11 diet myths you should stop believing in

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Nutritional stereotypes that scientists have long denied.

1. There are special foods from which you lose weight or gain weight

Weight change is influenced by Information about Energy Balance. the difference between calories eaten and burned. At the same time, it is not so important from what products you get energy. You can gain weight on a strict diet of chicken breast and brown rice, if you eat a lot of them, and lose weight on burgers.

Foods with so-called negative calories will not be a magic pill either. They usually include cucumbers, cabbage, celery. Supposedly, the body spends more energy on their processing than it receives. The negative calorie theory is not supported by science. No matter how few calories are contained in the product, the body will spend 3-30% on its digestion. Can food have negative calories? from its energy value.

2. To lose weight, you need to reduce your carbohydrate intake

Unless you're a professional bodybuilder struggling to get your bodyfat down from 8% to 5% before a competition, rehabilitate carbs on your menu. You will lose weight when you are in a calorie deficit and gain weight when you are in excess, and the amount of carbohydrates in your diet does not significantly affect this process.

On the other hand, this myth has a basis: carbohydrates retain water in the body, and a sharp restriction of their consumption will really lead to weight loss - due to fluid. It will come back as soon as you start eating carbs again. And you will have to return them to the menu, because glucose gives the brain energy and is involved in the mechanism for the production of the hormone of joy - serotonin. It's no coincidence that people who follow a long, low-carb diet find themselves less smart and dull. This effect is supported by research on Low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets. Effects on cognition and mood. …

3. Proper nutrition is the key to optimal weight and well-being

The main purpose of food is to supply the body with the energy necessary for the functioning of the body, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, microelements. And it is not so important with the help of what products the body is supplied with them. At the same time, if you obsessively follow the principles of proper nutrition, you can get sick with orthorexia nervosa. - a mental disorder in which a person experiences anxiety and guilt for the "wrong" foods on the menu.

4. Gluten should be avoided

Gluten is a complex protein found in many grains and cereals. He is credited with a destructive effect on the intestines, leading to atrophy of the colon mucosa, impaired absorption of fats and vitamins, and a negative effect on metabolism. All of this is true for people with celiac disease - gluten intolerance. But only 1% of them suffer from it. Antiendomysium versus antigliadin antibodies in screening the general population for celiac disease. population of the Earth.

At the same time, for healthy people, giving up gluten not only makes no sense, but can also be dangerous. He leads. to a decrease in immunity and a decrease in the number of beneficial bacteria in the intestine with a simultaneous increase in the number of harmful ones.

5. Everybody needs a detox from time to time

An entire industry is working on this myth. We are offered to "cleanse" the body of toxins with the help of miraculous smoothies, infusions of cucumber, mint and secret supplements, and so on. Scientists argue that detoxification exists only in its medical aspect, when doctors rescue a victim of poisoning.

As for the rest of the cases, this is a marketing ploy. The body removes toxins on its own with the help of the liver, kidneys, skin. If he fails, medical help is required, not smoothies.

6. If you stop dieting, you will definitely gain weight again

Indeed, scientists have noted the so-called yo-yo effect.: People who have followed a very strict diet are more likely to return to their original weight.

But the fact of food restrictions is not of key importance in this matter. It's just that a person again begins to consume more calories than he spends, and the weight returns. Scientists note that the psychological reasons for gaining pounds after a diet play a more important role than biological ones.

7. You need to drink two liters of clean water a day

Indeed, water is essential for the body. The main marker of deficiency is thirst. … Therefore, if you do not feel like drinking, you do not need to force yourself.

Although American scientists have determined Nutrition and healthy eating that men need 15.5 glasses (3.7 liters) of water per day, and women - 11.5 glasses (2.7 liters). Moreover, 20% of this amount comes from food, and the rest needs to be drunk. But, despite such calculations, researchers believe that many people have enough and less volume.

Also, you don't have to focus on clean water. Consider all drinks, including those containing caffeine. He possesses I've been seeing ads that say caffeinated drinks hydrate you as well as water does. Is this true? mild diuretic effect and removes water from the body, but does not cause The effect of caffeinated, non-caffeinated, caloric and non-caloric beverages on hydration. dehydration.

8. You can not eat carbohydrates and fats at the same time if you want to lose weight

It is believed that this mixture leads to the instant transport of fat into stores against the background of an increase in insulin levels due to the consumption of carbohydrates. In fact, proteins can also cause a spike. insulin levels. Therefore, if you are not ready to limit your food intake with lard, drenched in oil, feel free to mix anything in your plate.

In addition, according to the results of studies, during which one group of subjects separated fats and carbohydrates, and the other ate balanced, it was established. that patients lost weight in the same way - solely due to a decrease in daily calorie intake.

9. You can't eat at night

The adherents of this myth believe that the intestines magically stop working after sunset, so food either turns into fat or rots inside the digestive tract, poisoning the body with toxins.

There is some truth in this myth. Decreases during sleep. salivation, pressure of the upper esophageal sphincter. At the same time, the activity of the small intestine is higher at night, the highest secretion of gastric juice is observed between 22 and 2 hours. And the emptying of the stomach is more influenced. individual circadian rhythms than the time of day.

So a light snack at night will be perfectly digested. And overeating is not recommended at any time of the day.

10. There is a magic diet, you just need to find it

Believe the reviews that "this diet works for sure" should be taken with caution. The basis of absolutely all advertised dietary regimens for weight loss is a decrease in daily calorie intake. In some cases, for example, when restricting carbohydrates, weight, as already mentioned, may decrease due to fluid loss, but this effect is short-lived.

11. There are foods that boost metabolism

Caffeinated foods or certain spices may slightly speed up your metabolism in the short term. However, this effect is so negligible. that it is better not to take it into account in the weight loss strategy.