Ever since we were kids we were taught to eat a big breakfast, stay away from the chocolate bars and, more recently, avoid carbohydrates at all costs. But while much of the nutritional advice that we read about or that gets passed on to us does have a founding in science, many nutritional tips are nothing more than popular myths!
Check out these food facts which are not what you might think!
- Chocolate causes acne – How many times have you heard that you should pass up on the Snickers bar and leave the KitKat alone if you don’t want to break out in spots? If so, you might be pleased to find out that chocolate has absolutely no link to acne whatsoever Acne actually starts to form when we produce too much sebum, a substance that clogs our pores. And sebum is caused by hormones, not chocolate.
But before you get all excited and break into the Dairy Milk, unfortunately, it’s still a fact that chocolate does contain high amounts of sugar and fat, so you should still consume it in moderation, or stick to dark chocolate if you’re looking to maintain a healthy weight loss programme!
- Carbohydrates make you fat – If you’re trying to lose weight, the chances are that you’re doing your best to steer away from carbohydrates. Ever since the Atkins diet became all the rage, people have been avoiding carbs or cutting them out completely. But carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients (along with protein and fat) that our bodies need to function correctly!
Carbs have been given a bad reputation as a way to gain weight, but it isn’t to do with carbs at all! Eating too many calories and eating more calories than you burn in a given day is what makes you put on the weight! - Juice cleanses detox your body – While drinking nothing but fruit and vegetable juice for a week might sound appealing, there is actually no evidence at all that it will detox your body. Actually, your body has its own intricately designed system for removing toxins called the liver and, along with your kidneys and spleen, this magnificent organ does a pretty great job of flushing the toxins out of your body without the need for a liquid diet. In fact, juices are high in sugar and that (coupled with the fact that you’ll be so hungry after a week of ingesting nothing but fluids) means that instead of flushing out toxins, you’re more likely to replace them all when you dive into that lasagna and chocolate pudding you’ve been craving.
- Sweet potato is better than white potato - Now, this is a controversial one as it is somewhat true, in terms of nutrient content, but did you know that sweet potato actually contains more calories than white potato? Whilst white potato contains more protein than sweet potatoes! Both are great sources of nutrition and packed with vitamins, so you should try to get a healthy balance of both into your diet.
- Eating late at night does not make you gain weight. This one is a pure myth that we were all taught at some point by our parents! A calorie is a calorie whatever time of day you have it.
- Eating gluten free does not make you healthier (unless you have a medical reason to do so). Going gluten free is all the rage at the moment, but it isn’t quite the health kick you think it is! Gluten is a protein found in certain foods and not averse to health in the slightest. In fact, you may find that just because something claims to be gluten free, it is likely higher in fat and other preservatives to help create the product!
- Eating fat does not make you fat! What a great one to end on. We’ve spoken countless times about how beneficial fats are the driving force of your body’s hormone production and how they should be a key part of every meal you have! Oily fish, avocado and nuts are all great examples of beneficial fats which do nothing but wonders for your health! However, you need to watch the amounts as fats are often higher in calories but fats are actually essential for carrying nutrients around the body!
Which fact surprised you the most?
