Nutrition myths

• The origins of the breakfast myth

  

  Much of the research suggesting that breakfast is absolutely crucial for health is funded by cereal makers. Companies like Kellogg, Quaker Oats and others whose businesses depend on people believing that breakfast = easy to eat cereal, sponsored studies that demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast on health and weight loss.

  Eating breakfast is not a good weight loss strategy, scientists confirm

• Breakfast and weight loss/gain

  

  There’s no clear evidence that breakfast consumption promotes weight loss or that skipping breakfast leads to weight gain.  It might actually be a bad strategy for weight loss, because eating breakfasts means taking in a higher number of calories/day.

  Eating breakfast is not a good weight loss strategy, scientists confirm

• Fruit juice is not that healthy

  

  Fruit juice, even if it is freshly pressed, 100 percent juice, is little more than sugar water.  Whole fruit is healthy, and you might think that the juice coming from it must be healthy, too. But when you make juice, you leave some of the most wholesome parts of the fruit behind: Skin, seeds, membranes.

  Perspective | People think juice is good for them. They're wrong.

• Feeling full

  

  You might feel full immediately after drinking a glass of juice or a fresh smoothie, but that sensation goes away quickly as the liquid quickly empties out of your stomach. When you drink your calories instead of eating them, your brain doesn’t get the same “I’m full” signal that it does from solid food, even though you wind up consuming far more calories in the process. 

  Perspective | People think juice is good for them. They're wrong.

• The health halo of breakfast

  

  ...is not backed up by research. It is possible for breakfast to have health benefits, especially for some groups (growing children and athletes), but there’s not a lot of good evidence behind those benefits.

  Eating breakfast is not a good weight loss strategy, scientists confirm

• Recommended breakfast foods

  

  If you’re going to eat breakfast, seek out foods that give you the vitamins and nutrients you need to stay healthy, like fruits, vegetables, fiber-rich cereals, and eggs. Avoid desserts masquerading as breakfast, like high-sugar granola or yogurt.

  Eating breakfast is not a good weight loss strategy, scientists confirm

• Celery is healthy, but it's not a miracle cure

  

  Phytochemicals in celery can help reduce blood pressure and inflammation, as well as fight against oxidative stress. You can reap these benefits from celery whether you eat it whole or juice it.  If don't enjoy this trend, just aim to add more greens in any form to your plate. It will bring similar benefits.

  Celery Juice: Healthy or Hype?

• Celery juice lacks fiber

  

  When celery is juiced, the fiber is removed, and fiber provides a wealth of benefits, including sparking weight loss, helping to balance blood sugar levels, and more.

  Celery Juice: Healthy or Hype?

• No clear benefits of coconut oil

  

  There are many claims being made about coconut oil being some kind of superfood, wonderful for lots of different things, but we really don't have any evidence of long-term health benefits.

  Coconut oil: The facts behind 'pure poison' claim

• Better on skin that in your food

  Health organizations tend to discourage the use of coconut oil. The American Heart Association says it's better on your skin than in your food, and it recommends that no more than 5% or 6% of your daily calories come from saturated on - 13 grams per day. 

  Coconut oil: The facts behind 'pure poison' claim

• Limiting coconut oil use

  You don't have to absolutely avoid coconut oil, but rather limit the use of it or replace it. The American Heart Association advocates replacing coconut oil with "healthy fats" such as polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, like those found in canola and olive oils, avocados and fatty fish.

  Coconut oil: The facts behind 'pure poison' claim

• Coconut oil and cholesterol

  

  In relation to cholesterol:  Coconut oil increases LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, which has been associated with increased risk of heart disease. Coconut oil also raises HDL, the "good" cholesterol, especially when replacing carbohydrates in the diet.

  Coconut oil: The facts behind 'pure poison' claim

• Coconut oil is calorie-dense

  

  It is more than 80% saturated fat. And just one tablespoon has 120 calories.  About the same as a large apple or four cups of air-popped popcorn. This means that consuming large amounts without reducing other calorie sources can lead to weight gain.

  Coconut oil: The facts behind 'pure poison' claim

• Suppliments don't replace a healty diet

  

  Supplements are never a substitute for a balanced, healthful diet . And they can be a distraction from healthy lifestyle practices that confer much greater benefits."

  Do you need a daily supplement?

• Organic junk food is still junk food

  

  From a macronutrient perspective, organic junk foods are often identical to their conventional counterparts.  They tend to be equally high in sugar and low in protein and fiber, which makes food less satiating and more likely to cause health problems long term.

  Organic Snacks Aren't Necessarily Healthier Than Junk Food

• Organic isn't always healthy

  

  Many organic brands tend to cater to a health-conscious crowd, meaning they’ll often use less processing or healthier ingredients to appeal to their consumers. But the organic label alone does not guarantee this.

  Organic Snacks Aren't Necessarily Healthier Than Junk Food

• Perceptions around natural vs. synthetic medicine

  

  A lot of people believe that when it comes to medicine, “natural” is better, healthier, and safer than “unnatural” or synthetic drugs. People belief that nature is pure and inherently superior to humans. And these beliefs, or biases, affect the decisions people make about their health.

  Natural Doesn't Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better

• The “health halo” effect

  

  It refers to a scientifically researched phenomenonin which certain claims, such as “low fat” or “made with organic ingredients” can lead us to assume a food is healthier or lower in calories. 

  Organic Snacks Aren't Necessarily Healthier Than Junk Food

• Checking the labels

  

  In general, a lengthy list of ingredients means a food’s been highly processed, especially if it contains refined sweeteners or additives like soy lecithin, glycerin or guar gum. Manufacturers can use synthetic fibers or other nutrients to boost their nutrition label, the ingredient list can better clue us in.

  Organic Snacks Aren't Necessarily Healthier Than Junk Food

• Big business, little evidence

  

  More than 90,000 products generate about $30 billion every year in the United States.  But even though supplements are popular, there is limited evidence that they offer any significant health benefits - the health benefits are negligible or nonexistent for the average, healthy person.

  Do you need a daily supplement?

• Natural doesn't mean effective

  Some dietary and herbal supplements have failed to show a benefit when scientists have studied them.  For example, several major studies of the herb Echinacea did not find evidence of benefit against the common cold. 

  Natural Doesn't Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better

• Dietary supplements

  

  This is about an umbrella term that includes everything from vitamins and minerals to botanicals and biosimilar products.   For the most part, though, people use "supplement" to mean an individual vitamin or mineral preparation or a multivitamin. 

  Do you need a daily supplement?

• Natural doesn't mean safe

  Natural medicines, contrary to what many may think, are not without side effects. Some can even have serious safety concerns. Natural medicines such as herbal and dietary supplements and vitamins are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

  Natural Doesn't Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better

• Why people take supplements

  

  People often think of them as something extra they can do to be sure their basic nutritional needs are covered.  There's also a possible placebo effect  when taking supplements: People feel healthier if they do something they believe makes them healthy.

  Do you need a daily supplement?

• When supplements bring benefits

  

  Supplements prescribed by a doctor are helpful for people with certain medical issues.  Supplements can play an important role in some high-risk groups: adults diagnosed with osteoporosis, people with Crohn's disease or celiac disease, people with vitamin B12 deficiency, etc. Otherwise, it's best to get your vitamins and minerals from food and not a pill.

  Do you need a daily supplement?

• Healthy Dark Chocolate=the creation of Mars corporation

  

  Mars Inc. - the company that has brought us M&M's or Snickers - sponsored 140 peer-reviewed scientific papers starting from the 80s. Mars controlled the research agenda and only funded the positive research, to push chocolate bars as nutritious. 

  Dark chocolate is now a health food. Here's how that happened.

• There is no "best diet"

  

  The “best” diet is a theme: an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and plain water for thirst.  That can be with or without seafood; with or without dairy; with or without eggs; with or without some meat; high or low in total fat.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Cocoa has never been proven to be good for your health

  

  The biggest health claim is that cocoa lowers blood pressure, but no study has proven that it reduces the risk of heart disease or attacks. And considering the added sugars it probably does more harm than good. 

  Dark chocolate is now a health food. Here's how that happened.

• Best foods don’t have labels

  

  Because they are just one ingredient: avocado, lentils, blueberries, broccoli, almonds, etc.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• The "Age" of vegetables

  

  The best vegetables are likely to be fresh and locally sourced, but flash frozen is nearly as good (as freezing delays aging). Those “fresh” vegetables that spend a long time in storage or transit are probably the least nutritious.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Power bars

  

  ...are closer to junk food than they are to real food.   Many power bars have nutritional profiles similar to Snickers.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Orthorexia

  

  It is a serious eating disorder , manifesting as an obsession with consuming only foods that are healthy, pure and perfect.

  Why we fell for clean eating

• Clean eating and its rise in popularity

  “Clean eating” established itself as a challenge to mainstream ways of eating. It's perhaps best seen as a dream of purity in a toxic world.  Powered by social media, it has been more absolutist in its claims and more popular in its reach than any previous school of modern nutrition advice.

  Why we fell for clean eating

• "Pure" food

  

  Clean eating is about ingesting nothing but “whole” or “unprocessed” foods.  It has quickly become more of a belief system, which propagates the idea that the way most people eat is not simply fattening, but impure.

  Why we fell for clean eating

• Clean eating backlash

  

  Clean eating has been attacked by critics as being a form of body fascism. Others have pointed out that, as a method of healthy eating, it’s founded on bad science: for example, the coconut oil beloved as a panacea by clean eaters actually has no known offsetting favorable effects, and consuming it could result in higher LDL cholesterol.

  Why we fell for clean eating

• Clean eating and post-truth

  Clean eating shows few signs of dying and one possible explanation is offered by Hadley Freeman, who identified clean eating as part of a post-truth culture, whose adherents are impervious, or even hostile, to facts and experts. It’s impossible to avoid the trend altogether because it changed the foods available to all of us, and the way they are spoken of. 

  Why we fell for clean eating

• #eatclean trend consequences

  

  From 2009 to 2014, the number of Americans who actively avoided gluten, despite not suffering from coeliac disease, more than tripled.   It also became fashionable to drink a whole pantheon of non-dairy milk, ranging from oat milk to almond milk. 

  Why we fell for clean eating

• Clean eating is not entirely false

  

  ....because it's right to say that we should eat more vegetables, less refined sugar and less meat. 

  Why we fell for clean eating

• “Everything in moderation” is risky advice

  

  Because the word “moderation” is vague and that makes it a friendly, big-tent kind of concept: however much you eat, you can find a way of convincing yourself that you eat in moderation.

  "Everything in Moderation" Is a Terrible Rule to Eat By

• Moderation should be a tool...

  

  ... for sticking to healthy diets easier.   Nutritionists mean by moderation small portions , especially when talking about food that we should not eat. This means that eating a little bit of bad food doesn't have to ruin your diet or make you feel guilty and give up.

  "Everything in Moderation" Is a Terrible Rule to Eat By

• Big companies and “moderation”

  

  Junk food companies love the concept of “moderation”. Some of them (e.g. the Sugar Association, Snack Food, and Grocery Manufacturers Associations, with members as Coca-Cola and Hershey), adopted the motto: “All foods fit in a balanced diet", to give the illusion that your diet is not unhealthy if it includes their foods.

  "Everything in Moderation" Is a Terrible Rule to Eat By

• The word "detox" is used in 2 different ways:

  

  Medical detoxification programmes that help people with a serious alcohol or drug problems to get clean. Home detox diet marketed to us with promises to rid our bodies of “toxins”. There are no suficient findings to support its benefits in the long term, but people still find it appealing.

  Can detoxing help your gut health?

• Our body has its own detoxing mechanism

  

  Your body is constantly detoxing itself without special teas, juices or diets.  You can help it to do its job by eating a healthily diet, drinking water, taking regular exercise and getting the sleep you need. 

  Can detoxing help your gut health?

• Use detox as a metaphor...

  

  ... for changing old habits. Perhaps we should think of a detox as more of a new start, a metaphor for shedding your old habits, rather than something that flushes impurities from your gut and your organs. 

  Can detoxing help your gut health?

• Detoxing and Cleansing are Myths

  The body detoxifies itself daily ; that’s a primary job of the liver and the kidneys, and they are really good at it. The intestines, spleen, and immune system are in on it, too.  Take good care of your liver and kidneys, gut, and immune system. Far better “cleanse” than any juice.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Ketogenic diet

  A diet that starves the body of glucose sources so that it’s forced to burn ketone bodies — products of fat metabolism — as fuel. There is not a lot of evidence to show prolonged ketosis is good for health. 

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

  

  Highly processed grains and added sugar are bad because they’ve been robbed of nutrients , they raise insulin levels, and they’re often high in added fats. But most plant foods are mostly carbohydrates : vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds, which are quite healthy.  In conclusion: Carbs are not evil; junk food is evil.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Gluten intolerance

  Only 10% of people have problems with tolerating gluten.  About one percent of people have celiac disease, and perhaps 10 percent have lesser forms of sensitivity, which may be related to other factors, like a disrupted microbiome. 

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• To lose weight: diet>exercise

  It's much easier to outeat running than to outrun all of the tempting calories that modern marketing encourages us to cram in. Both diet and exercise are important to health, and exercise is important in weight maintenance. But to lose weight, the preferential focus needs to be on controlling calories in, more than calories out.

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• There are no superfoods

  No single food, separate from the overall quality and pattern of diet, exerts a major health effect. 

  The Last Conversation You'll Ever Need to Have About Eating Right

• Quality and price

  

  Higher price doesn’t really mean higher quality. The higher price does not just reflect the added cost of organic agriculture techniques. Also, people will pay more for the label, often without knowing what it means. “Organic” has essentially become another way of saying “luxury.”

  Buying organic veggies at the supermarket is a waste of money

• Organic food and the environment

  

  Organic produce is not necessarily better for the environment. Many organic farmers, especially the large ones, don’t skip pesticides and fertilizers, they just use natural options, which are hardly risk-free.

  Buying organic veggies at the supermarket is a waste of money

• Organic vs. conventional foods

  

  Any additional nutritional benefits from organic produce, compared with conventional, are very small. Ultimately, if you want more nutrients, eat more vegetables, organic or not.

  Buying organic veggies at the supermarket is a waste of money