Myths About Healthy Eating

New diets and nutrition advice from bloggers and stars with ideal figures often change and do not always have a scientific basis, which leads to a false idea of ​​what healthy eating is . Moreover, many still adhere to outdated rules of health care, which can only harm in modern conditions. Let's remind ourselves of some common nutrition myths that are outdated and can do more harm than good.

Fasting is an effective way to lose weight

You absolutely cannot give up food at all. Fasting can cause stress, digestive problems, malaise, dizziness and fatigue. In addition, after a certain time, a breakdown will probably occur, and then the body will urgently replenish the deficit of fats and elements, which, on the contrary, will lead to excess weight.

Instead of fasting, it is better to eat well 3 times a day - breakfast, lunch, dinner, without snacks. You can skip dinner or switch to intermittent fasting (rejection of one meal) in order to regulate the formation of the hormone insulin. Breaks between meals should be no more than 4 hours - such an interval is necessary for the efficient operation of the digestive system and stabilization of insulin levels. Try to have dinner no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime - this will allow the digestive tract to rest, and the brain to fully recover at night.

To lose weight, you can not eat fats

Fats are necessary for humans, because they take part in many body processes and provide energy reserves. Moreover, without fats, the human body cannot absorb fat-soluble vitamins and synthesize hormones, but we must not forget that the fats must be the right ones. Avoid ready-made sauces, store-bought pastries, chips, etc. It is better to add to your diet products with a proven composition - for example, which contain pumpkin or flax oil, corn or buckwheat flour, rice, coconut milk or other alternative options. In this way, you can provide the necessary amount of fats without contaminating the body with harmful products .

Juices, juices and compotes are useful

All of these drinks contain sugar, which instantly raises blood glucose levels. It can be dangerous for people with carbohydrate metabolism problems - insulin resistance, diabetes, etc. Avoid juices, lemonades, alcohol, coffee and fruit teas. It is better to pay attention to natural teas or herbal infusions. In autumn, you can add ginger and spices to drinks to support immunity.

Vegetables in the diet are not mandatory

In 2019, the paleo diet became popular, the essence of which was the predominance of meat products in the diet . It has been touted as a way to prevent type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and Lyme disease. The diet gained popularity thanks to Canadian University of Toronto professor Jordan B. Peterson and his daughter, blogger Mikayla. For several years, the girl's diet has only consisted of meat, salt and soda water.

Meat, unequivocally, retains the status of one of the important elements of proper nutrition , but it is important to maintain a healthy acid-alkaline balance. For this, it is necessary to combine acidic products (food of animal origin, cereals) with alkaline products (vegetables). It is better to eat salads, fruits, and raw vegetables in the first half of the day, and choose baked and steamed foods for dinner to avoid intestinal fermentation and bloating. Prepare, for example, turkey with vegetable puree or seabass fillet with steamed vegetables.

Dairy products are good for all people

Primary milk is designed to quickly grow newborn babies. But an adult does not need this. The main carbohydrate of milk - lactose - consists of 2 simple sugars: glucose and galactose. In babies , the body produces the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in breast milk, but with age, the production of lactase decreases and the ability to absorb lactose deteriorates or may be lost altogether. Scientists have proven that 75% of the human population is unable to assimilate lactose in adulthood.

For this reason, adults should limit the amount of dairy products in their diet , and if any unpleasant symptoms occur, check their body for lactose intolerance and other potentially dangerous food components. If there is a problem, replace milk with special lactose-free or plant-based analogues - soy, rice, almond, rice, coconut.

Fruits can make you fat

Excess weight does not appear from specific products , but from the amount eaten, including fruits. Proponents of dietary fiber claim that fructose is stored in fat through the liver. The metabolism of fructose is different from glucose, but there are also mechanisms of conversion into carbon dioxide, ATP, glucose and lactate, and only when overeating can the process of adipose tissue production begin. That is why it is important not to abuse fruits, however, they are not the cause of excess weight in themselves. The probability of getting an excess of fructose from sweet carbonated water or cookies is much higher, because at the recommended daily rate of 50-60 g, fruit contains 6-9 g of fructose per 100 g, and sweet carbonated water - 25 g in 1 can.

It is better to give up carbohydrates altogether

And where then to get a sufficient amount of fiber for the proper functioning of the intestines and what to feed the brain to think? Yes, the body can synthesize glucose from fat, but why, if as a result, the body will change everything to suit itself?

Excessive consumption of carbohydrates (mainly fast carbohydrates) leads to swelling, but here again we are talking about excess, and not about the harm of carbohydrates directly. Modern studies show that the quality and length of life is not facilitated by the exclusion of certain groups of products , but, on the contrary, by a maximally diverse diet . Up to 30 types of fiber should be present in a person's diet during the week, primarily cereals, cereals and legumes.

You need to drink only water

Drink for health, water is the basis of life.

However, do not forget about fermented drinks, which, in addition to water, contain billions of probiotics, which the body constantly needs. Kombucha, water kefir and natural kvass can make the diet not only tasty and diverse, but also as useful as possible. Natural tea and coffee without harmful additives and sugar in moderate quantities will also not cause any harm.

You can not eat salty, spicy, sour, it is better not to add salt and spices to food

Salt consumption should be controlled. The recommended rate is 5-6 g per day. This is more than enough, if you do not constantly eat store-bought sausages, mayonnaise and chips. In general, food should be tasty and enjoyable. Otherwise, any diet will remain a one-time experiment and will never become the basis of a healthy diet . For example, sauerkraut has been known for a long time - more than one article has been written about its benefits. Or the Korean version of fermented vegetables - kimchi. Just remember that everything is good in moderation.