5 Diet ‘Info’ which can be Really Diet Myths

At this time’s weblog is a follow-up to Diet Info which can be Fallacious Half One from earlier this 12 months.

Dietary science is a dynamic area and we’re always studying extra and making discoveries.  As a dietitian, it’s my job to remain on high of the newest proof and apply primarily based on that. Over time, our understanding evolves and typically what we as soon as believed to be true, is not. 

Other than analysis altering, there’s additionally the difficulty of influencers on social media spouting opinion as if it’s truth. Simply because somebody has loads of followers, or they are saying one thing with what appears like authority, doesn’t make what they’re saying true. Trace: podcasts are the newest vector for diet fable spreading.

‘FACT’: white rice is dangerous for us 

Rice is a cultural staple for individuals everywhere in the world, but we’ve been advised for years to keep away from ‘white meals,’ together with white rice. Embarrassingly, I even advised individuals to keep away from white rice in my early years as a dietitian.

Whereas brown rice does have some slight dietary benefits over white rice (it’s a bit larger in fibre and a few minerals reminiscent of magnesium), loads of the damaging speak about white rice is deeply rooted in the truth that individuals have a tendency to make use of Western tradition’s concept of ‘wholesome meals’ because the gold-standard.  This has traditionally regarded like brown rice, combined greens and a chunk of fish or hen breast.

This will work for some individuals, nevertheless it isn’t consultant of the variety of our inhabitants.

There are loads of methods to eat healthily, and our cultural meals needs to be part of that.

Meals, tradition, and identification are deeply rooted, and saying that cultural staples are ‘unhealthy’ is a approach of devaluing that tradition, which is improper on so many ranges. Folks ought to be capable of eat and benefit from the meals they grew up with, with out being made to really feel like these meals are ‘dangerous’ or ‘improper.’

From a sensible standpoint, white rice cooks a lot sooner than brown rice. Rice itself is the right car for greens and proteins, and it’s cheap and might be prepped prematurely.

‘FACT’: we don’t want carbs to dwell 

Carbohydrates have gotten a foul status for a very long time, however the considering that carbs are pointless is a standard diet fable principally perpetuated by followers of low carb and Carnivore diets, particularly on social media. Individuals who comply with these diets typically declare that they’ve improved their well being, misplaced weight, improved their pores and skin, and gained extra vitality all by avoiding carbs. I’ve written in regards to the carnivore weight-reduction plan right here.

Though technically we can dwell with out carbohydrate, that doesn’t imply that it’s a good suggestion. Ideally, we try to optimize our well being versus simply attempting to outlive.

Our mind depends on glucose as its important supply of vitality. Our our bodies could make glucose from different substrates in a course of referred to as gluconeogenesis, however that not as environment friendly a course of as simply utilizing carbs for glucose.

Once more: simply because we can, doesn’t imply we ought to.

There’s nothing improper with consuming a lower-carb weight-reduction plan, however fearing carbs and closely proscribing or avoiding them altogether isn’t well being selling, each bodily and emotionally. I’m going so as to add that fibre is a carb as properly, and anybody who claims that fibre is pointless and even dangerous shouldn’t be somebody who you have to be getting your diet data from.

Fruit, greens, complete grains, beans, and legumes are all nutrient-rich sources of carbohydrates, together with fibre. That is vital for our gut-health, maintaining our levels of cholesterol wholesome, and may also help to stabilize blood sugar in individuals with diabetes. Analysis exhibits us that the healthiest weight-reduction plan is one which comprises loads of crops.

Conversely, there isn’t a analysis that proves that avoiding crops – or that dramatically restricts carbs – promotes higher well being. There are at all times exceptions, however basically, the overwhelming majority of us profit from together with carbohydrates in our diets.

Carb high quality issues, too. Whereas there’s a position for refined carbohydrates in our diets, the vast majority of our carb consumption ought to come from complete or minimally processed decisions.

‘FACT’: saturated fats shouldn’t be linked with coronary heart illness 

Pointers because the 1970’s have been to cut back saturated fats consumption to lower cardiovascular threat, however with evolving science, we’re studying extra about how some meals wealthy in saturated fats could not have a damaging affect on coronary heart well being in spite of everything. Nevertheless, to say that saturated fats shouldn’t be linked with coronary heart illness shouldn’t be true. 

Saturated fats is present in many alternative meals. Most come from animal sources reminiscent of meat, poultry, and dairy merchandise, however tropical fat reminiscent of coconut and palm oils even have saturated fats. It’s vital to know that every one fat comprise a mixture of saturated and unsaturated fat in numerous quantities.

Learn my put up about seed oils right here.

Present tips recommend that not more than 10% of our energy per day needs to be from saturated fats. If there was proof to recommend that saturated fats was not linked coronary heart illness, these tips would have been adjusted by now.

Dairy merchandise have been a well-liked meals group to analysis about saturated fats and coronary heart well being. Cheese has been discovered to have useful results on our blood fat in comparison with butter (which, FYI, is simply round 63% saturated fats).

In a latest systematic evaluation and meta-analysis, researchers discovered that in comparison with butter, dairy fats eaten within the type of cheese lowered fasting circulating complete ldl cholesterol, LDL and HDL. This is smart on condition that butter is a very totally different meals than cheese – cheese is a fermented meals and has protein, calcium and lots of extra further vitamins that you just don’t discover in butter, which is basically pure fats.

Extra analysis is required to substantiate these findings, and there might also be variations between various kinds of cheese, reminiscent of exhausting and semi-soft cheeses.

One other newer space of analysis has been to have a look at the chain size of the fatty acids which might be grouped into quick, medium, and lengthy chains. Brief chain fatty acids are principally produced within the colon as a biproduct of fibre being fermented. Medium chain fatty acids are present in palm kernel, coconut oil and dairy merchandise. Lengthy chain fatty acids are present in dairy, beef, palm oil, and lard. 

In a systemic evaluation, it was discovered that lengthy chain fatty acids elevated the chance for coronary heart illness, whereas quick and medium chain fat had been extra impartial. Nevertheless, since most meals have various kinds of fatty acids, it turns into exhausting to make conclusions. 

When trying to scale back saturated fats to enhance coronary heart well being, what we change it with can also be vital. It’s usually accepted that changing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fat is useful for our coronary heart well being. These fat are present in fatty fish reminiscent of salmon and sardines in addition to nuts and seeds, tofu and soy beans. Vegetable oils reminiscent of canola are additionally excessive in polyunsaturated fat. 

Analysis means that changing saturated fat with refined carbohydrates has a damaging impact on coronary heart well being. 

‘truth’: all of us want calcium dietary supplements for bone well being 

It might sound like a no brainer to complement a mineral you don’t get sufficient of out of your weight-reduction plan. However in terms of the analysis, there are some issues to concentrate on in terms of calcium in complement kind.

There have been loads of research over time calcium dietary supplements and bone well being, however there isn’t loads of scientific consensus as a result of the research have combined outcomes. 

Most of those research have been achieved with post-menopausal ladies, as it is a time when age-related bone loss tends to speed up with reducing estrogen ranges. 

Info from the Girls’s Well being Initiative (WHI) research recommend that calcium mixed with vitamin D is related to small enhancements in bone mineral density, however shouldn’t be related to a threat for bone fracture in postmenopausal ladies.

The US Preventive Companies Job Power (USPSTF) had related findings, and each entities suggest towards day by day calcium supplementation for the prevention of fractures in postmenopausal ladies.

There are some dangers with calcium dietary supplements. This 2021 meta evaluation checked out associations between calcium dietary supplements and coronary heart well being. It discovered that calcium dietary supplements appeared to extend the chance for heart problems and coronary coronary heart illness, however not cerebrovascular illness. 

Age-related bone loss is a giant challenge, particularly amongst ladies. I like to recommend a life-style strategy to assist bone well being that features consuming calcium-rich meals, weight-bearing train reminiscent of strolling and resistance coaching, and quitting smoking. Get a baseline bone density scan, and comply with up as beneficial.

‘truth’: everybody needs to be on a low sodium weight-reduction plan

Sodium is a necessary nutrient with roles that embody regulating fluid quantity and maintaining our muscle mass and nerves working correctly.

Blood strain tips and a few well being professionals have traditionally beneficial a low sodium weight-reduction plan (outlined as lower than 2300mg of sodium or about 1 tsp of salt) primarily based on the assumption that this can scale back blood strain and in flip, scale back cardiovascular occasions.

Nevertheless, these suggestions have not too long ago been challenged attributable to lack of sturdy proof to suggest such a low consumption. Common sodium intakes world wide vary from 2.3-4.6g (1-2 tsp of salt) per day and a few researchers recommend that there isn’t a elevated threat of heart problems by having this quantity. The chance will increase when sodium consumption is over 5g per day. 

Additional, there isn’t a analysis to recommend that low sodium (within the vary at the moment beneficial) in comparison with the common consumption is related to a decrease threat of cardiovascular occasions and mortality. It might even be related to elevated threat. 

Graphic is from: Sodium and well being: one other problem to the present dogma | European Coronary heart Journal | Oxford Educational (oup.com) 

The PURE research, which adopted 102 000 people for 9 years discovered {that a} average consumption (3–5 g/day) of sodium appeared to be optimum for well being, with decrease and better intakes being related to larger mortality and heart problems.

Isolating one single nutrient in a research is difficult. The results of sodium are additionally impacted by how a lot potassium somebody will get which provides to the problem. That’s okay – most wholesome individuals don’t have to fret about getting an excessive amount of sodium in the event that they concentrate on consuming quite a lot of complete meals and limiting ultra-processed meals. 

Diet analysis is evolving. In flip, we should always at all times problem our beliefs and be open to any progress . Be sure to get your data from credible sources.

There are lots of people couching their opinions as diet info. Be skeptical of something that appears excessive or too good to be true, as a result of it most likely is.