The 3 Myths of Healthy Eating that Sabotage Your Health Goals
We all know that eating healthy and exercising should help us stay healthy. The problem is how you define healthy eating.
When you start searching for what that means, you will get all kinds of answers.
"You should eat whole grains with most meals."
"No! it is better if you avoid grains altogether. "
"You shouldn't eat red meat. It's bad for you. The plant-based diet is the healthiest."
"Eggs are good for you."
"Eggs are bad for you."
And on and on.
I bet you feel confused.
Maybe you have been looking for answers on how to eat healthily, so you can keep your ideal weight and feel your best. Unfortunately, there are many myths about healthy eating that may actually sabotage your health goals. Let's explore the three common misconceptions.
Myth #1- The perfect diet for health.
Many people have this idea that there is that one way of eating that will make them feel better and look better. They chase that one magic food that they hear about to have great health benefits in the hope of making them feel better. They try diet after diet without any results. Is this you?
We are flooded with different dietary choices from the South Beach Diet, Atkins, and Weight Watchers to Paleo, Whole 30, Ketogenic, and DASH. There is even a diet called the Perfect Health Diet. Each of these new eating plans has been portrayed as the key to health.
For years, the American Heart Association has been recommending a low-fat diet with less than 30% of calories from fat, various grains with six or more servings per day, and at least five servings of different fruits and vegetables (1). Food manufacturers have rushed to provide plenty of fat-free and low-fat food choices.
Despite these guidelines and many dietary choices, Americans have been gaining weight and being plagued by chronic diseases. According to the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, the obesity rate in adults passed 40% in 2017-2018 (2).
So, which of all these healthy eating habits is the one you should follow?
The fact is there is no such thing as the perfect diet for all of us. At least not the way you may think. Each person has a different set of nutritional requirements to stay healthy. Many diets may feel like a perfect fit initially, but that doesn't mean they are right for you long term. That is why you may lose weight at first and plateau or gain weight later.
Instead of chasing this one perfect diet and following the latest hot eating plans, focus on figuring out what your body needs. Concentrate on nutrients and whole foods more than specific food groups. It is okay to combine a couple of different eating plans for optimal health based on your body's needs. Also, remember that how you eat today may not be appropriate a year from now. So, experiment to see what works for you, and don't get stuck on one eating plan's rules and requirements.
Myth #2 - Fewer calories is better
Why do you want to eat healthily? Is it to lose weight, have more energy, less bloating, or feel your best? Many people believe that skinny people are healthy, so they focus on calories when deciding what to eat.
The question is, should you count calories for optimal health?
Calories are used to describe the amount of energy your body gets from what you eat and drink. Your body needs that energy to perform various functions, from simply breathing to walking and digesting food. Any energy that is not used is stored either as glycogen or fat for later use.
Today, we look at a diet as a way to restrict your intake of food or even remove certain food groups to lose weight. Yes, you probably will benefit from counting calories to a certain degree if you want to lose weight. Still, healthy eating is more about the quality of what you eat. For example, 100 calories from broccoli will affect your health differently than 100 calories from french fries. Eating a piece of white bread that has been fortified with synthetic nutrients will affect your body differently than a piece of sprouted whole grain bread.
High-quality foods provide health benefits and may help you lose weight without much calorie counting in the long run. They can help you stay satisfied for a more extended period, leading to lower calorie consumption overall.
If you want to eat healthily, focus on whole foods, plenty of vegetables, and limit processed foods. Those products are loaded with added sugars, unhealthy fats, additives, and other chemicals that negatively affect your health.
Myth #3 - Natural means healthy.
When you see a label that says "natural," "all-natural," or "made with natural ingredients" on a product, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Probably, you think that it should be healthy.
The FDA doesn't clearly define the "natural" label other than food that does not contain any added color, artificial flavors, or synthetic substances (3). Yes, that sounds like a more healthy option to eat. However, this label doesn't tell us anything about how the food was produced (genetically engineered, pesticides, antibiotics, and growth hormones used) (4).
Unfortunately, many food companies used this unclear definition to mislead consumers about what is included in their products.
People often believe that if they eat something natural, they can eat more of it. However, these "natural" products can also be loaded with sugar or unhealthy fat. Even if natural sugar is used, it is still sugar. I recommend you pay attention to labels and ingredients list to understand what's in a product you want to buy.
A "natural" product might be free from artificial or synthetic ingredients but still be genetically modified, full of toxic chemicals, and high in sugar and unhealthy fats.
CONCLUSION
Eating healthy doesn't have to be complicated. Unfortunately, the amount of information about this topic makes it very confusing. There are many food myths and misconceptions about healthy eating habits that may sabotage your health goals if you follow them.
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References:
American Heart Association. AHA Dietary Guidelines. Circulation. Vol.102. No.18.2000. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.102.18.2284
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of Obesity and Severe Obesity Among Adults: the United States, 2017–2018 NCHS Data Brief No. 360. 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Use of the Term Natural On Food Labeling. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/use-term-natural-food-labeling
Organic Consumers Association. The Myth of Natural. https://www.organicconsumers.org/campaigns/myth-natural?gclid=Cj0KCQjwl4v4BRDaARIsAFjATPmJ8g0VtYgv4PKT8eTrRv0rVmXTDt3soC2ordXorpkLRzJMjuUbkk0aAvaDEALw_wcB
I'M KINGA ZERHOUNI
I am a functional health coach. I work with stressed-out and tired working moms who feel like they are drowning in the thousand things they have to do between work and home.
I help them learn how to nourish and listen to their bodies to figure out which lifestyle changes are right for them, so they can regain their energy and feel calm again.