Myth or Legit: Nutrition Debunked

It is really easy to get facts wrong because of hearsay, false media, and traditional superstitions. A lot of generic nutritional advice and thoughts that you may have known your whole life might actually be blatantly false myths. Here are some common nutritional rhetorics that you can guess whether they are factual or not. Welcome to Myth or Legit.

1. A healthy adult needs around 8 glasses of water a day. 

Although you may have heard this as recommended by the 1945 US Food and Nutrition Board, the truth is this was originally suggested without any research, and it was supposed to include food and water intake. 

2. Drinking lots of water flushes out toxins.

Unfortunately, this is actually a myth. Studies show that drinking excess water does not do anything for kidney functioning. True research suggests drinking water, whether you are thirsty or not, as long as your receptors are healthy, is enough. In fact, excessively drinking water will only lead to urine.

3. Carbs make you fat.

This is something you may have heard or implemented. Maybe you assumed eating only protein will make you lose weight; however, the truth is carbs do not make you fatter. With a similar calorie intake, eating carbs bears no difference on your weight compared to a protein-only diet. 

4. All calories are made equal.

It may seem logical to control your weight by burning more than you eat. The truth about this idea is that it isn't that simple; the source of each calorie changes how you digest it and how you retrieve energy from it. Put it simply, a handful of nuts may have more calories due to fat content than a sugary beverage, but that does not make it a better choice for weight loss. The glycemic index of foods is a more accurate understanding of what makes you lose weight. Ultimately what matters is not the amount of calories you are consuming but what is being consumed. 

5. Sugar makes kids more hyper.

Although there is evidence of sugar being linked to sensitivity for children with ADHD, the truth is that little to no evidence suggests sugar has an affect on hyperactivity otherwise. It might in fact be the placebo of feeding children sugar that makes people feel as if sugar has caused their kids to be hyper. A likely explanation is activities such as celebrations and adrenaline release surrounded by activities where kids receive sugary treats are more likely the cause of hyperactivity. 

6. Late-night eating makes you fat.

This is a very well-known nutritional phenomenon that few take seriously. However, research suggested this is actually not a myth; late-night eating increases hunger and obesity risks. Even when you eat consistently the same diet, eating four hours later makes a significant difference for our hunger levels, and hormones that influence satiety are decreased in late-night conditions. It might be time to cut out the late-night dinners. 

How many of these nutritional ideas are circulating around without any evidence? It might feel like hearsay is a reliable source of understanding nutrition. But if one really wants to understand what they eat and how it affects them, as well as how to lose weight, true research needs to be done.

All that is needed is one quick read into the free 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Here is a nutritional guide for beginners that highlights what you need to know and does not require a great deal of effort to learn. At the end of the day, nutrition isn’t about following trends; it’s about understanding facts.