There are many myths about nutrition that we all take for granted, but if we analyze them closely they are not true. Some of the most widespread are the following:
1. Fruit after meals makes you fat
When it comes to gaining weight, what matters are calories. When we consume more calories than we expend, we gain weight. Considering this, this myth does not make any sense. The calories provided by a piece of fruit will be the same before or after eating, or at whatever time of day it is.
2. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
It has always been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nothing could be further from the truth. Above all, taking into account the type of breakfast that is usually made, based on cereals or pastries.
Breakfast is important if you are hungry when you wake up. If you are one of the people who wakes up without appetite, you should not force yourself to eat, you have to listen to your body and the hunger signals. Additionally, it is important to take into account the type of food we eat. Thus, we will avoid very sugary foods that give us momentary energy but that, mid-morning, will cause us to feel down and have a huge desire to want to devour anything.
3. Light foods lose weight
Light foods are those that have had 30% of the total calories of the original food reduced. But just because it has fewer calories does not mean that you lose weight, nor does it mean that we can eat as much as we want just because it says “light” on the label. We could only consider that these foods are less fattening.
4. Whole grain products have fewer calories
This myth is not true either. Whole grain products usually have a similar amount of calories as the non-whole grain product. The real difference between the two is the amount of fiber they contain, being higher in whole grains.
5. Drinking fruit juice is the same as eating fruit
A juice is not the same as a complete fruit and cannot be considered a serving of fruit. When we eat the whole piece of fruit we get all the nutrients, including fiber. On the other hand, when we squeeze the fruit we remove the fiber and make the fructose much more available, having a totally different (more negative) effect on the body. Furthermore, the satiating effect is less; if we eat a whole orange we will be much more satiated and for longer than if we drink a juice.
6. You have to eat 5 meals a day
Eating 5 meals a day is not really important. You should eat as many times as your body asks you to and when you are really hungry, not emotional. If you only feel hungry 2 or 3 times a day, eat only 2 or 3 times. What is important is the quality of what we eat and the total quantity of the day.
It is true that some people feel more comfortable eating small, frequent meals to maintain low levels of hunger and thus avoid large binges. If you think you are this type of person, you can eat 5 or more meals a day without a problem, but knowing that it is not essential or mandatory.
7. Fats are bad
Fats are essential for the proper functioning of our body. They are a source of energy, help absorb and transport nutrients, protect our organs, help our brain function optimally, etc. For this reason, even if we are following a weight loss diet, it is important to maintain certain levels of fat in our diet to provide all the nutrients to our body.
Of course, it will be important to take into account the sources of fat. You should avoid these coming from processed foods, since they will only provide us with uninteresting saturated fats. Good options are foods like: avocado, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, etc.
8. Mixing carbohydrates and proteins in the same meal makes you fat
This myth arises from the so-called dissociated diets that are based on not mixing foods that are sources of different macronutrients. However, this type of diet does not have a great scientific basis behind it. Furthermore, it is very difficult to separate foods based on what nutrients they provide, since practically all foods contain a mixture of carbohydrates, protein and fats, although in different proportions.
On the other hand, as we have already said, what is important for gaining weight is the total amount of calories per day, regardless of the source.
9. Brown sugar is healthier than white
In recent years, the use of brown sugar has become popular with the belief that it is healthier than white sugar. However, its composition is practically the same both nutritionally and calorically. The small difference between them is that brown sugar provides a minimum amount of vitamins.
10. Drinking water during meals makes you fat
Water does not provide us with any calories when we consume it, therefore, it never makes us fat. Regardless of the time of day. What is certain is that it gives us a feeling of satiety and will help us eat less during meals.
