by Brittany Butland, RD
Here are 3 common nutrition myths you should stop believing right now:
1. “Natural” sugars such as maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar are better for you than plain white sugar.
To put it simply, sugar is sugar. All sugars are very similar to one another as they are made up of glucose and fructose (sugar molecules) in different ratios. For example, white sugar is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, while maple syrup is made up of 51.5% glucose and 49.5% fructose. Our body cannot tell the difference between white sugar and so called “natural” sugars, it just sees sugar molecules. Although “natural” sugars may contain some trace nutrients, the amounts are so minimal that they do not add up to anything significant (and you shouldn’t be eating sugar for the trace nutrients anyway). The bottom line is that “natural” sugars are added sugars, just like plain white sugar, and they should be limited.
Here are 3 common nutrition myths you should stop believing right now:
1. “Natural” sugars such as maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar are better for you than plain white sugar.
To put it simply, sugar is sugar. All sugars are very similar to one another as they are made up of glucose and fructose (sugar molecules) in different ratios. For example, white sugar is made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose, while maple syrup is made up of 51.5% glucose and 49.5% fructose. Our body cannot tell the difference between white sugar and so called “natural” sugars, it just sees sugar molecules. Although “natural” sugars may contain some trace nutrients, the amounts are so minimal that they do not add up to anything significant (and you shouldn’t be eating sugar for the trace nutrients anyway). The bottom line is that “natural” sugars are added sugars, just like plain white sugar, and they should be limited.
2. Sea salt, pink Himalayan salt, or kosher salt is better for you than table salt.
All salts are molecularly very similar, made up of at least 95-98% sodium chloride. The differences in sodium content of the salts are irrelevant in the context of your overall eating pattern, as they are so similar, and the differences really only lie in the size and shape of the grains. A quarter teaspoon of table salt contains about 590 mg of sodium, whereas coarse sea salt contains about 580 mg, kosher salt contains around 480 mg and pink Himalayan salt contains about 460 mg. Pink Himalayan salt is often claimed to be a healthier salt than table salt as it contains trace amounts of nutrients; however, the amounts are so minimal that they are nutritionally irrelevant. Just like sugar, you shouldn’t be eating salt for the trace nutrients anyway. The bottom line is that the type of salt used is not important, but the amount used is.
3. A detox diet will clean “toxins” out of the body.
There is little evidence to support the claims that detox diets (or supplements) will help you remove toxins from your body, lose weight or boost your immune system. The fact is you don't need to buy a product or go on a diet to “detoxify” your body, and any weight loss is largely water, which will be easily regained once you start eating normally again. Your body doesn’t need any help removing any toxins or waste. Your lungs, gut, liver and kidneys do a good job in removing waste every day. Instead of going on a detox diet, focus on eating more whole foods, drinking more water and enjoying an active lifestyle.
All salts are molecularly very similar, made up of at least 95-98% sodium chloride. The differences in sodium content of the salts are irrelevant in the context of your overall eating pattern, as they are so similar, and the differences really only lie in the size and shape of the grains. A quarter teaspoon of table salt contains about 590 mg of sodium, whereas coarse sea salt contains about 580 mg, kosher salt contains around 480 mg and pink Himalayan salt contains about 460 mg. Pink Himalayan salt is often claimed to be a healthier salt than table salt as it contains trace amounts of nutrients; however, the amounts are so minimal that they are nutritionally irrelevant. Just like sugar, you shouldn’t be eating salt for the trace nutrients anyway. The bottom line is that the type of salt used is not important, but the amount used is.
3. A detox diet will clean “toxins” out of the body.
There is little evidence to support the claims that detox diets (or supplements) will help you remove toxins from your body, lose weight or boost your immune system. The fact is you don't need to buy a product or go on a diet to “detoxify” your body, and any weight loss is largely water, which will be easily regained once you start eating normally again. Your body doesn’t need any help removing any toxins or waste. Your lungs, gut, liver and kidneys do a good job in removing waste every day. Instead of going on a detox diet, focus on eating more whole foods, drinking more water and enjoying an active lifestyle.
Brittany Butland provides Dietitian Services at Horizon’s Albert County Community Health Centre. For more tips on nutrition and healthy eating, you can book an appointment with Brittany at (506)882-3100.
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