Busting Nutrition Myths

There are plenty of nutrition myths that we have all believed at one point. However, it is time to finally put an end to these nutrition myths once and for all.

1. You should eat Low fat

The low-fat diet became popular in the 1960's and 1970's. The low-fat approach became an ideology, and all health practitioners, the government, the food industry and media were all advising it.

It was thought that the fat we were eating caused people to become fat. However, fat is not bad, and the fat you eat is not the fat that you wear. Secondly, many of these low-fat products are high in sugar. The food industry has to include an element of flavour and taste to these low-fat products otherwise they would not sell.

1. Carbohydrates make you fat

A new craze came about in the 1990's calling out carbohydrates as the 'evil' food. Making people switch from low-fat to low carb.

However, carbs do not make you fat. It is important to point out that carbohydrates are not created equally. What this means is that while carbs are not bad for you and they do not make you fat, there is always a better option and that moderation is key.

There are two types of carbohydrates simple carbs and complex carbs. Simple carbs are broken down quickly in the body and therefore increases your blood sugar and in turn, spikes your insulin. However, on the other hand, complex carbs are broken down slower, due to their fibre content and energy is released slowly throughout the diet. Therefore there is not an increase in blood sugar levels and insulin.

1. Cows milk is the only source of calcium

There are plenty of other great sources of calcium, including; tofu, nuts, white beans, black-eyed peas, oranges green leafy vegetables – such as broccoli, kale, okra. Fish- such as sardines.

1. A snack bar which is “high protein” or “gluten-free” means it's healthy.

These bars are often just as processed, full of sugar and other ingredients you don't even know or can pronounce.

1. Detox Teas cleanse your body

Our bodies are designed to do that by themselves. The liver, kidneys and spleen are 3 organs in the body which work to detoxify the body from toxins.

1. Fruit should be avoided

No, fruit contains many vital vitamins and minerals that are important for our health. Just because fruit is high in sugar does not mean it is bad for you.

1. You need to eat protein 30 mins after working out.

This was a common belief for a long time. However, it soon became a myth. Your body will not go anabolic just because it did not get protein 30 minutes after working out. Simply make sure you consume an adequate amount of protein throughout the whole day.

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Author Despina, owner of PCOS and Nutrition

pcosandnutrition.com is an educational, informative and motivational website. The main focus of the website is for women who suffer from PCOS. The blog is dedicated to offering information on how women can heal their body and how PCOS can be managed. The content is full of information on nutrition for women with PCOS, to an array of recipes that are healthy and PCOS friendly but also motivational and inspirational posts. However, the website also offers further educational information on other health and fitness topics that are beneficial for anybody and everybody that is interested or looking to understand and learn about nutrition.