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:
- Sweet taste alone appears to increase hunger, regardless of caloric content.
- 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
- 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:
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 study
7,
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.
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:
- Overweight
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- 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:
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:
- Heterocyclic amines (HCAs): a potent carcinogen, which is created when meat or fish is cooked at high temperatures.
- Sodium nitrite: a commonly used preservative and antimicrobial
agent that also adds color and flavor to processed and cured meats.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): Many processed meats
are smoked as part of the curing process, which causes PAHs to form.
- 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:
- Colon cancer by 50 percent
- Bladder cancer by 59 percent
- Stomach cancer by 38 percent
- 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:
- Looking for "uncured" varieties that contain NO nitrates
- 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)
- 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.
[-] Sources and References
