Nutrition Myths that Must Be Put To Death

You can find healthy eating & advice on every corner. That doesn’t mean it’s good advice, though. Nutrition research can be confusing, and it’s always changing. Throw in the sensationalistic headlines and the rate at which information is spread, and it’s no wonder the nutrition tips or suggestions you get from your friend are unsound. Best-case scenario, following bad advice means you unnecessarily avoid your favorite foods. Worst-case, you end up choosing the unhealthier option all while thinking you’re making a better choice. Here are 2 myths about healthy eating that especially need to die. MYTH #3: NATURAL SUGAR IS DIFFERENT FROM ADDED SUGAR Sugar is sugar is sugar. On a molecular level, the sugar in an apple is the same as the sugar you spoon into your coffee cup. There can be a difference in how our bodies break down the sugar when it’s combined with other nutrients like fiber and protein, but simply being natural doesn’t cut it. Sugar in a whole fruit comes with fiber and helps slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes (this is optimal). That’s better than sugar that comes void of other nutrients. But when you squeeze out the juice (yes, juice is full of sugar & void of nutrients) and drink it, or eat maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey, your body reacts the same way it would to table sugar or the sugar in a Coke! MYTH #4: ORGANIC FOOD IS AUTOMATICALLY HEALTHY The word “organic” comes with a big health halo around it, like everything with the label is automatically good for you. The truth is that organic snacks are still snacks. Eating them in excess isn’t suddenly OK because they meet the requirements for an organic label. Organic chocolate syrup is still chocolate syrup. Organic cookies, crackers, chips, and candies have the same amount of sugar, fat, and empty calories as non-organic versions. When it comes to produce, choosing organic versions of the “dirty dozen”—the foods that typically have the highest amount of pesticides on them—is a good way to cut back on chemical exposure. But even conventionally grown produce is still safe to eat, since it’s monitored to ensure pesticide residue stays below a certain limit. So in reality, you're only paying higher price for equal type of junk food. Best simple nutrition advice, eat food at its natural source & watch its portion size, use fruits as sweetners in foods (oatmeat, plain yogurts, baking), skip sugars by opting for stevia (natural plant thats sweet w/o calories that doesnt cause any glycemic impact... don't get fooled by labels by reading ingredients to watch out for empty sugars and fats.