187.Most Listened Episode Series:Debunking the Top 5 Biggest Food Myths

Have you ever held on to a food myth like it came from the Bible, only find out that it was a myth and totally bogus? And don't you just hate when that happens? 

This week on Health Bite, Dr. Adrianne Youdim is debunking some of the most common and  peeviest food myths. If you're tired of being misled by food myths, this episode is a must-listen. Join us on Health Bite as we uncover the truth behind these misconceptions and empower ourselves to make informed choices for our well-being.

Who says healthy food has to be boring? We bust this myth wide open by showcasing delicious and nutritious alternatives to popular unhealthy choices. 

From sweet potatoes instead of chips to pinto beans over pop tarts, we prove that you can have both flavor and health in your meals. Say goodbye to tasteless salads and hello to mouthwatering, nourishing dishes! 

Don't forget to head over to the show notes for your actionable bite towards healthy living and make sure to like, share, and subscribe to the podcast to stay updated on future episodes. 

What you’ll learn from the episode:

Debunking the most common and peeviest food myths of all time

🍞Myth #1: “All carbs are bad.”

🌱Myth #2: “You can’t get enough protein from eating plants”

🍪Myth #3: “Gluten-free is good for your health.”

🥫Myth #4: “All processed food is bad.”

🍓Myth #5: “You can’t eat fruit if you want to lose weight and eating fruit promotes diabetes.”

“...eat so much of what serves you that you have less room for that which is not.” - Adrienne Youdim

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Transcript

Have you ever held on to a food myth like it came from the Bible only to find that it was a myth and totally bogus? And Don’t you just hate when that happens?  Me too! Food myths are a major pet-peeve.  So This week on healthbite I am debunking some of my peeves-est food myths. 

Welcome back to Healthbite, I'm your host Dr Adrienne Youdim. As a board certified internist, physician nutrition and obesity medicine specialist I am quite obsessed with all the small and important ways that we can nourish ourselves. If you are new to this podcast, head over to the shownotes and sign up for my newsletter and I will send you 5 bites to fast track you into practices that will nourish you mind, body and soul. 

I just love this stuff- so lets get to it and dig into this weeks bite.

SO this week we are talking about the top 10 most entrenched food myths. I wonder how many of these you subscribe to and if after this podcast you will continue?

1. All carbs are bad- this one absolutely kills me. We can all agree (i think) that pinto beans and pop-tarts do not have the same nutritional value. Nor do Chips and sweet potatoes Or banana and a chocolate chip cookies. And yet they are all considered carbs. Carbs are a wide category of foods and include foods like beans, and legumes, high fiber whole grains and of course fruits and veggies. You know veggies are good for you but did you know that the addition of even one ounce of beans or legumes was associated with the addition of 8 years to your lifespan. The soluble fiber in beans have been shown to reduce cholesterol, improve blood sugar and prevent DM2 and In one study, eating beans four times a week cut heart disease by 22%. 

But I know what you are thinking, what about my weight? I know you assume that that this carb causes weight gain right? WRONG. A study found that people who ate up to 9 ounces of beans daily for six weeks lost more weight that those who didn’t eat beans. Think about it, all that fiber and nutrients fills you up. Its just like I always say, eat so much of what serves you so that you have less room for that which does not. SO be discerning about your carbs. Less poptarts, chips and cookies (meaning processed and refined sugar and fats) and more high fiber complex carbs like fruits, veggies, beans and legumes.

• You can’t get enough protein from eating plants - this one is one that I need to be careful of myself. The truth is it is easier to get your protein from animal proteins but it does not mean that it is the only way. And certainly a mindful vegetarian or vegan can get the protein that they need if they eat responsibly. Remember the beans and legumes. Not only are they high in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals but they are also a great source of protein. My favorite is garbanzo beans. One cup has 40 grams- 40! That is more than 3 ounces of steak.

• Gluten free is good for your health. God do I hate this one! Allright- lets start with gluten 101. Gluten is a naturally occurring protein that is found in wheat and some other grains including barley and rye. Because it is found in wheat and wheat products it has been vilified like carbs have. But once again lets think about how we usually consume wheat. It comes in packaged and processed foods (the real culprit) SO what have we done, instead, we have created an enormous category of more processed foods that are just gluten free. Basically missing the point entirely. OK but THere is a group of people hwo should avoid gluten. For example those who have an autoimmune disease called celiac that occurs in about 1% of the population, in which eating gluten can cause the immune system to over-react and results in symptoms like bloating constipation, diarrhea and in severe forms to malnutrition. This condition is diagnosed with blood tests but more reliably with endoscopy and biopsy of the intestines. There are also people who have gluten sensitivity (for which there is no test) and wheat allergy for which the tests are unreliable. But for the rest of us our bodies are just reacting to all the processed junk that has been pumped into our food chain. If you think you have an issue talk to your doc, but I’m thinking if we just rid ourselves of processed food- not replaced them with gluten free ones, most of us would feel better. 

• All processed food is bad- so I know I harp of processed foods all the time. But remember that there are degrees and variations to everything. Fruit loops (which I never got when I was a child and always coveted) and doritos for example are ultra processed- meaning they look nothing like the main ingredient they came from (wheat and potato) and have artificial colors, fillers, emulsifiers, preservatives and an endless list of other chemicals added to them. These are the processed foods we need to avoid. But canned tuna for example, is also processed but offers us a good source of protein esp if you choose low salt and in water option. Canned beans are another good example. Even frozen or canned fruits and veggies- believe it or not, these can be as nutritious or even more so than the original esp in the case of frozen because They are frequently often flash frozen at the peak of ripeness, while some fresh produce is picked before it’s ripe.and may lose some nutritional value when it is shipped to stores.

• Speaking of fruit- my next food myth is You can’t eat fruit if you want to lose weight and that eating fruit promotes diabetes. When it comes to the second part, let me remind you that eating sugar does not cause diabetes. However if one consumes lots of sugar and gains weight in the process, they can become insulin resistant and eventually diabetic and once diabetic they cannot process sugars properly. So the real issue is not sugar but weight gain, which takes me to the first part. I can quote studies on why fruit does not impede weight loss. But can we just say this, its not the blueberries that is causing us to gain weight. At least it has never been the blueberries for me. Has it for you? 

ANd finally fruits make me think of fruit juice which make me think of Cleanses and Detox. And I think this one really is the peaviest food myth for me. We do not detox by drinking fruit juice or any other concoction. FIrst of all, I do not promote fruit juice to begin with, even the fresh kind. When you juice you are consuming all the sugar and leaving behind the fiber, vitamins and minerals. Besides being unhealthy, it is just food waste. But more to the point here is that we dont need potions sold by internet influencers and gurus to detox. God gave us a liver, kidneys and the largest detoxification organ system of our body, our skin. Our bodies are intricately created to rid our bodies of toxins, chemicals and waste. They are fascinatingly effective that way. So save your money and protect your health and true detoxification system. 

OK? Well I could go on but I think your attention span might start to wane if it hasnt already so Im gonna stop here. As I mentioned before, head over  to the shownotes and grab your actionable bite towards healthy living and dont forget to like, share and subscribe.

Hope you have a great week and I look forward to seeing you here on Healthbite again next week! Until then stay healthy, happy and sane!