We were wrong: 6 health myths, debunked

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We learn more about health every day, and it can be hard to keep up with the latest science. Sometimes it’s easier to stick with whatever “rules” are easiest to remember, or that got the most attention during a certain time in your life. But thanks to our ever-evolving understanding of human health, health recommendations often change over time.

Here are six health myths that have been debunked in recent years.

Myth 1: Eating fat makes you fat

If you’re used to seeing fat as the enemy, it may be jarring to hear that fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. Fat is one of the key macronutrients our body needs to perform its many functions optimally. In fact, a moderate consumption of fat actually has a place in your weight management strategy because high-fat foods take longer to digest and keep you feeling full for longer.

The key is to consume healthy fats—unsaturated fats found in foods like avocados, fish, nuts, and olive oil. Healthy fats support cell function, cardiovascular health, and are anti-inflammatory mediators. Foods high in unhealthy fats—saturated and trans fats—should be avoided, though. These include fried foods, baked goods, candy, and many packaged foods.

Limit foods labeled as low-fat or fat-free if you can, too. These foods often have extra sugar or other unnecessary ingredients to make up for loss of flavor and texture from the fat that was removed.

Myth 2: All carbs are bad

Just like there are good fats and bad fats, there are also good carbs and bad carbs, otherwise known as complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbohydrates are another important macronutrient in a well-rounded, nutritious diet, so for most people, avoiding carbs completely might not be the best route for their overall health.

Complex carbs are found primarily in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. In addition to the carbohydrates your body needs for energy, they also contain other important nutrients and fiber that round out your diet.

If the cries of the “don’t eat carbs!” crowd are ringing in your ears, they’re not completely wrong. Simple, refined carbs are best left on the shelf. These are found in foods like baked goods, cereal, white bread, candy, sugary drinks, and pasta.

Myth 3: You should walk 10,000 steps a day

While 10,000 steps a day is a good target (and a nice, clean number that’s easy to remember), it comes with some caveats. For starters, it doesn’t actually need to be 10,000 steps. If your goal is simply to support your overall health and increase longevity, you really only need around 7,000–8,000 steps a day.

But relying on steps alone isn’t enough. In addition to taking your 8,000 steps, you also need strength-training exercises and physical activities that will get your heart rate up. Of course, a short walk here and there is better than no exercise at all, but you’ll need a more holistic approach to exercise if you want to get the most out of it.

Myth 4: Eggs are bad for you

If you’ve ever been unsure about eggs, you’re not alone. Perhaps no food has bounced back and forth between the “good” and “bad” categories more than eggs. Needless to say, we’ve studied eggs a lot—which means that when we say that eggs are a solid addition to a diverse and well-balanced diet, there’s a lot of research to back it up.

For years, eggs were vilified for their cholesterol content. But research has shown that for most people, dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol levels. What’s more, eggs have a lot of nutrients that are needed for a balanced, healthy diet: protein, healthy fats, and many vitamins and minerals.

Myth 5: Metabolism slows as you age

Most people put on extra pounds as they get older, but it’s not because of slower metabolism, as has long been believed. Metabolic rate is actually pretty stable throughout adult life (especially from ages 20 to 60).

So where does the weight gain come from? Lifestyle and genetics can be a factor, but most of it can be attributed to changes happening at the cell-tissue level. Specifically, in muscle. We start losing muscle mass around age 30, and most of us don’t exercise enough or eat enough protein to support muscle growth and maintenance. Less muscle means lower insulin sensitivity, which can lead to insulin resistance, the real culprit behind weight gain as we age.

Myth 6: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

Meal schedules come in all shapes and sizes. While breakfast can certainly still be the most important meal for some, it’s not an adage that works for everybody. Intermittent fasting and other eating patterns have shown that people can thrive on any meal schedule, as long as they adhere to a well-balanced, nutritious diet. So if you’re not a breakfast person, don’t sweat it—it doesn’t have to be the most important meal of your day.

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