Let's Debunk a Few Food Myths
By Genevieve Smith
Nutritional advice hails from far and wide, from health gurus to beauty bloggers, but are you getting it twisted? There’s a ton of information to sift through when it comes to health science, due to anecdotal advice combined with the incentive to sell. The true key to a life of enriched nutrition is startlingly simple: Turn to whole foods in abundance and variety, and eat when hungry. That’s it. Let’s look into some nutrition myths that need a bit of debunking!
Myths to Toss
Myths are best left for storybooks. Despite that, they float around society, misguiding well-intentioned citizens. Let’s hear from a few nutritionists on what facts to tune into.
Multi-vitamins can’t fill in for nutritional deficiencies - What with grocery stores selling produce year-round thanks to a global market, it's easy in this modern world to stay on top of nutritional needs straight from the source. Unfortunately, supplements don’t contain the rich nutritional variety that a single vegetable does. From antioxidants to fiber, phytonutrients to enzymes, produce beats out supplements every time for the wide-ranging nutritional benefits. Plus, hard science is lacking on the effectiveness of the body’s absorption of vitamins, minerals and oils from supplements. Save your money and spend it on whole foods!
Caffeine does not cause dehydration - While this is commonly tossed around, scientific research doesn’t back it up. It is possible the anecdotal effects of those experiencing caffeine as a diuretic led to this misconception, but it does not actually have an effect on your hydration.
Skipping breakfast does not help you lose weight - The concept of skipping a meal to lose weight can backfire because it leads the body to ramp up signals of hunger. This can lead to overeating and less careful food choices in a clever biological process designed to get you to compensate for the calorie holdout. If you’re not a big breakfast person, strive for an 8-ounce glass of water, a fruit, and a handful of nuts to get the metabolism going at the start of the day.
Carbohydrates are not the enemy - Choosing processed foods consistently over whole foods is the problem. Carbohydrates are present in carrots, whole wheat flour, nectarines, and yogurt, to name a few. These foods provide vitamins, minerals, probiotics, fiber, and much more. They are your friend. Avoid processed white flour and white sugar products to stay ahead of the game.
Nutrition is one of those sticky subjects that gets packaged into beauty advice and commercial interests, making it one of the hardest scientific subjects to keep straight in the public. At the end of the day, eat a variety of unprocessed fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, meats, dairy products, nuts, seeds and wheat flour regularly and throughout the day for a solid, healthy lifestyle. If you’re ever feeling a bit murky on the subject, just think of the keywords “rainbow” and “moderation”! From there, the nutrition world is your oyster. Happy feasting!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Round Rock, Tex.