Dietary and Nutrition Myths Debunked

June 25 2014

Dietary and Nutrition Myths Debunked

It’s next-to-impossible to meet your physical fitness goals without supplying your body with the nutrients it craves. Building muscle requires three equal components: strength training, rest/recovery, and nutrition. Without either of these three components, you simply won’t be able to achieve your goals.

Unfortunately, many people struggle to create a well-balanced diet that benefits their body and health. There are dozens of different myths out there regarding food and nutrition, leading people down the wrong path. In this post, we’re going to take at some of these myths, revealing why you should avoid them.

All Fats Are Bad

Just because a food or ingredient is high in fat doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. There are fats which are good for your health, and there are fats which are bad for your health. It’s important for individuals to familiarize themselves with the different fats so they can make better decisions when preparing meals.

Trans fat is the absolute worst type of fat, as it raises your bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowers your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration even proposed a new rule in an effort to ban food companies from using it as an ingredient.Saturated fat is also considered a bad fat variety.

Monosaturated and polysatured fats, however, are beneficial because they raise the body’s good cholesterol levels and lower bad ones.

Eggs Will Raise My Cholesterol

Some people assume that eggs are a poor source of nutrition due to their high dietary cholesterol content. Yes, it’s true that egg yolk contains a moderate-to-high amount of dietary cholesterol; however, this doesn’t necessary translate into higher cholesterol levels in the body. Numerous studies have shown that consuming eggs on a regular basis — with the yolk — will not raise a person’s cholesterol level.

Carbohydrates Are Empty Calories

This myth couldn’t be farther from the truth. The human body needs to carbohydrates to function and stay healthy. They provide energy, ward off disease and illness, and even regulate weight and metabolism.

Don’t just rely on protein shakes for your source of pre and/or post-workout energy. Without supplementing your protein with carbs, it’s not going to offer you any real benefit.

Note: The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend adults consume 45-65% of their daily caloric intake in the form of carbohydrates, which typically translates into 225-335 grams.