So you want to start eating a healthier diet, but you are not sure where to start. The good news is that you are not alone.
Nutrition and healthy eating are mysteries to most of us, with hundreds of misconceptions, myths, and even lies making it hard to know what’s right and what is not.
What we can tell you is that improving your nutrition should not be a mystery.
Below dietitian, Kim Hofmann shares five common misconceptions about what we eat and the importance of understanding food and food consumption for a healthy and balanced diet.
Avocado toast versus Nutella toast
The “avocado on brown toast versus Nutella on white toast” conundrum is an interesting one. Surprisingly enough, half an avocado on brown toast has an average of 265 calories, while 30 grams of Nutella on white toast has an average of 252 calories.
So, what is the difference, and what should we base our choice on? The avocado on toast, although higher in calories, is more nutrient-dense as it contains more gut-friendly fibre, micronutrients, and antioxidants as well as natural fats that are essential for our bodies to function optimally.
Nutella on white toast on the other hand might have fewer calories, but it does not bring any benefits aside from energy to the body. It contains added sugars (sugar is the first ingredient of Nutella) and should be considered a treat rather than a regular staple meal.
Because there is no sustenance to this choice (no fibre, protein, or fat) it won’t stabilise blood sugar levels which means we get hungrier quicker and will crave the same type of sweet treat food again. The important takeaway here is to try not to choose foods by calorie comparisons.
A calorie isn’t simply a calorie (more about that below), and calories are not a like-for-like comparison, as the impact of each on our overall health is where the emphasis should lie.
Choosing something that is 15 calories less, but contains more sugar won’t bring any health benefits or nourish the body. Balanced blood sugars, a wide variety of good nutritional choices from all food groups, and listening to our body (instead of our head which loves to think it knows best) is what will create balance and entrench healthy eating patterns.
Counting calories can work, but a flexible approach based on sound nutritional advice is important. Working alongside a registered dietitian or reading nutrition labels can help us learn about calories healthily to optimise the food we are eating.
Ignore fad diets
Fad diets simply do not work. They can be very unhealthy because they expect us to completely cut out certain foods or food groups, which requires willpower and leaves us feeling deprived – making them rather short-lived and draining our motivation to continue.
Many restrictive diets that promote low-calorie intakes can end up damaging our bodies’ physiology because they cause muscle loss which decreases the metabolism and causes our body to hold onto everything later on.
Rather try a balanced and mindful approach that allows a variety of foods in correct portion-controlled sizes. A well-rounded diet should include all the macronutrients - carbohydrates, proteins, and fat - as well as snacks and treats in moderation.
The 80/20 rule
The 80/20 rule is a guide for a balanced, healthy lifestyle and is quite simple - eat nutritious foods 80% of the time and have a serving of a favourite treat the other 20%.
When it comes to exercise, it is challenging to isolate or target specific areas of your body as you have no control over where in the body the fat burn will occur, but a regular training routine that includes a variety of exercises and movements will help to increase overall fitness, strengthen muscles groups, and help manage weight loss while improving stamina.
It may take a little longer but soon the benefits of consistency will be reaped from maintaining a moderate exercise routine rather than an extreme but sporadic approach.
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