Some myths about food keep turning up like a bad penny. Despite scientific evidence to dispute their validity, nutritional misinformation persists. Here are the top 10 myths nutritionists would like to set straight:
1. Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than canned or frozen. While fresh is probably best especially in season, research shows that canned and frozen produce can make an excellent and cost-effective alternative. Just read the labels to ensure that sneaky ingredients like added sugar, saturated fats and sodium aren’t included.
2. All fat is bad. According to The New York Times, nutritionists say that while trans fats and saturated fats can increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases, healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats found in olive oil and avocados and polyunsaturated fats like those found in sunflower oils, walnuts, fish and flaxseeds, reduce your heart risks. Good fats help supply energy to the body and support cell function.
3. People with Type 2 diabetes shouldn’t eat fruit. This myth stems from comparing fruit juice with whole fruits. Fruit juice can raise blood sugar levels, while whole fruit — especially fruits like blueberries and apples — has fiber that can actually lower your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
4. Carbs are bad and should be avoided. Consuming high-fiber, unrefined carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes, fruit and vegetables is linked to a reduced risk of chronic disease, experts tell Everyday Health. Refined and ultra-processed carbohydrates ─ think Twinkies and other baked good ─ should be avoided.
5. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This controversial myth keeps rearing its head in scientific circles. “There’s nothing special about breakfast,” says Dr. David L. Katz, co-author of How to Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered. The first food you eat during the day is technically breakfast, but it doesn’t need to be early or include particular foods.
6. Snacking is bad for you. Katz says that snacking takes the edge off your hunger and can work for or against you depending on the foods you eat. He recommends apples, walnuts, bananas, carrots, hummus, and bean dip as choices for nutritious snacks. Skip highly processed vending machine foods that will spike and subsequently crash blood sugar levels.
7. The most important factor for long-term weight gain is “calories in, calories out.” While it’s true that if you consume more calories than you burn, you will probably gain weight. But this is just part of the picture. “Rather, it’s the foods we eat that may be the long-term drivers,” says Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a professor of nutrition and medicine at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Ultra-processed foods such a refined starchy snacks, cereals, energy bars, and baked goods, are especially harmful for weight gain. They are rapidly digested and flood the bloodstream with glucose, fructose and amino acids that are converted to fat by the liver. Count quality rather than calories to maintain healthy weight.
8. White potatoes are bad for you. While these spuds do have a high glycemic index, which means they contain rapidly digested carbohydrates that can spike blood sugar, they are rich in vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and other nutrients, especially when eaten with the skin. They are also readily accessible and inexpensive, says the Times. Stick to healthier preparation methods such as roasting, baking, boiling and air frying.
9. Eating soy-based foods increases the risk for breast cancer. So far, science does not indicate a link between consuming soy-based foods and breast cancer risk in humans, although studies have shown that high doses of plant estrogens in soy, called isoflavones, stimulate breast tumor cell growth in animals. Some experts say that consuming soy-based foods and drinks may even have a protective effect on breast cancer risk and survival. Examples are tofu, tempeh, edamame, miso, and soy milk.
10. Nutritional advice keeps changing. Not so much, notes Marion Nestle, a renowned food expert and professor at New York University. “In the 1950’s the first dietary recommendations for prevention of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and the like advised balancing calories and minimizing foods high in saturated fat, salt, and sugar,’ she says. “The current U.S. Dietary Guidelines urge the same.”