Answer the top 13 Questions About Food and Nutrition
Here are the 13 of the most common and persistent myths about food and nutrition. Can you provide the right answers?
1. If you have diabetes, stay
away from sugar and you’ll
be fine.
a. True
b. False
8. “Healthy” foods are bland.
a. True
b. False
2. Fat makes you fat.
a. True
b. False
9. Eating after 7 PM will make
you gain weight.
a. True
b. False
3. Eating more protein will lead
to bigger muscles.
a. True
b. False
10. Carrots are high in sugar,
so you should avoid them.
a. True
b. False
4. Muscle weighs more than fat.
a. True
b. False
11. Babies sleep better and
longer if you give them
formula before bed.
a. True
b. False
5. Egg yolks are bad for you.
a. True
b. False
6. Eight glasses of water a day
is the magic number.
a. True
b. False
7. To lose weight, avoid
indulging.
a. True
b. False
12. Eating a product labeled
gluten-free is healthy.
a. True
b. False
13. Ground turkey and
chicken are always better for
you than ground beef.
a. True
b. False
Answers:
1. If you have diabetes, stay away from sugar and you’ll be fine. All foods have different effects on blood sugar levels. While sugar
is nutritionally devoid, it’s the total number of carbohydrates that may play a role in blood sugar management. So it’s important to
monitor blood sugar even after eating whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.”
2. Fat makes you fat. Fat gets such a bad rap that we often forget there are such things as healthy fats, such as those found in nuts,
olive oil, salmon, and avocados. Yes, fat grams do contain more calories than carbs or proteins, but fat is still an essential
component of our diet. Fats keep you satiated by slowing down the digestion process so you stay full for a longer period of time.
3. Eating more protein will lead to bigger muscles. A myth perpetuated in gyms! While eating protein is important, eating more
than you need is unnecessary. Resistance training and exercises in which you use your body weight as resistance, such as yoga, can
lead to a more defined look. But eating a ton a protein is not going to lead to large muscular development.
4. Muscle weighs more than fat. Unless the laws of physics have changed, one pound is one pound is one pound. The difference is
that muscle is denser than fat, so one pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.
5. Egg yolks are bad for you. Don’t waste those yolks anymore—they’re a goldmine of nutrition. One yolk contains half of your
day’s requirement of choline, which is an essential nutrient for the brain. Plus recent research shows that dietary cholesterol doesn’t
affect blood cholesterol levels, Holovach adds. Eggs for breakfast will fill you up with protein and fat and will keep you from
overeating the rest of the day.
6. Eight glasses of water a day is the magic number. Just like with nutrients and calories, basic hydration needs varies for each
individual. How much water you need to drink daily depends on your exercise and activity level, and even the temperature of where
you live. A person needs to learn to recognize thirst and drink water both with meals and in between meal times as needed.
Remember that things like tea, coffee, soup, and most fruits also contribute to water intake, but be mindful of added sugars,
caffeine, and sodium.
7. To lose weight, avoid indulging. Healthy eating and healthy living is all about balance, so there’s always room for most foods in
one’s diet. People who restrict too much create psychological connections to those forbidden foods, causing them to overeat when
they do consume them.
8. “Healthy” foods are bland. There are many ways to make natural foods tasty and nutritious at the same time. You just need to
know the best foods to mix together. Picture a simple smoothie made with all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables; a colorful salad
with deeply pigmented vegetables and some added protein (plant or animal-based); or a savory soup with butternut squash and a
side of homemade kale chips.
9. Eating after 7 PM will make you gain weight. You don’t magically store more fat after 7 PM..What and how much you eat will
determine weight gain or loss. To lose weight, try spreading out your calories throughout the day, so you’re not starving in the
evening and end up overeating.
10. Carrots are high in sugar, so you should avoid them. Carrots are more than 85 percent water, and one pound of cooked carrots
only has three teaspoons of sugar. In fact, since they’re high in phytochemicals such as beta carotene and fiber, eating them will
actually help lower blood sugar.
11. Babies sleep better and longer if you give them formula before bed. It’s an old wives’ tale. In fact, formula can cause an upset
stomach in some babies, which would certainly keep them up at night. A good night’s rest really depends on a baby’s size, daily sleep
patterns, and temperament.
12. Eating a product labeled gluten-free is healthy. Gluten-free is a hot trend in the world of nutrition, but it’s not for everyone.
While those who jump on the gluten-free bandwagon even if they don’t suffer from celiac disease often feel better, it’s most likely
because they’ve eliminated processed foods from their diet. Eating naturally gluten-free foods such as quinoa, sweet potatoes, and
millet is great, but gluten-free processed food is not necessarily a healthy choice.
13. Ground turkey and chicken are always better for you than ground beef. Ground turkey and chicken can be made of any parts
of the bird, including the higher-fat dark meat and skin. Ground beef comes this way, too, but it's labeled with the percentage of fat.
In fact, 95 percent lean or "extra lean" ground beef is much lower in fat than most ground turkey. For the leanest meat, look for
packages labeled "ground turkey breast."
The Washingtonian 3-2-20112