Fact or fiction? "Brown eggs are more nutritious than white eggs"
False. Egg shell colour can vary but does not affect the quality, flavour, or the nutrients of an egg. The egg shell colour depends upon the breed of the hen. White shell eggs in Canada come from Leghorn hens while brown shell eggs are produced by Rhode Island Red breed hens. Rhode Island Red hens are slightly larger birds and require more food. Additional food costs and a smaller supply tend to make brown eggs more expensive than white eggs.
Both brown eggs and white eggs are equally nutritious.
"When losing weight, only eat when you're hungry." Is this good advice?
In concept, this does sound like a good practice -- to save calories, don't eat if you don't feel hungry. But the truth is, eating when you don't feel hungry can actually prevent you from overeating later on. Skipping a meal or a snack because you don't feel hungry at the time can cause you to feel overly hungry later -- which usually leads to overeating.
I advise my clients to eat every three hours to keep their energy level stable and their appetite in check during the day. Between meal snacks are especially important; they should always contain a source of protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
Some good choices include energy bars, yogurt and fruit, dried fruit and nuts, or part skim cheese and whole grain crackers. Avoid snacks made from refined carbs like cereal bars, flatbread, and pretzels, snacks that can lead to premature hunger by spiking your blood sugar.
We hear this all the time, "Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain." Does it?
What matters when it comes to weight loss is how many calories you eat over the course of the day, not when you eat them. Most experts contend that eating a 600 calorie dinner at 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. won't make a difference to your weight, providing you stick to your recommended daily calorie intake. But the problem is that many of those snacks eaten in the evening are often calories added on top of your daily requirements.
I do encourage my weight loss clients to try to eat earlier than 8 p.m. They feel better the next morning – they feel less bloated. And research suggests that our body burns less calories digesting an evening meal than it does digesting a morning or afternoon meal. As well, if you eat later in the evening, there's little, if any, time to be active to burn those calories.
If you are trying to lose weight and your schedule doesn't permit you to eat before 8 p.m., have a smaller meal that's easier to digest. Eat smaller portions or eat lighter foods like a bean soup and side salad.
What about, "Eating protein and carbs at different meals will help you lose weight"?
Yes, I have heard this repeatedly over the years: don't combine protein and carbs in the same meal. The theory is that protein and carbohydrates require different enzymes for digestion; if you eat them together, they won't be digested properly and toxins will form that cause you to gain body fat.
But the reality is that your digestive tract can handle a variety of food groups at the same time. There is no proof that eating protein and carbohydrates separately aids weight loss.
In fact, you're better off to combine protein and carbohydrates at meals -- doing so will keep you feeling energized and satisfied longer after eating. And don't forget, some of the healthiest foods -- nuts, beans, yogurt -- are a combination of protein and carbohydrate.
Okay, here's another, "Coffee can help you lose weight". True or false?
The theory is that the caffeine in coffee acts as an appetite suppressant and a metabolism booster.
But the truth is that while coffee may temporarily lower your appetite, drinking a couple of cups a day won't have enough of an effect to help you lose weight. And drinking too much coffee can lead to anxiety, sleep disturbances and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
Depending on what kind of coffee you drink -- or what you put in it -- you might actually be adding extra calories to your day. A Starbucks Grande Café Mocha has 260 calories. A Tim Horton's double-double (double the cream and double the sugar) has 110 calories. A cup of black coffee has only two calories!
If you're trying to lose weight, enjoy your coffee black or with a little milk. If you use sugar, stick to one teaspoon -- only 16 calories. But don't think that drinking coffee is going to accelerate weight loss -- it won't.
"To lose weight, you need to cut calories drastically." Any truth to this?
False. Cutting too many calories from your diet can actually hinder weight loss efforts. Doing so can slow your metabolism. Your body thinks it's in starvation mode and burns fewer calories during the day to compensate.
What's more, people who eat too little during the day often end up eating more calories later on because they become overly hungry.
To effectively lose weight -- and keep it off – women should consume no less than 1200-1400 calories per day and men no fewer than 1800 calories. This calorie level allows you to eat three balanced meals and one or two snacks to help keep your blood sugar stable and hunger at bay. It's also a calorie level that you can stick to over the longer term.
If you have questions for Leslie Beck send us an email at nutrition@ctv.ca
