Food Myths Busted!

Muscle & Fitness Hers

September/October 2008

We separate fact from fiction on five common nutritional tall tales

Online version: http://www.muscleandfitnesshers.com/food_myths_busted/nutrition/91

There’s no shortage of fabrications and old wives’ tales when it comes to food.(Just think how many kids fear that apples will grow in their stomachs if they eat the seeds!) After you’ve heard them enough times, it’s a challenge to differentiate between dietary fact and fiction. But don’t fret: At some point everyone falls prey to misinformation about nutrition - much of that centers around calories, fat and weight management. To help, we expose five oft-repeated fallacies right here.

Myth #1. It’s better to drizzle fat-free dressing on your salads.

Truth: This assumption is fundamentally flawed in three big ways. Firstly, Heidi Skolnik, a New York based nutritionist with The Women’s Sports Medicine Center and president of Nutrition Conditioning, Inc., says active women need fat for many different functions including proper hormone development, energy production and brain function. Opt for bland dressing sans this macronutrient and you’re already behind the eight ball. Next, Skolnik points out that many dressings that have bid adieu to fat are pumped full of sugars to boost taste. “Often this means the calorie difference is negligible,” she says. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, fat in dressing helps absorb fat-soluble nutrients found in vegetables such as bone-strengthen vitamin K, cancer-fighting lycopene and eye-protecting beta-carotene and lutein. “Fat free is counterproductive to getting these nutrients that women need.” But this doesn't mean you should drown your greens in a ranch as calories can add up faster than Lindsay Lohan press clipping. Choose an oil-based dressing such as balsamic vinaigrette that has a lot of taste in a small amount. 

Myth #2. White poultry meat is better than dark.

Truth: The notion that you should be chicken about noshing on dark poultry is without merit. What gives parts of chicken or turkey their overcast appearance is the presence of high amounts of myoglobin, which provides oxygen to working muscles. Chickens and turkeys don’t fly meaning they walk a lot so their leg (thigh) meat is saturated with myoglobin while their breast and wing meat are paler due to low levels of this compound. But compared to its iconic white brethren, ounce for ounce dark meat has only a couple more calories and a measly extra gram of fat - hardly worth losing sleep over. What it does have, though, is just as much first-rate muscle-building protein plus more zinc, iron and some B vitamins. Not to mention those juicy drumsticks are finger-licking good. So enjoy dark and white meat regularly as part of a well-balanced diet. One caveat, though: Leave the skin behind.

Myth #1. Saturated fat has negative effects on your heatlh – as well as your physique.

Truth: Porterhouse and Gorgonzola lovers rejoice! Some saturated fat is harmless and may actually be good for you. Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusettes) researchers found that women who had the highest saturated fat intake had the least amount of plaque build-up in their arteries and a better balance of good and bad cholesterol levels. Previous studies blaming this much-maligned fat for heart disease, obesity and diabetes have been fraught with shortcomings. It seems a key element in heart health and the battle of the bulge is that any additional saturated fat in the diet should replace refined carbohydrates such as white pasta and bleached out bread and the ultimate health pariah, man-made trans fat. These are the two culprits that have increased in American diets in the past few decades - along with obesity and heart disease rates. Saturated fat intake has actually decreased. Ditch the processed carbohydrates, trans fat laden baked goods and fast food fare, and aim for about 10 percent of your daily calories from saturated fats such as those found in beef, poultry, dairy, coconut and dark chocolate. Beyond that, 20 to 30 percent of calories should come from unsaturated sources like those found in nuts, olive oil, fatty fish and flaxseed.

Myth #4. If you want to put on muscle and burn fat, you should shun all carbs.

Truth: Never mind the late Dr. Atkins - you need some carbohydrates to garner a lean muscular physique. Much of that, according to Skolnik, has to do with carbohydrates ability to allow you to workout harder as it’s the primary fuel for muscle cells during high-intensity workouts. Sage advice considering that a revved-up gym session will burn a ton of calories and stimulate skeletal muscle both of which translate into a leaner, meaner you. Take away all the pasta, rice and potatoes, and your muscles may be forced to convert protein into energy - a definite contradiction to muscle growth.

Carbohydrates are also a must after training because they, along with protein, stimulate muscle repair and hypertropy. “Carbohydrates post-workout will boost insulin levels that will help drive protein into the muscle cells,” Skolnik says. So, don’t hold back too much on carbs - just keep your choices healthy. After all, research now shows that women don’t burn as many carbs as their male counterparts do during exercise, so you don’t need as much as sports nutritionists once thought. HERS recommends that women involved in serious strength training aim for a daily carbohydrate intake of 1-1.5 gramps per pound of bodyweight. Timing is important when your goal is to build muscle and burn fat. Breakfast, pre- and postworkout are the best times to consume carbs. In your post-exercise meal, take in 20 to 30 grams of fast-digesting carbs, such as white breads and sugars, to boost insulin levels and drive muscle recovery. Otherwise, make sure most of your carbohydrates are in the form of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and dairy, all of which provide more nutritional benefit.

Myth#5: Foods labeled reduced fat or fat-free are better for me.

Truth: Many processed low-fat or fat-free foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food—or even more. Skolnik says that’s because they may contain added sugars and thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. Peanut butter is a good example. Some lower fat versions have removed some of the naturally good fat and replaced it with sugar and hydrogenated oils. The upshot: insignificant calorie difference, double the carbs and fewer heart-healthy monusaturated fats. Also, if you're tempted to use more of a reduced-fat product (say ice-cream) than you would of the full-fat version, you could easily end up eating more calories. Plus, because fat satiates, smaller amounts of the real thing can help quell appetite. “Light, fat-free, and unsatisfying should be the motto,” Skolnik says. Read the Nutrition Facts panel on food items to compare how the calories and sugars stack up between the non-fat and original versions. “Sometimes reduced fat items use smaller serving sizes so it seems like you are going to be eating a lot less calories and fat,” Skolnik adds. Best advice: Enjoy the real thing, in moderation.