In our digital age, information about nutrition and wellness circulates everywhere. Even if you are not looking for it, it is likely that you will find some kind of nutritional advice on social media, vlogs, or blogs. This can be advantageous since it can motivate individuals to adopt and maintain healthy eating habits. However, when nutrition myths spread, they can cause more harm than good. While some myths can be the product of old beliefs that should be updated, others result from diet culture trends or marketing campaigns.Â
Proper nutrition can help prevent diseases, support growth and development, manage weight, and improve mental health, among other factors. When myths get in the way, certain food groups like carbs and fats can be easily targeted and left out of meal plans. To better advise clients, health and fitness professionals should be aware of these myths.Â
Myth #1: Health Promotion Programs Promoting that A Low-Carb Diet Is Essential to Lose Weight
Over the years, carbohydrates have been portrayed as the evil guys when it comes to losing weight. This has made nutritious foods like fruits and whole grains get a bad reputation. While following a low-carb diet might help individuals lose weight quickly, this is not a sustainable way to stay healthy, as carbs contain important nutrients that the body needs to function properly. In addition, once the diet is over, people are likely to gain weight back when they start to reintroduce cars in their diets.
What’s important, as those with fitness and health promotion jobs know, is to focus on the kind of carbohydrate that we consume rather than the quantity. Thus, it is important to avoid consuming highly processed carbs like cookies, white bread, and chips, and eat whole and fibery carbs like quinoa, oats, bananas, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas.Â
Myth #2: There is Not Enough Protein In Plant-based FoodsÂ
One of the most common myths vegetarians and vegans encounter is that the protein in plants is incomplete, or that in order to get a complete protein they need to eat a specific combination of plant-based foods. The truth is that there are many plant-based foods that are loaded with protein and that such combinations are not needed in order to get all the necessary amino acids. While the proportion of essential amino acids might not be the same as in animal-based food, those following a vegetarian or vegan diet just need to make sure they eat a variety of foods throughout the day to ensure they get the protein they need–and there is no need to combine the ‘right’ foods together, as the human body has the capacity to combine the nutrients required to form a complete protein.
A 2018 Statista survey indicated that approximately 2.3 million Canadians follow a vegetarian diet–and it is likely that this number has increased over the past few years. In addition, another survey revealed that 43% of Canadians would eat a plant-based substitute for meat. This means that graduates from health promotion programs are likely to work with vegan and vegetarian clients. Being prepared to assist them with their needs while respecting their choice of diet can help health and fitness professionals establish honest and trustful relationships with their clients.Â
Myth #3: Health Promotion Programs Claiming It Is All About Calories
A common myth that is often repeated within the fitness industry is that you should only eat as many calories as you will burn. These kinds of myths can lead people to cut high-calorie nutritious foods like nuts, bananas, and potatoes, among other things, from their diets. When people cut certain food groups out of their diet, they can be missing essential nutrients.Â
Though creating a calorie deficit is essential for those who are looking to lose weight, there are other facts that should be accounted for such as genetics, hormonal imbalances, and other health conditions. Instead of counting every calorie that we ingest, we should focus on eating a balanced and nutritious diet to ensure that the body’s normal functioning is supported. This will also help prevent various health conditions such as heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis. With the help of a health and fitness professional, this should be easily done.
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FAQs
Q: What is the importance of nutrition in health promotion?
A: Nutrition is an essential part of health promotion. Proper nutrition can help prevent diseases, support growth and development, manage weight, and improve mental health, among other factors.Â
Q: What is nutrition in health promotion?
A: Nutrition is the process of obtaining and using the nutrients from the food we eat to support our overall health and well-being. In order to better assist their clients, those in health promotion need to understand the importance of a balanced diet.Â
Q: Why is nutrition a central component in health promotion?
A: Nutrition is a central component in health promotion because it supports the body’s normal functioning and helps prevent various health conditions such as heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and osteoporosis.
