Experts debunk 7 totally wrong diet fads.
When it comes to nutrition, the best rule of thumb is to do everything in moderation, but much of the nutritional advice calls for eating (or not eating) to extremes. From plant-animal conflicts to eliminating entire food groups, nutrition myths do their best to make people believe that whatever they eat is wrong.
Richard Smith-Bernal, founder of The Juice Smith, debunks seven great nutrition myths and shows you how to eat truly healthy.
Fresh produce is healthier than frozen or canned produce
Many people believe that fresh fruits and vegetables provide the most nutrients, but there is no evidence to support this. Frozen or canned produce is packaged directly after harvest, so in some cases canned or frozen produce has more nutritional value than fresh fruits and vegetables, which may have been airlifted around the world before reaching supermarkets. In some cases, the price may be higher.
“Vegetables and fruits retain most of their nutrients immediately after harvest, but the longer they leave the stem, the more nutrients start to decline,” says Richard. “If you freeze or can it immediately, it will retain its nutritional value.”
Plant-based milk is healthier than dairy milk
Plant-based milks have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years as an alternative for those following a vegan diet or those with lactose intolerance. Many plant-based milks are touted as being healthier than regular dairy products, but science says otherwise.
Plant-based milks made from soy, almonds, and oats serve as excellent alternatives to dairy products in terms of texture and use, but they often contain additives such as sugar to improve taste. There are often Additionally, milk contains about 8 grams of protein per cup, while almonds only contain about 1 to 2 grams and oats contain only about 2 to 3 grams.
lack of vegetable protein
For many vegans and vegetarians, the most common comment they get from others is how plant-based diets leave them deficient in essential nutrients such as protein. What most people don’t know is that many plants provide large amounts of natural protein.
Tempeh, tofu, chickpeas, and lentils rank as the most protein-rich plant-based foods. Soy products like tofu and tempeh can provide up to 15 grams of protein per half cup.
soy is bad for women
With breast cancer cases increasing every year, it is commonly believed that soy products cause breast cancer. This fear comes from the fact that soy is a food with high estrogen levels, which has been proven in some animal studies to potentially cause breast cancer cell proliferation. However, this has not been demonstrated in humans.
In fact, eating lots of soybeans is very good for your health. Richard says: ‘Eating one to two servings of soy products such as tofu or edamame each day can support your digestive and muscular systems, as soy contains high levels of protein and fibre. ” he added.
all fat is bad for you
This may be the oldest of all the nutrition myths on this list. For decades, fats in foods have been labeled as something we shouldn’t eat. Fear of fat spread around the world after saturated fats were linked to heart disease in the late 1940s. Many people go on a “fat-free” diet, cutting out not only bacon and other fatty meats, but also good fats like olive oil.
After a while, people realized that cutting out all the fat didn’t make much of a difference in their weight, and some even gained weight because they replaced fat with highly processed carbohydrates. Richard says, “Not all fats are the same, so if you want to cut out any, reduce your intake of saturated fat.” Instead, try consuming monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in avocados, cooking oils, nuts, and seeds.
Cutting carbs is the key to a healthy life
As with fat, there was and continues to be a trend toward low-carbohydrate diets to lose weight. “People think if they cut out carbs they’ll lose a lot of weight, but that’s not true. We need carbohydrates like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to provide us with fiber, protein, B vitamins, and more.” ” urges Richard. “The only carbohydrates to avoid are overly processed products such as sugary cereals and snack cakes.”
A gluten-free diet is healthy
Reducing your gluten intake may help with issues like inflammation, but being gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean you’re eating healthier than others. Many gluten-free alternatives are often highly processed and loaded with bulking ingredients.
‘To live a healthier gluten-free life, try baking your own wheat-free desserts instead of buying all the processed products from the store,’ advises Richard. “A gluten-free diet can be a healthy way to live if you cook your own meals and limit your intake of processed foods.”
