Outdated Nutrition "Facts" Debunked
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
All of us have probably seen or heard nutrition advice that is contradictory, confusing, or simply incorrect. Nutrition misinformation is so rampant that it can make you question what to believe when it comes to making healthy food choices.
Nutrition science continues to evolve as new research provides more information. As a result, some nutrition advice has become outdated. Here are 10 nutrition myths that still persist and reasons why they should be debunked.
1 – Avoid fat at all costs when trying to lose weight.
The low-fat craze of the ‘90s is over, but the advice to cut out fat to lose weight is still being told. In reality, fat should make up between 20 and 35 percent of daily calorie intake. Fat is necessary to insulate organs, produce hormones, and help the body absorb nutrients.
For overall health and to help with weight loss, it’s important to choose healthy fats rather than eliminate fat completely. Choose mostly unsaturated fats, such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds, and use saturated fats like butter in moderation.
2 – Natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, organic, and low-sodium foods are always healthy.
Claims on food labels can add to confusion about nutrition. When a food is labeled as being “free” of or “low” in a certain nutrient or compound, it’s often automatically considered healthy. For example, many people think gluten-free and low-sodium products are always healthy when they may not even contain nutritious ingredients. The same goes for natural, non-GMO, and organic foods.
While it’s true that many products that are naturally free of gluten, grown organically, and/or low in sodium are nutritious, such as fruits and vegetables, not all products that meet those qualifications are healthy. Instead of focusing on what labels say to assess if a food is healthy, consider what nutrients it provides, how processed it is, and what has been added.
3 – Cutting out carbs is the only way to lose weight.
Eating a low-carb diet is very popular for weight loss, especially since it can yield fast results initially as you lose water weight. However, it’s not necessary to drastically reduce or eliminate carbohydrates to drop extra pounds.
If you are interested in losing weight, replace less healthy sources of carbohydrates with healthier ones. Choose whole grains, fruits, and vegetables over foods made from white flour and sweets. Make sure that you are eating enough of the other macronutrients — protein and fat — too. You may need to cut back on carbohydrate intake if you are eating more than you need and in lieu of protein or fat. A nutritionally balanced diet will be more beneficial for weight loss and overall health than one that restricts entire food groups.
4 – Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen options.
Some people fall short on eating enough fruits and vegetables if they struggle with using produce before it goes bad. Throwing out yet another container of wilted spinach isn’t exactly a motivating experience. Plus, a common nutrition myth Is that fresh vegetables are much more nutritious than frozen or canned ones.
Fortunately, this myth is far from the truth. Frozen fruits and vegetables can be just as, if not more, nutritious than their fresh counterparts. This is because they are often picked at the peak of their ripeness then blanched and packaged right away, retaining nutrients and quality. Canned fruits and vegetables are also nutritious options, but be wary of their sodium and sugar levels. Choose low-sodium or no added salt vegetables and fruits canned in water or their own juice instead of syrup.
5 – Eating at night is unhealthy.
That bowl of popcorn or ice cream on the couch before bed has long been demonized, usually under the blanket statement that eating at night will cause weight gain. At the end of the day, the timing of meals and snacks is not as important as the total number of calories and types of foods you eat each day.
Eating late at night won’t automatically hurt your health or weight loss efforts. However, indulging in high-calorie foods that push you over your calorie needs and that don’t offer much nutrition might. If you are hungry at night and would like to eat, choose a healthy snack with protein and fiber instead of a dessert. Some delicious options include a handful of almonds and dried mango, cottage cheese with fruit, or a couple squares of dark chocolate and edamame.
6 – Coffee is inherently bad for you.
Not even your seemingly innocent cup of Joe is safe from nutrition misinformation. It’s sometimes claimed that coffee is an unhealthy beverage that you must cut out to lose weight or maintain overall health. If giving up your morning coffee sounds terrible to you, don’t fret. Coffee can absolutely be part of a healthy diet.
On its own, coffee is not unhealthy and actually contains antioxidants and other compounds thought to promote health. However, coffee doesn’t agree with everyone. Some people may experience heightened anxiety or gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and heartburn from too much coffee. In addition, coffee is often used as a vehicle for sugar, flavorings, and lots of cream. To reap the most benefits of coffee, drink it black or with a little cream or milk. Avoid sugary add-ins and consider cutting back if the caffeine in coffee doesn’t make you feel good.
7 – It’s too expensive to eat well.
One of the most common complaints about eating healthy is that it’s too expensive. Nutritious foods can have a hefty price tag, but they don’t have to!
Yes, buying wild caught salmon, grass fed ribeye, and organic or off-season produce can add up, but there are many foods that are loaded with nutrients and affordable. These include legumes, frozen and canned produce, eggs (when not affected by avian flu), potatoes, canned fish, bananas, cottage cheese, carrots, brown rice, and oatmeal. Shopping the sales, using bulk sections, signing up for a diet meal delivery, and choosing in-season fruits and vegetables can also help you cut down on grocery costs.
8 – Fruit is bad for you.
Advocates of cutting out sugar often lump fruit into their recommendations of foods to avoid. It’s true that fruit contains sugar, but this sugar is naturally occurring and not an “added sugar” like white sugar, honey, or syrup. In addition to containing natural sugar, whole fruit is loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds. Eating fruit as part of a balanced diet is a healthy habit.
What’s more, most studies that analyze the effect of fruit on weight have concluded that eating fruit appears to have anti-obesity effects. Stick to whole fruits and limit fruit juice to reap the most benefits.
9 – Snacking is not a healthy habit.
Some weight loss meal plans recommend cutting out snacks in order to be successful, even going so far as to suggest that snacks are never healthy. Sure, salty, ultra-processed snacks or sweet treats aren’t nutritious choices, but not all snacks are created equal.
Healthy snacks can be helpful for those who get hungry in between meals and want to prevent overeating. They’re also a great choice after exercise, especially if your next meal isn’t for a couple hours. If you feel the urge to snack, skip the candy bar and grab an apple and a hard-boiled egg, Greek yogurt and nuts, or a vegetable smoothie.
10 – Eating frequent meals boosts metabolism.
Since eating and the digestion that follows rev up metabolism, some people believe that eating small, frequent meals is a good way to promote weight loss. However, most studies on this topic have found no significant effect of eating frequency on weight. At the end of the day, eating fewer calories than you burn, regardless of when you eat, appears to contribute the most to weight loss. More research is needed to fully understand the timing of food intake on weight status.
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