March/April 2007
the healing plate

by Lisa Turner

Big, fat lies: The top ten myths about healthy diets

We think we've got it all figured out: if we eat lots of grains, cut back on fats and stay away from coffee, chocolate and alcohol, we'll be strong and healthy. Then why, on the whole, are we getting fatter--and sicker?

Meanwhile, we're burdened by a nearly Puritanical code of ethics that shuns happy food like chocolate and coffee. We think if it brings us pleasure, it must be bad for us. But the truth is, many of the foods we once thought were good–like pasta and margarine--are responsible for many of our current woes. And a daily, moderate dose of chocolate, coffee or wine can help us live longer--and happier. Ready to change your way of eating? Read on for the realities that bust our favorite food myths.

1. “The Food Pyramid is a good guideline for planning healthy meals.” The truth: our government-endorsed food plans are failing us. The USDA's new MyPyramid design still places too much emphasis on refined grains and dairy; fails to differentiate adequately between good and bad fats, or good and bad protein sources; and wrongly classifies potatoes as a vegetable instead of a starch. The best advice: Build your own healthy pyramid that includes vegetables in abundance; fruits two to three times daily; nuts, beans and lean protein one to three times daily; very small portions of grains; and healthy fats.

2. "Chocolate is just a sweet indulgence." The truth: a daily dose of chocolate can protect the heart, boost immunity, even reduce the risk of cancer. Cocoa and chocolate are high in antioxidant flavonoids, especially catechin and epicatechin, the same substances found in green tea that help protect against cancer and heart disease. What's more, chocolate boosts serotonin and contains phenylethylamine, a chemical that occurs in higher concentrations in the body when you're in love and when you have an orgasm. The best advice: Nibble dark chocolate, which have a greater concentration of antioxidants, in moderation, and choose organic versions with a lower sugar content.

3. "Pasta with low-fat sauce is a heart-healthy choice." The truth: pasta-and many other carbs and starches--has a similar effect on the body as a candy bar. Refined starches and sugars depress beneficial HDL cholesterol and raise triglyceride levels and inflammatory factors. And we now know that inflammation is linked with heart disease, cancer and other diseases. The best advice: Scale down pasta and other starchy carbs, eat only whole-grain pasta, and serve small portions-no more than half a cup--with lots of vegetables and some high-quality protein.

4. "Eggs contribute to heart disease." The truth: the news on eggs is somewhat scrambled. Since the fat in eggs is primarily unsaturated, eggs may not be as heartbreaking as we once thought. A study of more than 120,000 men and women found that eating one egg a day didn't increase the risk of heart attacks or strokes. In other studies, people with high cholesterol showed no increase in their cholesterol levels when they added two eggs per day to their diet. The best advice: Keep crackin'--a few eggs a week shouldn't have any ill effects on your health.

5. "The less fat you eat, the better." The truth: it's more important to reduce refined starches and sugars in the diet than to lower total fat intake. “Total dietary fat intake isn't a concern any more, and saturated fat isn't even in the top five things to avoid,” says Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.PH., a cardiologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston. It's more important to avoid transfats, found in margarine and other hydrogenated oils. The best advice: Eliminate commercially baked and fried foods like chips, cookies, crackers and biscuits, and use canola oil and coconut oil for cooking and olive, flaxseed and hemp oils for dressings and as finishing oils.

6. "Coffee causes osteoporosis, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and has no health benefits." The truth: we can probably keep sipping our favorite legal drug. A number of studies have found that moderate amounts of caffeine don't increase the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease or stroke--even for those drinking more than four cups of coffee a day. As for health benefits, several studies have shown that coffee can help protect against colon cancer and reduce the risk of Parkinson's Disease. The best advice: Sip your java in moderation--one to two 8-ounce cups a day is safe, unless you're sensitive to stimulants.

7. "Red wine, like other kinds of alcohol, is bad for you." The truth: a little red wine can keep your heart beating longer and stronger. High alcohol consumption is linked to a increased risk of many kinds of disease; however, red wine reduces the risk of heart disease, mainly because of its high concentration of potent antioxidants called resveratrol and quercetin. The best advice: Unless you're sensitive to alcohol, sip a bit of red wine with dinner--epidemiological studies point out the heart-healthy benefits of one to two glasses a day.

8. "Nuts are fattening party food without any real health benefits." The truth: unless you're gulping down handfuls of salted peanuts, nuts are great for your health. Walnuts and almonds decrease total serum levels of total cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol and increase HDL levels. Seeds have similar health benefits. The best advice: Go (relatively) nuts: choose unsalted, raw nuts and eat about two tablespoons a day.

9. "Eat lots of dairy to prevent osteoporosis." The truth: more than milk is involved in building a strong skeleton. The key to strong bones is how much calcium is actually absorbed and retained by the body. The best calcium absorption depends on about equal portions of magnesium and calcium--and dairy products have about nine times as much calcium as magnesium. Another problem: high protein diets interfere with calcium uptake and can actually increase calcium loss. The best advice: Limit dairy consumption to one serving a day, focus on plant sources of calcium, such as broccoli, dark leafy greens, tofu, sea vegetables and sesame seeds, and take a high-quality calcium supplement if you feel you're at risk for osteoporosis.

10. "A high-protein diet boosts weight loss." Dramatically restricting carbs for an extended period can lead to weight loss. But high-protein diets that focus on animal products can pave the way for disease. The real beef with meat is its high content of saturated fat, as well as residual antibiotics and added growth hormones. A high-protein diet can also put a strain on the kidneys, and excessive amounts of animal protein can lead to calcium loss. The best advice: Beef up healthy sources of protein, like fish, eggs and legumes, restrict poultry and red meat to once a week, and keep servings small-less than three ounces, or smaller than the size of a deck of playing cards.

Lisa Turner is a food writer, nutrition consultant and private chef. Her Inspired Eating program is a system of health and nutrition that recognizes the power of food to delight the senses, deeply nourish body and soul, and inspire us on every level. For more details, call 303-588-8523, e-mail Lisa at InspiredEating@aol.com or visit her website at www.InspiredEating.com.