Expand All | Collapse All

Family Health Magazine - NUTRITION

Nutrition Myths Busted
What you thought you knew about food may not be true

It’s never been easier to access nutrition information than it is today. The latest health trends, exercise tips and food advice are available at the click of a button. Want to lose weight? Google gives you 48,500,000 results on how to do it. Looking to build muscle? Your gym is ready to sell you the latest protein powder for $75 a can.

Still, not all nutrition and health information comes from a reliable source. Healthy eating advice you hear on the radio or read on the Internet may be more fiction than fact. Fortunately, Dietitians of Canada has chosen to set the record straight by busting common food and nutrition myths.

Myth I -
Cutting carbs is a great way to lose weight.TRUTH: Sound familiar? Here’s the truth. As long as the total calories remain equal, you will lose the same amount of weight on either a low or high carbohydrate (carb) diet. In other words, it is total calories that are most important in weight management – not carbs. Cutting carbs may help you lose weight in the short term, but that is mostly because you eat less food (less variety) and fewer calories.

Low-carb diets can be very restrictive and limiting. Some limit many healthy food choices, including whole grains, fruit, starchy vegetables, and legumes. By avoiding these healthy foods, you miss out on the great nutrients they provide such as iron, folic acid, calcium, thiamine, vitamin C, potassium and magnesium. Many healthy foods containing carbohydrates are also an important source of fibre. They help keep blood glucose normal, lower cholesterol, and promote bowel function.

Since low-carb diets lack variety, dieters may quickly return to their old eating habits and gain back the weight they have lost. The best weight-loss plan is one you can stick with forever – a true lifestyle change. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, exercise regularly and consume a balanced diet of nutritious foods recommended by Canada’s Food Guide.

Myth II -
‘Multi grain’ and ‘whole grain’ are the same thing.TRUTH: Multi-grain is not always whole grain. Foods that are called multi grain may contain many different types of grains. However, those grains may or may not be whole. For a food product to be considered whole grain, it must include all three parts of the grain kernel: the outer bran layer, the endosperm and the germ. Each part contains different and valuable nutrients including fibre, iron, zinc, phos

phorus, carbohydrate, vitamin E, and phytonutrients like plant sterols. Many multi-grain products are made with refined flours. When grains are refined, both the bran and germ layers are removed. Fibre, vitamins and minerals are lost.

Eating foods and food products made with whole grains each day can lower your risk of heart disease, some cancers (including colon), and type 2 diabetes. To find out if your product is truly whole grain, look for the word whole or whole grain in the ingredient list, such as whole grain barley or whole grain whole wheat. Each day, make at least half of your grain products whole grain.

Myth III -
To be super healthy, eat superfoods.TRUTH: The word ‘superfood’ is often used to describe foods like mangosteen or acai berries that are high in a particular nutrient or nutrients. You may be surprised to learn, however, that there is no legal definition of the term superfood. In fact, many health professionals have criticized this term as being misleading, because it is often used as a marketing tool for more expensive food products. Other basic foods that are not labelled as ‘super,’ such as bananas, can be just as nourishing, less costly, and more readily available.

The truth is that no one food or nutrient can keep you healthy on its own. The foods and nutrients that we eat all work together for better health. The best way to stay healthy is to enjoy a variety of foods that are rich in a number of nutrients, high in fibre, and lower in fat, salt and added sugar.

Myth IV -
Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen or canned.TRUTH: It is true – a fresh peach on a hot summer day or a garden cucumber sliced into a crisp fresh salad can taste far superior to frozen or canned vegetables and fruit. However, fresh fruits and vegetables are not more nutritious. Shocked? Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are usually picked and processed at peak ripeness, when their nutrient levels are the highest. Frozen and canned produce can also be cheaper, are available year round, and do not go bad as quickly as fresh.

Still, you can make healthier choices with both frozen and canned food. Look for canned vegetables with little or no added salt. Choose canned fruit packed in water or 100 per cent fruit juice, not syrup. Purchase frozen vegetables that have little or no seasoning added, and look for frozen fruits that are ‘unsweetened,’ without added sugar. Whether fresh, frozen or canned, all fruits and vegetables are nutritious choices!

Myth V -
Honey, agave syrup and brown sugar are healthier than white sugar.TRUTH: Sugar is sugar is sugar! While some may consider honey, agave syrup or brown sugar to be more natural, they are all still sugars. Nutritionally speaking, all four sugars are pretty much the same. Each provides a concentrated source of calories with very few other nutrients. Too much of any type of sugar will add excess calories to your diet. No matter which sugar you choose, use small amounts.

Myth VI -
Detox diets are part of a healthy lifestyle.TRUTH: Detox diets, which attempt to rid your system of harmful toxins, are a hot trend. However, there is no evidence to support the success of these diets. In fact, they can be harmful. Many detox diets involve a period of fasting followed by a very strict diet. Frequent fasting like this does not provide the nutrition your body needs to function properly. It can cause harmful side effects like headaches, dehydration, low blood pressure, low blood glucose and an irregular heartbeat.

Your liver, kidneys and intestines already work to detox your body – so what is the use of a detox diet? Keep these organs healthy by eating a portion-controlled, balanced diet. Include a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy products and lean meats and alternatives.

Myth VII -
Eating a lot of protein helps build big muscles.TRUTH: There is a common belief that adding extra protein in the form of powders, supplements and high protein meals or snacks will automatically help to build more muscle. This is not actually true. Sure, you need protein to build muscle mass. But overdoing it will add extra calories to your diet and won’t build bigger muscles. In fact, the extra calories consumed are typically stored as fat. This is opposite to what most are trying to achieve.

What does help to build muscle mass? A safe resistance or strength-training program, enough calories from healthy foods, adequate recovery time, sleep and the consumption of small amounts of protein-rich foods throughout the day, all do their part. Most people get enough protein from their daily diet. Some strength-training and endurance athletes, like body builders or marathon runners, may benefit from more protein, especially in post-workout snacks. But even that extra amount of protein can be met by simply choosing protein-rich foods from Canada’s Food Guide. Lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, lower-fat milk and alternatives, and legumes are all excellent choices.

More articles from this section

Article Listing

FAMILY HEALTH is written with the assistance of

FAMILY HEALTH is written with the assistance of

While effort is made to reflect accepted medical knowledge and practice, articles in Family Health Online should not be relied upon for the treatment or management of any specifid medical problem or concern and Family Health accepts no liability for reliance on the articles. For proper diagnosis and care, you should always consult your family physican promptly. Copyright 2012, Family Health Magazine, a special publication of the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc., 10006 - 101 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 0S1  [NU_FHc12]