10 Nutrition Misconceptions

Due to constant new discoveries and research, as well as frequent outdated beliefs, there is a large number of nutritional misconceptions we can hear today from various sources. Some of these pieces of misinformation were actual scientific stances in the past, others are remnants of tradition, and some are intentional disinformation aimed at selling products and supplements. Either way, the following text will outline 10 of these misconceptions along with explanations.

Before beginning, I would like to state that more serious debates, such as the impact of cholesterol intake, table salt, refined sugars, etc., will not be mentioned here, as they deserve entire articles dedicated solely to them. The 10 misconceptions addressed in this text were selected based on my personal sense of their frequency and interesting nature.

1. Vitamin C prevents colds and the flu
2. Fewer carbohydrates mean a healthier diet
3. Honey and brown sugar are healthier than white sugar
4. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are worse than fresh ones
5. Natural always means healthy
6. Red wine is the only good alcohol
7. If you exercise, you can eat whatever and however much you want
8. You should avoid eggs due to their high cholesterol content
9. Bottled water is better than tap water
10. You must never eat fast food
11. Vitamin C prevents the common cold

This claim falls under outdated scientific opinion that has been proven false. About 50 years ago, the idea that vitamin C helps cure the common cold was popularized. Since then, numerous studies have attempted to prove this, unfortunately without success. Most research has indicated that vitamin C has very little to no effect on the severity and duration of the common cold. What we are left with are reliable recommendations, such as staying well-hydrated, getting plenty of rest, using nasal drops, and having a lot of toilet paper on hand.

Fewer Carbohydrates Always Mean a Healthier Diet

In my experience, this is a very common nutritional misconception that exists for several reasons.

The opinion that carbohydrates are always bad is simply incorrect. While I can agree that foods with excessive added simple sugars should be avoided, carbohydrates are crucial for a normal metabolism and a healthy body. Carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables have been present in the human diet for centuries, and besides carbohydrates, they contain a large number of essential vitamins and minerals, meaning they can in no way be considered unhealthy food.

Companies sell various low-sugar products where sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners to maintain flavor. This leads to the promotion and sale of products that consumers believe are healthier or good for them. The exact effects of artificial sweeteners are complex and often insufficiently studied; if you wish to eat healthier, try reducing the frequency of eating sweets, sodas, and snacks instead of seeking a similar taste with less sugar.

People who participate in sports or are otherwise physically active utilize carbohydrates as their primary energy source. For these individuals, not only is carbohydrate intake not bad, but it is highly recommended. Achieving peak results in sports is practically unimaginable without a sufficient intake of carbohydrate-rich foods.

Honey and Brown Sugar Are Healthier Than White Sugar

Brown and white sugar are derived from the same plant, meaning they share a similar sweetness and chemical composition. Brown sugar contains nutritionally insignificant, slightly higher amounts of certain minerals, meaning there are no health benefits. There are very small differences in their caloric value—about 8%—and the main difference is the taste and the color itself.

The difference between honey and white sugar is slightly larger. Honey is known as a healthy food, but you should be aware that regarding its chemical composition, alongside water, honey is predominantly a mixture of glucose and fructose, just like table white sugar. In addition to simple sugars, honey contains vitamins and antioxidants that can have health benefits. However, honey should still be used in small quantities, especially if you are trying to reduce your caloric intake.

Frozen and Canned Fruits and Vegetables Are Worse Than Fresh Ones

To start, you need to understand that fruits and vegetables continue to "live" even after being harvested. During this period, they consume stored nutrients to keep their cells alive. While fresh produce should always be the first choice, this is often impossible to achieve. A large number of fruits and vegetables begin losing their nutritional properties just hours after being picked, and it is frequently impossible to conduct such a rapid transport from the producer to the consumer. Fruits and vegetables first spend time in transit, then on shelves, and subsequently in our homes before we consume them.

On the other hand, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are usually packaged very quickly after harvesting. This stops further nutrient loss, and the product that arrives in our homes is often compositionally fresher than what is bought at the farmers' market. Naturally, some plants inherently preserve their nutrients well and do not need to be frozen or canned. This includes beans, lemons, potatoes, carrots, and other tubers.

If choosing between frozen and canned food, I would choose frozen. Canned goods frequently contain added salts and sugars, and the impact of high temperatures during transport can compromise the nutritional value of the food. Frozen food usually has no added substances and remains frozen during transport and after purchase.

Natural Always Means Healthy

This opinion can be approached from several angles. First, from the perspective of most plants, mammals, including humans, are pests. Plants evolved defense mechanisms against us, so it is no surprise that they contain substances that are harmful or even lethal to us. For example, wild almonds contain cyanides that can kill a human in small amounts; potatoes, peas, and beans can cause severe conditions if not properly cooked, etc. Throughout history, humans have learned how to domesticate, cultivate, and prepare plants so they are not dangerous. In this sense, cultivated plants generally possess better nutritional properties than their wild relatives.

In terms of medicine, nature has provided us with some of the most commonly used drugs, such as aspirin, morphine, and even penicillin. However, natural and traditionally used remedies have frequently proven to be ineffective. You are, of course, entirely free to make your own decision on this matter, but modern medicine is the primary reason for the drastic extension of human lifespan in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Finally, there is the question of whether organic and naturally produced food is healthier than food produced via conventional techniques, as fewer chemicals are used. A problem arises from the illusion that when something is labeled organic or natural, it automatically means it is healthy. One should not forget that sugars, salts, additives, etc., can be added to these foods, or they may contain organically sourced products in insignificantly small quantities. I advise you to always read the consumer label and only then draw conclusions about the healthiness of a food item.

Red Wine Is the Only Good Alcohol

Another misconception based on outdated scientific opinion pertains to red wine. Over 50 years ago, scientists tracked heart health among populations worldwide. Among the populations that drank wine daily, they noticed a lower number of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases compared to other populations. However, it was later revealed that their diet was drastically more responsible for this than their red wine consumption. Today, people suffering from heart issues are recommended the Mediterranean diet or the special DASH diet, which was modeled after the Mediterranean diet.

Moderate amounts of alcohol do have some positive health effects. Naturally, the emphasis is on the word moderate, as the consequences of excessive alcohol consumption are exceptionally harmful to one's health. Multiple studies have shown that alcohol can contribute to heart health by increasing HDL (good cholesterol) levels and reducing the likelihood of blood clots forming. The effectiveness of alcohol is debatable, and it should be stated that doctors do not recommend drinking alcohol for the purpose of improving heart health.

There is absolutely no evidence that beer, white wine, or other alcoholic beverages do not achieve the identical health benefits as red wine. So, choose your favorite drink, consume it in moderation, and enjoy.

If You Exercise, You Can Eat Whatever and However Much You Want

While training is unequivocally important for building muscle and highly important for losing unwanted weight, one must account for the exact increase in caloric requirements. The human body tends to expend energy as rationally as possible, which is why there is no massive spike in expenditure during physical activity. The estimated expenditure for a person with extremely little to almost no physical activity is 2,000 calories for women and 2,400 calories for men. Depending on intensity, training increases daily expenditure by up to 600 calories. 600 calories is not a small amount; for many people, that is an entire meal. For example, a 150-gram burger patty in a bun contains about 600 calories.

This, of course, does not apply to professional athletes, nor to people who have daily training sessions of extreme intensity or duration. For this demographic, it is necessary to calculate expenditure more precisely using various methods. However, this is also a demographic that pays close attention to their caloric intake—meaning when and how much they eat. Therefore, even individuals who have a far greater caloric expenditure than average active people cannot consume unlimited calories.

Finally, I would like to remind you that aside from calories, it is necessary to manage a proper intake of vitamins, minerals, water, and proteins. Their recommended daily intake is always presented based on a person expending 2,000 calories, so the actual values should be adjusted to match your specific expenditure.

You Should Avoid Eggs Due to High Cholesterol Content

During the last century, it was observed that people dealing with cardiovascular issues had elevated cholesterol levels in their blood. For this reason, nutritional recommendations began advising the avoidance of cholesterol-rich foods in an effort to prevent these diseases.

This assumption proved false for multiple reasons. It was concluded that an increase in blood cholesterol is caused by obesity and excessive intake of saturated and trans fats. Conversely, it was demonstrated that dietary cholesterol intake has little to no effect on blood cholesterol levels.

Chicken eggs are an exceptional food item. Not only do they boast an ideal protein profile, but they also contain numerous minerals and vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, B2, B5, B9, and B12, selenium, and iron. For these reasons, there is absolutely no reason to avoid eggs in your diet.

If you suffer from elevated cholesterol levels, some of the recommendations include: losing weight, improving your diet, exercising, and quitting smoking.

Bottled Water Is Better Than Tap Water

In some parts of Serbia, this choice does not exist due to unsafe tap water, and the rest of the explanation applies to regions that do have potable water (not Zrenjanin). If you have the luxury of choice, my advice would always be tap water for several reasons.

The problems with bottled water are cost, transport, packaging, and, most significantly for us, microplastics. Microplastics are the most common contaminant in bottled water. The largest portion is released during the manufacturing of the packaging and the bottling of the water, while the rest is released as the water sits on shelves and in refrigerators. The attitude of vendors that water cannot spoil, in my observation, frequently leads to a lack of care regarding temperature and other conditions under which bottled water is stored. This leads to increased shedding of microplastics, which have proven negative health consequences, such as inflammation and accumulation in organs.

On the other hand, tap water is practically free and does not contain microplastics. Depending on the condition and age of the plumbing, it may be contaminated with heavy metals, but this can be checked relatively easily and cheaply. Additionally, it generates no garbage, and you can refill your bottle always and everywhere.

If you are unhappy with the taste or composition of your tap water, I recommend using a purifier. There is a vast number of purifiers, and it is ungrateful to say which is the best. The ideal filter for you varies based on the price you are willing to pay, the frequency of filter replacements, and your needs. I own a basic activated carbon filter that I use when I run out of artesian water, which I buy from a nearby well. That water is definitely the best choice; not only does it contain minimal amounts of microplastics due to its short time in plastic bottles, but it also contains minerals, is potable, and does not pass through a potentially compromised pipeline.

You Must Never Eat Fast Food

What I repeat to all my clients is that it matters how we eat and behave the majority of the time, not in a single day or week. This also applies to fast food. We all enjoy grabbing food from a nearby kiosk or ordering in. Fast food is very cheap, tasty, requires no preparation, and is always available to us. However, today everyone is aware of its unhealthiness due to large amounts of calories, fats, and added sugars.

Fast food is conceptualized and engineered to trigger the release of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in the sensation of pleasure, so if you enjoy fast food, you belong to the vast majority of humanity, and that is not a bad thing at all.

The problem that occurs for people on various dietary regimens is that they blame themselves as being insufficiently strong or persistent to resist the urge for foods they love every single day of the month. This leads to abandoning a diet or healthy eating under the impression that by making one "mistake," they have negated all their prior progress, which is absolutely untrue. What matters is the majority of days, not every single day.

My advice is that instead of everyday mental battles and resisting the craving for this undeniably tasty food, you should plan a day when you will eat it as one of your meals. Naturally, this should not be done every day, but one or two non-consecutive days a week will not pose a problem for most people regarding their health or their weight-loss efforts.

You can read more interesting articles on my BLOG.