We are currently bombarded with healthy eating advice from everywhere. However, the truth is that no one knows your body and system better than you do. Additionally, keeping up with the latest food trends can be a bit exhausting and costly.
Here are some common misconceptions about healthy eating:
Eating fat makes us fat
Our body actually needs fat every day. Since fat affects flavor, many low-fat products, such as coffee creamers and yogurts, add extra sugar to make them tasty. Additionally, fat helps you feel full, so when you reach for low-fat ice cream, you may end up eating more than if you simply chose the regular version. Don’t exclude healthy foods like olive oil, fish, avocado, and nuts.
You need a juicer
Drinking fresh juice is definitely not as beneficial as consuming whole fruits and vegetables. This is because when you juice fruits and vegetables, you strip them of their fiber. Fruit juice also contains much more sugar than whole fruit. To fill one glass of fresh orange juice, you’ll need three or four oranges. And most people wouldn’t eat that many fruits at once.
Coconut oil is a health food
Coconut oil is a fat, just like butter or olive oil, and it also contains saturated fats that can clog arteries. There are no studies confirming the health benefits of coconut oil, so you might want to stop spooning it into your coffee. You wouldn’t eat a spoonful of butter, would you?
However, coconut oil is useful in the kitchen as a vegan substitute for butter. Nevertheless, this issue remains controversial. Some studies have shown that trans fats, rather than saturated fats, are the real problem when it comes to clogging arteries. Still, diets high in saturated fats lead to higher mortality rates, so there are likely better ways to get healthy fats.
Gluten-free products are healthier
Gluten-free products are everywhere, but most people should not eliminate gluten. Avoiding gluten is really only necessary for people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. If we don’t have this issue, our bodies know how to process gluten because it is naturally present in foods.
Gluten-free products are often made from refined flour, which is low in nutrients. Additionally, gluten-free products often have more fat and sugar added to compensate for taste and texture issues. Whole grain bread and pasta are part of a healthy diet, and unless there are medical reasons, there’s no need to seek out gluten-free products.
Your smoothie needs protein powder
We know that protein is vital for keeping you full throughout the day. If you’re trying to lose a few pounds, a simple salad for lunch won’t cut it—you’ll need chicken breast or chickpeas to feel satisfied. Still, experts advise against obsessing over protein products. People generally get enough protein if they stick to a normal balanced diet.
Protein cookies, protein cereals, protein pancakes—they really aren’t necessary. If you feel like you’re lacking protein, eat yogurt. There’s no need to add protein powder to everything. The usefulness of protein bars is also a myth. Many of them are just candy with protein powder, so read the labels. If they contain more than 15 grams of sugar, you’re really just eating candy.
All carbohydrates are harmful
Our bodies need carbohydrates to survive, so every expert recommends healthy carbohydrate consumption throughout the day. Carbohydrates are a source of fuel for our bodies, as well as a good source of fiber and many vitamins. Instead of avoiding all carbohydrates, focus on whole grains, beans, and fruits, and limit refined carbohydrates.
Egg whites are healthier than whole eggs
People often think it’s healthier to avoid egg yolks and eat only the whites. However, this is not true, as the cholesterol in the food we eat does not contribute to raising cholesterol levels in our blood. Most vitamins and minerals are found in the yolk, including vitamins A, D, E, K, B12, B6, choline, and selenium. In fact, whole eggs can raise good cholesterol levels and are beneficial for your health. Eating eggs has little effect on the risk of developing heart disease or stroke.
Low-calorie diets help with weight loss
If you want to lose weight, you just need to eat less and exercise more, right? Many people have succeeded by tracking their calorie intake, but don’t go to extremes. Eating low-calorie foods actually slows down your metabolism, putting your body into starvation mode. It will then hold onto all the calories you consume, which actually slows weight loss. It’s better to eat healthy foods in small portions every three to four hours. This will keep your metabolism active and prevent overeating later.
Agave syrup is a harmless sweetener
You may have come across advice on how to add a sweetener like agave syrup to your food in place of white sugar. However, it turns out that agave is not as natural as it seems. Agave nectar is a heavily processed syrup that is 1.5 times sweeter and actually more caloric than regular table sugar. It is primarily fructose. Since our bodies cannot use fructose for energy, they store it in the liver for later.
When fructose is consumed in large amounts and the liver can no longer store it, it converts the excess fructose into fat, triglycerides, and very low-density lipoproteins, which can lead to fatty liver, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance, all of which increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The best natural sweeteners are raw honey, stevia, and pureed dates.
