Top 10 Biggest Nutrition Myths 2020
Scrolling through social media, reading your favorite magazine, or visiting popular websites exposes you to endless information about nutrition and health — most of which is incorrect.
Even qualified health professionals, including doctors and dietitians, are to blame for spreading misinformation about nutrition to the public, adding to the confusion.
Here are 10 of the biggest myths related to nutrition, and why these antiquated beliefs need to be put to rest.
1. ‘Calories in, calories out’ is all that matters when it comes to weight loss
Though creating a calorie deficit by burning more energy than you take in is the most important factor when it comes to weight loss, it’s not the only thing that matters.
Relying solely on calorie intake doesn’t account for the large number of variables that may prevent someone from losing weight, even when on a very low calorie diet.
For example, hormonal imbalances, health conditions like hypothyroidism, metabolic adaptations, the use of certain medications, and genetics are just some of the factors that may make weight loss harder for some people, even when they’re on a strict diet (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
This concept also fails to emphasize the importance of sustainability and diet quality for weight loss. Those following the “calories in, calories out” method typically concentrate solely on the calorie value of foods, not their nutrient value (Trusted Source).
This can lead to choosing low calorie, nutrient-poor foods like rice cakes and egg whites over higher calorie, nutrient-dense foods like avocados and whole eggs.
Also, don’t be fooled by the dramatic before and after pictures used by supplement companies and stories of rapid weight loss attained with little to no effort.
Weight loss is not easy. It requires consistency, self-love, hard work, and patience. Plus, genetics, stress and psychological battle of pleasure vs pain and other factors make weight loss much harder for some than others.
If you’re struggling to lose weight, you’re not alone. The best thing to do is drown out the weight loss noise that you’re exposed to every day and find a nourishing and 'sustainable' dietary and activity pattern that works for you. The take home message here is 'sustainable' i.e. small goals in a longer period of time vs big goals in a short period of time.
2. High fat foods are unhealthy
Though this antiquated and incorrect theory is slowly being put to rest, many people still fear high fat foods and follow low fat diets in the hopes that cutting their fat intake will benefit their overall health.
Dietary fat is essential for optimal health. Plus, low fat diets have been linked to a greater risk of health issues, including metabolic syndrome, and may lead to an increase in insulin resistance and triglyceride levels, which are known risk factors for heart disease (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
What’s more, diets that are higher in fat have been proven just as effective — or even more so — than low fat diets when it comes to encouraging weight loss (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
Of course, extremes in either direction, whether it be a very low fat or very high fat diet, may harm your health, especially when diet quality is poor.
3. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
While it was once thought that eating breakfast was one of the most important factors in setting yourself up for a healthy day, research has shown that this might not be the case for most adults (Trusted Source).
For instance, research indicates that forgoing breakfast may result in reduced calorie intake (Trusted Source).
Moreover, partaking in intermittent fasting, during which breakfast is either skipped or consumed later in the day, has been linked to a plethora of benefits, including improved blood sugar control and reductions in inflammatory markers (Trusted Source, Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
However, intermittent fasting can also be accomplished by consuming a regular breakfast then having your last meal earlier in the evening to maintain a fasting window of 14–16 hours.
Keep in mind that this does not apply to growing children and teens or those with increased nutrient needs, such as pregnant women and those with certain health conditions, as skipping meals may lead to negative health effects in these populations (Trusted Source, Trusted Source). On the other hand, some evidence shows that eating breakfast and consuming more calories earlier in the day rather than at night, coupled with reduced meal frequency, may benefit health by reducing inflammation and body weight (Trusted Source).
Regardless, if you enjoy breakfast, eat it. If you’re not a breakfast person, don’t feel the need to add it to your daily routine.
4. Macronutrient ratio matters more than diet quality
The Keto Diet is a 'high fat low carbohydrate diet' and the Atkins Diet is a 'high protein and low carbohydrate diet' just to name a few. Although macro coaches may lead you to believe that the ratio of macronutrients in your diet is all that matters when it comes to weight loss and overall health, this narrow-minded take on nutrition is missing the bigger picture.
While tweaking macro ratios can benefit health in many ways, the most important factor in any diet is the quality of the foods you eat.
Though it may be possible to lose weight by eating nothing but highly processed foods and protein shakes, focusing solely on macronutrients discounts how eating certain foods can either increase or decrease metabolic health, disease risk, lifespan, and vitality.
5. Low fat and diet foods are healthy alternatives
Take a trip to your local grocery store and you’ll find a variety of products labeled “diet,” “light,” “low fat,” and “fat-free.” While these products are tempting to those wanting to shed excess body fat, they’re typically an unhealthy choice.
Research has shown that many low fat and diet items contain much more added sugar and salt than their regular-fat counterparts. It’s best to forgo these products and instead enjoy small amounts of foods like full fat yogurt, cheese, and nut butters (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
6. Supplements are a waste of money
Most of us know that we need to eat in order to survive. As a baby, we only need a single source of nutrition; that is from either breast milk or infant formula milk. However, as we grow bigger, the calorie and protein requirements will not be met if we just drink milk alone. We need more nutrient-dense foods and that's why we switch to solid foods instead of just milk alone.
As a baby, there is a long list of infant formula and most of them are well regulated and do provide the essential nutrition for babies. However, as we grow older, the breadth and depth of our options when it comes to foods become almost limitless. That's where most people get understandably confused.
Essential nutrients are compounds that the body can’t make or can’t make in sufficient quantity,” says Mandy Ferriera. “According to the World Health Organization, these nutrients must come from food, and they’re vital for disease prevention, growth, and good health.”
Essential nutrients can be grouped into 6 categories: Carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are macronutrients because they make up most of your diet. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients because you need them in much smaller amounts. Smaller doesn’t mean unimportant: Deficiencies in specific vitamins and minerals can create massive problems.
You have probably heard the advice to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most of us have but do you really know what that means? There is not only confusion among the experts but now the guidelines have been changed by the CDC. They have a new slogan now too called "More Matters." This is replacing five a day.
"Fruits & Veggies – More Matters" is a national public health initiative from Produce for Better Health Foundation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Most of us don't get the recommended amount. In this report published by the CDC you can see state-specific trends in our fruit and vegetable consumption. These trends do not look good.
Therefore, supplements — when used correctly and in the right form — can be beneficial in many ways.
For many, especially those with health conditions like type 2 diabetes, as well as those who take common medications like statins, proton pump inhibitors, birth control, and antidiabetic medications, taking specific supplements can significantly affect their health (Trusted Source, Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
For example, supplementing with magnesium and B vitamins has been shown to benefit those with type 2 diabetes by enhancing blood sugar and reducing heart disease risk factors and diabetes-related complications (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
Those on restrictive diets, people over the age of 50, and pregnant or breastfeeding women are other examples of populations that may benefit from taking specific supplements.
While some people are more sensitive to dietary cholesterol than others, overall, nutrient-dense, cholesterol-rich foods can be included in a healthy diet (Trusted Source).
In fact, including cholesterol-rich, nutritious foods like eggs and full fat yogurt in your diet may boost health by enhancing feelings of fullness and providing important nutrients that other foods lack (Trusted Source, Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
Source and Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/biggest-lies-of-nutrition
Even qualified health professionals, including doctors and dietitians, are to blame for spreading misinformation about nutrition to the public, adding to the confusion.
Here are 10 of the biggest myths related to nutrition, and why these antiquated beliefs need to be put to rest.
1. ‘Calories in, calories out’ is all that matters when it comes to weight loss
Though creating a calorie deficit by burning more energy than you take in is the most important factor when it comes to weight loss, it’s not the only thing that matters.
Relying solely on calorie intake doesn’t account for the large number of variables that may prevent someone from losing weight, even when on a very low calorie diet.
For example, hormonal imbalances, health conditions like hypothyroidism, metabolic adaptations, the use of certain medications, and genetics are just some of the factors that may make weight loss harder for some people, even when they’re on a strict diet (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
This concept also fails to emphasize the importance of sustainability and diet quality for weight loss. Those following the “calories in, calories out” method typically concentrate solely on the calorie value of foods, not their nutrient value (Trusted Source).
This can lead to choosing low calorie, nutrient-poor foods like rice cakes and egg whites over higher calorie, nutrient-dense foods like avocados and whole eggs.
Also, don’t be fooled by the dramatic before and after pictures used by supplement companies and stories of rapid weight loss attained with little to no effort.
Weight loss is not easy. It requires consistency, self-love, hard work, and patience. Plus, genetics, stress and psychological battle of pleasure vs pain and other factors make weight loss much harder for some than others.
If you’re struggling to lose weight, you’re not alone. The best thing to do is drown out the weight loss noise that you’re exposed to every day and find a nourishing and 'sustainable' dietary and activity pattern that works for you. The take home message here is 'sustainable' i.e. small goals in a longer period of time vs big goals in a short period of time.
2. High fat foods are unhealthy
Though this antiquated and incorrect theory is slowly being put to rest, many people still fear high fat foods and follow low fat diets in the hopes that cutting their fat intake will benefit their overall health.
Dietary fat is essential for optimal health. Plus, low fat diets have been linked to a greater risk of health issues, including metabolic syndrome, and may lead to an increase in insulin resistance and triglyceride levels, which are known risk factors for heart disease (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
What’s more, diets that are higher in fat have been proven just as effective — or even more so — than low fat diets when it comes to encouraging weight loss (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
Of course, extremes in either direction, whether it be a very low fat or very high fat diet, may harm your health, especially when diet quality is poor.
3. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
While it was once thought that eating breakfast was one of the most important factors in setting yourself up for a healthy day, research has shown that this might not be the case for most adults (Trusted Source).
For instance, research indicates that forgoing breakfast may result in reduced calorie intake (Trusted Source).
Moreover, partaking in intermittent fasting, during which breakfast is either skipped or consumed later in the day, has been linked to a plethora of benefits, including improved blood sugar control and reductions in inflammatory markers (Trusted Source, Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
However, intermittent fasting can also be accomplished by consuming a regular breakfast then having your last meal earlier in the evening to maintain a fasting window of 14–16 hours.
Keep in mind that this does not apply to growing children and teens or those with increased nutrient needs, such as pregnant women and those with certain health conditions, as skipping meals may lead to negative health effects in these populations (Trusted Source, Trusted Source). On the other hand, some evidence shows that eating breakfast and consuming more calories earlier in the day rather than at night, coupled with reduced meal frequency, may benefit health by reducing inflammation and body weight (Trusted Source).
Regardless, if you enjoy breakfast, eat it. If you’re not a breakfast person, don’t feel the need to add it to your daily routine.
4. Macronutrient ratio matters more than diet quality
The Keto Diet is a 'high fat low carbohydrate diet' and the Atkins Diet is a 'high protein and low carbohydrate diet' just to name a few. Although macro coaches may lead you to believe that the ratio of macronutrients in your diet is all that matters when it comes to weight loss and overall health, this narrow-minded take on nutrition is missing the bigger picture.
While tweaking macro ratios can benefit health in many ways, the most important factor in any diet is the quality of the foods you eat.
Though it may be possible to lose weight by eating nothing but highly processed foods and protein shakes, focusing solely on macronutrients discounts how eating certain foods can either increase or decrease metabolic health, disease risk, lifespan, and vitality.
5. Low fat and diet foods are healthy alternatives
Take a trip to your local grocery store and you’ll find a variety of products labeled “diet,” “light,” “low fat,” and “fat-free.” While these products are tempting to those wanting to shed excess body fat, they’re typically an unhealthy choice.
Research has shown that many low fat and diet items contain much more added sugar and salt than their regular-fat counterparts. It’s best to forgo these products and instead enjoy small amounts of foods like full fat yogurt, cheese, and nut butters (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
6. Supplements are a waste of money
Most of us know that we need to eat in order to survive. As a baby, we only need a single source of nutrition; that is from either breast milk or infant formula milk. However, as we grow bigger, the calorie and protein requirements will not be met if we just drink milk alone. We need more nutrient-dense foods and that's why we switch to solid foods instead of just milk alone.
As a baby, there is a long list of infant formula and most of them are well regulated and do provide the essential nutrition for babies. However, as we grow older, the breadth and depth of our options when it comes to foods become almost limitless. That's where most people get understandably confused.
Essential nutrients are compounds that the body can’t make or can’t make in sufficient quantity,” says Mandy Ferriera. “According to the World Health Organization, these nutrients must come from food, and they’re vital for disease prevention, growth, and good health.”
Essential nutrients can be grouped into 6 categories: Carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are macronutrients because they make up most of your diet. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients because you need them in much smaller amounts. Smaller doesn’t mean unimportant: Deficiencies in specific vitamins and minerals can create massive problems.
You have probably heard the advice to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Most of us have but do you really know what that means? There is not only confusion among the experts but now the guidelines have been changed by the CDC. They have a new slogan now too called "More Matters." This is replacing five a day.
"Fruits & Veggies – More Matters" is a national public health initiative from Produce for Better Health Foundation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Most of us don't get the recommended amount. In this report published by the CDC you can see state-specific trends in our fruit and vegetable consumption. These trends do not look good.
Therefore, supplements — when used correctly and in the right form — can be beneficial in many ways.
For many, especially those with health conditions like type 2 diabetes, as well as those who take common medications like statins, proton pump inhibitors, birth control, and antidiabetic medications, taking specific supplements can significantly affect their health (Trusted Source, Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
For example, supplementing with magnesium and B vitamins has been shown to benefit those with type 2 diabetes by enhancing blood sugar and reducing heart disease risk factors and diabetes-related complications (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
Those on restrictive diets, people over the age of 50, and pregnant or breastfeeding women are other examples of populations that may benefit from taking specific supplements.
7. Calcium supplements are necessary for bone health
Many people are told to pop calcium supplements to keep their skeletal system healthy. However, current research has shown that supplementing with calcium may do more harm than good.
For example, some studies have linked calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart disease. Additionally, research shows that they don’t reduce the risk of fracture or osteoporosis (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
If you’re concerned about your calcium intake, it’s best to focus on dietary sources of calcium like full fat yogurt, sardines, beans, and seeds.
8. Fiber supplements are a good substitute for high fiber foods
Many people are told to pop calcium supplements to keep their skeletal system healthy. However, current research has shown that supplementing with calcium may do more harm than good.
For example, some studies have linked calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart disease. Additionally, research shows that they don’t reduce the risk of fracture or osteoporosis (Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
If you’re concerned about your calcium intake, it’s best to focus on dietary sources of calcium like full fat yogurt, sardines, beans, and seeds.
8. Fiber supplements are a good substitute for high fiber foods
Many people struggle with getting adequate dietary fiber, which is why fiber supplements are so popular. Although fiber supplements can benefit health by improving bowel movements and blood sugar control, they should not replace real food (Trusted Source).
High fiber whole foods like vegetables, beans, and fruit contain nutrients and plant compounds that work synergistically to promote your health, and they can’t be replaced by fiber supplements.
9. Everyone can benefit from a probiotic
Probiotics are amongst the most popular dietary supplements on the market. However, practitioners generally overprescribed them, and research has demonstrated that some people may not benefit from probiotics like others do (Trusted Source).
Not only are some people’s digestive systems resistant to probiotic colonization, but introducing probiotics through supplements may lead to negative changes in their gut bacteria.
Plus, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine related to probiotic use can lead to bloating, gas, and other adverse side effects (Trusted Source).
Additionally, some studies show that probiotic treatment following a course of antibiotics may delay the natural reconstitution of normal gut bacteria (Trusted Source).
Instead of being prescribed as a one-size-fits-all supplement, probiotics should be more personalized and only be used when a therapeutic benefit is likely.
10. High cholesterol foods are unhealthy
Cholesterol-rich foods have gotten a bad rap thanks to misconceptions about how dietary cholesterol affects heart health.
High fiber whole foods like vegetables, beans, and fruit contain nutrients and plant compounds that work synergistically to promote your health, and they can’t be replaced by fiber supplements.
9. Everyone can benefit from a probiotic
Probiotics are amongst the most popular dietary supplements on the market. However, practitioners generally overprescribed them, and research has demonstrated that some people may not benefit from probiotics like others do (Trusted Source).
Not only are some people’s digestive systems resistant to probiotic colonization, but introducing probiotics through supplements may lead to negative changes in their gut bacteria.
Plus, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine related to probiotic use can lead to bloating, gas, and other adverse side effects (Trusted Source).
Additionally, some studies show that probiotic treatment following a course of antibiotics may delay the natural reconstitution of normal gut bacteria (Trusted Source).
Instead of being prescribed as a one-size-fits-all supplement, probiotics should be more personalized and only be used when a therapeutic benefit is likely.
10. High cholesterol foods are unhealthy
Cholesterol-rich foods have gotten a bad rap thanks to misconceptions about how dietary cholesterol affects heart health.
While some people are more sensitive to dietary cholesterol than others, overall, nutrient-dense, cholesterol-rich foods can be included in a healthy diet (Trusted Source).
In fact, including cholesterol-rich, nutritious foods like eggs and full fat yogurt in your diet may boost health by enhancing feelings of fullness and providing important nutrients that other foods lack (Trusted Source, Trusted Source, Trusted Source).
Source and Reference: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/biggest-lies-of-nutrition
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