Every now and then I come across something that is both exciting and confusing. I have just read an article posted on the Dr Mercola site entitled '10 Health Lies and Misconceptions Spread By Mainstream Nutrition'. Now I have to admit, when I first glanced at it, I read the title wrong. I originally thought the article was titled '10 Health Lies and Misconceptions Spread by Mainstream NutritionISTS'. As I read the article I was getting more and more annoyed because I personally dont know a single nutritionist who would spread any of those myths! Thankfully I re-read the title, otherwise the ensuing rant would have been rather embarrassing on my 3rd day of blogging! Talk about a feux pas.
As soon as I got over my own sillyness, I realised that Mercola is very right. There are many myths that are spread in the area of nutrition. The reason I believe is that it is such a rapidly growing field. I have been in this industry for over 15 years now. When I first entered, I was considered weird. Doctors will still anti- everything I was recommending. They were very against many things that they actively recommend today. There is new research being released constantly and its not always easy for anybody to keep up with it all. Let alone the average health conscious person who just wants to know what they should eat for lunch.
My take on Dr Mercolas article
Myth 1. Saturated fat causes heart disease
Im a person that believes in moderation. It is not saturated fat alone that causes heart disease, there are many contributing factors like a lack of omega 3 fatty acids in the diet, excessive carbohydrate intake and insulin resistance, inflammation in the body and so on. Eat a balanced diet, a mix of lean meats like chicken, certain pork cuts etc, with a mix of leaner red meats and seafood and you'll have a hard time eating too much saturated fat.
Myth 2. Eating fat makes you gain weight
Er, No. Eating too many calories/kilojoules as a whole will make you gain weight. Eating too much sugar and high glycaemic index carbohydrates leading to problems with insulin regulation will make you gain weight. Ideally we would be actively trying to consume more Omega 3 fatty acids from fish, walnuts and flaxseeds. We also need monounsaturated fats from avocados, nuts and olives/olive oil.
Myth 3.Artificial sweetners are safe sugar replacements
They are not. They do lead to sweet cravings, not to mention they are ARTIFICIAL.
Myth 4. Your body cant tell the difference between sugar and fructose
This one I have to admit im not 100% sold on. I have read the books and the websites and while I wholeheartedly agree sugar as a whole should be reduced, I recommened at least 2 pieces of fruit a day. Would I go adding fructose to foods? No. But I do believe fruit to be a necessary and important part of the daily diet. Evvvvverything in moderation.
Myth 5.Soy is a health food
Traditionally, soy products were always fermented. In an attempt to get the same health benefits from soy as the asian population, they adapted soy to be suitable for the rest of the world. I mean really, how many non vegetarians/vegans eat tempeh? How many non vegetarians/vegans drink milk? It was a clever way to get soy into the diet and to make a quick buck. The assumption was made that soy in any form would have the same benefits as traditionally made soy products. I think 'they' were wrong.
Myth 6. Eggs are a source of unhealthy cholesterol
Eggs contain some fantastic nutritients. They contain protein, vitamin A, lecithin and many now contain higher concentrations of omega 3. Lecithin and omega 3 both negate the effect of the cholesterol in the eggs. Eat up!
Myth 7. Wholegrains are good for everyone
Everyone is not the same. Funnily enough, Everyone is different. What works for you? Be clear here, the choice is not between whole grains and refined processed grains. In a competition between them, wholegrains wins hands down. This choice is between wholegrains and less wholegrains, or no wholegrains, And that is a very individual option.
Myth 8.Milk does your body good.
If we had milk as it comes out of the cow, I could possibly be swayed to agree. However by the time the milk is pasturized and homogonised it contains very little of its original nutritional value. Not to mention that some brands, not all, may be doing other weird things to their milk, like adding permeate or watering it down. Some of you may also know that when you drink milk, or dairy as a whole, you feel quite congested. In some, milk produces excess mucus.
Myth 9. Genetically engineered foods are safe and comparable to conventional foods
I have to admit, ive never really looked at the science on this one. That being said, I believe that we should look for foods that are as nature made them. Why mess with a good thing so we dont have seeds in our mandarin?
Myth 10.Lunch meat makes for a healthy nutritious meal
Oh my. By now you know Im not a fan of processed, reconstituted, manipulated anything. Particularly when its also full of additives, fillers, toxins and chemicals. Buy a cooked chicken, pull the meat off and throw it on your sandwhich please.
So, there is my opinion on Mercolas article. If you'd like to read the full article see below.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/02/25/mainstream-nutrition-biggest-lies.aspx
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