Nutrition tidbits #15: Myth-busting part 2

Sorry this is a day later than usual - we had some internet troubles over the weekend - but thought I’d continue nutrition myth-busting today. First, if you like these posts, please feel free to hit the “like” button or leave a comment or question. I want to make sure they are helpful and useful. Thank you so much for reading!

Photo by Devin Rajaram on Unsplash

“Weight loss is all about calories in, calories out”
There is of course some truth to this, but if it were so simple, there wouldn’t be a billion dollar diet industry. All calories are not the same/created equal. 100 calories of cheetos is not nutritionally equivalent to 100 calories of grilled chicken or roasted vegetables (etc., etc.), and this matters. I always think about Snackwells in the ‘90s or those 100 calories packs (do they still exist?) that masquerade as snacks but in reality, are about as filling as air. The nutrient density of foods - their fiber, protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamin/mineral content - is just as important as how many calories they have, if not more. That’s because these nutrients play a role in how filling a food is, keeping blood sugar steady, meeting your body’s needs, etc. Sustainable weight loss is rooted in eating nourishing, nutrient dense foods that are satisfying, in portions appropriate for your needs. Not meticulously counting calories and eating whatever diet food falls within your goal range - the fact that this never works is why there is a billion dollar diet industry. Dietary patterns and your relationship with food are also really important when it comes to lasting weight loss, and why it’s helpful to work with a dietitian.

“Everyone should follow a low carb diet”
I once worked in a clinic in which one of the practitioners (not an RD) would write “low carb diet’ in every single one of her notes for a patient with a BMI over 25 (and not refer them to me, nutrition). It was enraging because a). it wasn’t indicated for the specific patient population we worked with, b). clearly showed her own individual bias, c). was confusing to the patient, d). BMI is a poor indicator of health status, and e). was impacting me doing my job. What’s more, general nutrition recommendations like this without any direction or guidance further the notion that there is a one size fits all diet for everyone. And the idea that “carbs are bad.” It doesn’t stop at this one practitioner, of course. The majority of patients/clients I have worked with have come into our first session with the assumption that they would be avoiding or drastically cutting carbs. Even endurance athletes! There is never, nor will there ever be, a once-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. Carbohydrates should be part of the diet for most people, and the proportion of them in relation to other macronutrients is different for everyone depending on their physiology, medical history, level of activity and preference. Not to shamelessly plus dietitians again, but we exist to help people figure this balance out, and to help erase the stigma that carbs unfortunately still have.

“Frozen produce is less healthier than fresh”
Fresh produce is of course delicious, when it’s in season. But fresh strawberries in January? Taste like cardboard. Strawberries that were flash frozen at their peak ripeness and later consumed in January? Delicious. Frozen produce may even be more nutrient dense than their fresh counterparts, because they are flash frozen at peak ripeness, often before they travel hundreds of miles to land in supermarket freezers. Freezing fruits and vegetables maintains vitamin, mineral and antioxidant content to the utmost degree, and you’re not missing out on anything by purchasing them over their fresh counterparts. Frozen produce also has the added bonus of not going bad before you have a chance to use it.

That’s all I’ve got today (how on earth is it July already??).

Take good care,

Kelly