Nutrition myths are everywhere, commonly dressed in appealing or dramatic claims. Nutrition space on the internet is very noisy. So much information is out there, and much of it is flawed, misinterpreted, or flat-out false. Sifting through the myths to find the facts can be challenging. Let’s talk about how thinking like a scientist will help you bust common nutrition myths.
Here are five questions you can use to analyze and weigh nutrition claims as you assess their validity.
Who? Who is providing the information?
What relevant educational and professional credentials or experience do they have? Many writers or bloggers who write about nutrition do not have relevant educational or professional backgrounds.
What? What is the message?
Sometimes the messages themselves and how we share them can be twisted from fact to myth. The core elements of evidence-based nutrition are not very flashy. That doesn’t make them any less true, but it can provide an opportunity to “spin” or distort the message. For example, “eat your fruits and vegetables,” is not terribly appealing or seductive. This statement might be erroneously re-written as, “cure [insert disease here] by eating [insert vegetable here].” Such a statement may lead to a myth about the “powers” of eating a certain vegetable.
When? When was the claim made?
Like all science, we continually learn more about nutrition through research. While there is still a lot we don’t know about food and nutrition, we have learned much in the past decade. Is the claim consistent with current research?
Where? Where was the claim made?
Does it come from a reliable source? Is it from a .com or a .org or a .gov or a .edu website? Is the site selling something? A book? A supplement? A program?
Why? Why are they bringing it up?
What is their motivation? Understanding this can help you evaluate their claims. What do they stand to gain if you believe their claim?
Nutrition myths can influence what we eat
How we make decisions about what to put on our plates is rarely simple. It’s pretty complex, actually.
Of course we consider our tastes and preferences. But our family’s tastes and preferences, cultural traditions, budgets, values, accessibility, convenience, time, social pressures, and yes, nutrition myths also come into the equation. Remember that no single way of eating works for everyone because we are navigating all of these factors as we choose what to eat.
Some nutrition myths persist because of how some people draw on their personal experiences and the experiences of those around them.
For example, if my friends and I follow certain practices in our diets, and it works for all of us (like say, eating berries every day), then our human bias might lead us to believe that this method works for everyone. We might want to share it on our Instagram pages in an attempt to help other people. While well-intentioned, this is a flawed way of interpreting nutrition science and sharing advice.
Looking to credentialed health professionals can help us to separate myths from facts and leave nutrition myths out of this decision.
What are some common nutrition myths?
Nutrition Myth: Carbohydrates cause weight gain.
Fact: No one nutrient, food, or food group causes weight gain.
Nutrition Myth: Foods with gluten are unhealthy.
Fact: Only some people need to have a gluten-free diet.
Nutrition Myth: A vegetarian or vegan diet does not provide enough protein.
Fact: Many vegetarian foods have protein. Vegetarians and vegans can meet protein needs through careful planning.
Nutrition Myth: Snacking is unhealthy.
Fact: Snacking can be part of healthy eating, even when weight loss is a goal.
Nutrition Myth: Juicing or cleansing is necessary to “detox” your body.
Fact: Our body has natural mechanisms through which to detox.
Read more specifics about these 5 common nutrition myths (and the facts about them) and learn the red flags to look for to avoid nutrition myths and how to find credible nutrition information here.
