Truly, there could be an endless list of nutrition myths, but today we’re working on debunking a few of them. You’re main source for nutrition advice might be from superstitious Aunt Sally, or from the random magazine you found while waiting in line at the store. Regardless of where you normally get your information from, we’ve taken a stab at cracking open some age old cases so we can get to the cold hard truth.
Myth #1: Dairy is the Only Good Source of Calcium
Did you know there are lots of good sources of calcium that doesn’t include drinking a glass of milk? In fact, there are many non-dairy and plant-based sources that allow us to get our full dose of calcium, plus other beneficial ingredients that boost calcium absorption, like vitamin D. Most of us were taught to drink your milk and get your calcium as kids, but we’re here to debunk the myth that milk is the only and best way to find a good source of calcium. Foods like: turnips, mustard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and tofu are all plant-based that are excellent sources that will keep your bones strong. Sardines, salmon, calms, and oysters are some non-dairy sources full of calcium. It’s up to you if decide to go plant based or pescetarian. Any of these options are wonderful ways to to get a good serving of calcium, and won’t cause any adverse effects that dairy products sometimes cause.
Myth #2: Supplements are Necessary for a Healthy Diet
If you haven’t gotten a chance to read our guide in buying supplements, here’s a chance to find a little bit more about when and why to buy them. But again, we want to stress, supplements are supplementation of nutrients lacking in your diet. In theory, you can eat all the nutrients you need if you have a well balanced diet. This of course is excluding special circumstance like dietary restrictions or disorders that causes impaired digestion. However, if you’re the average person, with a working metabolism, chances are you can maintain a healthy diet just by finding variety and balance in what you eat. Supplements are not a necessity for most people, but if you choose to use them find a good source!
Myth #3: Having Three Meals a Day is Enough Food
Forget the days where we limit ourselves to three large meals per day. There are so many options in today’s world, so many things to try, we surely cannot fit it all into only three meals a day. Small frequent meals are where it’s at! Snacking is not our enemy. As long as we are consuming wholesome, nutrient dense foods, eat more often! You’ll see better weight loss or management results with eating more than three meals a day. Limiting calorie and food intake can lead to not eating enough in our day. When we skip meals or limit food intake, our body tends to think it’s being starved and begins to store calories as fat. The key to eating more often is to keep eating rich, wholesome foods. Adding more healthy meals to your day will fuel your metabolism and keep your body going all day, and will also prevent the body from hoarding calories.
Myth #4: The Food Pyramid is the Gold Standard
Most of us can remember our teachers from grade school stressing how important it is to eat your meals in accordance to the Food Pyramid. Well, hate to break it, but the pyramid is out of date. The newest reference for how to structure your meals is now called My Plate. My Plate emphasizes variety and color, and it’s also much more practical to follow. Simply look at your plate, does it have a variety of foods on it? The idea is to consume meals that have diversity in different fruits and vegetables, consume different types of protein sources, and carbohydrates from sources with high dietary fiber like rice, quinoa and legumes. The key takeaway with the purge of the Food Pyramid is that the nutrition world is ever evolving and nothing stays the same. All we can be sure to do is keep learning and keep consuming foods that enrich your body!
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