Top 5 Food Myths

It's myth time!

Celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak did us all a favor and cleaned up with the most common diet myths. To some of us, this might come like a shock. So sit down first - You might never look at food the same again.

Here are Harley's 'Top 5 of Food Myths About Diet and Nutrition'

#1 "Counting calories will help you reduce weight" - NAH!

100 calories of creamy milk chocolate equal 100 calories of fresh picked lettuce - right? 

Of course not, silly.

Blow them away, Harley:

"Different foods have different effects on our body beyond their calorie count. Our metabolism, hunger, blood sugar and hormones respond differently to different types of foods.That means that 100 calories of broccoli, is not the same as 100 calories of licorice, just as 3 oz. of salmon is not the same as 3 oz. of cupcakes."

Me too, hunny.

#2 "Those evil gluten make you fat" - Not true either.

America's latest trend: Going gluten-free. Although apparently only six percent of all Americans have a true allergy we all seem to be suffering from the protein found in grains. 

"Where people "succeed" by eliminating gluten from their diet lies in the fact that many of the foods that we overeat (breads, pasta, pastries, crackers) are wheat-based. Wheat contains gluten, so by eliminating gluten, you coincidentally eliminate the foods you were overeating."

#3 "Juice cleanses will flush all toxins out of your body" - You wish!

Our body is already equipped with detoxing systems, the liver. This organ can detox our bodies better than any cleanse could ever do. 

"The idea of limiting yourself to a regimen of liquid sugar (devoid of fiber, protein or healthy fats) to "flush out toxins" is not only pointless, it's actually dangerous! I can safely say that the vast majority of us in the scientific community agree that the notion of a nutritional scrub is nothing more than profitable fiction at best, and fraud at worst. "

Snap - so what now? Eat an apple. Fruits and veggies are loaded with nutrients which detox our bodies in a harmless, organic way. Be sure to eat it raw and unprocessed (so the nutrients are not killed off) and the skin as well. 

But Harley, they look so cute.. and they're pink!

#4 "Fat is bad for you" - It is not (best myth ever!)

"Fat is, along with protein and carbohydrates, one of the three categories of macronutrients that our bodies need to function."

Fact is, there are good fats (those in avocados or almonds) and bat fats (such as saturated and trans fats, but who knows what that is anyway?).

Obviously you want to optimize your intake on good fat. 

#5 "Carbs." Enough said. - And here comes the shocker: Not always bad!

"One good general rule of thumb is that the closer the carb is to its original form, the better it is for you. When we get into refined starches and processed ingredient, that's where we get into trouble."

Thanks Harley, but what exactly does that mean? The closer the 

Aha! Thanks man. And now back to the cupcakes. 

Read Harley's full entry on People.