My attempt to separate fact from fiction after years of contradictory diet advice.
Nutrition advice seems to change with the seasons, and keeping up with it has worn me out. Fat is bad, then fat is good. Carbs are the enemy, then they are essential. With so much conflicting noise, it is hard to know what to believe. So here are a few of the myths I have stopped worrying about.
Myth: Carbs Make You Fat
Carbohydrates are the body's main fuel, and I no longer treat them as the villain. The problem was never carbs themselves but the type and the amount. Whole grains, fruit and vegetables are full of them and good for you. The real culprits are the heavily processed kind and oversized portions.
Myth: You Need to Eat Every Three Hours
There is no magic meal frequency, as far as I can tell. Some people do well on three meals a day, others on smaller, more frequent ones. What seems to matter is the total intake and its quality, not the clock.
Myth: Supplements Can Replace a Good Diet
I have learned to think of supplements as filling specific gaps rather than replacing real food. They cannot reproduce the complex mix of nutrients and fibre found in whole foods. A balanced diet, to my mind, always comes first.
The Simple Truth
- Eat mostly whole, unprocessed foods.
- Include plenty of vegetables and fruit.
- Stay hydrated. Water is your best drink.
- Enjoy treats in moderation, without guilt.
The best diet is the one you can sustain for life, not just for January.