I used to think I had a good idea of what was healthy and what was not, but it turns out a lot of it was wrong. There is so much confusing advice out there, and many popular health claims are not based on facts. From fruit-only diets to sugar-free snacks, some of the most common beliefs are actually myths. In this article, I am taking a closer look at the health food ideas many of us still believe. You might be surprised by what is true and what needs to be questioned.
Note: The content of this article does not reflect the Writer’s personal beliefs, nor is it medical advice.
Healthy is expensive
We’ve all heard that following a healthy regimen is expensive. But is it really?
As surprising as it sounds, healthy food isn’t expensive at all. In fact, it’s much cheaper than what we usually eat.
Of course, jumping on the healthy bandwagon is a little expensive in the beginning, but as we progress, it’s much easier to manage than spending 20 bucks daily on a meal. You just need to know what to buy.
Miracle berries work
Miracle berries were all the rage a while ago because they make everything sour, taste sweet, and are extremely healthy. People began taking mberry tablets or miracle berries just to manage conditions like diabetes or stress.
However, while the miracle berry is a great fruit, there’s no comprehensive proof that it really is a miracle for the body. It may help some conditions, but there’s no such suggestion that it is the sole treatment for something.
Eating fruits is good
Yes, eating fruits is a good thing, but an all-fruit diet can be very dangerous. In fact, many people have suffered from eating a strictly fruit diet because while they’re bulking up on fiber and fruit-related minerals, they lack carbs and fats.
Fruits are only good for us if we pair them with other healthy foods. Eating fruit solely may be deadly.
All fat is bad
Contrary to popular belief, eating a high-fat diet doesn’t mean you’ll become fat. Yes, some sort of fat can contribute to weight to a small extent, but it’s only if you mismanage your diet.
Eating fat can be healthy; in fact, many surgery patients eat fat because it helps them heal and brings them onto the healthy track faster than anything else.
Carbs make you fat
After keto overtook the world, it seems like no one is willing to eat carbs because they are fattening. Our body relies on carbs for energy; without them, we literally wouldn’t be able to function. Cutting off carbs can make us weaker and sicker, which we perceive as losing weight, prompting even unhealthier subtraction of the nutrient.
Carbs are actually healthy for us, but only if we properly manage our diet. Skipping carbs does more harm than good.
Gluten is bad for you
Many people are skipping gluten because they believe gluten is bad for them. But that’s not the truth.
Yes, we don’t need gluten to survive, per se, but that doesn’t mean it’s not positively contributing to our health. Gluten is full of antioxidants and particular nutrients and vitamins that we need.
We mustn't skip gluten unless we have an allergy because otherwise, we would be depriving our body of an essential element.
Some forms of sugar are healthier than others
We know that one person skips white sugar and reaches for brown sugar instead. Many of us also believe eating jaggery and unrefined sugar is healthier than the little blocks.
But that’s not true. Sugar is sugar, be it refined or not.
Yes, it’s best to keep our sugar intake to a healthy low, but entirely cutting it off or overeating one form is unhealthy.
Canned food isn’t nutritious
Unlike popular belief, canned food can be nutritious.
Yes, canned food contains many preservatives and additives. But most of them work with the food, not against it. The food still retains the nutrients it had before being canned.
Plant-based milk is healthier
We understand that many people opt for plant-based products because of personal preferences. But claiming they are healthier isn’t true because, according to most research, plant-based milk has a lower concentration of vitamin D, protein, and calcium.
Of course, we can still opt for plant-based milk if we want, but it’s not nutritionally healthier than cow’s or goat’s milk.
Plant-based protein is incomplete
While plant-based milk might lack a few nutrients, it doesn’t mean every plant-based food does too. Plant-based meat may not compete in terms of flavor, but it isn’t incomplete either.
Plant-based protein can be as nutritious and fulfilling as animal-based protein.
Organic is best
We’ve all been roped in to buy organic fruits and vegetables because they’re healthier. Well, that’s a sham.
Yes, organic food is healthy, but we never know if what we’re eating is 100% organic. We only have the seller’s words to support it, and they’re not always truthful.
Similarly, there’s no conclusive research that suggests organic food is inherently more nutritious than otherwise fresh food.
Fresh is better than processed
Organic food is a plus, but believing all processed food is bad is silly.
The terminology ‘processed’ describes foods that have been changed in some way from their natural state eg. canning, freezing, and drying are all food processing techniques. It is close to impossible to avoid frozen vegetables in certain climates, and we should not demonize them.
Eating Less is Best
Eating less food is not a guaranteed way to lose weight. Many diets encourage people to eat only once a day or reduce calories extremely to shed pounds. While this may help you lose weight temporarily, eating is not a healthy way.
Most nutritionists agree that eating healthy, whole foods in moderation is the best way to maintain a healthy weight. You need to eat food! Do not starve your body.
Sugar-Free Is Healthy
This myth is completely false. In fact, sugar-free foods can be quite harmful to your health. Most sugar-free foods have had the sugar removed and then replaced with an artificial sweetener. Those artificial sweeteners have been shown to cause cancer and other major diseases.
Foods that are naturally low in sugar are great (think dark chocolate), but sugar-free foods should not be eaten often.
Chocolate is Good For You
We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but eating a lot of chocolate is not good for you, no matter how you look at it. Chocolate is full of sugar, and eating a diet high in sugar is going to cause long-term health issues.
When experts claim chocolate is beneficial, they look at pure, unsweetened chocolate. Yes, that bitter-tasting, super-strong dark chocolate does have lots of antioxidants and nutrients. But the stuff you get in the candy section of the grocery store is not the same and is not good.
Yogurt is a Healthy Food
Yogurt is good for your gut health. It is full of probiotics that will help you stay healthy, and this is true to an extent. Plain, unflavored, unsweetened yogurt is good for you.
But the second you reach for a flavored yogurt, you are out of luck. Flavored yogurts contain a lot of sugars, additives, and fake, artificial ingredients that negate yogurt's positive effects. They will leave you feeling hungry, unsatisfied, and full of unnecessary carbs.
Eat plain yogurt if you want to be healthy. Otherwise, skip it completely.
Remove All Toxins with a Detox Diet
Detox diets are all the rage right now. Many detox diet products on the market claim they will help eliminate all the bad things from your body. However, you really don't need to buy some expensive diet supplement to cleanse your system.
Simply focus on eating whole, real foods that are not processed. Also, drink lots and lots of water. This alone will help you detox and start fresh.
Don't Eat After 7 pm
Many people think that eating later in the day is very unhealthy. However, this is simply not true. It is okay to eat food at any time of the day. You need to consider what foods you are eating and why.
You can have a few grapes before bed, but eating an entire pizza before bed may be a bad idea. Eat healthy, lighter foods if you are hungry at night. Also, think about why you are hungry and try to fix the source of the late-night snack issue. Did you not eat enough during the day, or are you just bored at night and snacking as an activity?
The bottom line is to think about the food and not the clock.
Eat Fat-Burning Foods to Lose Wight
You may have heard that eating grapefruit, celery or cayenne pepper will burn fat. Unfortunately there are no fat burning foods. These foods also will not increase your metabolism enough to lose any significant weight. There are no miracle foods when it comes to weight loss and that is a sad fact we need to accept.
This article was first published at Spatula Desserts.
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