12 COMMON DIET AND NUTRITION MYTHS PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE IN
Nowadays, the diet culture is pictured by influencers. And not by the nutritionist and coaches is the real reason for these myths. Following the lifestyle straight out of someone’s social media without firm proof could be a disadvantage to the body. Every person’s body is unique, the needs, capacities, and ability to adapt the food mentally, physically, and emotionally.
Having a healthy relationship with the food is the biggest blessing any person can have! Rather than holding back, avoiding the needs and cravings, learn your body. Our body has its ways of letting us know what we seek. From the root of our hair to the toes, the body indicates how it seeks nutrition.
If the goal is to achieve a healthy lifestyle, one should know the difference between fact and cap. Whether it is about weight loss or weight gain, proper guidance is the key to a healthy life. Fulfilling the nutritional needs of the body through food isn’t an easy job.
A common difference any individual should understand between a nutritionist and dietician is what goals they help people achieve. On the one hand, a nutritionist helps out people to gain the nutrition the body desires. On the other hand, dieticians focus on how a balanced meal will help in acquiring the right weight.
People aren’t aware and know the authentic sources to learn about diet and nutrition. It leads them to believe in myths they come across through group chats and social media. Here we brought you the list of myths that were opposing you to bond with your food.
1. Detox diets lead to weight loss.
The most famous and wrong information people are into is that detox water helps in weight loss. Detox waters are best for the human body to stay hydrated. For example, People believe that drinking green tea every day would contribute to their weight loss journey. In reality, green tea is a drink that gives the body vital energy and discards the toxins.
2. Say no to favorite foods.
A toxic diet culture few people emphasize is cutting down favorite foods like peanut butter, chocolate, cookies, etc. Here comes the part of following boundaries, time, and portion size of the food. Food should make the body and mind happy and not sad. Eating dark chocolate while menstruating or without menstruating is going to benefit the body. Therefore consume your favorite food when you feel like it.
3. Magic foods for fat loss.
Losing fat is the goal for most people who wish to have a healthy lifestyle. The fitness industry and food industry never claims about easy or short ways to lose fat. Fat loss is a long-lasting process that happens cause of consistency and mindful eating habits.
4. Say no to egg yolks.
Considering it makes the body gain fats and can create an issue for the heart health. Dietary cholesterol has a nominal effect on blood cholesterol. To conclude, egg yolks are the best source of omega fatty acids, folic acid, iron, vitamins, and minerals. Consuming one egg every day is healthy and fine; make sure it’s cooked properly to avoid bacterial infection.
5. Carbs make you fat.
A myth that strongly needs to stop from spreading is carbs make you fat. Carb is the nutrient no one should avoid in a meal because it provides the body energy. People avoid eating rice, legumes, bread, sugar, starch thinking it leads to fat gain. But cutting down carb nutrient sources will put you in the position of low energy.
6. Women drink milk for strong bones.
Every advertisement of milk portrays how milk benefits women in pregnancy, postpartum, during lactation till menopause. This myth got smashed as nutritionists started speaking about it. To clarify the fact that milk is not the only source of calcium to keep bones strong. The Harvard study has told there is no accurate claim that milk helps in bone fracture or osteoporosis. There are other sources to fulfill the calcium need and improve bone health. Broccoli, ragi, soya bean, teel seeds, dill leaves, etc., are the best sources of calcium.
7. Diabetics should avoid fruits.
Diabetic patients who often go through hearing don’t consume fruits; it can spike the blood sugar level. The fear came in the cause of fructose present in fruits. Naturally, most fruits have a low glycemic index; it doesn’t cause a tip raise in blood sugar. Fructose can affect; only if the glycemic load is maximum. In simple words, the amount of fruits intake and the time of consumption are the parameters that matter.
8. Eight glasses of water a day.
A myth formed into rocket science, and people started measuring the amount of water to consume daily. No information claims about how much water to drink. Water is essential for hydration, metabolism, and overall health. To understand, one can keep tracking the urine color. The transparent and light yellow is a sign body is hydrated.
9. Sugar causes diabetes.
A myth that follows in diet culture and cuts down the intake of sugar. WHO recommends 5–10 teaspoons of sugar every day. Sugar only cannot be the reason. It can be because of stress, genetics, excess body weight, no physical activity, imbalanced meals, eating food high in sugar, or processed/packaged food in excess.
10. No B12 deficiency in meat-eaters.
Some individuals face B12 deficiency even when they are meat eaters cause of low absorption. The intake of B12 can’t guarantee as the habits affect the absorption process. The person can face low absorption of not only B12 but also other nutrients. Here it signifies poor gut health. Overuse of antacids, alcohol, stress, wrong food can affect the gut health and causes low absorption.
11. Eat raw foods.
Being not able to eat raw is common among people. Eating raw vegetables can improve gut issues. But the myth got busted when nutritionists released the insights. Cooked vegetable releases enzymes and breaks down the fiber. To summarize, it helps in the better assimilation of micronutrients.
12. Choose anything brown.
Nutritionists speak about the comparison of raw/brown and processed food. They specify the nutritional value and calorie part, explaining both hold almost the same number of calories. Choosing brown egg/bread over white egg/bread won’t create an effect unless and until the purpose is nutrition.
“Eating for weight loss and eating to become healthy are two different things.”
Creating a lifestyle that includes a righteous diet and nutrition should be the priority to form a healthy lifestyle. To sum up, never skip micronutrients and reach out to the nutritionist/dieticians rather than believing in myths.
Hope these myths are no more dominating your relation with the food.
