10 Lies and Misconceptions Spread By Mainstream Nutrition
February 25, 2013 | 164,280 views | + Add to Favorites
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By Dr. Mercola
There's no shortage of health myths out there, but I believe the truth is
slowly but surely starting to seep out there and get a larger audience. For
example, two recent articles actually hit the nail right on the head in
terms of good nutrition advice.
Shape Magazine features a slide show on "9 ingredients nutritionists won't
touch,"1 and authoritynutrition.com listed "11 of the biggest lies of
mainstream nutrition."2
These health topics are all essential to get "right" if you want to
protect your health, and the health of your loved ones, which is why I was
delighted to see both of these sources disseminating spot-on advice. I
highly recommend reading through both of them.
Here, I will review my own top 10 lies and misconceptions of mainstream
nutrition—some of which are included in the two featured sources, plus a few
additional ones I believe are important.
Lie # 1: 'Saturated Fat Causes Heart Disease'
As recently as 2002, the "expert" Food & Nutrition Board issued the
following misguided statement, which epitomizes this myth:
"Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol have no known beneficial role in
preventing chronic disease and are not required at any level in the diet."
Similarly, the National Academies' Institute of Medicine recommends adults
to get 45–65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20-35 percent
from fat, and 10-35 percent from protein. This is an inverse ideal fat to
carb ratio that is virtually guaranteed to lead you astray, and result in a
heightened risk of chronic disease.
Most people benefit from 50-70 percent healthful fats in their diet for
optimal health, whereas you need very few, if any, carbohydrates to maintain
good health... Although that may seem like a lot, fat is much denser and
consumes a much smaller portion of your meal plate.
This dangerous recommendation, which arose from an unproven hypothesis
from the mid-1950s, has been harming your health and that of your loved ones
for about 40 years now.
The truth is, saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide the
building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and
hormone-like substances, without which your body cannot function optimally.
They also act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A,
for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.
In fact, saturated is the preferred fuel for your heart! For more
information about saturated fats and the essential role they play in
maintaining your health, please read my previous article The Truth About
Saturated Fat.
Lie # 2: 'Eating Fat Makes You Gain Weight'
The low-fat myth may have done more harm to the health of millions than
any other dietary recommendation as the resulting low-fat craze led to
increased consumption of trans-fats, which we now know increases your risk
of obesity, diabetes and heart disease—the very health problems wrongfully
attributed to saturated fats...
To end the confusion, it's very important to realize that eating fat will
not make you fat!
The primary cause of excess weight and all the chronic diseases associated
with it, is actually the consumption of too much sugar -- especially
fructose, but also all sorts of grains, which rapidly convert to sugar in
your body. If only the low-fat craze had been a low-sugar craze... then we
wouldn't have nearly as much chronic disease as we have today. For an
explanation of why and how a low-fat diet can create the very health
problems it's claimed to prevent, please see this previous article.
Lie # 3: 'Artificial Sweeteners are Safe Sugar-Replacements for Diabetics,
and Help Promote Weight Loss'
Most people use artificial sweeteners to lose weight and/or because they're
diabetic and need to avoid sugar. The amazing irony is that nearly all the
studies that have carefully analyzed their effectiveness show that those who
use artificial sweeteners actually gain more weight than those who consume
caloric sweeteners. Studies have also revealed that artificial sweeteners
can be worse than sugar for diabetics.
In 2005, data gathered from the 25-year long San Antonio Heart Study
showed that drinking dietsoft drinks increased the likelihood of serious
weight gain, far more so than regular soda.3 On average, each diet soft
drink the participants consumed per day increased their risk of becoming
overweight by 65 percent within the next seven to eight years, and made them
41 percent more likely to become obese. There are several potential causes
for this, including:
a.. Sweet taste alone appears to increase hunger, regardless of caloric
content.
b.. Artificial sweeteners appear to simply perpetuate a craving for
sweets, and overall sugar consumption is therefore not reduced—leading to
further problems controlling your weight.4
c.. Artificial sweeteners may disrupt your body's natural ability to
"count calories," as evidenced in studies such as this 2004 study at Purdue
University,5 which found that rats fed artificially sweetened liquids ate
more high-calorie food than rats fed high-caloric sweetened liquids.
There is also a large number of health dangers associated with artificial
sweeteners and aspartame in particular. I've compiled an ever-growing list
of studies pertaining to health problems associated with aspartame, which
you can find here. If you're still on the fence, I highly recommend
reviewing these studies for yourself so that you can make an educated
decision. For more information on aspartame, the worst artificial sweetener,
please see my aspartame video.
Lie # 4: 'Your Body Cannot Tell the Difference Between Sugar and Fructose'
Of the many health-harming ingredients listed in the featured article by
Shape Magazine—all of which you're bound to get in excess if you consume
processed foods—fructose is perhaps the greatest threat to your health.
Mounting evidence testifies to the fact that excess fructose, primarily in
the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is a primary factor causing not
just obesity, but also chronic and lethal disease. In fact, I am convinced
that fructose is one of the leading causes of a great deal of needless
suffering from poor health and premature death.
Many conventional health "experts," contend that sugar and fructose in
moderation is perfectly okay and part of a normal "healthy" diet, and the
corn industry vehemently denies any evidence showing that fructose is
metabolically more harmful than regular sugar (sucrose). This widespread
denial and sweeping the evidence under the carpet poses a massive threat to
your health, unless you do your own research.
As a standard recommendation, I advise keeping your total fructose
consumption below 25 grams per day. For most people it would also be wise to
limit your fructose from fruit to 15 grams or less. Unfortunately, while
this is theoretically possible, precious few people are actually doing that.
Cutting out a few desserts will not make a big difference if you're still
eating a "standard American diet"—in fact, I've previously written about how
various foods and beverages contain far more sugar than a glazed doughnut.
Because of the prevalence of HFCS in foods and beverages, the average person
now consumes 1/3 of a pound of sugar EVERY DAY, which is five ounces or 150
grams, half of which is fructose.
That's 300 percent more than the amount that will trigger biochemical
havoc. Remember that is the AVERAGE; many actually consume more than twice
that amount. For more details about the health dangers of fructose and my
recommendations, please see my recent article Confirmed—Fructose Can
Increase Your Hunger and Lead to Overeating.
Lie # 5: 'Soy is a Health Food'
The meteoric rise of soy as a "health food" is a perfect example of how a
brilliant marketing strategy can fool millions. But make no mistake about
it, unfermented soy products are NOT healthful additions to your diet, and
can be equally troublesome for men and women of all ages. If you find this
recommendation startling then I would encourage you to review some of the
many articles listed on my Soy Index Page.
Contrary to popular belief, thousands of studies have actually linked
unfermented soy to malnutrition, digestive distress, immune-system
breakdown, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders
and infertility—even cancer and heart disease.
Not only that, but more than 90 percent of American soy crops are
genetically modified, which carries its own set of health risks.6 I am not
opposed to all soy, however. Organic and, most importantly, properly
fermented soy does have great health benefits. Examples of such healthful
fermented soy products include tempeh, miso and natto. Here is a small
sampling of the detrimental health effects linked to unfermented soy
consumption:
Breast cancer Brain damage Infant abnormalities
Thyroid disorders Kidney stones Immune system impairment
Severe, potentially fatal food allergies Impaired fertility Danger
during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Lie # 6: 'Eggs are a Source of Unhealthy Cholesterol'
Eggs are probably one of the most demonized foods in the United States,
mainly because of the misguided idea implied by the lipid hypothesis that
eating egg yolk increases the cholesterol levels in your body. You can
forget about such concerns, because contrary to popular belief, eggs are one
of the healthiest foods you can eat and they do not have a detrimental
impact on cholesterol levels. Numerous nutritional studies have dispelled
the myth that you should avoid eating eggs, so this recommendation is really
hanging on by a very bare thread...
One such study7, conducted by the Yale Prevention Research Center and
published in 2010, showed that egg consumption did not have a negative
effect on endothelial function – a measure of cardiac risk – and did not
cause a spike on cholesterol levels. The participants of the Yale study ate
two eggs per day for a period of six weeks. There are many benefits
associated with eggs, including:
One egg contains 6 grams of high quality protein and all 9 essential
amino acids Eggs are good for your eyes because they contain lutein and
zeaxanthin, antioxidants found in your lens and retina. These two compounds
help protect your eyes from damage caused by free radicals and avoid eye
diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts Eggs are a good source of
choline (one egg contains about 300 micrograms), a member of the vitamin B
family essential for the normal function of human cells and helps regulate
the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Choline is especially beneficial for
pregnant mothers as it is influences normal brain development of the unborn
child
Eggs are one of the few foods that contain naturally occurring
vitamin D (24.5 grams) Eggs may help promote healthy hair and nails due to
their high sulphur content Eggs also contain biotin, calcium, copper,
folate, iodine, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, potassium, selenium,
sodium, thiamine, vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin B12, vitamin E and zinc
Choose free-range organic eggs, and avoid "omega-3 eggs" as this is not
the proper way to optimize your omega-3 levels. To produce these omega-3
eggs, the hens are usually fed poor-quality sources of omega-3 fats that are
already oxidized. Omega-3 eggs are more perishable than non-omega-3 eggs.
Lie # 7: 'Whole Grains are Good for Everyone'
The use of whole-grains is an easy subject to get confused on especially
for those who have a passion for nutrition, as for the longest time we were
told the fiber in whole grains is highly beneficial. Unfortunately ALL
grains, including whole-grain and organic varieties, can elevate your
insulin levels, which can increase your risk of disease. They also contain
gluten, which many are sensitive to, if not outright allergic. It has been
my experience that more than 85 percent of Americans have trouble
controlling their insulin levels -- especially those who have the following
conditions:
a.. Overweight
b.. Diabetes
c.. High blood pressure
d.. High cholesterol
e.. Protein metabolic types
In addition, sub-clinical gluten intolerance is far more common than you
might think, which can also wreak havoc with your health. As a general rule,
I strongly recommend eliminating or at least restricting grains as well as
sugars/fructose from your diet, especially if you have any of the above
conditions that are related to insulin resistance. The higher your insulin
levels and the more prominent your signs of insulin overload are, the more
ambitious your grain elimination needs to be.
If you are one of the fortunate ones without insulin resistance and of
normal body weight, then grains are fine, especially whole grains—as long as
you don't have any issues with gluten and select organic and unrefined
forms. It is wise to continue to monitor your grain consumption and your
health as life is dynamic and constantly changing. What might be fine when
you are 25 or 30 could become a major problem at 40 when your growth hormone
and level of exercise is different.
Lie # 8: 'Milk Does Your Body Good'
Unfortunately, the myth that conventional pasteurized milk has health
benefits is a persistent one, even though it's far from true. Conventional
health agencies also refuse to address the real dangers of the growth
hormones and antibiotics found in conventional milk. I do not recommend
drinking pasteurized milk of any kind, including organic, because once milk
has been pasteurized its physical structure is changed in a way that can
actually cause allergies and immune problems.
Important enzymes like lactase are destroyed during the pasteurization
process, which causes many people to not be able to digest milk.
Additionally, vitamins (such as A, C, B6 and B12) are diminished and fragile
milk proteins are radically transformed from health nurturing to unnatural
amino acid configurations that can actually worsen your health. The
eradication of beneficial bacteria through the pasteurization process also
ends up promoting pathogens rather than protecting you from them.
The healthy alternative to pasteurized milk is raw milk, which is an
outstanding source of nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as
lactobacillus acidophilus, vitamins and enzymes, and it is, in my
estimation, one of the finest sources of calcium available. For more details
please watch the interview I did with Mark McAfee, who is the owner of
Organic Pastures, the largest organic dairy in the US.
However, again, if you have insulin issues and are struggling with weight
issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer or high cholesterol it would
be best to restrict your dairy to organic butter as the carbohydrate
content, lactose, could be contribute to insulin and leptin resistance.
Fermented organic raw dairy would eliminate the lactose issue and would be
better tolerated. But if you are sensitive to dairy it might be best to
avoid these too.
Lie # 9: 'Genetically Engineered Foods are Safe and Comparable to
Conventional Foods'
Make no mistake about it; genetically engineered (GE) foods may be one of
the absolute most dangerous aspects of our food supply today. I strongly
recommend avoiding ALL GE foods. Since over 90 percent of all corn grown in
the US is GE corn, and over 95 percent all soy is GE soy, this means that
virtually every processed food you encounter at your local supermarket that
does not bear the "USDA Organic" label likely contains one or more GE
components. To avoid GE foods, first memorize the following list of
well-known and oft-used GE crops:
Corn Canola Alfalfa (New GM crop as of 2011)
Soy Cottonseed Sugar derived from sugar beets
Fresh zucchini, crookneck squash and Hawaiian papaya are also commonly GE.
It's important to realize that unless you're buying all organic food, or
grow your own veggies and raise your own livestock, or at the very least buy
all whole foods (even if conventionally grown) and cook everything from
scratch, chances are you're consuming GE foods every single day... What
ultimate impact these foods will have on your health is still unknown, but
increased disease, infertility and birth defects appear to be on the top of
the list of most likely side effects. The first-ever lifetime feeding study
also showed a dramatic increase in organ damage, cancer, and reduced
lifespan.
Lie # 10: 'Lunch Meats Make for a Healthy Nutritious Meal'
Lastly, processed meats, which includes everything from hot dogs, deli
meats, bacon, and pepperoni are rarely thought of as strict no-no's, but
they really should be, if you're concerned about your health. Virtually all
processed meat products contain dangerous compounds that put them squarely
on the list of foods to avoid or eliminate entirely. These compounds
include:
a.. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs): a potent carcinogen, which is created
when meat or fish is cooked at high temperatures.
b.. Sodium nitrite: a commonly used preservative and antimicrobial agent
that also adds color and flavor to processed and cured meats.
c.. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Many processed meats are
smoked as part of the curing process, which causes PAHs to form.
d.. Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs): When food is cooked at high
temperatures—including when it is pasteurized or sterilized—it increases the
formation of AGEs in your food. AGEs build up in your body over time leading
to oxidative stress, inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease,
diabetes and kidney disease.
This recommendation is backed up by a report commissioned by The World
Cancer Research Fund8 (WCRF). The review, which evaluated the findings of
more than 7,000 clinical studies, was funded by money raised from the
general public, so the findings were not influenced by vested interests.
It's also the biggest review of the evidence ever undertaken, and it
confirms previous findings: Processed meats increase your risk of cancer,
especially bowel cancer, and NO amount of processed meat is "safe." A
previous analysis by the WCRF found that eating just one sausage a day
raises your risk of developing bowel cancer by 20 percent, and other studies
have found that processed meats increase your risk of:
a.. Colon cancer by 50 percent
b.. Bladder cancer by 59 percent
c.. Stomach cancer by 38 percent
d.. Pancreatic cancer by 67 percent
Processed meats may also increase your risk of diabetes by 50 percent, and
lower your lung function and increase your risk of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). If you absolutely want or need a hot dog or other
processed meats once in awhile, you can reduce your risk by:
a.. Looking for "uncured" varieties that contain NO nitrates
b.. Choosing varieties that say 100% beef, 100% chicken, etc. This is
the only way to know that the meat is from a single species and does not
include byproducts (like chicken skin or chicken fat or other parts)
c.. Avoiding any meat that contains MSG, high-fructose corn syrup,
preservatives, artificial flavor or artificial color
Ideally, purchase sausages and other processed meats from a small, local
farmer who can tell you exactly what's in their products. These are just
some of the health myths and misconceptions out there. There are certainly
many more. The ones listed above are some of the most important ones, in my
view, simply because they're so widely misunderstood. They're also critical
to get "right" if you want to protect your health, and the health of your
loved ones. For more great advise, please review the two featured sources.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/02/25/mainstream-nutrition-biggest-lies.aspx?e_cid=20130225_DNL_art_1&utm_source=dnl&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20130225 
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