There is so much nutrition information available to all of us, it can be very confusing!
One day, eggs are the bad guys, the next day, they are the perfect food! How is one to figure out what to eat and what not to eat? Here are 5 food myths to help you make good, healthy choices for yourself.
1. A calorie is a calorie
We used to be told, “all in moderation”. Unfortunately, we now know that is simply not true. Food is information to your body. Picture a bowl full of raw fruits and vegetables sitting next to a bowl full of colorful candy and ask yourself: which calorie does my body really want to listen to? Which calorie will help my body run optimally? Natural, whole, quality foods trump every time.
Eat: Organic, seasonal local fruits and veggies, wild caught fish, grass-fed beef and organic poultry.
2. Fat makes you fat
Yes, fats have more calories than carbohydrates and proteins but as we just learned, it’s about the quality of the food not the calories. Healthy fats are necessary for good health. They promote brain health, keep your hair and nails lookin’ good, keep you feeling full longer so you eat less during the day AND let’s face it, they taste wonderful!
Eat: Nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, extra virgin olive oil.
3. Bacteria are dangerous and bad for you
We worry so much about bacteria and we use many products daily to ward off these bad guys. However, we are now finding this obsession may be causing more harm than good. Bacteria cells outnumber regular cells 10:1. We need bacteria to protect us from infection and illness. Good bacteria are also key to digestive and brain health.
Eat: Fermented foods and take a probiotic.
4. Buying organic is a gimmick
We are bombarded daily with thousands of chemicals. While individual chemicals may be tested and found safe, we do not know how these chemicals interact with each other. Avoiding as many chemicals as possible is prudent. Our bodies are working very hard to clean out these toxins daily. We need to avoid chemicals when we can because we know chemicals and genetically modified products have long term negative effects on our health.
Eat: Organic food when possible. Specifically, thin skinned fruits and veggies. Check the Environmental Working Group website for a list of the “clean fifteen” and “dirty dozen”.
5. All sugar is created equal
There are different types of sugars. Different sugars are broken down and used differently in our bodies. Fructose is metabolized through the liver and causes disease, such as fatty liver and obesity. Eating fructose in the form of fresh fruit is different because of the fiber but avoid products that have high fructose corn syrup in them.
Eat: Low glycemic sugars like coconut nectar, coconut palm sugar. Local honey and maple syrup are also ok in small amounts.