Myth Busting

There are so many nutritional myths out there they could all have their own article but instead I thought I would take a small handful of the ones I come across a lot.

Does high insulin level prevent weight loss?

NO!! The myth is that if you eat a high carbohydrate diet (even if you are in a calorie deficit), it releases the hormone insulin which then makes your body store fat. Its absolute tosh and has never been proven, ever! I understand why people believe it! There are some very high-profile doctors out there promoting this theory, they say low carb is the only way. They have only one agenda, to sell their book!

There are many studies that dis prove this theory but I will name one that categorically disproves the insulin theory. In this study by Kevin Hall (Hall et al. (2015) Cell Metab) there were no significant differences in body fat losses when comparing isocaloric low carbohydrate and high carbohydrate diets in a tightly controlled metabolic ward.

Let’s have a carb party 😊

Eating little and often speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose weight.

NO! This one is a very popular myth and still well believed.

This meta-analysis (Schoenfeld et al. (2015) Nutr. Rev.) found no significant differences between meal frequency and changes in body weight. There are lots more studies to mention and all have found no significant difference when eating lots of meals compared to eating 2 big meals a day for example.

The only times eating smaller meals more often can benefit you is for muscle gain and that’s more specific to protein feedings.

Eat what fits within your lifestyle without any stress over timings!

Does eating red meat increase the risk of cardiovascular disease?

NO! Meat eaters will love this one and as this one has been around a long-time people find it hard to not believe but evidence is evidence.

This meta-analysis (O’Connor et al. (2016) Am. J. Clin. Nutr.) showed that consuming more than 0.5 servings of red meat per day did not significantly affect lipid-lipoprotein profiles or blood pressure, both risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Many of the studies that do show a link to red meat and increased risk of CVD are correlation studies. What this means is that the people taking part in the study were also less likely to be physically active, more likely to be smokers, drink more alcohol, have a higher energy intake and have a higher BMI which are all related to CVD so how can you specifically blame the red meat.

Rather than focusing on reducing red meat you would be better off getting to a healthy weight, being more physically active, drink less alcohol and not smoke. All proven to reduce the risk of CVD.

Red meat is actually extremely nutrient dense food containing protein, fat, iron, zinc and many other micro-nutrients. Just saying. Moderation!

Is eating more than 7 eggs per week bad for your cholesterol?

HELL, NO and thank god!!

There are many studies to refer to so I am going to pick the one with the most eggs consumed in a week. This study showed that eating 21 eggs per week for 12 weeks resulted in no significant changes in ‘bad’ cholesterol and actually improved other blood lipid markers for health, including levels of ‘good cholesterol and triglycerides. (Mutungiet al. (2008) J. Nutr)

However, I should state that there are hyper-responders to eggs (as with everything). If you do have high cholesterol then remove eggs for a while, change nothing else and get re-tested, if its still the same then change other lifestyle factors and keep the eggs.

I’m a big egg fan. They are super nutritious and contain small amounts of very nearly all the essential micro-nutrients we need and they have up to 8g of Protein per egg.

Things You Need to Know About Protein

Nearly every single client I see in the clinic is not eating enough Protein, both male and female.

Unless you are really into muscle gains most people don’t even know why we need it and what it does for us. I have to try and change this as I think most Nutritionists would say it’s their favorite macro and we will prioritize it over the other macros, for good reason.

I’m going to try and keep the science bit to a minimum but do bear with me as its important you know.

What is protein anyway?

Proteins are large, complex molecules. Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids, which are attached to one another in long chains. There are 20 different types of amino acids that can be combined to make a protein. There are essential and non-essential amino acids that we consume through food.

Protein is an essential macro-nutrient, our body has to have it.

But why do I need Protein?

Let’s clear one common misconception about protein. You do NOT eat/drink Protein then turn into Arnold Schwarzenegger (if only). We do need to consume protein from our diet to provide amino acids for growth and maintenance of tissues. So, the amount you need really depends on your health and activity level. If you have had surgery for example, eating higher protein diet will help your recovery. If you are training hard with heavy weights you may need a higher protein amount to support the recovery of your muscles and help them grow.

If you are in a calorie deficit as you are trying to lose fat its important to keep your protein high so you do not lose muscle mass.

There are lots of other reasons that are not just muscle growth related as to why we need Protein, here are a few more and each one could have its own article!

· Immune function support

· It has a high thermic effect of food – which means you burn more calories metabolizing it

· Supports weight loss – higher protein meals have higher satiety

· Supports healthy nails and skin growth

· Protein is also an energy source

Protein myths debunked

Myth 1 - You can only digest 20-30g of protein in one sitting – NOT TRUE We digest all of our protein however you may not need more that 20-30g per sitting for muscle protein synthesis AKA muscle growth)

Myth 2 – Protein makes you fat – NOT TRUE The only thing that makes you gain fat is a calorie surplus.

Myth 3 – To much protein is bad for your kidneys in healthy individuals – NOT TRUE There is not one study that supports this statement.

Myth 4 – Protein shakes are for body builders – NOT TRUE Protein shakes are great if you don’t have time to sit and eat food, they are not better than food but a complete protein is a complete protein.

So how much Protein should you be having?

The recommend amount is 0.8g per kg of body weight but evidence supports that we go higher than this.

I would recommend a guide of 1.2 – 2.7g for kg of body weight.

The 1.2 would be for a non-active healthy person, the more active you get then it should increase. 1.5 is a great start. A 60kg female would need around 90g of Protein.

Why should your Protein come from?

We have complete and incomplete protein. Remember those amino acids I mentioned at the beginning, well they are pretty important. We need them to make up complete Proteins.

Complete proteins –They contain all the essential amino acids in adequate amounts

They are found in all animal-based protein sources

Incomplete proteins – which means deficient in at least one essential amino acid

Usually plant-based sources which can be difficult for vegan’s as they can’t have any animal products, its not impossible though. Vegan’s need to be aware of how to combine their protein source to make up a complete one. For example, mixing rice with beans.

Side effects of not getting enough Protein.

· You are tired – your body isn’t recovering and its effecting your energy levels

· Brittle nails

· You are not making the progress you wanted in the gym

· Loss of muscle mass

· Increased risk of bone fractures

· Risk of infections and low immune, you keep getting sick

I think that’s enough incentive to check how much protein you are eating. You may not even know that’s its low. Take a look at your diet and see how much you are eating.

Tips to increase protein

· Aim for 20g minimum per meal

· Make your snacks high protein – tuna, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, lentils, chickpeas

· Throw in a protein shake or bar if you are struggle to consume through food – you can add protein to your oats, smoothie or yogurt

Hold the Salt or Pass the Salt?

For as long as I can remember we have been told that salt is bad for us, it will give you high blood pressure and you will have a heart attack!

Turns out that this may not be the case.

Let me say that first, too much of anything is a bad thing, so keeping in mind throughout this post that I am not encouraging excessive salt intake.

What is salt?

Also know as Sodium chloride. Salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. You can get many different forms of salt. Sea salt, Himalayan salt and the table salt we all know to well.

Why do we need salt?

Aside from it may be making our food taste better we actually need salt! The essential minerals in salt act as important electrolytes in the body. They help with fluid balance, nerve transmission and muscle function.

What we all thought we knew about salt.

That too much salt contributed to high blood pressure and heart disease. New studies are now showing that this is not quite the case. This study (link below) found there was no actual link between salt intake, high blood pressure and risk of heart disease.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21731062/

What happens if we restrict salt?

Evidence in recent years is emerging that restricting salt is bad for us as we are not getting enough. It can contribute to the follow.

Reduced hydration, especially in athletes Muscle cramps Higher risk of heart attack Headaches Weakness Cognitive decline in elderly Irritability Sleep disruption

Wow hey, who knew!

Which one is the healthiest?

They actually don’t differ a huge amount, but it seems Celtic salt is the king salt!

Table salt – is heavily processed however the pro’s to table salt are that it has iodine added to it so we do not become iodine deficient. Table salt has the least mineral content with the iodine aside.

Sea salt – its less refined that table salt with a slightly higher mineral content. However, it’s said to have a higher metal content and to contain trace plastics.

Pink Himalayan rock salt - is rich in minerals, containing all 84 essential trace elements required by your body. Pink salt can assist in many bodily functions, such as reducing muscle cramps, promoting blood sugar health and promoting healthy pH in your cells.

Celtic sea salt - is an unrefined, unprocessed and sourced from clean coastal waters. Containing unprocessed and naturally forming minerals contains a higher mineral content than Himalayan and even contains trace amounts of iodine, naturally.

Benefits of adding natural salt

· Balances electrolytes and prevents muscle cramping

· Helps you stay hydrated

· Can Improve sleep

· Supports a healthy nervous system

Recommended daily amount.

The government guild lines for an adult are 1 teaspoon a day (6g). If you already eat a lot of processed food, then you will be getting more than enough (maybe too much) so don’t add extra salt to your food. If you eat lots of fresh food adding some natural salt will benefit your health.

Take home message – moderation again!!