Common Nutrition Myths

1.     Apple cider vinegar (ACV) will help you lose weight

FALSE

There are some scientific studies that show evidence of ACV being beneficial to your health, but losing weight - or more specifically fat, is highly unlikely.

Unfortunately, there is no magic food or supplement that is going to do that for you.

Organic cold-pressed ACV (that contains the “Mother”), has some probiotics which can support digestion. There is also some research that suggests a possible positive role for ACV in relation to blood glucose management, however overall evidence is not conclusive.

If you are trying to lose weight, focus on quality whole foods such as lean cuts of meat, fish, eggs, non-GMO soy protein, quinoa, lentils, beans and pulses. Consume at least 5 portions (one portion is two handfuls), of different coloured vegetables every day. Limit high calorie alcohol, processed foods, sugary drinks, sweets, cakes and biscuits. Take regular exercise and consider seeking advice from a personal trainer, to help you devise a programme that will work for you and your lifestyle.

2.     You should eat a balanced meal when you've finished your workout

TRUE

After exercise your body seeks to replenish used glycogen (muscle storage form of glucose) stores and repair muscle tissue. To aid recovery it’s crucial to eat carbohydrates to replace used glycogen and protein to repair/build new muscle tissue.

Adults are advised (as per UK govt.) to eat 0.75g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day. If you exercise frequently, approx. 1.2-2.0g should be ample.

3.     Regular detoxes will flush out toxins in your body

FALSE

The liver is perfectly capable of detoxifying the body, and fad detoxes and juice cleanses are not required. Support your liver by reducing your toxic load – limit alcohol, eat organic where possible to reduce pesticide and chemical exposure, consume cruciferous vegetables daily (broccoli, cabbages, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and beetroot) and drink 2 litres of filtered water every day. Sweating can also further support detoxification through the skin, so regular exercise and saunas are a good idea.

4.     You can lose weight faster by doing fasted cardio

TRUE

Some training sessions may be used to train the body to adapt from using glucose as fuel, to body fat. This is done by restricting carbohydrate intake.

An easy way to do this is by training in the morning before eating anything. Or by training after a low-carb, protein-rich breakfast.

It’s important to note however that training completely fasted can increase strain on your immune system and muscles, and will reduce the quality of more gruelling or lengthy training sessions.

5.     Eating little and often boosts your metabolism

FALSE

Consuming smaller, more frequent meals has little effect on boosting metabolism. It may even lead to consuming more calories throughout the day. Constant grazing has been shown to have a negative effect on digestion as various biological processes can only occur during fasted states. For example, the migrating motor complex (MMC) is a process that occurs in the stomach and small intestine during fasting, which sweeps residual undigested food/matter through the digestive tract. Therefore leaving around 3 hours between meals is more beneficial.