Fact vs. Fiction: Debunking Common Myths in Nutrition

Many well-intended health-seekers fall into fad traps that get them so confused. It becomes hard to make sense of what’s good for them, causing them to freeze rather than take healthy action. 

Check out these common myths and their corresponding mythbusters:

Myths

“Don’t eat fruit, it has too much sugar -– especially bananas. And watch out for carrots.” (Gasp!) 

“Did you know eggplant and tomatoes are bad for you?” (Book marketing.) 

“The doctor told me to avoid nuts because they raise cholesterol.” (Misinformation from experts without focused nutrition background.) 

“I cheated and ate oats.” (Someone who has been confused after following an extreme diet, or one that is specific to someone with a unique condition.) 

“I can’t eat after work today since I got stuck in traffic; I heard you’re not supposed to eat after 6 PM.” (Rigid, blanket advice that doesn’t consider the broad perspective of one’s well-being.) 

“Eating gluten-free is more healthy.” (Information extracted into the general population that is only relevant icle

to someone with gluten sensitivity or celiac.) 

Myth Busters: 

Fruit:

The fiber from fruit keeps it from spiking your blood sugar, so choose fiber-rich fruits with the skin on most of the time. Avoid juice. 

Nightshade plants:

I’m more concerned about people’s vulnerability to clever marketing than about the body’s reaction to a tomato (unless someone has a specific condition that this advice applies to). 

Oats:

If you’ve been on a diet with minimal carbohydrates and then eat oats or any other carbs, you will have a temporary increase in fluid held within the glycogen stored in your muscles and liver. It would be foolish to worry about a pound “gained” from healthy hydration. 

Guardrails vs. rigid rules:

Putting guardrails in place for yourself is wise. It is like saying, “Stay within the white lines on your side of the road:” good advice to keep you out of the ditch, though you’ll need to pass from time to time. Conversely, rigid rules are like saying, “Stay within exactly 6 inches of the center yellow line.” Such inflexibility is a potentially harmful distraction from the big picture of the journey. 

Gluten:

Unless you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or have a non-celiac gluten sensitivity ( with specific symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, or joint pain from eating gluten), you do not not need to avoid it. I have found that many clients who feel better on a gluten-free diet may feel just as good, without the challenges and deficiency risks of avoiding gluten, if they:

1. Trade out refined grains for whole grains, choosing products with short ingredient lists and fewer preservatives.
2. Vary grains/starches over the course of the day, intentionally eating grains besides wheat.
3. Make sure grain servings are limited to a quarter-plate serving or, in the case of bread, 1-2 slices at a meal.

Don’t be fooled by clever marketing or all-too-creative tactics that ultimately trigger you to be so restrictive that any changes you see are only related to the inconvenience itself.

Sohailla Digsby, RD, LD

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Fitness Pro, Author & International Speaker