10 Diet & Nutrition Myths Debunked

by fantasyhealthball

10 Diet & Nutrition Myths Debunked

Article by Gloria Tsang

10 Diet & Nutrition Myths Debunked

1. Sugar Causes DiabetesThe most common nutrition myth is probably that sugar causes diabetes. If you have diabetes, you do need to watch your sugar and carbohydrate intake, with the help of your Registered Dietitian, to properly manage your blood sugar level. However, if you do not have diabetes, sugar intake will not cause you to develop the disease. The main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are a diet high in calories, being overweight, and an inactive lifestyle.

2. All Fats are badIt’s a long-held nutrition myth that all fats are bad. But the fact is, we all need fat. Fats aid nutrient absorption and nerve transmission, and they help to maintain cell membrane integrity – to name just a few of their useful purposes. However, when consumed in excessive amounts, fats contribute to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancers.

3.Brown Sugar is better than White SugarThe brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. Yes, brown sugar contains minute amounts of minerals. But unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely insignificant. The idea that brown and white sugar have big differences is another common nutrition myth.

4.Brown Eggs are more nutritious than White EggsContrary to a widely believed nutrition myth, eggshell color has nothing to do with the quality, flavor, nutritive value, cooking characteristics, or shell thickness of an egg. The eggshell color only depends upon the breed of the hen.

5. Avoid seafood to lower blood cholesterolI still can’t believe it, but I heard this nutrition myth from my own doctor! In fact, the dietary cholesterol found in seafood and other meats has little effect on blood cholesterol in most people. Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most important factors that raise blood cholesterol.

6.Avoid carbohydrate to lose weightThe key message that many low-carb diets convey is that carbohydrates promote insulin production, which in turn results in weight gain. Therefore by reducing carbohydrate intake, you can lose weight. Unfortunately, this is just another nutrition myth.

7. Avoid nuts as they are fatteningYes, it’s true that nuts are quite calorically dense. Fifteen cashews, for instance, deliver 180 kilocaleries! On top of that, it is very tough not to overeat these tasty snacks. But if you can restrain yourself from overeating them, nuts can be a part of a healthy diet.

8. Eating for 2 is necessary during pregnancyEnergy requirements vary among individuals. Unfortunately, the idea that pregnancy is an ice cream free-for-all is a nutrition myth. It is generally recommended that pregnant women increase their daily intake by 100 kcal in the first trimester and 300 kcal in the second and third trimesters. An extra snack before bedtime consisting of a fruit, a serving of milk or yogurt, and a few biscuits is often enough.

9. Skipping meals can help lose weightMany people think that by skipping a meal, they will be eating less food and therefore lose weight. As we now know, this is a nutrition myth. People who think skipping meals means weight loss do not understand how our bodies work.

If you skip a meal, your body will think that you are in starvation mode and therefore slow down the metabolism to compensate. You then tend to overeat at the next meal. Often, skipping a meal and then eating too much at the next one means that you have a higher total caloric intake than if you just ate more frequently throughout the day. A better approach is to eat smaller frequent healthy meals and snacks to keep your blood sugar balanced.

10. Red meat is bad for healthI often hear people saying that they do not eat red meat. When I ask why they don’t, or even what they consider to be red meat, the answers vary dramatically.

It is a nutrition myth, however, that red meat is altogether bad for your health. Instead of excluding red meats, choose leaner cuts of beef and pork. For beef, choose eye of round, top round roast, top sirloin and flank; for pork, choose tenderloin and loin chops.

About the Author

Gloria Tsang is a successful author. Visit http://latest-beauty-tips.com/ to read more articles from Gloria Tsang.

This YouTube video shows the veterinarian designed iPhone application, Doggie Dietitian, which allows a dog owner, Vet or Vet support staff to determine if a dog is overweight, or underweight based on its breed, target weight and activity levels and then make recommendations as to how to correct the dogs diet. One simply enters their dog’s weight, breed, current diet and activity level. The application then calculates whether or not the dog is being under or over fed and makes recommendations as how to modify the dogs diet to achieve the target weight for the animal. The application also provides a list of toxic foods to avoid feeding your dog. The application has hundreds of dog breeds in its breed database and thousands of food items in its food database, sorted by dry, canned, raw food, dog treats and even people food. If one’s breed or food is not in the application database, there is a feedback page to request that the databases be updated. Currently, Doggie Dietitian is available at the iPhone App Store for .99 and can be purchased at: iTunes.com