What are some of the most popular food and health myths you remember hearing over the years? Some of the main ones I remember hearing a lot about are:
- Do not eat after a certain time in the evening.
- A piece of birthday cake on your special day will ruin your diet.
- Cut out all carbohydrates.
The American Dietetic Association says that many of the things that we have been told, like the examples given above, are just myths.
According to the ADA, there are no “bad” foods, no ”good” or “bad” times to eat, and no “magic bullet” for maintaining a healthy weight. In living a healthy lifestyle, it is the total diet approach that matters.
There is not a single food that is going to make or break a diet. The important thing to remember is your total balance of foods over a period of time.
“A wide variety of foods can fit within this pattern, if consumed in moderation, in appropriate portions and combined with regular physical activity. No one food or type of food guarantees good health, just as no single food is necessarily detrimental to health.”
For those of you who like to eat at night, the ADA says it doesn’t matter what time of day or night you eat, it is the total amount of calories eaten in a day that counts.
The ADA recommends eating a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains for optimal health. There are too many times when we will go with whatever new “fad” is out saying this and that about health. It’s important to remember to stick to the basics, look at the big picture, eat foods in moderation, and live an overall healthy lifestyle.
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