1. Carbohydrates are bad
‘Carbs’, or carbohydrates are often labelled as the enemy for those looking to shed a few extra pounds. However, carbohydrates are an important fuel for the brain as well a major fuel source for your muscles. There’s a reason carbohydrates make up more than 50% of an endurance athletes’ diet. So, why the bad press?
There are three different types, 1) Complex (or starchy), 2) Simple (or sugar) and 3) Fibre.
Starchy carbohydrates require digestion and absorption and so provide a slow-release of energy throughout the day. These are commonly found in bread, pasta, potatoes and rice. Sugar is a simple form of carbohydrate which is easy easily absorbed and can lead to fast, large spikes in blood sugar levels. This can be very useful in certain situations but if overconsumed, and for most sedentary people, promotes weight gain very easily. Fibre on the other hand provides very little energy but offers excellent health benefits. These include increased stool size and stool frequency which can have the benefit of preventing certain types of cancer. Carbohydrates are therefore NOT bad for you but are often over-consumed or incorrectly consumed. The important thing to consider when choosing carbohydrates are the type (simple vs complex vs fibre), quantity and frequency at each meal. If weight-loss is the goal, try to limit complex carbohydrate portions to ~¼ of your plate and increase vegetable portions to ~½ a plate. If you wish to increase your fibre intakes, switch to wholegrain/whole-wheat varieties and increase your vegetable consumptions. I’d also suggest only consuming simple sugars in the form of fruit rather than processed snacks and sugar sweetened beverages.
2. Gluten-free foods are healthier
Unless you have coeliac disease (an auto-immune condition where the body attacks itself after eating gluten), gluten-free foods will offer no benefit over gluten-containing foods. Both gluten and gluten-free products often contain the same amount of calories (the energy you get from food), carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals; however, gluten-free foods usually come with a higher price tag. If you suspect you have coeliac disease, you may wish to visit your GP who can diagnose this with a specific blood test.
3. Drinking fruit is as nutritious as eating it
Fruit juice is a great source of vitamins (especially Vitamin-C) and can help you remain hydrated. It does contribute to 1 of your 5-a-day; however, it does not provide as many benefits compared to eating the fruit itself. Fruit and fruit-juice contain a sugar called ‘fructose’ which raises your blood sugar levels, just like glucose, when consumed. Although a natural form of sugar, it still can still contribute to your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and dental cavities when consumed in excess. Fruit-juices are also often over-consumed, as portion sizes are overestimated, meaning more sugar (and calories) are consumed than realised. 1 portion equates to 100mls of fruit juice whereas you need to consume 80g of fruit. Eating fruit also provides valuable dietary fibre from the seeds and skin. This has the benefit of reducing how quickly blood sugar levels increase (this is good) and improves gut health and which can reduce the risk of developing certain cancers.
4. Eating celery burns more calories than you absorb
The theory behind this lies behind the ‘thermogenic effect’ of food. Put simply, this means the amount of energy your body uses to digest food and absorb its nutrients. Your body typically uses 5-10% of its daily energy expenditure doing this. Eating low calorie foods such as celery (and other non-starchy vegetables in fact) is believed to provide you with a small amount of calories but use more calories to obtain them, therefore burning calories in the process. It is therefore theorised that some foods are ‘calorie-negative’ but studies to prove this are limiting. Put simply, it is not known whether eating celery burns more calories than it takes in. But, it is always recommended to incorporate a wide variety low calorie, high fibre foods (e.g. non-starchy vegetables) into a healthy, balanced diet.
5. Fruit contains too much sugar
As mentioned before, fruit is full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre which offer several health benefits. These include longevity, healthier skin and reduced cancer risk. However, fruit also contains a naturally occurring sugar called fructose. Sugar is a carbohydrate, meaning it is a source of energy for the body. Despite the negative press it gets, small amounts of sugar are harmless and, depending on your activity levels, may even improve athletic performance. Ever recall a tennis player eating a banana mid-game? Sugar is a ‘simple’ carbohydrate meaning it doesn’t need as much effort to be broken down by the body. It is therefore absorbed quickly which can lead to sharp, high spikes in blood sugar. Controlling portion sizes (80g) and limiting portions to 3-a-day will provide all the health benefits whilst reduce the risk of over-consuming sugar.
6. You should avoid eggs because they have a high cholesterol content
High blood cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease (heart attacks and stroke). This is a fact! However, this doesn’t mean consuming cholesterol is ‘bad’. Testosterone, Oestrogen and Progesterone are all hormones made by the human body from cholesterol obtained through the diet. Consuming too little cholesterol can therefore lead to poor production of these hormones. More recent evidence has also shown that dietary cholesterol has a much smaller effect on our blood cholesterol levels than the cholesterol generated in response to high intakes of saturated fats. So, if you’re concerned about high cholesterol levels, you’re better off avoiding high fat meat products, switching to leaner meats or poultry and changing high fat dairy products for skimmed alternatives.
7. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are less nutritious than fresh alternatives
Frozen and canned fruit and vegetables are actually as nutritious and can be more nutritious than ‘fresh’ varieties. Yes, you read that right. This is because fresh fruit and vegetables, aren’t always fresh. Now, for those of you who are buying from your local farm shop or growing your own, you don’t have to worry as much. But, for those who are buying your fruit and vegetables from large supermarkets this is for you. Frozen fruit and vegetables are picked and frozen at peak season, meaning they haven’t perished in storage and lost valuable nutrients by the time they reach your door. Canned produce often undergoes slightly more processing but tends to have a very similar nutrient profile to that of fresh and frozen produce. So, if you’re looking to increase your fruit and vegetable intakes but don’t quite have the room in the fridge/fruit bowl, try choosing a tinned or frozen option.
8. You shouldn’t skip breakfast
Research in this area is often confusing due to conflicting results. Some studies show those who skip breakfast tend to be more hungry during the day, which often leads to more food being eaten at subsequent meals, negating the effect of missing breakfast. Other studies have shown lower overall food intakes in those who skip breakfast. So what should you do? Well, it depends on the type of person you are. Skipping breakfast may or may not cause you to eat less, so don’t force yourself into an eating habit that isn’t for you or something you cannot sustain. As always, following a healthy balanced diet such as that outlined in the Eatwell Guide from Public Health England is always recommended.
9. You should do cardio on an empty stomach to lose weight
Exercising in a ‘fasted‘ state (on an empty stomach) may train your body to burn a higher proportion of fat and a lower proportion of carbohydrate. This is because the hormone environment in a fasted state increases the amount of fat that leaves your fat cells which the muscles can burn for energy. However, don’t let this information fool you. This does not mean your body burns more calories or total body fat than if you exercised in a ‘fed’ state. To lose weight effectively, you need to create an energy deficit which can be sustained. This means consuming less calories than you burn on a consistent basis. The down side to performing on an empty stomach is it can lead to a quicker onset of fatigue and can prevent you exercising at a higher intensity, limiting athletic performance. In addition, muscles are more likely to utilise more protein when glucogon levels are low such as that in a fasted state. This means muscle is also more likely to be utilised for energy than in a fed state.
10. Fat-free foods are better for you
Dietary fats are essential! Fats make up part of the cell membrane in all body cells and also provide essential fat-soluble vitamins (A,E and D) which have a whole host of health benefits. So why the low fat hype? Fat per gram contains 9kcal (calories) whereas protein and carbohydrates provide 4kcal per gram each. As a result, the belief was that eating fat led to weight gain and by cutting out fat, we would consume less calories. This belief led the marketing of ‘fat-free’ foods. However, the issue with fat free foods are that they’re often highly processed and loaded with sugar and salt. These are added to improve the flavour because with fat removed, and no alternative replacing it, they would taste horrible. Fat-free foods often lead to higher intakes of sugar and salt which, when eaten in excess, increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. So, in short, you are better off enjoying non-fat-free foods in moderation than their fat free alternatives.