Nutrition Myths We're Leaving Behind
By Kristin Neusel, MS, RD, LD, CDCES
These statements are entirely thoughts of the author and not claims made by the company. The Author was compensated to create this article.
The focus is simple: eat the science, not the trends.
It’s important to remind ourselves that nutrition science moves at the speed of research, not reels! Let’s get into these nutrition myths.
1. “Carbs cause inflammation.”
There’s actually no high-quality evidence that supports this statement! Think about all the different types of carbohydrates, and how there needs to be more education around this. On the flip side, we know fiber is a type of carb that actually is associated with improved cardiometabolic health & reduced risk markers over time!
2. “Bread spikes blood sugar [no matter what].”
Glycemic response depends on SO much! Fiber content, the food matrix, and meal composition all play a role. Look for breads with high amounts of fiber, and encourage pairing carbs with protein and healthy fats. These easy tips can help support a better post-meal glucose response.
3. “Low-carb works for everyone.” Not one size fits all!
This isn’t a one-size fits all, as we know! Sometimes low-carb is fantastic for folks, while other times there are better options. This is another example of the internet using an absolute, and we as practitioners know that science rarely works as absolutes.
4. “Net carbs are meaningless.”
A lot of folks don’t understand what the term ‘net carbs’ means, but if they do, sometimes it requires even further education around the meaning of the term. While this term technically isn’t recognized by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, using net carbs has been proven to show in studies a decrease in A1C when net carb counting.
Social Media vs. Science: What Is Trending Right Now?
I’ve been seeing a lot of “eliminate this”, “avoid that”, “detox immediately”. It’s been heavy on the absolutes- and we know science rarely operates in absolutes.
