Take a lot of protein is bad, do not take more than two eggs a week because they increase cholesterol , carbohydrates after five in the afternoon get fat, you have to limit the consumption of fruit because it contains sugar …

Despite the end of 2017, in nutrition issues we can still see in media and social networks numerous myths that were dismantled long ago. Why, in spite of having proofs and studies that confirm the falsity of these myths, there are people who keep giving them for certain and giving them diffusion?

Myth 1: Eating fruit makes you fat because it has sugar

A phrase that, unfortunately I could see recently in an article that was published some time ago, spoke of the fact that fruit was just as harmful as Coca-Cola because it contained sugar . We go in parts: first, yes, the fruit has sugar , but it is a naturally occurring sugar . Second, the fruit in addition to sugar contains fiber, vitamins and minerals . It is precisely the fiber one of the nutrients that prevent our body from absorbing all the sugar in the fruit, something that does not happen in the case of Coca-Cola, that all the sugar that it contains besides being added sugars, is absorbed by our organism.

Therefore, do not fall into the reductionism of talking about the sugar of the fruit as if the sugar of a soft drink was because no matter how hard those who affirm it, it is not something that can be comparable.

Myth 2: Freezing food eliminates nutrients

There is a false belief that the process of freezing removes nutrients from food , when it is precisely a process that is done to prevent the degradationof food and, consequently, the loss of nutrients and properties. Of course, for this to be a safe process we must take into account a series of tips:

  • Do not break the frozen chain . If a food is thawed, we should not refreeze it (this is because foods that are refrozen can cause digestive problems once thawed, due to the multiplication of bacteria). The trick so that this does not happen, if we talk about a food that has been frozen without cooking , would be to cook it and then re-freeze it . In this way we could freeze the same food twice.
  • The defrosting of the food should be gradual . A good way is to thaw them in the fridge.
  • Even if we have a frozen food, that does not mean that it can be there indefinitely. Each food has a “stay” time in the freezer, after which it is not recommended that we consume it.

Myth 3: Protein supplements damage the kidneys

The detractors of the shakes and protein supplements hide in this myth to justify their position, without making a distinction or entering to assess the amounts and protein requirements of each person. While it is true that with a good diet shakes or protein supplements would not be necessary, the protein, taken in its proper measure and within the values ​​that our body needs, is not bad for our kidneys.

A shot of up to three grams of protein per kilo of body weight will not be harmful to our kidneys. However, and to give an example, a take of ten grams of protein per kilo of weight would be harmful. Therefore, it is important to know the needs of each person and the recommended intake limits .

Myth 4: You have to eat food immediately after finishing training

The theme of the so-called “anabolic window” has given rise to many debates . There are those who defend that food should be eaten immediately after training and those who point out that the anabolic window can be extended until two or three hours after the end of training.

In the same way that after the exercise there is a period of analog window or metabolic window (although there is a discrepancy about its existence and duration), there is also an immunological window, which is a period of time (between 2 and 72 hours) in which the organism enters a state of immunosuppression after intense and prolonged exercise.

LadyFitnessMad on What is the immunological window and how can we accelerate its closure?

In any of the cases, what is advisable is the post-workout food intake to avoid downturns and help recovery, but not because it is mandatory or because you have to take advantage of “the 30 minutes of anabolic window”. It is true, however, that during those first 30 minutes the assimilation could be greater than if we made the intake an hour later, but it is not something totally indispensable as it was affirmed until now.

Myth 5: You need to eat every two or three hours

Obviously, with the pace of life we ​​lead, this myth should fall by itself, but still there are people who continue to promote it today. The number of meals is something completely secondary when we talk about weight reduction , since what really matters in the end is the total number of calories we have ingested and not the number of meals, since it will be the same to eat 1800 Kcals in three I eat it in five.

Starting a lifestyle does not mean that we have to start by eating every two or three hours .

Myth 6: Carbohydrates at night, get fat

“Carbohydrates from five o’clock in the afternoon, get fat.” When someone throws this affirmation to me in a dignified way and as having the supreme truth in their power, my answers are always the same: “no, what you are fattening is you”. And then I ask them: “So, a person who works at night, could never eat carbohydrates, right?”

The foods do not fatten more or less depending on the time of day , they gain weight depending on the amount of food you eat.

Myth 7: It is possible to lose weight in a localized way

One of the great myths about weight loss. Despite having shown that localized weight loss is not possible , we can still see ads for products that claim to be able to reduce the fat located in the abdomen or hips (especially targeting these products to the female audience).

In the process of weight loss , our body will recruit fat from all the cells and fat reserves of our body, so we can ensure that we can burn fat located in the abdomen (as is the case of the many and many fat burners advertised on television , to give just one example), besides being something false, can lead to frustrations due to the lack of results and / or rebound effects due to the abandonment of diets and exercise programs.

Myth 8: Fattening because I have a slow metabolism

This affirmation so heard on multiple occasions is false. Summarizing and giving a short and simple answer, we gain weight because we eat more calories than we spend . It’s that easy, and blaming our metabolism is usually a usual excuse when it comes to justifying ourselves to others.

Myth 9: You must re hydrate yourself with the isotonic drinks

Most isotonic drinks have large amounts of sugar . Although light or Zero versions are already sold, the sugary ones still have the majority of the market share and this, as we know, is not good.

When doing sports, the recommendation is to rehydrate to avoid fading and health problems, and this we do through the intake of fluids (which in turn also help us replenish electrolytes in our system). Therefore, the so-called “isotonic” beverages can not be considered as the best option because of the high intake of sugars that they usually incorporate. As an example of this we say, let’s take the Powerade taste Blood Orange , which contains a whopping 25 grams of sugar per container (remember that the recommended daily amount for an adult is 37 grams.

Myth 10: You should eat everything in moderation

As we discussed in an article on the problem of alcohol , eating in moderation is something that does not exist (besides being something totally subjective and not easily measurable). In addition, we must re-emphasize the importance of paying more attention to the quality of what we eat , since as you know it is not the same as our source of nutrients are the ultra-processed foods than the real food . As an example: the fat obtained through a package of sausages or slices of bacon is not the same as that obtained from salmon or avocado.

The phrase ” eat everything with moderation “, again is an excuse to avoid giving up certain foods and be accepted socially.

Myth 11: Supplements are essential

An affirmation that I have heard many times in the gyms environment is ” if you are going to train you have to take this or that supplement , because if you do not lose bellows and you will not have results”. Supplements are not essential , unless we have some kind of lack and always under professional recommendation (usually the most common deficiencies are usually related to vitamins).

If our diet is balanced and we incorporate the right sources of nutrients , taking supplements will only mean an economic expense that we could use for better quality food. With this I do not mean that the supplements are bad, only that as a general rule they will not be essential if we have an adequate diet.

Myth 12: The more you sweat, the more you lose weight

This statement can be seen in advertisements in which the famous ” slimming belts ” are advertised . If we think about it, this statement, in addition to being false, is highly dangerous for our health, because when we sweat, our body expels toxins and mineral salts , so the more we sweat, the more mineral salts we will lose , so no more sweating. to lose weight more.

As our colleague David Díaz pointed out in his article , If we do not sweat does it mean that we do not burn fat? , there is no relationship between sweating and losing fat or losing weight.

Myth 13: The detox diets or diets of celebrities

Undoubtedly, one of the biggest health problems we can find today. Despite being more than proven that this type of diet (as much as they use and advertise some famous) do not work , every year they keep appearing in the public landscape (especially in January and in the months before the summer).

They are diets that do not generate any long-term adherence , based on exorbitant caloric restrictions and with few quality foods. Not to mention the economic cost that these diets can assume and the products that we try to strain when we promote them.