Understanding more about food and how to eat healthy will help you lose weight and stay healthy in the long term. I think it’s worth investing time into educating yourself about it. But it can be hard as there is SO much advice out there. Here are some common food myths which I hope that I can clear up for you.
Natural Sugar VS Added Sugar
Natural sugar is found in fruit, some vegetables, and dairy (lactose is a sugar). These type of foods also contain fiber and many other nutrients which actually slows down digestion. They can also make you feel full and won’t leave you with a sugar crash. So these are the best type of sugars.
However, there are many other “natural” sugars out there now, and people are being tricked into thinking that these are “healthier.” Things like coconut sugar, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, raw honey, evaporated cane juice – these are all sugar. You’re no better off using these than you are normal sugar.
In the end, all sugar is processed the exact same way in your body, whether it’s natural or not. So you still need to be wary of eating TOO much sugar and that includes fruit too.
Eggs Yolks Are Unhealthy
Egg yolks do contain cholesterol, and cholesterol isn’t really great for you. But people are becoming more aware now that it is saturated fat and trans fats that are more responsible for increasing your blood cholesterol, not dietary cholesterol. So eating eggs every day will do you no harm! But as with any food, just don’t overdo it.
Coffee Is Bad For You
Yes coffee does contain caffeine which is a mild diuretic and it is not a naturally occurring substance. But caffeine is actually the only supplement that is proved to help you lose weight, and coffee does have some health benefits. Coffee becomes unhealthy when you put cream and sugar in it. But if you drink it black or with a little bit of milk, it’s not that bad.
Just be aware though that caffeine is addictive and that it is not naturally occurring, so you will have withdrawals if you try to stop drinking it. And relying on coffee to wake you up is not a healthy habit.
Salads Are The Healthiest Thing You Can Order At Restaurants
Salads can be healthy, but they can also be unhealthy. You need to look at what is in the salad. If it has a creamy or sweet dressing, this is going to add extra calories. If it includes dried fruit, croutons, fried chicken, fried noodles, honey roasted nuts, the list goes on, then this is not healthy.
Have a read of this blog post for the top 10 unhealthiest salads and check out how many calories there are in these things!!
Organic And Gluten Free Means Healthy
Just because something is organic or gluten free it doesn’t mean that it is healthy. Organic cookies or gluten free muffins are still going to have the same amount of calories and sugar in it as the normal variety. Read what is on the packet and what ingredients are in it before just assuming it is healthy!
I must note here that organic meat IS actually better for you :)
You Will Lose Weight If You Just Eat Healthy
Lots of people think that if they just eat healthy, they will lose weight. The thing is, you also need to eat LESS food than your body needs. Eating healthy will help you eat less food as the good stuff is generally lower in calories and will keep you full. But if you still eat 2000 calories of healthy food when your body only needs 1500 calories, you won’t lose weight just because it’s healthy. In fact, you’ll probably gain weight.
Have a read of this blog post to work out how many calories you should be eating.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment below! xx
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