Provided Courtesy of Nutrition411.com
Nutrition Myths
Review Date 4/14
G-2024
Don’t Ever Eat a Potato
(and other nutrition myths)
Where Do You Get Your
Nutrition Advice?
• Dr. Oz
• The vitamin/health food store
• Infomercials
• Magazines
• Your friend/your daughter
• Your doctor
• A registered dietitian or registered dietitian
nutritionist
Why Do You Listen to
That Advice?
• I trust Dr. Oz
• I trust the guy at the vitamin/health food store
• Informercials always tell the truth
• A magazine would never print something that
is not true
• I trust my friend/daughter
• I trust my doctor
Why Is There So Much
Incorrect Information?
• Those who report on nutrition information do not
know how to correctly interpret the information
• Sound bites cannot tell the whole story
• Those who think they know about nutrition may
not really know about nutrition
• Those who are talking about nutrition are trying
to sell a product (books, vitamins, cookware, etc)
Warning
• The advice you are about to receive applies to
healthy adults
• Those with specific medical conditions may have
different nutrition needs
Good Nutrition Advice
• Comes from a source you can trust like MyPlate
You Should Never Eat
a Potato
• True
• False
You Should Never Eat
a Potato (answer)
• FALSE:
– Potatoes are not “fattening”—it is the butter and sour
cream that you add that make them high in calories
– Potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium,
and fiber
– Potatoes are inexpensive and delicious, and you can
prepare them in many healthy ways
– Like all foods, watch your portion size—a “large” baked
potato can actually count as two to three portions
Do Not Eat After 8 PM or
You Will Gain Weight
• True
• False
Do Not Eat After 8 PM
(answer)
• FALSE (unless you are an admitted night eater):
– Eating at night is not unhealthy and does not make you
fat (as long as you are not eating too many calories
throughout the day)
– There is no “magic” time to stop eating at night to help
lose weight
– If you know you eat too much at night, you might find it
helpful to set a cut-off time to stop eating
Pork Is Bad for You
• True
• False
Pork Is Bad for You
(answer)
• FALSE:
– Many pork products are high in fat and/or salt—bacon,
sausage, etc
– Many pork products are lean and low in salt
– Choose pork tenderloin or well-trimmed pork chops
– You can eat any food that you enjoy, even bacon and
sausage, in small amounts every now and then
Natural Foods Are Better
for You
• True
• False
Natural Foods Are Better
for You (answer)
• FALSE:
– There is no real definition of “natural” foods
– “Natural” foods are sometimes just as high in calories, fat,
and salt as other foods and are often more expensive
– Commonly used terms include “health” foods, “natural”
foods, and “organic” foods
– Only organic foods have labeling guidelines, which are
defined by the US Food and Drug Administration
– Organic foods are cultivated in a way that is better for the
environment, but may not provide any more nutrition
15
• True
• False
A Low-Carbohydrate
Diet is the Best Way
to Lose Weight
• FALSE:
A Low-Carbohydrate
Diet is the Best Way
to Lose Weight (answer)
– Your body needs carbohydrates to work correctly
– Low-carbohydrate diets can restrict carbohydrates to a
dangerous level
– Choose carbohydrate sources from fruits, vegatables,
and whole grains, when possible
– Include at least three servings of whole grains in your
diet each day
– As with all foods, eat portions recommended by MyPlate
• True
• False
You Need Eight Glasses
of Water Each Day for
Good Health
• FALSE:
You Need Eight Glasses
of Water Each Day for
Good Health (answer)
– Fluid needs vary from person to person, but everyone
needs fluids, just not the same amount
– Coffee, tea, milk, and juice count toward your fluid
needs
– Drinking water is not a “magic bullet” for weight loss
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate (2004),
National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board.
• True
• False
Fresh Foods Are Always
Healthier Than Frozen
or Canned
• FALSE:
Fresh Foods Are Always
Healthier Than Frozen
or Canned (answer)
– Fresh foods may lose nutrients while sitting in the
grocery store (or your refrigerator)
– Frozen foods are usually flash-frozen shortly after
harvest and retain the most nutrients possible
– Canned foods often are processed quickly and retain
most of their nutrients
– Canned and frozen vegetables can offer good choices
It Is OK to Eat Salt
If You Cut Back on Fat
• True
• False
It Is OK to Eat Salt If
You Cut Back on Fat
• FALSE:
(answer)
– The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends
that all Americans reduce their sodium intake to
approximately 2300 milligrams (mg) daily (1 teaspoon of
salt) and that some Americans reduce their sodium to
1500 mg/day
−Individuals older than 50 years of age, African Americans
of any age, and people with hypertension, diabetes, and
kidney disease should have less than 1500 mg/day
– Individuals with known heart problems may need to have
even less
• True
• False
If I Take Vitamins, I Do
Not Need to Worry About
What I Eat
• FALSE:
If I Take Vitamins, I Do
Not Need to Worry About
What I Eat (answer)
– Foods contain more than just vitamins and minerals
– Components of foods (things that are not in vitamin
pills) have health-promoting features
– You should try to get your nutrition from “foods first”
and take a multivitamin for extra protection, rather than
taking a vitamin and not worrying about what you eat
Avoiding Fat Will Help
Me Lose Weight
• True
• False
Avoiding Fat Will Help
Me Lose Weight (answer)
• TRUE:
– Fat has more calories than protein and carbohydrates,
so cutting back on fat also will help you cut back on
calories
– To maintain good health, eat less fat from all sources
– Most of the fat you eat should come from fish, nuts, and
vegetable oils
What Myth Do You Want
to Know About?
The Science of Nutrition
• Is much more complicated than it seems to
many people
• Requires knowledge of anatomy, physiology,
and digestion
• Does not change without sound research to
support changes
Can You Trust What You
Read About Nutrition?
• Yes, if it:
– Is written by a registered dietitian (RD) or registered
dietitian nutritionist (RDN)
– Quotes sources such as MyPlate, the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans, or RDs or RDNs
– Recommends variety, moderation, and exercise as
keys to good health
Can You Trust What You
Read About Nutrition?
(cont’d)
• Not necessarily, if:
–Its primary reason is to sell a product
–It does not quote government sources or RDs or RDNs
–It recommends “fad diets,” megadoses of
supplements, or fasting
Trust an RD or RDN for
Good Nutrition Advice
• We have years of training
• We are required to have continuing professional
education to maintain our education
• We know how to interpret nutrition research
• We usually are not trying to sell you a product
Before You Believe All
You Hear About Nutrition
• Question the source
• Ask yourself if it seems logical
• Ask yourself if it means giving up a food you love
Thanks for Your
Attention
For sound nutrition information, visit:
www.ChooseMyplate.gov
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/