Are you tired of those “DIET” bumper stickers plastered across your grocery store? Do you feel like everywhere you look, someone is shoving cleanses, meal replacements, or weight-loss supplements down your throat? Are you done hearing about all the quick solutions that guarantee weight loss with just a little bit of effort on your part and a lot of money spent on the latest fad? Delis such as fry food stores are just good for cheat days. If so, then this article is for you! Here are 15 common misconceptions about healthy foods.
1. Only processed foods are unhealthy
Processed foods are usually the first ones to be blamed for all of society’s problems. Of course, who wants to hear that there is a real possibility that they may not be meeting their goals by eating lots of whole grains, brown rice, fruits and vegetables? But they are!
2. Whole grains make you fat
Even though tons of research shows, again and again, that whole grains do not make you fat, people continue to believe (or at least say) this. Whole grain foods contain a lot more vitamins than their refined counterparts. They contain all the B and E vitamins, plus a few others.
3. Fat makes you fat
As I’ve said before in this article, people are so concerned about a little extra belly fat that they will try anything to prevent it from happening, even if it requires making drastic changes to their diet and lifestyle.
4. Carbohydrates are bad for your health
Although you may not want to hear it, carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy. It is true that the body can function for several days without any carbohydrates at all. This is why people who have fasted for long periods of time have survived without being hampered in their daily functions.
5. Weight loss supplements are a healthy alternative to exercise and dieting
Yes, there are supplements out there that promise to provide you with all the nutrients you need in a pill form. Some of those supplements do provide many benefits, but there is a downside to them too. They are not regulated by the FDA and there is the risk that they could be contaminated with harmful bacteria or harmful chemicals.
6. Whole grains are unhealthy
This belief has been going on for years and it still persists today. But it is not true at all!
7. Eating more helps you lose more weight
This is not true! Of course, you can still lose weight if you eat a few more calories than your body needs, but the process of losing weight becomes much harder and there are so many other bodily functions that are affected if your calorie intake exceeds what your body requires.
8. Healthy foods are expensive
In fact, this belief couldn’t be farther from the truth. If anything, healthy foods are cheaper in the long run because they contain the nutrients that our bodies require to help them function at their best without additional doses of expensive supplements and medications down the road.
9. Only junk foods are unhealthy
While there are some unhealthy foods such as fast food, white flour and sugar, there are also many healthy foods, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, fish in their various forms (such as sashimi), chicken and turkey, whole grains, fish oil supplements and many more.
10. All fat is bad for you
This is a relatively new belief that has been spreading like wildfire on the Internet in recent years. If you have spent any time on the Internet at all recently then you have probably seen articles describing how good saturated fat really isn’t.
11. Weight loss is just a matter of cutting out a few meals and adding in a few more intense workouts
Weight loss is actually very complicated and there are so many factors involved in it. Some people may be able to lose weight by cutting out a few meals, others may need to drastically change their diet while they exercise on their own, while others may need medical help to get the job done.
12. There are no good foods or bad foods
This belief has been popping up more and more over the last five years or so and it really stems from the fact that everyone reacts differently to different foods. Some people will see a difference after eating only one meal, while others will see better results by drastically changing their diet.
13. Fat makes you fat and carbs don’t make you fat
If anything, this is an old belief that has been completely debunked over the last twenty years or so. If you are looking for something to blame for all of your weight problems, then I’ve got some good news for you! You have found it!
14. Counter-productive to eat foods full of vitamins and minerals, like fruits and vegetables, because they are too high in calories to be healthy foods
In fact, fruits and vegetables provide our bodies with more nutrients than most other foods. To get the most benefit out of them, you should eat a good variety of foods rather than just one kind.
15. Seeds are bad for you because they contain gluten is yet another misconception
Gluten is a form of protein found in many grains, including oat, wheat, rye, and barley. Gluten is the culprit behind the rise of celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can cause severe damage to the digestive system if not treated, resulting in poor absorption of nutrients and even weight loss in severe cases.
These are just a few of the misconceptions that people have about losing weight. If you notice anything else that people have been saying to you or if you have heard anything I’ve just said and would like to add something to it, then please do so in the comments section below!
