A registered dietitian nutritionist helps debunk 10 myths so you can feel more confident regarding your nutrition.
Nutrition Q&A
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: As a woman in my 40s, I've experienced a wide variety of diet fads come and go. One week I read it’s bad to eat carbs. The next week, it’s full-fat dairy products. I’ve seen articles that say I should only eat between certain hours of the day. There is a lot of contradictory information. How do I distinguish between nutrition myth and fact?
ANSWER: Among the sea of information about nutrition is a tide of inaccuracies. It can seem challenging to know what is good for you.
Here are 10 nutrition myths debunked:
3. Use unrefined sugars, such as honey, maple syrup or coconut sugar in place of white table sugar.
Sugar is sugar.
Although unrefined sugar options may contain a small number of vitamins and minerals, the advantage is minimal. They are still considered added sugar and contribute to the recommended daily limit on added sugar in the diet.
6. A detox diet will clean toxins out of the body.
There’s little evidence that dietary cleanses do any of the things they promise.
The fact is you don't need to purchase a product to cleanse your body. Your liver, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract do a good job of detoxing it every day. If you're looking to rejuvenate your body, focus on eating more whole foods, drinking water and removing highly processed foods from your diet.
4. Full-fat products equal weight gain.
The fat-free and low-fat diet trend is a thing of the past — the ’80s and ’90s to be exact. Yet, some people are still scared of fat.
This shouldn't be the case, as fat has beneficial functions, like protecting our organs, maintaining cell membranes, promoting growth and development, and absorbing essential vitamins. Be aware that fats aren't created equal, though. Choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats, such as olive and canola oil, nuts, nut butters, and avocados over those that are high in saturated and transfats, such as fatty meats and high-fat dairy products.
Diets high in fat, sugar and processed foods are associated with higher calorie intake, poorer memory and lower cognitive function.
The types of microbes residing in your gut can affect your mental and physical health. Home microbiome tests promise to help consumers improve the composition of their gut microbes.
