There are three food myths that you need to ditch right now. All three and damaging and do not have any place within your mindset while you are on your journey to be the healthiest and fittest version on yourself.
The diet industry has been telling us what to eat and what foods to ditch for years. While you’d like to think that for the most part they have our best interests at heart, there are trends that have broke out over the years that just hang around but are NOT true. Here the three that need to go straight into the bin.
Food myth #1
Carbs are bad.
Wrong. Wrong. And more wrong. Carbs are NOT bad for you! Did you know that your brain prefers carbs as fuel? Yes, it’s not just your muscles, your whole body needs carbs in order to run at its best.
The important thing to note here is the type of carbs. The ones you want to include more of are complex carbohydrates like fruit, veggies and whole grains. How can any sane person say that veggies are bad for you??? It’s just plain stupid. Carbs help you feel fuller for longer and naturally stimulate your metabolism. To read more about types of carbs, you can check out another post from my blog here.
Food myth #2
If I eat fat, I’ll get fat.
100% NOT TRUE. Just like carbs, there are healthy fats and then there are some not so great fats. The goal here is to limit your intake of trans fat (i.e, what hot chips are cooked in..) and increase your intake of healthy fats. Examples of healthy fats you can add to your diet include avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut oil, salmon, and olive oil. These fats help regulate your blood sugar, strengthen your immune system, raise good cholesterol, and improve nutrient absorption. If you’re looking to trim down, now is the time to add fat to your diet. Fats keep you FULL, they do not keep you fat!
Food myth #3
It’s better to eat low-calorie, sugar-free, or diet foods.
Eugh. This third food myth has become popular over the past 5yrs and it really grinds my gears. (I even followed this for a while, so I can say this with hand on heart). Many companies are creating low calorie, low fat, sugar free, reduced fat or diet products. What an absolute waste of nutrition.. The problem with these foods is that you are adding super high amounts of artificial sweeteners, sodium, and all kinds of chemicals to your body. These modified (keyword: MODIFIED) products are pumped full of chemicals to imitate the original flavor, making them difficult for your body to digest. So yes, that “diet” food may have zero calories – but does it have any nutritional value? Chances are, it has more use in a lab (the one where it’s made) than what your body is able to do with it.
Fun fact: Food companies actually have a scientifically proven “sweet point” that they make their product to. They will modify whatever they can to get it to match this point – which is a proven to please our palate and keep us wanting more. So if they are reducing fat, you can bet that they are increasing the sugar or even vice versa. I could go on a rant for so long about this one, but just know that calories should never be your sole determinant in your diet. Not all calories are created equal. Rather than reaching for the diet or modified foods, just treat yourself to the whole hog or simply opt for a healthy option. No need to go hungry or restrict yourself. Balance is key.
While these are only a few of the food myths currently floating around, hopefully this post helps you realize that not everything you’re seeing in advertisements is accurate. Opt to have a diet that’s filled with healthy whole foods, and you’ll be well on your way to optimal health – physically and mentally. Have you followed any of these food myths before like I have?
And what beliefs do you currently hold about the food you eat?
Are there any other food myths you want me to shed some light on? Let me know below…
Deanna