Even More About Nutrition

Here are some more myths about nutrition that you might find interesting.

Many of us are paying more to eat organic produce. However if you don’t eat organic, you’re not missing out. Some organic crops that are grown have been tested, and some have higher levels of vitamin C, a little bit more magnesium, some have high levels of antioxidants than conventionally-grown crops but most of them are not that nutritious. What IS important that you eat more fruits and veggies, no matter how they were farmed.

Another myth is that diet pop is better for you than regular pop. If you have to drink pop it’s better to drink diet pop, because you’re not getting the 10 teaspoons of sugar that come in a regular can. T he phosphoric acid in all colas can negatively affect bone density.

Another myth is that alcohol helps you sleep. Having a glass of wine in a bubble bath to relax before bed seems like a good idea, but don’t be surprised if you end up tossing and turning later in bed. Many studies have shown that using alcohol as a sleep aid will help you sleep soundly at first, but can lead to poor sleep quality, repeatedly waking up from your sleep, sometimes to nightmares. If you drink alcohol, try to keep it to the early evening and avoid going overboard.

Yet another lie I grew up with is that skipping meals can help you lose weight. This actually hurts your metabolism. The best way to chow down without packing on the pounds is to eat a balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner, with two snacks during the day if you can fit them in.

Another myth is that vegetarians are healthier than carnivores. you are a vegetarian that follows a well-balanced diet and you’re getting everything you need, certainly research does suggest that vegetarian populations do experience better health in terms of heart health, lower cancer rates and healthier weight. However any vegetarian that is not replacing the lost animal protein in his or her life will be unhealthier.

Another belief is that you have to take vitamins to stay healthy. Studies show us that most people do not even digest vitamin pills and we simply eliminate them whole from our bodies. Most people benefit from a Vitamin D supplement and maybe calcium if they are not getting enough nutrition from their diet. It is ALWAYS best to get the nutrition you need from food sources.

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Myths About Nutrition

When it comes to nutrition lots of us grew up with bad advice or downright lies about was it is good for us. We also are misinformed quite regularly by information from the internet.

The first myth I want to address is that fat makes you fat. While fat itself doesn’t create fat, “Fat, whether its margarine, olive oil, or butter, is a concentrated source of calories. If you eat a lot of fat in your diet, you’re going to consume a lot of calories, and yes, that can make you gain weight.”

Before you axe fat from your diet, note that all fats aren’t bad. Unsaturated fats, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, are essential for optimum health, and omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. You should bet twenty to thirty per cent of their daily calories from healthy fats, so choose wisely. No better way to make sure you keep a trim waist, especially after pregnancy.

Another myth is that wine lowers blood pressure. We were told that drinking wine every day can lower it. However drinking MORE than two glasses of wine a day can actually boost it.

Most of us believe that it is carbohydrates that make you fat. This is not quite true. I f you eat more than you need, whether it’s fat, carbohydrates, protein, you’ll store those extra calories as body fat, period.” If you’re a carb lover, make friends with the gym; burning the extra calories with regular exercise is the best way to eat a diet high in carbohydrates without losing your waistline in the process.

Many of us grew up believing that brown eggs were more nutritious than white eggs. This is simply not true either. The nutritional content between brown eggs and white eggs is exactly the same; the difference is just the colour of the shell, and that’s only because the brown eggs are laid by a different breed of then.

The same goes for the old white sugar versus brown sugar debate. Brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added to it. It is not any more nutritious in any way.

Did you grow up believing that it is okay to eat whatever you want while you are pregnant? This is one of the biggest myths going! Calorie requirements only increase by 300 calories in trimesters two and three. Unfortunately y some moms take the idea of 'eating for two' much too literally.

In the next blog I will explore nutritional myths just like this.

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