Nutrition advice is everywhere you turn, but it can perpetuate myths. People are constantly bombarded with weight loss methods, the right ways to eat (or not to eat), or toxins to avoid. It can be confusing and hard to decipher fact from fiction.

It’s good to fact-check advice with reliable sources of information, such as eatright.org from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. To help clear the air, a registered dietitian debunks 10 common nutrition myths.

Myth 1: You Should Avoid Carbs for Optimal Health

Carbohydrates (carbs), being the primary source of energy for the body and brain,
contribute to vital functions throughout our entire body. Athletes, in particular, depend on carbohydrates as an energy source for high-intensity performance.

Carbohydrate-rich foods that are high in fiber, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), support gut health, help balance blood sugar, and provide other important nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is possible to include carbs in your diet and still eat healthfully.

Myth 2: Juicing Your Fruits and Vegetables Is the Healthiest Way to Eat Them

Juicing, detox juice cleanses, or consuming all your produce in liquid form are recurring trends. The good news is that your liver and kidneys do a pretty good job processing and filtering toxins in your body all by themselves—no juice needed.

More-productive and less-expensive ways to “detox” and keep your body functioning at its best are:

• Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol.
• Consume whole foods such as whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and lean proteins.
• Stay hydrated.

Additionally, juicing fruits and vegetables removes an important part of the plant—fiber. The health benefits of fiber include:

• Helping regulate appetite and blood sugars
• Possibly reducing the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers
• Promoting healthy digestion
• Supporting weight management

Eating whole fruits and vegetables with fiber is more filling and satiating than juice alone.

Also, more fruits or vegetables are typically needed to make juice compared to what you would eat in a regular serving of whole fruits or vegetables. For example, a cup of orange juice requires about three to four oranges, making it more expensive, as well as higher in calories and concentrated sugars, compared to a serving of one whole orange.

Myth 3: All Processed Foods Are Bad for You

While it’s true that some processed foods are not good for you, lumping all processed foods into that same category is not accurate. Some foods are processed to make them edible, help preserve them, make them safe to eat, or add convenience.

For example, ready-to-eat nuts and seeds, canned fish, frozen vegetables, yogurt, dried beans, olive oil, oats, and whole-grain bread are all processed or altered to some extent from their original state. They can be healthy, convenient, and help you get more nutrients in your diet.

Avoiding all processed foods can be difficult and unrealistic for most people, especially for those with busy schedules or tight budgets. Instead of labeling all processed foods as “bad,” focus instead on including more of those that are minimally processed and allow for moderation of foods that are more processed.

Myth 4: Eating After 7 P.M. Makes You Gain Weight

The notion that eating past a certain time of night causes weight gain is a misconception. Your body doesn’t automatically go into fat storage mode once the clock strikes 7 p.m. Weight gain can occur when you take in more calories than you burn, no matter when you eat.

Restricting nighttime eating by itself, without focusing on your overall daily food intake, may not be an effective strategy for preventing weight gain. Instead of worrying about the clock to tell you when to stop eating, follow a balanced diet and tune into your internal cues of fullness to tell you when to stop eating.

Myth 5: Healthy Foods Are Only Found on the Perimeter of the Grocery Store

The rule of only shopping the outside aisles of a grocery store for the healthiest foods is a flawed one. The perimeter of many grocery stores usually features healthy choices, including fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and fresh cuts of lean meats, poultry, and fish.

However, if you were to follow this rule, you would also come across several less-nutritious choices, such as bakery items (including donuts and cupcakes) and to-go deli foods, such as fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, or deep-fried potatoes.

If you dare to venture down the inner aisles of the grocery store, you’ll find plenty of nutrient-dense foods too, such as canned beans, whole grains, frozen fruits and vegetables, canned fish, seeds, nuts, and nut butters, to name a few.

Myth 6: Eating More Protein Makes You Gain Muscle

Protein intake is a hot topic these days, leading many people to believe that consuming more protein alone will increase muscle mass. This is simply not true. While protein intake can help, it is only one component of building more muscle.

Exercise, particularly resistance training, is necessary to increase muscle mass. Resistance training includes exercises that use free weights, weight-lifting machines, resistance bands, or even your own body weight.

Exercise causes tiny micro-tears in muscle fibers. Muscles then grow back bigger and stronger as your body repairs this normal exercise-induced damage with available amino acids (building blocks of protein) from the protein you eat.

Working out tells your body that you need to build stronger muscles to continue moving heavy weights, and keeps your body moving in general.

Myth 7: You Should Avoid Fruit Because It Has Too Much Sugar

It has long been rumored that people with diabetes should not eat fruit because of the sugar content. Now, this myth has grown to say that everyone should avoid fruit because it has too much sugar. Fruit critics argue that the natural sugars in fruit contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

However, some studies have shown that eating fruit may actually decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while other studies have concluded that consuming whole fruit may decrease the risk of long-term weight gain in middle-aged adults.

Pairing fruit with a source of fiber, protein, and/or fat in the same meal or snack can help regulate blood sugar levels, preventing blood sugar spikes.

Myth 8: Low-Fat or Fat-Free Products Are Always Healthier Choices

The fat-free and low-fat craze of the 1980s and 1990s has passed, yet some people still believe that all fats are bad.

Fats play several important roles in the body, including serving as a source of energy, supporting cell function, aiding in the absorption of certain nutrients, and helping to produce some hormones. Opting for fat-free or low-fat products might mean you are missing out on these benefits.

Additionally, low-fat and fat-free products are not always the best choice. Some products may be higher in sugar, salt, or other additives to compensate for the loss of flavor and texture that occurs when fat is removed. Read the food label to see what is in a product before purchasing it.

What may be more important than your overall fat intake is the type of fats you eat. Choose unsaturated fats from foods such as fatty fish, olives, avocados, nuts, seeds, and plant oils over saturated fats or trans fats.

Myth 9: You Should Choose Unrefined Sugars Over White Table Sugar

Whether you are consuming unrefined sugars such as honey, pure maple syrup, or coconut sugar, or consuming refined white table sugar, your body still processes it in the same way.

Both refined and unrefined sweeteners are considered added sugars and contribute to your overall recommended daily limit for added sugars.

Unrefined sugars may contain tiny amounts of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). However, the quantity of sweetener you would need to consume to get a significant amount of nutrients would be offset by the high amount of sugar also consumed. Any nutritional advantage in terms of micronutrients is minimal.

Myth 10: You Should Buy Only Organic Foods

“Organic” is a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot, and you’ll find entire sections in grocery store aisles dedicated to organic products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) certified organic food label means that the foods have been grown without most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, they have no synthetic additives, and animal products are free of antibiotics and hormones.

As far as nutritional value goes, though, organic foods do not appear to have any nutritional advantage over conventionally grown foods. Instead of worrying if your food is organic or not, focus on including a variety of nutrient-dense foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Summary

Many popular pieces of nutrition advice may be myths. Consider fact-checking advice with reliable sources of information, such as eatright.org from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Rely on registered dietitian nutritionists rather than influencers on social media.