There is so much information out there about nutrition and healthy eating and weight loss. It becomes overwhelming and seems impossible to separate the science from the fads. We get so much of our information via social media these days that it’s much easier to absorb information from unreliable sources. Many of the myths about healthy eating have been assumed as fact, and they seriously need to be debunked!
Click through the gallery to get to the truth behind some of the biggest nutrition myths.
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1. Calories calories calories
It’s true that burning more calories than you consume is the most important factor for weight loss, but it’s not the only one. For one thing, a drastically restrictive diet lacking in nutrients is neither healthy nor sustainable.
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1. Calories calories calories
What’s more, there are many other factors that might influence a person’s ability to lose weight. Health conditions like hypothyroidism and hormonal imbalances can interfere. There are also certain medications and genetic factors that influence weight loss. It’s not all about what you’re eating.
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2. High-fat foods are unhealthy
Fat is one of the essential dietary components for optimum health. There’s still a lot of fear around foods that contain fat, but cutting them out completely can also be bad for your health.
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2. High-fat foods are unhealthy
Low fat diets have been shown to create a higher risk of illnesses like metabolic syndrome and heart disease. It’s all about balance. An extremely high fat or low fat diet isn’t good for anyone, but we all need a certain amount of healthy fats in our diets.
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3. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
Many people used to skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but then we were told that it’s the most important meal of the day, and skipping breakfast only leads to a higher calorie intake later in the day.
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3. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
The importance of breakfast has been somewhat debunked with the emergence of intermittent fasting. This involves consuming all of your meals in a shorter window of time during the day, so it may involve skipping breakfast or eating it later in the day. It’s been shown to have a range of health benefits and is effective in assisting weight loss for some.
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4. Small, frequent meals
Another thing we often hear is that consuming small frequent meals throughout the day is the healthiest way to eat.
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4. Small, frequent meals
It’s true that this can help some people boost their metabolism and achieve weight loss. However, if you’re already healthy, then the frequency and size of your meals isn’t that important.
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5. Sugar substitutes are healthy
Sugar is the devil. Sort of. It’s true that a diet high in refined sugar is one of the most worrying downfalls of the modern diet. However, sugar substitutes come with their own problems.
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5. Sugar substitutes are healthy
Sweeteners can negatively impact your gut bacteria and disrupt your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. Both of these problems put you at higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
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6. White potatoes are unhealthy
Sweet potatoes are crazy popular and considered a health food these days, but they aren’t so different to the regular old white potato. They are almost the same in terms of calories and carbohydrates.
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6. White potatoes are unhealthy
Both white and sweet potatoes are a more nutrient-dense alternatives to rice or pasta. They’re also more filling in smaller quantities, so they can even help with weight loss when consumed in moderation.
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7. Low fat/diet foods are healthy
Every supermarket is filled with food and drinks that are labeled “low fat,” fat free,” “diet,” or “light.” They might seem tempting, but don’t be fooled. They’re typically an unhealthy choice.
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7. Low fat/diet foods are healthy
They often contain more sugar and salt than their full-fat counterparts. It’s better to avoid the low-fat options and just go for moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt.
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8. Supplements are a waste of money
We often get mixed messages about the benefits of supplements. It’s true that it’s important to get a nutrient-dense, well-rounded diet. We shouldn’t be trying to survive on rice cakes and egg white and assuming a multivitamin will do the rest, but supplements do have a time and a place.
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8. Supplements are a waste of money
It’s best to talk to your doctor about which supplements are best for you. It’s good to align them with your needs. Specific supplements are beneficial for certain health conditions, for people over 50, for women who are breastfeeding, etc. The list goes on!
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9. Restriction and weight loss
As mentioned earlier, creating a calorie deficit is the key to weight loss. However, cutting your calories lower than necessary can have a seriously negative impact on your health.
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9. Restriction and weight loss
If you put your body under the stress of an extremely restrictive low-calorie diet, it will respond by slowing down your metabolism and altering the hormones that make you feel full. You will basically feel hungrier and metabolise food more slowly. This is why such diets are rarely successful.
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10. Skinny=healthy
Obesity is certainly associated with a range of health risks like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but being skinny is not the same as being healthy. For a start, you may lead a healthy lifestyle in terms of diet and exercise and still not be “skinny.”
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10. Skinny=healthy
It’s also common for those who are naturally “skinny” to have poor health. It all comes down to how well rounded your diet is and how active you are, and there isn’t just one way for health to be reflected in your body.
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11. Smoothies and juices are healthy
Some smoothies and juices can be highly nutritious and offer a quick way to get a serious hit of nutrients in one go. A freshly made smoothie or juice made from non-starchy vegetables can be a great option.
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11. Smoothies and juices are healthy
Unfortunately, most of the juices and smoothies sold at stores are loaded with sugar and calories. As well as having a high fruit content, they often contain added sugar on top of that. Excessive consumption of these drinks, often caused by the false impression that they’re healthy, can lead to weight gain and tooth decay.
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12. Weight loss is easy
We all know that this isn’t true! However, the dramatic before and after pictures we see on Instagram to advertise workout programs and weight loss supplements can mess with our heads.
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12. Weight loss is easy
Weight loss requires a great deal of patience, consistency, hard work, and self love. It’s even more difficult for those who are struggling with genetic factors or health conditions.
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13. Tracking calories and weight loss
It’s good to have a basic knowledge of the nutritional value of the foods you’re eating, but obsessive tracking of calories is not essential for weight loss. You don’t need to record every morsel of food on My Fitness Pal.
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13. Tracking calories and weight loss
As long as you’re educated about the food you’re eating and you eat mindfully, it’s okay to eat more intuitively. Calorie tracking has been associated with an increased risk of disordered eating so it’s better not to go down that path.
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14. High cholesterol foods are bad
High cholesterol foods have been incorrectly associated with poor heart health. Some people are more sensitive to cholesterol, but generally, cholesterol-rich foods can be a part of a healthy diet.
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14. High cholesterol foods are bad
Many high cholesterol foods, such as eggs and full-fat yogurts, are also nutrient dense. They provide a range of health benefits and shouldn’t necessarily be cut out unless you have a specific sensitivity to cholesterol.
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15. Eating disorders only affect women
Diet culture is so heavily focused on women that it’s easy to forget that men struggle with body image too. In the US, 30% of men report struggling with their appearance and resorting to unhealthy diets to change their bodies.
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16. Carbs make you gain weight
Carbs are the other outcast in the diet world. Just like fat, they’ve been universally associated with weight gain. The truth is that carbs are an important part of a balanced, healthy diet. We all need to consume carbs to survive! If you eat a reasonable amount of nutrient-rich fibrous carbs, then you’ll feel fuller for longer and it might even help with weight loss.
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16. Carbs make you gain weight
Diets that include a balance of high fiber carbs, healthy fats, and protein have been associated with reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease. The Mediterranean diet is one good example! There are so many mixed messages about how to be healthy, but research shows that getting back to basics is often the best way to go.
Sources: (Healthline)
See also: This simple diet is rated the healthiest in 2020
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