Top 5 myths that are keeping you sick, fat and stuck!

 By: Varouj Kachichian

You have heard it, read about it and been lectured about how red meat is bad for you. You need to eat more whole grains, count your calories, drink more milk, and how Agave is a healthy sugar.  But, are you getting the whole truth?

So let’s address each of these myths one at a time with the pros and cons.

• The first myth and my favorite… Eat more whole wheat and whole grains:  For years we have been told by doctors, dietitians and certainly the government to eat more whole wheat and avoid white flours. In theory it is less processed, has higher fiber and more nutrients. Is it better? Yes and no. Let me explain.

First of all, if you are Celiac, gluten sensitive or trying to lose weight, it makes no difference. Whole wheat is just as bad as white, and just as high in glycemic index, which translates into higher blood sugar levels and higher insulin release and more fat storage. In 100 grams or 3 ounces (approximately 3 slices of whole wheat bread) you have 18 fewer calories-247 to be exact, less sodium yet still a whopping 400mg, fewer carbohydrates-41 grams, 4.3grams more fiber and 4 grams more protein which is composed of glutenin and gliadin.

You can get almost the same amount of fiber (5grams) from 100 grams of fresh blackberries with only 43 calories, 1 mg of sodium, and 10 carbohydrates and about one third of the glycemic index.

• Agave nectar is healthier than sugar: Not so! In the past couple of years there has been a surge in the use of Agave nectar syrup marketed as the “healthier sweetener.” It turns out, not so much. Although low in glycemic index, and does not raise your blood sugar, agave nectar is mostly fructose. It contains more fructose than high fructose corn syrup. It is the most damaging form of sugar, and it is processed only by the liver and stored into fat.

The Agave plant itself contains a fiber called inulin which has some health benefits except that hardly any inulin is left in the syrup after it has been processed.

Great marketing?  Yes! Healthy? Not at all!

Red meats cause cardiovascular disease:  In May 2010, a study from the Harvard School of Public Health examined the relationship between meat-eating and heart disease. The study reviewed 1,218,380 individuals from multiple countries and 4 continents and concluded that red meat has no effect on coronary heart disease, stroke or diabetes or cholesterol. However, processed meat was associated with higher coronary heart disease and diabetes.*

•  Dairy is essential: While milk and dairy products are rich in nutrients, vitamins and calcium, they are also one of the inflammatory food groups that can cause an array of side effects. Furthermore, factory animals are loaded with antibiotics, bovine and growth hormones. Not to mention they are fed an unnatural diet of grains that they can’t digest causing the animals inflammation.

So, if you must consume dairy, choose organically grown, antibiotic and hormone free, 100% grass fed sources.

• The most common myth is that fruit juice is a health food:  actually, it’s junk food! It is loaded with sugar, it is high in glycemic load, contains no fiber, and some have hardly any fruit juice at all. Juices have hardly any nutritional value except some small amounts of vitamins, which, you can get at higher doses from real fruits and most vegetables. Peppers, broccoli, dark leafy greens contain more vitamin C than oranges and other juices. Now, I’m not saying you should stop eating oranges or fruits.  All I’m saying is, fruit juice is not the health food it is advertised to be. Eat the fruit, don’t drink it!

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* Circulation. Jun 1, 2010; 121(21): 2271–2283.

Published online May 17, 2010. doi:  10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.924977 PMCID: PMC2885952 NIHMSID: NIHMS203406