We all know extra now in regards to the science of diet than ever earlier than, however there are nonetheless numerous misconceptions about meals that lead folks to make misinformed selections about their diets each day.
So which diet myths must be ditched instantly?
Nora Minno, a registered dietitian and authorized nutritionist primarily based in New York Metropolis, joined the TODAY present to debunk the commonest diet myths she hears.
Carbs ought to be averted
“I’ve excellent news for all you carb lovers. … Carbs are your pal, and actually they seem to be a actually vital a part of a wholesome, balanced food plan,” Minno instructed TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones in a section aired on Monday, Feb. 20.
Carbohydrates do so much for our our bodies. “They’re our physique’s (and mind’s) most well-liked supply of gasoline, they assist our digestion they usually simply make us really feel good,” stated Minno.
Nevertheless, the standard and amount of carbs you select to eat does matter. “The amount is basically the place lots of people go fallacious and over=eat issues like refined carbs, sweets (added sugars), white breads, and many others.,” Minno added.
Refined, easy or “unhealthy” carbohydrates are digested shortly and ship fast bursts of glucose or power into the bloodstream, in line with the American Coronary heart Affiliation. Advanced or “good” carbohydrates are digested extra slowly and supply a decrease, extra regular provide of glucose to the bloodstream, per AHA. Examples embody fruits, greens, entire grains and legumes.
“If you happen to deal with parts and select extra advanced carbs … try to be within the clear,” stated Minno.
Recent produce is more healthy than frozen or canned
“This isn’t true in any respect. … In actual fact, typically your frozen or canned choices may be really extra nutritious,” stated Minno, including that earlier research have proven that recent greens can lose 15% to 55% of their vitamin C from the time they’re picked to the time they make it to your grocery shelf.
Frozen fruit and veggies are usually flash-frozen proper on the spot, stated Minno, which packs in much more of these nutritional vitamins and minerals. Frozen meals, and particularly canned meals, additionally final for much longer, which might help scale back meals waste, Minno added.
One other plus? Frozen and canned greens are sometimes far more inexpensive than their recent counterparts, stated Minno. So ditching this delusion is sweet to your physique and your pockets, too.
Plant-based milk is more healthy than dairy milk
Lately, it looks as if there are about one million totally different milk choices accessible on the market — from common previous cow’s milk to soy, hemp, macadamia, pea and the whole lot in between. Usually, these plant-based milks are touted as more healthy choices, however this isn’t all the time the case, Minno stated.
“This one actually comes right down to choice,” Minno added. It is a good factor to have so many choices on the market, particularly for people who find themselves dairy-free, however cow’s milk remains to be a extremely nice selection, she added. “One cup of skim milk packs in 10 grams of protein and 1 / 4 of your day by day calcium wants, whereas plant milk, similar to almond milk, has one gram of protein per serving,” stated Minno.
In the end, it comes down to non-public selection and what makes your physique really feel the perfect. “In case you are selecting a plant milk, you need to choose varieties which have low or no added sugar and ones which can be extra fortified with issues like calcium and vitamin D,” Minno stated.
All fats is unhealthy
“Thank goodness that low-fat craze within the ’90s and thereafter is over,” Minno stated, stressing that not all fats is unhealthy.
“Fat, most significantly mono and polyunsaturated fat, are actually good for us,” stated Minno, including that these fat might help shield our coronary heart. That is as a result of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat might help increase HDL, or good ldl cholesterol, and decrease LDL, or unhealthy ldl cholesterol, Minno added.
We will get these fat by consuming a food plan wealthy in meals like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil and fatty fish, similar to salmon.
Nevertheless, there are specific fat we do need to keep away from, Minno stated. The opposite two forms of fat — saturated and trans fat — can increase LDL ranges, and consuming excessive quantities of them over time can result in coronary heart illness and stroke, in line with the AHA.
The AHA recommends staying at or beneath 13 grams of saturated fats a day, stated Minno, and reducing again on trans fat by avoiding issues like partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, similar to shortengin, or meals fried in them.
“You need to be a extremely savvy label-reader,” Minno stated.
Soy will increase breast most cancers threat
It is a frequent delusion that is nonetheless very ample. “This delusion actually stems from the truth that soy comprises one thing referred to as phytoestrogens,” Minno stated. Phytoestrogens are a naturally occurring nutrient present in sure crops, which can have sure “estrogenic results” when ingested and metabolized, per the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.
“We all know that estrogen can typically be linked to a rise in breast most cancers, however the estrogens in soy are very totally different than mammalian estrogens, those we’ve got in our physique,” Minno stated. These phytoestrogens act otherwise, too. “They will really be protecting in opposition to issues like breast most cancers as a result of what we have seen in Asian nations the place they eat extra soy is that breast most cancers threat is definitely a lot decrease,” she added.
Based on the AHA, consuming 25 grams of soy protein per day can really be coronary heart protecting, Minno stated. Increase your soy protein consumption by consuming issues like tofu, tempeh, soy milk and edamame.
