Ten Health Myths Debunked By Science

Myth #1: Salt Causes High Blood Pressure

Recent studies suggest there is no association between salt consumption and the development of hypertension, a condition characterized by high blood pressure. Instead, evidence indicates that high body weight, as measured by BMI, is linked with high blood pressure.

Myth #2: Squats Are Bad For Your Knees

There’s zero evidence that squatting hurts the knees. In fact, done correctly, squats will strengthen the muscles of the hip and thigh to protect against knee pain and dysfunction. If you are new to squats, start with single-leg split squats before progressing to barbell squats.

Myth #3: Egg Whites Are Healthier Than The Whole Egg

The egg yolk is the healthiest part of the egg, providing nutrients that reduce inflammation and cholesterol. There is no scientific link between eating whole eggs and elevated cholesterol or increased heart disease risk.

Myth #4: Ketogenic Diets Are Dangerous

Done correctly, ketogenic diets are safe and have many therapeutic benefits, including helping overweight people lose fat, preventing neurological disorders, and reducing type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, some dieticians still confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis, which can occur in uncontrolled diabetes and is very dangerous, but the two are not the same thing.

Myth #5: It’s Impossible To Lose Belly Fat Without Cardio

Belly fat loss requires three things to happen: you achieve a calorie deficit, you reduce cortisol stress levels, and you improve insulin sensitivity. Although cardio burns calories and can help with reducing insulin levels, it raises cortisol and tends to stimulate appetite so people eat more. Studies suggest interval training doesn’t have these drawbacks and is more effective for helping people get a lean midsection.

Myth #6: Whole-Fat Dairy Is Unhealthy & Should Be Avoided

In mainstream nutrition, it’s practically gospel that low-fat dairy is healthy, but whole-fat dairy is bad for you. In fact, recent studies show reduced-fat dairy has none of the benefits of whole-fat dairy, such as lowering triglycerides, decreasing calorie intake, and improving insulin sensitivity. Plus, people who eat whole-fat dairy tend to be leaner those who go for the low-fat version.

Myth #7: Eating Carbs For Breakfast Will Give You Energy For The Day

Carbohydrates stimulate production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which aids sleep. This makes nighttime the best time for higher carb foods, whereas morning is primetime for protein, which elevates the energizing chemical messengers dopamine and acetylcholine so you have a productive day.

Myth #8: Vitamins Provide Energy To The Body

Vitamins are very important for the body and they allow for the production of enzymes involved in energy metabolism, but they don’t directly provide energy to the body. That’s what calorie-containing foods like carbs, fat, and to a lesser degree, protein, are for.

Myth #9: Drinking Fruits & Vegetables Is As Healthy As Eating Them

From V-8 to Bolthouse Farms, juice companies will tell you that juice is the perfect alternative for people who don’t like fruits and veggies. In fact, diabetes risk increases in people who drink their produce instead of eating it, likely because juice doesn’t contain fiber and the sugar spikes blood sugar, altering insulin sensitivity over time.

Myth #10: Eating A High-Protein Diet Will Give You Big Muscles

Although eating protein triggers protein synthesis in the body (the process by which the body builds muscle and repairs damaged tissue), just eating a high-protein diet won’t lead your muscles to grow significantly. Rather, you have to overload the muscles with weights to achieve measurable muscle growth. That said, a high-protein diet may increase muscle size when paired with weight training and it can preserve lean mass when cutting calories.