Choosing a healthy diet and making it a lifelong habit is good for everyone. But with so much information from so many different sources related to nutrition and the effect on our health, how do we know what’s true and what’s not?
Here are just a few of the most common statements, can you tell if they are myths or facts?
- To lose weight, you must give up all your favorite foods.
- Grain products such as bread, pasta, and rice are fattening. You should avoid them when trying to lose weight.
- Choosing foods that are gluten-free will help you eat healthier.
- You should avoid all fats if you are trying to be healthy or lose weight.
- Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy.
- A meat-free, plant-based diet is best for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.
Now for the facts about healthy eating, losing, or maintaining your weight
- You do not have to give up foods you love to lose weight. The right way to lose weight, or maintain a healthy weight, is to keep to your recommended daily calorie intake. Avoid excess calories from beverages, and limit foods that are high in calories.
- Eating grains is an important part of a healthy eating plan. Bread, pasta, and rice do not make you fat, but you do need to factor in the amount you eat – portion control is important to maintain a good balance and avoid excess weight gain. And take care that at least half of the grains you eat come from whole grains.
- Choosing gluten-free foods is recommended for people with gluten intolerance or other health problems. A gluten-free diet is not a weight-loss diet and is not intended to help you lose weight.
- Fats are an important part of a healthy eating plan. You shouldn’t cut fats out of your diet, but remember, fats have more calories per gram than protein therefore:
- Limit your fat intake to avoid extra calories.
- Less than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fats (meat, poultry skin, butter, and some milk and dairy products).
- Try cutting back on solid-fat foods like full-fat (regular) cheese, cream, ice cream, whole milk; bacon, poultry skin, regular ground beef, sausages, well-marbled cuts of meats; and many baked goods.
- Dairy products contain protein and calcium which are important to build and maintain muscles and strengthen bones. You should aim to have three servings a day of fat-free or low-fat dairy products like milk or milk products such as yogurt and cheese. If you are lactose-sensitive, choose fortified soy products or lactose-free or low-lactose dairy products.
- A vegetarian eating plan may be linked to lower levels of obesity, lower blood pressure, and a reduced risk of heart disease, but it is important to note that vegetarians may make food choices that could lead to weight gain, such as eating a lot of food high in sugar, fats, and calories.
If you choose to follow a vegetarian eating plan it is advisable to consult your medical practitioner or dietician to be sure you get enough of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.
TIP: Before you decide to avoid a whole food group, talk with your health care professional.
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