There is a lot of misinformation out there about what a healthy diet is and what isn’t. Many of these myths seem to come from influencers who are speaking from their personal experiences, without knowing that every person’s body has unique needs.
But sometimes this misinformation even comes from the most seasoned professionals.
Here are 20 nutrition facts about healthy diets that have been debunked.
- Consuming Vitamin C Prevents Cold
No, it doesn’t.
Don’t get us wrong, Vitamin C is an absolute must-have if you want to have a healthy diet. It’s great for the bones, the skin, and muscles. However, it doesn’t really prevent a cold.
This myth comes from a study where 11,000 participants who were taking 200 mg of Vitamin C every day had cut their risks of catching a cold by half. The catch was, though, that all of these people were also highly active; they were athletes and army troops. However, for the general population Vitamin C didn’t reduce any risks of catching a cold.
So, stop overdosing yourself with Vitamin C when you’re starting to have symptoms of the cold. Switch to a vegan diet, and take Vitamin C in moderate amounts from natural sources like peppers, broccoli, strawberries, and citrus fruits.
- Low-Carb Diets Are Good For Overall Health
They’re really not.
Low Carb diets help us lose water weight, in the short term; that’s all. In fact, research seems to suggest that most people who start with low carb diets, eventually end up regaining the weight that they’d lost.
And that’s because a diet without carbs is not nutritious!
Initially, it will help control your weight, blood pressure, and glucose. But, in the long run, a low-carb diet puts you at risk for premature death from a cardiovascular issue, and even cancer.
Studies have shown that even in the short run, a diet without carbs leads to gastrointestinal problems because of the dramatic drop in fiber intake.
- Egg Yolk Are Rich in Nutrients
According to the research, egg yolks are not as nutritious as the myth goes.
Egg yolks are high in LDL and saturated fatty acids. This makes them particularly bad for people with diseases of the heart and the lungs.
Many people claim that the egg yolk has Vitamin D, Lutein, and Choline; that’s true, but the LDL and fatty acids are not worth it. There’s plenty of other sources for the healthy nutrients found in egg yolk – like red meat, oily fish, spinach, broccoli, and beans.
- Apple Cider Vinegar is a Super Food
For quite a while over the past year, Apple Cider Vinegar seemed to be everywhere. Everyone was touting it as this superfood that could cure everything – from digestion concerns to skin problems.
While apple cider vinegar does have microbial properties, it cannot cure your blood pressure, or manage your weight loss, or prevent cancer. That’s way too much pressure to put on a citrus fluid.
In fact, tread carefully when you use apple cider vinegar. Overall, it is safe, but it can erode the teeth’ enamel and might even trigger kidney problems.
- Frozen Veggies Have Less Nutrition
No, not necessarily.
According to a study in 2017, frozen and fresh veggies have no difference in the nutrition amount. There is no difference in the carbohydrate, fiber, and mineral content.
In fact, it was more likely that the frozen veggies had more nutrition. That’s because the nutrients like Vitamin A and E in a frozen vegetable get locked when they’re prepared for the freezer. Plus, Vitamin C is added during the packaging process.
On the other hand, fresh vegetables end up losing half of their nutrient value by simply being out in the open for more than a day, and during the cooking process.
A rule of thumb: how you eat something is important when it comes to getting the maximum nutrients.
- The Frequency of Nutrition Matters
What’s the difference between having six small meals and two large meals? The answer is: the amount of time taken to prepare them.
There’s some research to suggest that people who eat small portions many times a day end up eating less, as opposed to people who have three full meals a day. However, many studies have also suggested that eating in smaller quantities is actually pretty bad for your blood sugar, and metabolism.
Plus, spending so much time thinking about food is counterproductive for many people, especially those with mental health problems related to food.
Frequency does not matter as much as you’d think.
When it comes to nutritious eating, what we consume is more important than how often in a day we consume it.
- Eating at Night Causes Weight Gain
It really doesn’t.
This myth seems to stem from the fact that people who are night-time eaters, tend to consume a lot of high-calorie food. In the night, we’re all more likely to chew on something crunchy, fun, and buttery. All of us are guilty of a midnight snack that turns into two, and then three, and so on.
In that case, it’s really not about the timing of what we eat. It’s what we’re eating that counts.
There is some research that suggests that overnight fasts help with lowering blood pressure, sugar, and weight loss; but the material is very limited. There are more studies to suggest that skipping meals at night is bad for your glucose levels. Plus, our brains are most functional at night, and we need all the energy we can get.
Just don’t eat something too high-calorie– and you’re good to go.
- High-Fat Foods Are Unhealthy
Many are, and many are not.
Fat is a nutrient in and itself – just like proteins and carbs. Fat, as a nutrient, gets a pretty bad rep – but there are some healthy fats out there.
These include Monosaturated and Polysaturated fats include avocados, peanut butter, walnuts, fatty fish, milk, and even tofu. These mono and poly fats actually lower your blood pressure, and cholesterol; and are overall amazing for your heart.
What gives fat their bad reputation is the trans fat– which is the kind that you want to avoid. These include all those McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Wendy’s.
There’s another kind of fat that is in between healthy and not healthy; saturated fats. These include chicken skin, butter, ice cream, whole dairy, and red meat –you would want to eat these in moderation.
In conclusion, high-fat foods are not necessarily unhealthy. Also, remember, just because you have a higher BMI, doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy. As long as you’re maintaining a nutritious, healthy diet, you’re good to go!
- Non-nutritive Sweeteners Are Healthy
To avoid consuming sugar, people have switched to NNS – Non-nutritive sweeteners.
There’s a lot of mixed signals about artificial sweeteners from the authorities. On one hand, they’re said to increase the risk for cancer and harm your gut lining; which means they’re not technically non-nutritious. On the other hand, they’re ‘safe’ according to health regulating agencies.
Without getting into the nitty gritties, what happens is that NNS trick the brain into feeling hungrier without actually giving our body something to digest. Plus, NNS is associated with an increased risk of Type II diabetes and an unhealthy lifestyle, as well.
Use NNS in moderation!
- White Potatoes Are Unhealthy
They’re very healthy, don’t worry.
White potatoes are rich in Vitamin C, potassium, carbs, fiber, and resistant starch. They’re known to maintain glucose levels, aid digestion, are gluten-free, and fill you up fast.
When it comes to nutrition, white potatoes are like a Swiss Knife – there’s something in there for any situation.
The problem is that we end up cooking them wrong, and they lose those nutrients. Fried potatoes have more fats than anything else, but baked potatoes are super rich in nutrients. Just by the way, peeling off their skin also takes their nutrients out.
For a healthy diet, just bake the potatoes and limit your consumption!
- Fiber Supplements Can Replace High Fiber Food
No.
Many nutrients like minerals and trace elements can be replaced by supplements. Not your macros, though. You need to get a direct supply of not just fiber, but also carbs, fats, and proteins. A diet consisting only of supplements would shut your body down.
Supplements are for people with health conditions, or people who are above fifty, or pregnant people, or people. If you’re not in that group, stick to a healthy diet that is fiber-rich.
- Everyone Should Take Probiotics
Probiotics are great for UTIs, yeast infections, eczemas, and inflammations of the bones.
But, not everyone should take them.
In some people, probiotics cause allergic reactions, gastrointestinal issues, and serious immune system problems. Probiotics are sold as supplements in the U.S.A, which means that brands don’t have to test their products.
Be sure to take them with caution, and stop when you’re having any problems.
- Calorie Tracking is Important
Calorie tracking is a great way to start losing weight. But after a while of counting all those numbers, you’ll start to see that it’s what you eat that matters and not how much you eat it.
Another trouble with converting food into numbers is that there is a risk of getting too consumed by the numbers; especially if you’ve food-related mental health problems. Plus, 100 calories of an apple versus 100 calories of fried potatoes have different results on different bodies.
Calorie Tracking is not as important for nutrition, or even weight loss, as you’d think. As long as you’re taking nutritious food, and cooking it right, you’re doing good.
- You Should Drink Eight Glasses of Water Everyday
Yes, drink lots of water. But, there’s no need to panic if you drink less and if your pee is darker than usual.
Overhydration is a thing! And you should definitely think about it if you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet.
Many people confuse dark pee with dehydration. Darker pee could also mean that your kidneys are just regulating their water conservation.
The truth is, our brain knows our bodies the best. If your brain thinks you need water, you’ll start to feel thirsty. That’s all you need to listen to. Drink when you feel like it.
- Burning Out More Calories than What You Consume Matters
This myth is perhaps what has been most notoriously debunked. Nutritionists and doctors often tell you to exercise more than what you eat, and that’s generally good advice for weight loss.
It doesn’t apply to nutrition, though. Again, what matters is what you eat, and not when or how much you eat it. If you’re choosing to eat only rice or cakes, then you’re body isn’t getting any nutrients. On the other hand, if you’re eating foods like avocado and nuts multiple times a day, you’re healthier even if you don’t lose weight.
Food tracking is very helpful but it’s not right for everyone.
In Conclusion
There’s a lot of misinformation out there. It’s because the information often comes from unreliable sources, plus, the world of science is constantly changing.
The rule of thumb here is that every person has their own, very unique set of dietary needs. These depend on their body type, their family history, their lifestyle, and even the region that they live in. So, it’s best to take all sorts of nutrition facts with a pinch of salt, and figure out what works the best for you.