When it comes to nutrition, each person has their own approaches and beliefs. However, many of these are not backed by science. For this reason, before following a recommendation on what to eat, how to do it and in what periods of time, it is necessary to follow the general principles of nutrition. These are not only scientifically endorsed, but they apply to all human beings.
Discover what are the most common myths used in alternative nutrition . Perhaps you are incurring some of them and, consequently, affecting your health.
5 myths of alternative nutrition
1. Calories don’t matter at all
For some people, counting calories is not necessary. They believe they can lose weight no matter how much food they eat, as long as they know which foods to choose. Despite this widespread belief, keep in mind that although some foods can help you lose weight, there is no doubt that the number of calories ingested affects weight loss or gain.
Many people, thanks to their fast metabolism, can lose weight without monitoring calories. For them, the calorie count is not as necessary as for a person with a slow metabolism. However, this is still important.
2. Cholesterol in the blood doesn’t matter
Some studies have yielded information related to saturated fat and the effect of cholesterol in the diet. They suggest that eating saturated fat “does not create a risk of heart disease” (Siri-Tarino, Sun, Hu, & Krauss, 2010).
Despite this, it is prudent to follow the dietary recommendations where they advise consuming no more than 300 mg per day of saturated fat . The healthiest thing, therefore, is to opt for diets rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and low in processed foods, fats and sugar.
Keep in mind that despite what some studies indicate, trans fats in food may be harmless, but they are not so harmless in the bloodstream. This, without a doubt, can have serious consequences on your health.
3. Coffee from stores contains high levels of mycotoxins
Mycotoxins come from mold and can be found in many foods. However, the likelihood that you will find it in store cafes is almost non-existent due to health regulations that control the levels of these toxins in food.
These measures are so strict that if, for example, a crop passes health controls and exceeds the safety limit, it is not suitable for consumption and will be discarded.
Keep in mind that mycotoxins are in the environment, so some people have detectable levels in their blood. Some studies highlight that if you drink 4 cups of coffee a day, you will consume only 2% of the mycotoxin intake and these levels are within the safe limit (Stegen et al., 1997).
4. Dairy is bad for your bones
“Dairy causes osteoporosis.” Supporters of this position claim that when you consume dairy, your blood becomes acidic, which causes the body to remove calcium from the bones to neutralize this acidity.
Beyond the myth, the reality is that there are properties in dairy that help maintain bone health. This is scientifically proven, since they are a source of calcium and phosphorus (Heaney, 2004). In addition, they contain vitamin K2, known to contribute to bone formation (Cockayne et al., 2006).
In contrast, many studies in humans support that dairy products in any age range increase bone density and minimize the risk of fractures (Wadolowska et al., 2013), so it cannot be said that dairy is harmful to the bones.
5. Agave nectar is a healthy sweetener
Agave nectar is one of the “natural” sweeteners that is not healthy. Currently, there are many products on the shelves that give you that “healthy” look.
The truth about this sweetener is that, apart from agave, it contains added sugar, which can cause health problems, due to its high fructose content. Keep in mind that when there is too much fructose in the body, the liver begins to convert it into fat, since it can only metabolize up to a certain amount of fructose (Lê et al., 2009).
Conclution
Nutrition is currently a topic of interest to many people, but it continues to dissociate itself from the ignorance of many issues related to it, which is why they tend to believe and multiply erroneous myths. In this sense, the recommendation is that before following any advice about your diet, make sure that it has a scientific basis to support it.
References
- Cockayne, S., Adamson, J., Lanham-New, S., Shearer, MJ, Gilbody, S., Torgerson, DJ (2006). Vitamin K and the prevention of fractures: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA Internal Medicine . doi: 10.1001 / archinte.166.12.1256
- Heaney, RP (2004). Phosphorus nutrition and the treatment of osteoporosis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. doi: 10.4065 / 79.1.91
- Lê, KA, Ith, M., Kreis, R., Faeh, D., Bortolotti, M., Tran, C.,…, Tappy, L. (2009). Fructose overconsumption causes dyslipidemia and ectopic lipid deposition in healthy subjects with and without a family history of type 2 diabetes. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . doi: 10.3945 / ajcn.2008.27336
- Siri-Tarino, PW, Sun, Q., Hu, FB and Krauss, RM (2010). Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . doi: 10.3945 / ajcn.2009.27725
- Stegen, GVD, Jörissen, U., Pittet, A., Sacoon, M., Steiner, W., Vincenzi, M., Winkler, M., Zapp, J. and Schlatter, C. (1997) Screening of European coffee final products for occurrence of ochratoxin A (OTA). Food Additives & Contaminants . doi: 10.1080 / 02652039709374518
- Wadolowska, L., Sobas, K., Szczepanska, JW, Slowinska, MA, Czlapka-Matyasik, M., & Niedzwiedzka, E. (2013). Dairy products, dietary calcium and bone health: possibility of prevention of osteoporosis in women: the Polish experience. Nutrients . doi: 10.3390 / nu5072684
