The diet industry has grown into a multi billion pound industry and with this growth, diet myths abound. Diet myths lead to unrealistic expectations and can also be bad for your overall health. Here are 6 common diet myths to avoid: Myth 1. Crash dieting or fasting makes you lose weight This is one of the most common diet myths - it can be true in the short term but losing weight over the long term involves burning off fat. Crash dieting not only removes fat but also lean muscle and tissue. It can also make you weak and unhealthy. It's much better to try for long-term weight loss, as short-term weight loss can be traumatic and unhealthy. Myth 2. Cholesterol is bad for you, low or zero-fat diets are good for you. Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made mostly by the liver and we all need some blood cholesterol as it's used to build cells and form vital hormones. There is in fact good and bad cholesterol. Saturated fats found in food like meat, cheese, cream, butter and processed help raise LDL (low density lipoprotein) bad cholesterol, this then delivers cholesterol to the arteries. HDL (high density lipoprotein) - or 'good' cholesterol - transports cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver. Myth 3. Certain food groups should be eliminated Many fad diets emphasize the elimination of certain food groups or eating primarily only one or two food groups. Your body is designed to use a combination of water, vitamins, protein, fat, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, and oxygen and none should be omitted. Myth 4. Cutting fat from your diet will help weight loss Eating things like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and skim milk, which provide lots of volume and relatively few calories can achieve this, but many processed fat-free and low-fat foods, such as cookies and frozen desserts, are actually very high in calories. You can also gain weight if you consume lots of low-fat, carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta and bread. Always consider portion size and number of calories when looking to control weight. Myth 5. Cutting carbohydrates helps you lose weight. Carbs are now what fats were in the recent past, the enemy of weight loss. Fact is however; you need them for energy and vitality. Like fats, some are better than others. Experts suggest a minimum of 130 grams of carbs day - much more than a typical low-carb diet that states 20 grams or less. Short-term effects of low-carb diets include fatigue, constipation and irritability; long term, you could be putting yourself at risk from heart disease and colon cancer. What matters 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 increasing healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Myth 6. Dairy products make you fat. Combined with calorie control, a dairy-rich diet can nearly double body-fat reduction and weight loss and actually 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 slimmer you. |
