Nutrition Myths -
Separating Fact From Fiction

Nutrition Myths 1: Eating ‘Low GI’ is essential if you want to lose fat.
The GI is a score given to carbohydrate-containing foods based on how rapidly they cause a rise in blood glucose after being consumed. A high GI means the food causes a rapid rise in blood glucose and a low GI means the food causes a more sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream.

An increase in blood glucose induces insulin secretion by the pancreas, which stops fat burning and may promote fat storage. As a result, many diets recommend the consumption of low GI foods only. Unfortunately, this is a misguided approach. Even though it makes sense to do so there are many reasons why this approach should not be followed:

• Not sustainable. Eating only low GI foods limits the amount of foods allowed, making it virtually impossible to stick to long term.
• ‘Complete’ meals. Eating ‘complete’ meals (meals containing protein, carbohydrate and fat) automatically lowers the GI of the carbohydrate-containing foods, making the GI virtually useless.
• Nutrient deficiencies. Cutting out high GI foods entirely may result in nutrient deficiencies.
• Portion sizes. Meal size probably has a greater impact on blood sugar and insulin secretion than the GI itself.

A far better approach is to simply emphasise low GI foods in your diet without entirely cutting out the high GI foods, ensure all your meals contain all 3 macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat) and control your portion sizes.

Nutrition Myths 2: Fruit is good for fat loss.
Although fruit is a good alternative to lollies and cake because it is high in fibre, low in fat and calories, and a great source of vitamins and minerals, people who want to lose fat should limit their intake of fruit to a maximum of 2 pieces a day.

Contrary to popular belief, the primary carbohydrate from fruit (fructose), which is also a low GI carbohydrate, gets easily converted into fat in the liver. The reason this happens is because fructose skips one of the regulatory steps in carbohydrate metabolism.

If you want to lose maximum amounts of body fat there is no need to cut out fruit altogether because it does provide many benefits to the body (mentioned above), just don’t eat more than 2 pieces a day.

Nutrition Myths 3: Skipping meals will help you lose weight.
When some people want to lose weight the first strategy they employ is to skip meals. Whilst eating less does promote weight loss, skipping meals is definitely not a successful approach to long-term weight loss.

The human body has been designed to prevent starvation, so as soon as someone starts skipping meals in an effort to lose weight, the body takes steps to ensure it doesn’t starve. Here are the 4 main ‘Anti-Starvation Mechanisms’ the body employs:

• Reduce thyroid output
• Increase cortisol production
• Increase appetite
• Increase activity of fat-storing enzymes

Therefore, if you want to lose weight, reduce your food intake slightly but definitely don’t skip any meals.

Nutrition Myths 4: Carbohydrates don’t make you fat. It’s what you put on them that makes you fat!
This is a common belief held by many mainstream nutritionists. It was especially popular when the out-dated USDA Food Pyramid was around in the 1980’s and 1990’s, which recommended 6-11 serves a day of high-density, grain-based, complex carbohydrates like, bread, pasta, rice and cereals.

It was common to hear them say, ‘It’s the butter or margarine on the bread that makes you fat, not the bread itself’ or ‘It’s the sour cream on the potatoes’.

The fact is, any food eaten in excess can make you fat no matter whether it is primarily carbohydrate, protein of fat. Fat is often the easiest to store as fat, followed by carbohydrate (mainly due to the action of insulin) and then protein.

Nutrition Myths 5: Cut out your carbs at night if you want to lose weight.
This is a very popular recommendation in the fitness industry and whilst it does have some theoretical basis, it doesn’t have much ‘real-life’ application.

At night-time most people’s activities are lower than they are during the day. Accordingly, the body’s requirement for fuel is reduced. Carbohydrate is one of the body’s main fuel sources so it does make sense to reduce it. However, if you’ve eaten potatoes, pumpkin, rice and pasta for dinner for the last 20 or 30 years and someone offers you this recommendation, what do you think the likelihood is that you will be able to stick to it long term and make it a permanent part of your lifestyle? Not very good.

Plus, no-one wants to prepare two separate meals at night, one for them and one for their family, it doesn’t make sense. Furthermore, if you exercise in the afternoon, the carbs you have for dinner will simply be used to replenish glycogen stores in your muscles and liver.

A far better and more sustainable approach is to simply reduce your carbohydrate intake slightly at dinner without cutting them out altogether.

Nutrition Myths 6: A big glass of fruit juice with your breakfast is really good for you.
Whilst fruit juice does contain some essential vitamins, it is loaded with sugar. A 250ml glass of fruit juice has around 20-25 grams of carbs. For most people, that’s an entire meal’s carbohydrate allowance in one glass, most of which is sugar! Whatsmore, this concentrated source of carbs induces a massive insulin spike leading to potential fat storage and an energy slump afterwards.

If your goal is to lose weight, then it is best to limit your intake of fruit juice as much as possible. Have the whole fruit instead. The fibre in the fruit will slow the absorption of the carbs (which reduces the insulin spike) as well as helping you feel full.

Nutrition Myths 7: Eating ‘Low GI’ is essential if you want to lose fat.

The GI is a score given to carbohydrate-containing foods based on how rapidly they cause a rise in blood glucose after being consumed. A high GI means the food causes a rapid rise in blood glucose and a low GI means the food causes a more sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream.

An increase in blood glucose induces insulin secretion by the pancreas, which stops fat burning and may promote fat storage. As a result, many diets recommend the consumption of low GI foods only. Unfortunately, this is a misguided approach. Even though it makes sense to do so there are many reasons why this approach should not be followed:

• Not sustainable. Eating only low GI foods limits the amount of foods allowed, making it virtually impossible to stick to long term.
• ‘Complete’ meals. Eating ‘complete’ meals (meals containing protein, carbohydrate and fat) automatically lowers the GI of the carbohydrate-containing foods, making the GI virtually useless.
• Nutrient deficiencies. Cutting out high GI foods entirely may result in nutrient deficiencies.
• Portion sizes. Meal size probably has a greater impact on blood sugar and insulin secretion than the GI itself.

A far better approach is to simply emphasise low GI foods in your diet without entirely cutting out the high GI foods, ensure all your meals contain all 3 macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat) and control your portion sizes.

There you have some of the top nutrition myths.

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