Episode 60: Debunking The Top 10 Food Myths - with Lisa Andrews RD

Every time you turn around there is new hype about fad diets, super foods and eating plans; all with glowing reviews about the amazing results you can get if you use them. They may sound good but if those claims are not backed by research, dietitians don’t promote them. We are trained from day one to look for evidence-based research about any claims. Even if it sounds amazing and people are benefiting, we dig deep to find out more about it. We want to see evidence such as who else could be benefiting from it, who it could be harming and what long term results there might be. It is never a simple answer when it comes to nutrition. There are always many layers to investigate.

Today’s interview is with returning guest, Dietitian Lisa Andrews. She has been recognized twice as the Dietitian of the Year by the state of Ohio, so I asked her to address ten of the top food myths.

1. Myth: Only Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Truth: Health foods are found in every area of the store. Read labels. Look for high protein and fiber, low sodium foods. Consider having a dietitian take you on a “grocery tour” to teach you what to look for and avoid.

2. Myth: Frozen meals aren’t good for you. Truth: Many frozen meals now come with healthy ingredients and they are portion controlled. They are easy to have on hand for times when you would otherwise go out, order in or settle for whatever is readily available.

3. Myth: Frozen fruits and veggies are less healthy than fresh ones. Fact: Most fruits and veggies are frozen within several hours of being picked so they are at the peak of their freshness. Items that you have fresh at home, but will not get to before they go bad, can be frozen to use later, reducing food waste.

4. Myth: Several small meals throughout the day are better than 3 large meals. Fact: There is no one eating plan that is right for everyone. Meal timing is dependent on the unique needs of each individual, taking into consideration their hunger, how they feel and their energy requirements.

5. Myth: Eating after 6 PM causes weight gain. Fact: What you eat throughout the day and the type of food you consume in the evening, determines whether you gain weight.

6. Myth: You should only eat organic foods. Fact: This is a personal choice. Pesticide levels in non-organic food are so low that there is no problem eating them, especially in items with skin or peel that you remove. Buy organic if you like, but don’t feel guilty if you don’t.

7. Myth: You shouldn’t eat eggs if you are worried about your cholesterol. Fact: Eggs have good properties in both the white and the yolk. The sides people usually eat with eggs, such as bacon, sausage and cheese, are more harmful to a healthy diet than the eggs so practice moderation in all of them.

8. Myth: Avoid all saturated fat. Fact: Try to limit saturated fat to 3 grams or less per serving. Many relatively healthy foods such as natural peanut butter contain saturated fat.

9. Myth: Detox diets help to cleanse and remove toxins from your body. Fact: No, they don’t. The liver, kidney and lungs are what removes toxins from your body. Cut out extra calories and take out anything toxic that might be doing harm to your body like processed sugar but make it sustainable to your health. Strange, severely limiting diets, weird teas or similar short-term fixes can cause more harm than good.

10. Myth: Drinking coffee is an unhealthy habit. Fact: Coffee has a lot of health benefits. It reduces Parkinson’s, may help with diabetes and gout and is a good source of antioxidants. It is what you put in your coffee that can be unhealthy.

Lisa is the owner of Sound Bites Nutrition. She sells a line of food pun t-shirts. Her book The Healing Gout Cookbook: Anti-Inflammatory Recipes to Lower Uric Acid Levels and Reduce Fla