing to do is to train your mind first and find a nutrition plan and activity pattern that works for you and stick with it. Ignore the noise about diets to lose fat.
Conclusion
Nutrition is one of the most important aspects of our lives, but it can also be one of the most confusing.
There are so many myths and misconceptions floating around that it’s hard to know what to believe. But don’t worry, I am here to help!
In this post, I debunked some of the most common nutrition myths and provided you with reliable information to help you make informed dietary choices.
For example, you will not find elsewhere the points of the 1st and 10th myth on my list.
Nobody says that we do need carbs in breakfast and that weight loss is not hard. Those are “real” myths you should overcome.
So, start educating yourself about nutrition. Do not let others decide for your health.
