Common Diet Myths Busted

Myth: Cutting carbohydrates helps you lose weight
Scaling back carbs in the wrong way can also make you feel rotten and unhealthy. Carbs are to this decade what fats were to the last: food demons. Truth is, though, you need them for energy. And, like with fats, some are better than others. Experts suggest a minimum of 130 grams of carbs a day -- a far cry from low-carb diets that start with 20 grams or less. Short-term effects of such diets include fatigue, constipation and irritability; long term, you could be putting yourself at risk for heart disease and colon cancer.

Fad diets aside, what may matter most is how refined the carbohydrates are. The best idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda and foods made with white flour, while loading up on healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

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Myth: Diet foods help you drop pounds
They can actually do the opposite. You may be doing yourself more harm than good by scanning labels for the lowest calorie and fat counts. Prepackaged diet foods can have a lot of sugar and trans fat.

As with carbs, it’s the quality of the fat, not the amount that makes the difference. Monounsaturated fats (found in nuts, olive oil and avocados) and the polyunsaturated variety (in corn, soybean and safflower oils) help your cardiovascular system, improve weight loss and are crucial for absorbing beta carotene from vegetables like carrots. Trans fats and saturated fats, on the other hand, have been linked with heart disease and even cancer.

A recent study found that replacing just 30 calories of carbs a day with the same amount of trans fats nearly doubled the risk of heart disease. Replacing the same ratio of carbs with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, on the other hand, lowered the risk of heart disease by 30 to 40 percent. So consider boosting your good fats by adding nuts to your morning cereal or avocado to your salads. Just watch your daily calories to keep them in check.

Myth: The more you cut calories, the more weight you’ll lose
That can actually hurt you. Cut your calories too far -- below 1,200 a day -- and you’ll end up with a double whammy: decreased metabolism and muscle mass. To get the most out of the calories you do eat, choose whole foods such as produce, fresh meat and fish, and whole grains that are as close to their natural state as possible. They have a higher “nutrient density” than refined foods, because they pack more vitamins and minerals into fewer calories.

Myth: Dairy makes you fat
Cutting dairy just shoots you in the foot (and fat cells). Combined with calorie control, a dairy-rich diet can nearly double body-fat reduction and weight loss and help prevent weight gain. Part of the reason is the hormone calcitriol, which helps conserve calcium for stronger bones while telling fat cells to convert less sugar to fat and burn more body fat. The result is leaner fat cells and a leaner you. Stick to the government’s latest dietary guidelines, which recommend up to three servings of low- or nonfat dairy a day.

Myth: Brown equals whole-grain
There are lots of whole-grain poseurs out there. Look for labels where “whole-wheat” or “whole-grain” top the list. It’s worth the extra effort: More and more research is finding that whole grains reduce your risk of many chronic ailments, from obesity and diabetes to cardiovascular disease. The extra fiber in whole grains is key: It makes you feel full, which means you eat less. It also helps level out the peaks and valleys of insulin that a meal produces. An added boost: Whole-grain foods tend to be higher in vitamins B and E than refined grains.

Comments

[TomBlaschko]

06:23 PM on 09/16/2011

If you're looking for a more serious and complete discussion of diet myths (more accurate, too), take a look at Ann Rosenstein's book. Diet Myths Busted.

Skimming the surface of the myths makes for a fun article. Really understanding the role fats, protein, carbs, cholesterol, and all the other parts of our diets makes it possible to understand why the myths are myths. It also lets us make good decisions about what we eat. If you have questions that are not in the book, Ann answers them on DIetFitnessDiva.com

Tom

[Averagedancer]

12:59 PM on 09/04/2011

Can't agree on th dairy. Other than very occasional raw cheese or dollop of milk in my tea, I've given up dairy altogether. It packs on weight like nothing else. The weight I lose also stays off. As an added bonus, my joints no longer ache, and the little bumps on my wrists have diappeared, and I don't get stuffy anymore. I agree about diet foods, though. The best way to lose weight - and I've tried a few - is to eat lots of fruits and veggies, and if you can do it, cut out the bread and pasta as well. You'll find that you're much more regular as well. Oh, and drink plenty of water. If you're eating meat, just make sure you have vegetables and a salad with it. I eat meat and fish and habve no trouble with them, but I do buy them antibiotic and hormone free. One other thing ladies: your skin will look amazing.

[enkidu360]

03:42 AM on 07/29/2011

I love seeing obese people drinking Diet Coke with a huge meal. Knowing they can drink a Diet Coke probably inspires them to eat a little more than they would otherwise.

[akerchen]

06:04 PM on 07/28/2011

Unfortunately not all diet foods are good for you. I think it's important to understand the difference between diet foods and healthy eating for fat-loss and a healthy lifestyle as stated by Exercise Physiology Expert Ben Greenfield: http://naturalvitalitysports.com/2011/03/healthy-eating-fitness-do-diet-foods-lower-your-fitness/

[rma2108]

03:00 AM on 07/27/2011

Since there's no author listed, I don't know who to scold for the fact that two of these "myths" are actually true.

First of all, to say that calorie restriction doesn't lead to weight loss is utterly ridiculous! Maybe the author meant to say that severe calorie restriction isn't a healthy way to lose weight (since muscle is also lost) or that it often isn't successful in the long term (because it is unsustainable for most people), but to say that it doesn't cause weight loss is not true.

Second, it's pretty well established that milk has absolutely no benefit in terms of bone density. Any cursory search of medical journals can confirm this. The only reason government agencies are such proponents of dairy products is that they are affected by the dairy lobby. Milk has more calories per fluid oz. than most soft drinks, so anyone who knows anything about nutrition would recommend drinking water instead.

[shiva721]

12:42 AM on 07/25/2011

Losing weight is simple. Burn more calories than you consume and lose the weight you need to lose.

[ApolloniusofTyana]

02:22 PM on 07/23/2011

This is a terrible article. The author looks like an amateur.

The myth 1 part about carbs is all wrong. Cutting carbs is actually the best way to lose weight, because this lowers insulin, and insulin is the fat-storage hormone. Your body can make all the glucose you need. You can do fine long term on no carb if you chose to, and you will lose all the weight you want.

The "healthy whole grains" thing is also a big lie. Grains are fattening and increase inflammation.

This site runs too many poorly done diet articles. I could do better than just about all of them myself. I'm available too. :)

[alteredstory]

10:33 AM on 07/22/2011

I think the problem with the "cutting carbs" one is context.

Most people in America eat more than they need to fuel themselves, and THAT is where they get into trouble.

We DO need carbs, but most people need less of them than they eat.

[polishlogician]

01:35 AM on 07/22/2011

"Experts suggest a minimum of 130 grams of carbs a day -- a far cry from low-carb diets that start with 20 grams or less."

...but why does the RDA handbook state that people need no carbohydrates?...the RDA is apparently not composed of experts...

[Itsallderivative]

09:12 PM on 07/21/2011

Nobody knows anything about this topic.

[onionboy]

03:48 PM on 07/21/2011

Below 1200 calories a day, and your metabolism slows and you lose muscle mass? I've never heard that fact with that number. I've seen much lower numbers for that. I can easily eat less than 1200 calories a day if I have a busy day and particularly if I'm only eating low caloric-density foods, like carrots, apples, etc. I would say that occurs a couple of times a week, and I've been doing nothing but adding muscle mass the last 2 years. And if you're about 5-feet tall and under 100#, that's not too far off a maintenance intake of calories.

Bottom line, 1200-calories a day put no one into any sort of starvation mode. It takes a much lower caloric intake. If you're 6-feet 200# and you only eat 1200-calories everyday for 6 months, maybe then it's true.

[alteredstory]

10:35 AM on 07/22/2011

It depends on the person. The more muscle you have, the more energy it takes to maintain it. If you have little in the way of muscle mass, you need less food.

[Andrew Fount]

03:09 PM on 07/21/2011

Concerning myth,that cutting carbohydrates helps you lose weight

Carbohydrates can be of two types: fast and slow. Fast carbohydrates such as soda and white flower shouldn't be consumed at all.

The only type of carbohydrates that can be consumed are slow carbohydrates.
It is better not to consume them because they are calorie rich, but otherwise you will feel hungry all the time.
So, for diet it is permissible to eat slow carbohydrates, but reasonable amount.

Carbohydrates are source of energy.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/8220991/how_to_eat_healthy_so_i_can_lose_weight.html?cat=5

[DrP]

02:43 PM on 07/21/2011

Most of the arguments that arise in the comments on these "nutrition" articles are handled/explained very well in books by Gary Taubes, Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek, and Dr. Richard Bernstein, among others. So, to save time and energy and repetition, perhaps reading "Good Calories, Bad Calories," :Why we get fat," and/or "The Art and Science of Low-Carbohydrate Living" should be required reading before posting on Huffpo "nutrition" articles.

[SW84]

03:17 PM on 07/21/2011

"perhaps reading "Good Calories, Bad Calories," :Why we get fat," and/or "The Art and Science of Low-Carboh­ydrate Living" should be required reading before posting on Huffpo "nutrition­" articles. "

then shouldn't the readers be required to read over all the literature that Taubes and company seem to leave out in their it's only carbs that are making you fat hypothesis?

[ericdjohnson]

05:05 PM on 07/21/2011

Which literature do they leave out?

[NevaforLeadership]

08:46 PM on 07/20/2011

Overweight people have lots of built in energy.

That's why it is difficult to lose weight, when consuming high-density carbs and easy to lose weight when giving them a miss.

What's more, the feeling of well-being after laying off the carbs is quick and very real.

Love these people who will do anything to promote this as a myth, despite the numerous, large studies that have now been done proving that the best way to lose weight is to stop eating high-density carbs.

[mkthinker]

03:39 PM on 07/20/2011

God, any mention of carbs not being evil in and of themselves brings out all this crap every time. Fat on you body is your bodies way of storing EXCESS energy. Yes, glucose has a part in the process of storing fat, but if you aren't over eating (eating more then you burn) then you really don't have to worry about it. Gaining fat isn't gods way of punishing you, potatoes aren't evil, it isn't really about little shifts in white bread to sprouted wheat bread. There is a PLANET full of people eating wildly different things - the ones that eat more then they need OF ANYTHING store it as fat. That is true of every living creature. Every singly one. Always. It's basic biology really. So that when you can't catch a gazelle for a week and you are hungry and eating leaves you don't die. Take an overweight dog to a vet sometime. They say - feed it less and walk it more. Works for people too. Sorry, I know everyone wants it to be complicated. The more complicated the less annoying it is you haven't done it so far. It is easier said then done to eat really only what you need or less 90 percent of the time in our country.

[ericdjohnson]

05:26 PM on 07/21/2011

Do you think that all types of calories have the same effect on the body, regardless of the source?

[mkthinker]

08:02 PM on 07/21/2011

No, each have specific important functions to the body. But the carb = higher blood glucose = more fat retention (of your in excess calories) never mention the small actually difference in real numbers. Lets say you go over 300 calories one day- if they are proteins lets say you store 275 calories as fat and if they are carbs you store 300. We are talking about a marginal actual numerical difference. If that was really the only thing, it wouldn't matter. But when making food choices many people choose higher calorie low carb foods thinking they are doing the right thing to loose weight. I believe that the studies in this area are clear in study form, but some nutritional 'guru' or writer latches on to rough summaries and don't understand in context or take into account what the study actually showed. ALL the studies as base of scientific fact, to keep the 3 or 2 groups eating different diets comparable make sure each group has the same amount of calories. That is the foundational unit of energy. Then one group looses 10 pounds and another 10.1 and by the time it gets here it looks like beets make you 40 pounds heavier compared to onions. Any article that sites a study I go and find the study and actually read THAT. It's astonishing how distorted things get. If rice makes you fat and meat made you skinny asia would be obese and americans would be tiny.