dietary advice has constantly evolved over time. For example, certain foods, such as carbohydrates, Red meatand with all the fat dairy products, were considered “bad” for years. Certain sayings, like “only shop on the perimeter of the grocery store” and “don’t eat ingredients you can’t pronounce,” have also been around for decades and used to dictate how and what people ate. However, these old-fashioned nutrition guidelines from yesterday are the ones you should never follow today.
If you are looking for outdated dietary guidelines, you should put aside and then read on. to cut everything carbohydrates not to eat ingredients can’t pronounce, here they are eight old-fashioned nutrition guidelines you should take with a grain of saltthough not literally.
This old saying has been around for years, but it is recommended that you probably shouldn’t follow it. “This was a hard and fast recommendation in the nutrition world for quite some time, however, it really doesn’t have much influence,” says Melissa Mitri, a registered dietitian at Wellness Zen Master. Mitri shares that there are many hard-to-pronounce ingredients that are actually important sources of fiber, vitamins, or natural preservatives that can help prevent food poisoning. “Following this rule can cause you to become unnecessarily restrictive and can lead to a fear of food,” she adds.
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For years, carbohydrates have been considered “bad,” but Mitri explains that this is not accurate. “Many popular weight-loss diets point to carbs as the bad guy, but in reality, carbs should be an important part of our diets,” says Mitri. She explains that the key is to choose the right types of carbohydrates, for example, those that are whole grains, fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. “Research has shown that fiber intake is associated with weight loss and a healthy heartso don’t be afraid of carbohydrates like brown rice, quinoa, fruits and vegetables,” she says.
Mitri also shares that the old saying “a calorie is a calorie” is an outdated recommendation that can do more harm than good. “All calories are not created equal, and what’s more important is where the calories come from,” says Mitri. “For example, if you stayed within your daily caloric needs but all you ate were loaded fad fries, you probably wouldn’t see much success in terms of weight loss and you’d also feel very sluggish.” Mitri suggests that instead of counting calories for him, he shift his focus to eating plenty of lean protein, fruits, and vegetables that will fill him up so that he naturally ends up consuming fewer calories overall.
“Shop the perimeter of the grocery store” is an old saying that suggests you shouldn’t buy food in supermarket aisles because they are believed to be less healthy. This, however, is not necessarily true. “The perimeter is where all the fresh food is, but if you don’t shop in the aisles, you miss out on a lot of healthy options,” he says. Cristina Jaboni, DR. Iaboni points out that the aisles aren’t just packed with processed foods. “In the aisles, you find whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa, canned and dried beans, and nut butters,” he adds. “The frozen section also offers frozen fruits and vegetables, which are great options because they are frozen at peak freshness and lock in nutrients.”
How many times have you heard growing up that you shouldn’t swim after a meal? Perhaps surprisingly, this old saying is not true. In fact, low-impact exercise is beneficial to our health and can even help lower blood sugar levels. “During exercise, your heart rate and breathing increase, which uses glucose from your bloodstream,” he explains. Rebecca Washuta, MS, CNS, LDN. “In addition, your muscles also absorb glucose when they contract, pulling more glucose out of your bloodstream, ultimately lowering your blood sugar.” Washuta suggests trying to exercise 30 to 45 minutes after eating, known as the mid-postprandial phase, to help lower glucose levels.
Washuta shares that while low-fat dairy products, particularly yogurt, may be lower in calories, they are typically higher in sugar. “Sugar increases insulin, the hormone that stores fat, which can lead to weight gain,” says Washuta. “Fat, on the other hand, keeps blood sugar and insulin stable while also turning off hunger hormones and making us feel fuller and more satisfied,” Washuta suggests opting for full-fat dairy whenever you can.
Another outdated nutritional guideline is that red meat is considered unhealthy. However, red meat eaten in moderation could be good for you. “Eating red meat in moderation is a healthy way to get protein,” says Tania Long, nutritionist at Mealfan. “Red meat contains protein, iron and zinc, which are beneficial nutrients.”
Removing all fat from your diet can harm you in the long run. “Fats are essential to our diet, like other nutrients,” shares Long. “Fats produce healthy cell membranes that prevent disease and also aid in digestion and skin health.” However, even healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fats found in seeds, nuts, and olive oil, should be consumed in moderation.
