Weight Loss: 6 Nutrition Myths That Need To Be Busted Right Now

Do you think that diet soda is healthier than regular soda? Or that digestive biscuits are good for diabetics? Or drinking green tea can help you lose weight quickly? Then you have reached at the right place. Myths about foods and drinks have often misguided people and made them make wrong food choices for their weight loss regime and overall health. Busting such nutrition myths is nutritionist Nmami Agarwal on Instagram. "It is important to challenge nutrition myths in order to understand the real facts about them," she says in her post.

Weight loss: Nutrition myths that need to be busted right now

Myth 1: If you are thin, your body fat is low

Being thin or skinny does not always mean what you think it means. Being thin should not be considered synonymous to being fit or healthy. Thin people's body mass index (BMI) may indicate that s/he is healthy. But, it is possible for thin people to have high body fat. Despite having a small and lean looking physique, someone can carry too much fat and not enough muscles, informs Nmami in her IGTV. This may be because of lifestyle, eating habits or exercise. The point to note here is that just because you don't see fat, it doesn't mean that the fat doesn't exist.

Also read: Heart Failure: Top Myths Debunked By Scientists

Myth 2: Sipping on lemon water can boost metabolism

'Add lemon juice in hot water and drink it the first thing in the morning,' is an advise many of you must have come across. Just the way one cheat will neither make you fat nor will one healthy meal make you thin, your body will not burn calories at a faster rate by simply adding lemon water to your diet. Your metabolic rate is determined by your overall lifestyle and not just one food or beverage that you are drinking daily.

Myth 3: It is fine to eat junk food every day if you are regular with exercise

This is a common myth which many people around you may be believing. It is a commonly believed notion that as far as you are exercising and burning calories at the gym, it is fine to eat junk food every day. "Diet and exercise go hand in hand, and you can outrun either," says Nmami. Eating unhealthy food regularly, or worse, daily, can put you at risk of serious health issues, even if you are exercising daily. Consider every meal of your day as an opportunity to nourish yourself. Do not feed yourself trashy food (read junk food like burgers, pizzas and pastas) and try to eat healthy, natural, home-cooked food most of the times.

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Myth 4: Diet soda is better than regular soda

Now this is an eye-opener. Diet soda or aerate beverages with 'diet' on their labels is considered to be low in calories and weight loss-friendly. However, this might not entirely true. While it is true that diet soda does contain fewer calories than regular soda, and it may seem to be a preferable option in managing your weight at the initial stage. But the beverage is still carbonated and loaded with artificial sweeteners that are harmful for your health.

Myth 5: You can vitamins only from fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are in fact an excellent source of vitamins essential for your growth and overall well-being. Nuts, whole grains, lentils, legumes and seeds are an equally good source of vitamins and minerals and must be a part of your daily diet.

Myth 6: Get rid of carbs if you want to lose weight

Low-carb diet and keto diet have gained popularity because of the notion that getting rid of carbs can help you lose weight. This is just another nutrition myth which needs to be busted. Carbs are an essential macronutrient which the body needs for storing energy. Getting rid of carbs in full entirety can make you feel irritable and fatigued. What's worse is that the weight lost by reducing carb intake is quickly gained back when you resume regular eating habits.

"Carbs can actually help you lose weight or even maintain a healthy weight," says Nmami while adding that fibre-rich foods are also a healthy source of carbs. Carbs are not bad, she asserts and says, "It is the type of carbs that you choose to include in your diet that matters."

Also read: Parents, Take Note Of These Common Myths About Kids' Nutrition

(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.