Top 10 Myths About Food

1. Less is always better. Nope. Starving yourself and skipping meals is never the right thing to do. Regardless of whether you want to be healthy or if you are trying to loose weight—the problem is usually a combination of the foods you are eating and the portion size. So instead of skipping a meal, just be smart about your food choice.

2. “Fat-free” is better. Many products will advertise a huge “fat-free” banner on their food, just to seem more health conscious. In reality, most of these food are packed with more sugar and carbohydrates to compensate. Access carbohydrates turn into stored body fat, which equals weight gain.

3. Carbohydrates are bad. So many diets out there run off low-carb intake, that a majority of people are starting to think all carbohydrates are dangerous. Depending on what kind of carbs you eat (good ones are fruits, veggies, and whole grain), you’re body will absorb and use up energy more efficiently. (Link to carb)

4. Lettuce is good for you. Chances are that the majority of the population eats iceberg lettuce with a more than sizable helping of some type of creamy dressing. This is not healthy what so ever. The greener the vegetable the more nutritious. Good “lettuce” for a salad is spinach—it has more nutritional value and is a great source of iron.


5. Juice is healthier than soda. Although juice is sometimes lower in sugar than soda, it isn’t by very much. A serving of coke is around 28 grams, while a seemingly healthier drink like Lipton’s green tea averages around 22. Don’t be fooled, juices contain lots of sugar and are rarely even an actual serving of fruit.

6. Eating more often will make me gain weight. Eating snacks during the day keeps your blood sugar level consistent, so you are less likely to gorge when it meal time does come around. So as long as you are eating moderate portions, and have a balanced diet—snacking in between meals will only help, plus it speeds up your metabolism, helping you process food faster and leaving less probability for food to be stored as fat.

7. All fat is bad. Remember the top of the food pyramid? Fats are an essential part of any well-balanced diet—as long as it is in moderation.

8. Skipping breakfast is good. Eating breakfast fuels your body for the morning. And it helps kick start your metabolism. You don’t have to eat a big meal—even something as simple as a banana and/or a granola bar will do.

9. Soup helps you loose weight. Not all soups are created equal. Many cream-based soups are made with exactly that, cream. A clear broth soup is the best to have when trying to loose weight—just make sure to load in the veggies and lean protein to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you are supposed to.

10. Yogurt is the best low-calorie snack. Chances are that the yogurt you eat is packed with sugar. Most people eat popular brands, Yoplait and Dannon. The average flavored Yoplait weighs in at 33 grams of carbs and 27 grams of sugar. The best kind to buy is plain yogurt, without artificial sweeteners and flavors—you’ll cut the carbs and the calories by more than half.