Lots of people have no doubt that eating healthy is as easy as playing at an online casino: you just need to follow basic rules and hope you’re lucky. However, that’s not that simple because some nutritional tips can be even damaging for your health, and these are the main trends you should avoid.
Artificial Sweeteners Are Better
Artificial sweeteners aren’t as dangerous as some health and wellness bloggers try to portray them, yet experts recommend not abusing them. These chemically processed substances can cause digestive problems and headaches. Alternatives include honey, agave or stevia root.
Carbs Are Our Enemies
Nutritionists advise against generalizing or demonizing all carbs. The complex carbohydrates found in grains are sources of nutrients and fiber and are essential for a complete diet.
Almond Milk Is Better Than Cow’s Milk
A glass of natural cow’s milk has 8 grams of protein, while a similar amount of almond milk has only one gram. If you don’t want or can’t consume dairy products, an alternative to cow’s milk with similar nutritional value can be soy milk, which contains seven grams of protein per glass.
Cravings for Certain Foods Signal a Lack of Some Nutrient
According to some experts, “cravings” can only be an excuse for food preferences. For example, a craving for chocolate is explained by a lack of magnesium. However, pumpkin seeds and tofu are much richer in magnesium, and far fewer people are attracted to them. If you really, really want to eat a certain product, it’s probably just a signal that you need to drink water, nutritionists say.
You Shouldn’t Eat After 6 p.m.
Nutritionists say that your body doesn’t know what time it is, but it knows how many calories you’ve consumed. So, it’s better not to think about the time of eating, but to reduce the portion size during the day.
Eating More Fat Will Lead to Obesity
Fats are an essential element of our nutrition, without them, the body cannot assimilate some vitamins. Nutrition specialists say that the exclusion of fats during dieting does not lead to weight loss in the long run. It is important not to exclude fats completely from your diet, but to distinguish between more and less useful types of fats. Nutritionists advise consuming monounsaturated fats: olive oil, avocados, fish, and nuts.
One Sugar Is Better Than the Other
To our body, honey and white sugar are the same thing. A tablespoon of honey, maple syrup and white sugar contain about the same amount of sugar without any extra nutrients.
Frozen Vegetables Aren’t as Healthy as Fresh Vegetables
Sometimes fresh vegetables contain more nutrients than frozen ones. But they often lose some of them during storage: due to exposure to sunlight and oxygen. That’s why nutritionists advise buying fresh, local vegetables in season and frozen at other times.
Freshly Squeezed Juices Help Detoxify the Body
Detox juices are a popular way to “cleanse” the body and get rid of “toxins.” However, scientists remind us that humans have a liver and kidneys to filter harmful substances. Detox with juices can even be harmful, because it eliminates essential nutrients and calories. The body switches to starvation mode, which leads to rapid weight loss, but the lost pounds will quickly return after the detox is complete. For greater effectiveness of the body’s natural cleansing processes, nutritionists advise consuming nutrient-rich foods, controlling portion sizes, drinking water and being physically active.
Gluten Is Unhealthy
Most people do not need to give up gluten. The exception is people living with celiac disease, but that number is about 1%. Adherents of a gluten-free diet say they have begun to feel better. However, experts believe that this may be due in general to a healthier diet: when the bun is replaced with oatmeal and fruit, the effect is not due to the absence of gluten.
We Need to Drink Eight Glasses of Water a Day
Our bodies do need a significant amount of fluids, but there is no scientific basis for drinking exactly eight glasses. Nutritionists remind us that we can get the necessary amount of fluid from other drinks, as well as from fruits and vegetables.
Eat Seven Small Meals a Day
This principle is opposed to the system of three meals a day. However, experts say that neither of these approaches is universal. Each person’s metabolism is different, general recommendations can only be about reasonable portions of food and about not skipping meals.
Everyone Should Count Calories
It isn’t only the quantity of calories that matters, but also the quality. For example, if you take the same amount of pretzels and almonds, you will find that the pretzels contain fewer calories. So, it would seem that we should choose a pretzel. But, paying attention to the composition, you can see that almonds have more nutrients, fiber and protein. So, counting calories may be an effective way to lose weight, but it’s not enough for a healthy diet.
