Nutrition
Marisa HeinzeApril 19, 2022
An overview of the 5 biggest myths about nutrition
If you want to find out more about nutrition, you will quickly come across persistent nutrition myths, especially on the internet, that have long been considered outdated from a scientific point of view. As a layperson, however, it is not so easy to filter out the erroneous information. Therefore, we would like to take a closer look at the 5 most common myths about nutrition below.
Myth 1: Eating in the evening makes you fat
"Eat like an emperor in the morning, like a king at noon and like a beggar in the evening." Every child has surely heard this well-known piece of advice. But how much truth is hidden behind it? That eating in the evening is supposed to make you fat is one of the most widespread nutrition myths.
Whether you gain weight or not, however, depends solely on your overall energy balance. Your body doesn't care what time of day you eat calories. If you take in less energy than you consume, you will lose weight. If you exceed your calorie needs, you will build up body fat.
However, the above wisdom is not entirely wrong: in fact, heavy meals in the evening are less digestible for most people. People who go to bed with a full stomach often sleep worse. In addition, the body's nightly regeneration processes are disturbed by the digestive work that needs to be done.
For this reason, it is recommended to avoid heavy food at least two hours before going to bed. However, it is not generally true that eating in the evening leads to obesity.
Myth 2: Carbohydrates make you fat
One of the biggest myths about nutrition is the demonisation of individual macronutrients. While in the 80s and 90s fat was considered the "bad guy", nowadays carbohydrates are targeted. We reiterate the above-mentioned point: weight gain is determined solely by the total amount of calories you eat per day.
Whether these come from carbohydrates or fats is of secondary importance: if you eat too many calories, you will inevitably gain weight. The human body, however, needs all macronutrients in a balanced proportion. Therefore, it does not make sense to completely avoid carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates provide you with energy and fibre. The latter is of great importance for intestinal health. However, there are different types of carbohydrates. Nutrition experts recommend that you eat mainly complex carbohydrate, such as whole grain products, potatoes and legumes.
Simple carbohydrates in the form of sweets and pastries, on the other hand, should be reduced. Nevertheless, declaring carbohydrates to be fattening is one of the untrue nutrition myths.
Myth 3: Coffee dehydrates the body
In Italy, you automatically get a glass of water with every espresso you order. In principle, this is not wrong, because sufficient fluid intake is extremely important for good health. But is coffee really so dehydrating that you need to replenish your fluid reserves immediately after drinking an espresso?
Or is this one of the many myths about nutrition? If you are a regular coffee drinker, you will have noticed that you often have to go to the toilet afterwards. Coffee has a diuretic effect. However, diuretic is not the same as dehydrating, which is often confused and explains how the myths about coffee came about.
Coffee lovers can therefore breathe a sigh of relief: depending on your personal constitution and habits, you can safely treat yourself to two to three cups per day. The caffeine it contains can even boost your concentration and performance in the short term.
However, some people are sensitive to caffeine, which can manifest itself in nervousness and palpitations. If this is the case, do not overdo your coffee consumption.
Myth 4: A vegan diet always leads to dietary deficiencies
More and more people are adopting a vegan diet, whether for health reasons or because of animal welfare and climate protection. Critics of this form of nutrition point out that a purely plant-based diet cannot provide all the essential protein building blocks (amino acids) and vitamins. Veganism comes with some challenges. If you want to live vegan, it is recommended that you learn about nutrition to prevent deficiency symptoms. However, it is absolutely possible to lead a healthy plant-based life. There are numerous plant-based protein sources that are suitable for vegans. These include, for example:
- Legumes (e.g. peas, lentils, chickpeas).
- Oat and spelt flakes
- Green leafy vegetables (e.g. broccoli, spinach, kale)
- Nuts and seeds (e.g. linseed, almonds, pumpkin seeds)
- Potatoes
- Soya
- Pseudocereals (e.g. millet, amaranth, quinoa)
- Seitan
- Tempeh
The statement that veganism generally leads to a lack of protein clearly belongs to the category of false nutrition myths. The nutritional requirements can be completely covered with a vegan diet. The only exception is vitamin B12, which is hardly found in plant-based foods. Vitamin B12 is responsible for healthy cell division, for the function of the nervous system and for the formation of red blood cells. Here, a substitution is indeed sensible, although many vegan substitute products, such as plant-based milk, are already enriched with vitamin B12.
Myth 5: The body must be detoxified regularly
Detox cures are becoming increasingly popular. Detox means "to detoxify". Various providers put their cures and products on the market and entice people with all kinds of advertising promises. But does detox really make sense or is it one of the modern myths about nutrition? Let's take a closer look.
At the beginning of a detox cure, a bowel cleansing is usually carried out, followed by juice days, during which you only drink tea and water in addition to fruit and vegetable juices. Solid foods are taboo for the time being. After about 3 to 5 days, you switch to a high-fibre diet, consisting of juices, fruit, and vegetables. Afterwards, you begin - similar to classical fasting - with a slow build-up of food.
In principle, there is nothing wrong with eating a diet rich in vitamins. Fruit and vegetables are an indispensable part of a balanced diet. However, detoxification by means of a detox cure is not necessary from a scientific point of view. A healthy body detoxifies itself: the liver and kidneys are responsible for this.
The natural detoxification process does not need any external support through - mostly overpriced - special juices. Detox teas and care products are also of no particular benefit: they are merely more expensive than comparable products.
Tip: If you still want to do a juice cure, for example to lose a few pounds for a special occasion, then mix your own juices from fresh fruit and vegetables, as this is much cheaper.
Conclusion: debunking nutrition myths made easy
Nutrition myths are always around. Some are even supported by advertising, media, and weight loss programmes. However, if you have the necessary basic knowledge about nutrition, you can easily debunk such myths. It is by no means necessary to study nutritional science to do so. The most important guidelines are as follows:
- For weight gain, only the total amount of calories per day is crucial - nothing else.
- There is no single macronutrient that makes you fat.
- You don't have to rid your body of "waste products": a healthy body detoxifies itself.
- There are no miracle cures for losing weight - neither pills nor tea nor powder.
- Vegetarians and vegans do not need expensive supplements, except for vitamin B12.
If you internalise these principles, you will no longer fall for false nutrition tales or advertising promises. Always critically question any statements that contradict the above guidelines.
It is also important to remember that a healthy lifestyle includes a balanced diet and plenty of exercise. If you combine a varied diet with regular exercise, you will keep your body healthy in the long term.