It’s something that we all need to commit to in order to be our very best, yet there are many misconceptions about healthy eating. You can discount virtually anything that sounds like a myth or too good to be true.
Furthermore, if you are being told to deprive yourself or avoid whole food groups, then it’s not a healthy eating trend. You also want to try some of these approaches out for yourself so that you know what works well for you.
Misconceptions About Healthy Eating and Food Choices
It goes without saying that there is great power in good food, so understanding the biggest misconceptions about healthy eating is important. Understand first and foremost that eating well doesn’t have to be boring. It doesn’t mean that you eat nothing but fruits and vegetables, but they should be a part of it.
You will also find that it’s about balance, and that goes contrary to so many diets out there these days. You will find that you can eat foods you once thought were off limits and that deprivation in any form will not work for you. Moderation is the key!
Get to the Heart of the Issue and Eat for Better Health
Yes, you can and should eat carbs and fats, and that helps to combat some of the biggest misconceptions about healthy eating. You want to focus on eating the right types of carbs, which are whole grains. Forget about those made with white flour or sugar, as they will work against you, but whole grains are gems.
You will also find that good fats are the way to go. These are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids and come to you in the form of avocado, nuts, olive oil, and fish like tuna and salmon. So any diet plan that tells you to eat just a few foods is wrong, as healthy eating is all about variety in the right way.
Don’t Deprive Yourself
As you work through the biggest misconceptions about healthy eating, understand that you can enjoy some of your favorite foods, just in moderation. No, you don’t need to make sweets off-limits altogether, for then you will feel deprived.
Enjoy a daily ounce of dark chocolate or allow yourself that special treat, but maintain moderation. The more you can learn to practice balanced eating and enjoy food primarily as fuel, the better off you will be. This is what it takes to be your very best, which is why eating for better health matters so greatly.
Don’t Fall For the Biggest Misconceptions About Healthy Eating
One of the biggest misconceptions about healthy eating isn’t about the process itself, it’s about the individual choices you make. Some foods have a fantastic reputation for being a part of a healthy diet when they don’t have much to offer your nutrition. In fact, many of these foods can do more harm than good.
The following are some of the foods that most often deceive us.
Flavored and Sweetened Yogurt
The average cup of flavored or sweetened yogurt contains about 30 grams of sugar. That’s the equivalent of 7.5 teaspoons of sugar. You may as well be eating a candy bar, because it contains the same amount. Some sugars do occur naturally within the yogurt itself, and that is included in the total. However, the majority of that 7. 5 teaspoons is added. If you enjoy eating yogurt, avoid these misconceptions about healthy eating and choose plain Greek yogurt and simply add fresh berries and fruit to sweeten things up in a healthy way.
Sushi
Fish is great for you. That said, when you’re eating sushi and your favorite rolls, you’re usually eating mostly rice and soy sauce by the end of the evening. That boils down to a lot of sodium and refined carbs. This doesn’t mean you need to give up on your favorite sushi place. Instead, you can get past these misconceptions about healthy eating and choose more sashimi dishes – just the fish – cut back on the amount of rice you’re eating or opt for brown rice if you have the choice. Go for some of the veggie sides, too. When you do go for the soy sauce, don’t dunk the roll into it. Just give the sauce the lightest tap at the very edge of your food. Use wasabi and/or ginger to increase the flavor.
Veggie Sticks/Chips
Veggie sticks like raw carrots and celery are great options – especially when you don’t overdo it with creamy dips. Snack companies know that, so they try to sell you veggie sticks and chips while pretending they’re just as healthy. When you open up a chip bag containing those crispy alternatives, know that you’re not doing much better than eating traditional chips.
They’re usually made with a great deal of corn flour or potato starch – just like corn chips or potato chips. They do contain some beets, spinach or snap peas, but not enough to make them a healthy snack. Regardless of whether or not they were baked or fried, they also usually contain a substantial amount of oil.