Question: Fact or fiction? "Eating frequent mini meals speeds up metabolism."
The theory is that eating five or six small meals of equal size each day (e.g. grazing) will help your body burn more calories and fat compared to eating three square meals. But despite years of research, there's no consensus on which meal pattern is best for boosting metabolism. In fact, most studies have shown that eating frequency has no effect on a person's overall metabolic rate.
Whether you eat three meals or six, weight loss comes down to how many calories you consume. My advice: divide your day's worth of calories into three meals and two snacks to keep your blood sugar stable and prevent becoming overly hungry and overeating.
Question: We hear this one a lot, "carbohydrates make you fat." Any truth to this?
Despite the crash of the low carb diet, this myth still persists: bread, cereal, pasta, and rice make you fat. Carbohydrates don't make you fat. Excess calories - whether they are from protein, fat or carbohydrates - cause weight gain.
Your muscles and brain rely on carbohydrates for energy. What's more, plenty of research has found that a regular intake of whole grains helps guard against heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
The problem comes down to portion size - may people eat big portions of carbohydrate foods. Bagels are the equivalent of 4 to 5 slices of bread, large coffee shop muffins can deliver as many as 500 calories, and some restaurants serve pasta portions enough to feed a family of four.
To maintain a healthy weight - or lose weight - you can safely eat carbohydrates. Just watch your portion size and limit refined sugars and white starches. These carbohydrates are quickly digested and can leave you feeling hungry sooner.
Question: Okay, here's another, "a high protein diet builds muscle." True or false?
It's true that athletes have higher protein requirements than sedentary people. Extra protein is needed to repair muscle damage that occurs during exercise and to support muscle building.
But if you work out, you don't need to resort to a high protein diet - or fill up on protein shakes - to get the extra protein you need. Studies show that most athletes can easily meet their daily protein requirements from a mixed diet.
If you're trying to build muscle mass, increasing your protein intake beyond the recommended level won't build bigger muscles since there's a limit to the rate at which protein can be synthesized into muscle. And unlike carbohydrate and fat, the body can't store protein. The excess will either be burned for energy or, if you're getting the calories you need, it will be stored as body fat.
Question: What about the notion "you need 8 glasses of water each day?" Is this a myth too?
Actually it is a myth. Current dietary recommendations state that adult males need to drink 13 cups (3 litres) of water each day; women require 9 cups (2.2 litres). But here's the catch: all beverages - excluding alcoholic beverages - count towards your daily water requirements. Water, fruit juice, milk, soy beverages, soft drinks, even coffee and tea help keep you hydrated.
So most people can relax with the water bottle. You don't need to drink eight glasses of water on top of everything else you drink.
Question: Many people say "fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen." Is this true?
Believe it or not, fresh produce may not be as fresh as you think. By the time it travels from farm to supermarket to your dinner plate, a few weeks may have passed during which time nutrients are lost.
Research has shown that many frozen vegetables (and fruits) rival or outshine fresh as a source of vitamins and minerals. That's because processing and packaging takes place almost immediately after harvest, locking in more nutrients.
When fresh produce is out of season, or out of your price range, frozen is a good alternative to have on hand. Just stay clear of brands with added salt.
