Diet – Nutrition Myths

There is quite a bit of information out there about what makes up a healthy diet – and quite a bit of misinformation as well! And, it’s tough – every time you put together a new diet plan, you either read something, or hear from a friend, that some aspect of your new diet is going to be bad for you. The problem is, sometimes the information you get is accurate, and other times – it’s a nutrition myth. So, here’s a few nutrition myths to help you separate “truth from fiction”.

Nutrition Myth #1 – That white potatoes are bad for you, and you should eat sweet potatoes instead. This myth probably came about because white potatoes are what are commonly used in really unhealthy processed versions of snack foods, such as potato chips or French fries. The reality is, they compliment each other. White potatoes have more essential minerals like iron, potassium and magnesium, and sweet potatoes have more fiber and Vitamin A. So, what’s important to remember is that both can be healthy for you to eat, just make sure the form you eat them in is healthy (i.e. – don’t deep fry them, or smother them in cheese, butter or sour cream!)

Nutrition Myth #2 – Salt Causes High Blood Pressure. Nope – not really. Large scale scientific studies have shown that there’s no reason healthy people need to cut back on salt. Keep in mind that if you already have high blood pressure, your sensitivity to salt may mean you do need to cut back on your sodium intake. But, if you’re worried, just eat more foods with potassium such as fruits, veggies, and beans. The issue is more that we need a balance between sodium and potassium, and we normally get about 1,600mg less that the 4,700mg of potassium we need daily.

Nutrition Myth #3 – High Protein Diets Damage Your Kidneys. The story behind this myth is that researchers found out back in the mid 80’s, that increased protein in your diet increases the amount of blood your kidneys filter. And from that came the assumption that this increases the stress on your kidneys. Yet, those same Dutch researchers also found that there were no adverse effects on the kidneys from the increase protein in ones diet. Keep in mind that the more of anything you ingest (whether it’s protein, carbohydrates or fat) – if you take in more than you burn, you’re body will convert it to fat stores. Your goal for daily protein intake should be around a gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.