Food myth or truth?

It is better to avoid carbohydrates during your diet, just like fats. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you can consume unlimited light products. But is this really so? We can already tell you that the answer to this is ‘no’. In this blog we tell you why and we discuss a number of other nutritional statements.

You can’t eat carbohydrates while losing weight

Myth
Carbohydrates are often avoided if the goal is to lose weight. According to some diets, it is said to promote weight gain, cause heart disease and obesity. Eating nutritious products with slow carbohydrates, which are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, will do your health a lot of good. In fact, your brain can’t even do without glucose, a type of carbohydrate! On the other hand, products with a lot of added sugars (fast carbohydrates) such as cookies, sweetened drinks and white bread are a lot less healthy for the body. This is because a lot of sugars, calories, saturated fat and/or salt is often added.

A balanced diet that is rich in proteins, (unsaturated) fats and slow carbohydrates is optimal for your health.

High-fat foods are unhealthy

Myth
Most people now know that fats are not necessarily unhealthy in a diet. At least (we already gave it away a bit above) unsaturated fats are healthy fats. They contribute to the maintenance of a normal cholesterol level in the blood and therefore they are good for the heart. The body converts fats from food into energy and also serve as building blocks for your cells, hormones and bile. Fats are also needed to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K from food. Furthermore, fat serves to protect against cold, for example. But your organs and nerve cells also need a layer of fat to prevent damage. Good fats are found in, for example, nuts, avocado and oily fish.

Saturated fats are best eaten in moderation. This is mainly found in fatty meat, biscuits, pastries and cheese. These fats increase the LDL cholesterol level. If this is too high, problems can occur in the blood vessels.

Light products are good for the line

Myth
Light products generally contain 30% less energy, fat or sugar than the standard product. This makes it easier to eat fewer calories, but it does not mean that light products are healthier. It is possible that the light product in question has a lower fat content, but is actually higher in sugars. Therefore, always check the nutritional value before consuming anything.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

Myth
You’ve probably heard it before: ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. This is increasingly being debunked. For example, a hype has arisen around the diet ‘intermittent fasting’. This means that you do not eat breakfast immediately when you get up, but shift it to later in the day. You basically eat all your food within a shorter time frame of say 8 hours and then nothing for 16 hours. According to the nutrition center, it even seems that intermittent fasting can have a beneficial effect on some blood values. According to many studies, the concentration of triglycerides (fats in the blood) decreases and that is related to the amount of weight loss. Some studies show it lowers LDL cholesterol, but not others. These studies are therefore not yet reliable enough.

The best way to lose weight is exercise.

Myth and truth
Every pound goes through the mouth, that’s a saying for a reason. You can’t just work out these pounds. Adjusting your eating habits, making healthy choices and reducing the number of calories is much more important. A diet therefore plays a much greater role than sport, but regular exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Dietary supplements such as vitamins are unnecessary

Myth and truth
Most people get enough vitamins and minerals through a varied diet. If you lose weight and therefore eat fewer calories than you burn, or you participate in top sports and demand the utmost from your body, then you are most likely not getting enough nutrients. In that case, extra vitamins and minerals can certainly be useful. The same applies to certain groups such as pregnant women, young children or the elderly.

Smoothies and juices are healthy

Myth and truth
Some smoothies and nutritional juices certainly contain good nutrients. A fresh smoothie or juice can be a great way to get extra vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. But be careful! They can also be full of sugars. Sugar is sugar, so the fruit sugars are also seen by your body as sugar. A smoothie equals 3 sugar cubes per 100 ml. As a result, half a liter of smoothie is good for 15 sugar cubes. After all, such a smoothie can easily contain 4 to 5 pieces of fruit. Normally you don’t just eat 5 pieces of fruit, but it would be a lot healthier. Are you fond of smoothies and juices? In any case, squeeze them yourself and drink it in moderation. Also process a lot of vegetables in it and throw the fruit with skin and all in the blender for even more nutrients!