Food Myths   

No food is "bad" or holds moral value. There can be health effects from the consumption of certain chemicals but a diet is about balance. Carbohydrates and fats are a form of energy, both serving chemical functions in the body that are necessary to live and process nutrients. Of course, not all fats are carbohydrates are created equal but all can have a place in a healthy lifestyle as all food is good in moderation. 

Health is more related to lifestyle and weights below the point of morbid obesity are not linked to the same health consequences even though their body types are similarly linked to stigma. 

Similarly, weight is not representative of health as it does not take into account body composition with muscle to fat ratios and activity level.

Learn more in the Nutrition Page of the Website or learn about finding balance here

Thinness can be a sign of health, but it can also be a sign of multiple serious health conditions. Weight loss should be approached with curiosity, leaving room for them to explain the context. 

Genetically speaking, many people rest at different weights based on the body composition that they are predisposed to. For example, women who were pregnant during famine tend to have heavier babies and were 30% more likely to be overweight at 19. 

Food does not have moral value. There is no "good" or "bad". It is not only fuel for your body but the foundation of culture and friendships. Every food can and should be enjoyed in moderation. To learn more about finding balance, check out this page and the 80 - 20 rule

While fresh fruits and vegetables are always the best option from a nutritional and health standpoint, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables do not lose much nutritional value when preserved, and they are considerably more longer lasting and less expensive than fresh produce. From a functional standpoint, it is more useful in many cases to purchase canned or frozen produce. 

Snacking is only bad if you are eating unhealthy foods, same as with any meal. Nutritional snacks are actually very beneficial for your energy balance and can keep you from overeating between meals. Snacks are especially helpful for people that deal with low blood sugar. 

The term "organic" simply applies to any food that is not grown with any synthetic chemicals. While in close to all scenarios, organic foods are the healthier options by at least some margin, there are many situations in which they do not provide any significant nutritional advantages over their traditionally grown counterparts. Furthermore, organic foods are notorious for their price brackets, which can be serious dealbreakers. Organic foods do not need to be included for your diet to be healthy. 

This is absolutely not true! It actually takes quite a lot of effort to keep weight changes consistent, and even small deviations from a diet and exercise plan can throw your pace off-balance. It's very important to stay consistent, and never get discouraged if things aren't going exactly as you want, as weight changes are hard to make and harder to keep. 

Nope! While there any many restrictive diets that are used to assist in weight loss (especially many heavily publicized diets), effective weight loss diets come in all shapes and sizes. Furthermore, diets that require you to eat a small amount of food should only be recommended by a nutrition professional or health provider, as the reason for unhealthy weight gain is mostly attributed to the types of food consumed as opposed to amount of food consumed, and low amounts of food intake is very unhealthy for most people. 

Furthermore, any weight loss diet cannot manifest weight loss all on its own, and a healthy exercise regimen is necessary to cause and maintain your weight loss. 

Breakfast is a very important meal, but it is not any more important than the other meals of the day. Research has shown that as long as proper nutrient intake is observed throughout the rest of the day, skipping breakfast is not as criminal as people are led to believe. 

While plant and soy milks can serve as a good alternative for people following a vegan or lactose intolerant diet, it cannot compete nutritionally compete with dairy milk. Plant and soy milks do contain less calories and saturated fats, they do not contain vital nutrients that make dairy milk such an important component of many healthy diets. They are noticeably lacking in important proteins and nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D, which means that they cannot quite fill the same role in your diet as dairy milk. 

Absolutely not! Calorie count is a great way to track your diet quality, but it is not the be-all end-all regarding the value of your food. If your food of choice is not nutritionally dense, then regardless of the calorie count, it is not improving your diet quality. Low-calorie foods can often fall into the trap of being low nutrient, especially if they are processed foods. For example, all diet sodas have zero calories, but no one would ever call them a health choice of beverage. 

Actually, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) are very healthy, sustainable, and common. The process of genetically modifying produce is simply skipping multiple generations of random chance evolution by directly injecting desired traits from one plant into another. GMOs are almost always healthier than non-modified produce, with increased nutritional value and less appliance of pesticides. All research conducted toward GMO crops show that there are no increased risks with eating them as opposed to a non-modified crop. 

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1559827614522942 

Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? - Mayo Clinic 

To eat or to skip breakfast? What the science says 

Are Plant-Based Milks Better for You? We Asked a Nutrition Expert 

GMOs: Pros and Cons, Backed by Evidence