You wouldn’t tell a heart surgeon how to perform heart surgery. But when it comes to nutrition, everyone thinks they are the expert. As a result, we are constantly spreading misinformation. These healthy eating myths have led to a billion dollar diet industry that continues to grow annually, and a population that gets more and more confused. We have completely forgotten how to eat!
It is time that we debunk the bad advice we’ve been given by “nutrition experts” once and for all.
Here are some of the biggest healthy eating myths you’re being sold:
Carbs are bad for you
This is by far one of the biggest healthy eating myths. From the 1970s to now, the same message has been preached, but repackaged in different ways. First it was the Atkins diet, and now it is the ever popular Keto diet (Cue sparkly jazz hands).
The primary role of carbohydrates is to provide energy to every cell in your body. Carbs break down easily into glucose, which is the preferred fuel source for your brain. In fact, your brain runs almost exclusively on glucose.
The premise behind low carb diets is that carbs are sugar, and sugar makes you fat. The belief is that if you don’t consume any carbs in your diet, your body will be forced to adapt and convert other nutrients like fat into energy. Thus leading to fat loss. People also like seeing results fast, and find that once they go on a low carb diet, they drop weight very quickly.
While it is true that if you don’t consume carbs your body will need to adapt, is that really something you want to be doing? Think of it like this: you want to warm your house, and there is perfectly good wood that you can put on the fireplace. But instead, you actively choose to tear down some beams and use that to keep your house warm. Sure, it will do the job, but you’re weakening the structure of your home. By drawing protein and fat to make energy, you aren’t giving them the ability to do their own jobs. The weight loss that people experience initially also doesn’t last, as it is just water weight. The minute you “go off the wagon”, your body will gain that water back.
Vegetarians/ Vegans are healthier
Eating a plant-based diet has a ton of benefits, such as lower risks of heart disease and diabetes. The United States as a whole should be having more fruits and vegetables than our current intake indicates.
However, this does not mean that all vegetarians and vegans have diets that we should model off of. A plant-based diet can be made up entirely of candy and chips. It also doesn’t mean that if a product is labeled vegan that it is necessarily better for you. For example, the impossible burger is made with soy protein, sunflower oil and “natural flavors” which is a blanket term used by manufacturers. It also has 370mg of sodium per 4oz patty. In comparison, a hamburger patty made at home has a sodium content of about 75mg and an ingredient list of one: ground beef. Of course, a hamburger made at home is completely different from one cooked at a fast food restaurant, but the goal is to choose foods with as little and simple ingredients as possible.
Ditch the egg yolks
Eggs are often referred to as nature’s multivitamin. Unfortunately, along with carbs, one of the first things people cut back on when they are going on a diet is egg yolks. This is because they heard that egg yolks have a lot of cholesterol.
Yes, egg yolks do contain cholesterol. But the cholesterol is not nearly as bad in the egg yolk as it is in the bacon or sausage that usually accompanies it. These saturated fatty acids have a much greater impact on your cholesterol levels than egg yolks do.
You also need to weigh the pros and cons. Egg yolks contain over 40% of the total protein in the egg. Furthermore, egg yolks have selenium, calcium, choline and vitamin D. The added fat will also keep you fuller for longer than egg whites alone.
Stay away from processed foods
The term “processed” is very misleading. Almost everything we buy has been processed one way or another, from our pre-cut fruits and vegetables to our breads. The trick is to read labels of these processed foods, limiting ones with added sugar, excess sodium and excess fat.
Note that we aren’t avoiding highly processed foods, but limiting them. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t just eat for nutrition purposes, and we don’t have to! Food is more than just nourishment: it can be an art form, a way to bring people together, or even a way to express emotion.
Cut out sugar and fruit
The same camp of people who think carbs are bad also have a huge problem with sugar, whether that be pure table sugar or from fruit.
Yes, fruit contains sugar. Fruit also contains a ton of fiber that blunts the impact of sugar in the body. There are also so many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in fruit. It definitely deserves a spot in your diet.
Dieters are big advocates for artificial sweeteners in place of sugar due to their low calorie content. But even though artificial sweeteners may help you save calories, there is evidence to suggest that artificial sweeteners may make you crave higher levels of sweetness and alter gut bacteria.
Conclusion
One of the biggest challenges that prevents you from achieving food freedom is categorizing your food as “good” or “bad”, “healthy” or “unhealthy”. We say it over and over again: everything in moderation! All foods truly CAN fit! So the next time someone brings up one of these healthy eating myths you will be prepared. You will know that you do not need to avoid all white foods, become a Vegan, or cut out sugar to lose weight. And you can tell them confidently to take a hike!
If you like this post and are ready to ditch your diet, be sure to check out Intuitive Eating For Beginners!
Now I want to hear from you!
Have you ever been told any of these healthy eating myths?
How did you respond?
Let me know by leaving me a comment down below!
Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29083823/
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db397.htm
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/egg-proteins
