The world of nutrition is full of all kinds of nonsense. I am going to list some of the worst examples but know that this is only the tip of the iceberg
- Lie – Avoiding red meat can save the earth
Avoiding red meat isn’t saving the earth, on the contrary it’s actually destroying it. Using good land management, rotation grazing animals and consuming meat is what will save us. For further reading about why cows can actually save us, I highly recommend the book ‘’Sacred cow’’ by Diana Rodgers and Rob Wolf
- Lie – Cholesterol is bad
Don’t get me started. Cholesterol is your friend not your enemy. Cholesterol is produced in almost every cell in your body.
It’s nature’s repair substance used for wound healing including irritations and tears to the arteries.
Many vital hormones are made from cholesterol including hormones that help control blood glucose, sex hormones and hormones that help regulate stress
Cholesterol is vital in the function of brain and nervous system health
Cholesterol is a powerful antioxidant that protects us from free radical damage
Myth – people with high cholesterol are more prone to heart attacks
Truth – Young and middle aged men with cholesterol over 7.7 are slightly more at risk for heart attacks. Those that have cholesterol levels slightly below 7.7 are at no greater risk than those with low cholesterol
For elderly men and women of all ages, high cholesterol is associated with a longer lifespan
Myth – cholesterol lowering drugs have saved many lives
Truth – in two recent trials, involving over 10,000 subjects, cholesterol lowering did not result in any improvement to outcome
Myth – the countries that have the highest consumption of animal fat and cholesterol have the highest rates of heart disease
Truth – There are many exceptions observed such as France and Spain. Correlation and causation are different.
And did I mention that cholesterol lowering drugs contribute to heart failure.
- Lie – liver is full of toxins
Liver is not full of toxins. Liver is a toxin filter not a toxin storer. Liver is also the most nutrient dense food.
- Lie – raw milk is dangerous
Raw milk is actually one of the most nutritious things you can drink. It’s packed full of beneficial bacteria and can actually help heal allergies.
Statistically you have a 1 in 94,000 chance of becoming sick from drinking raw milk. To put this into context, you have a 1 in 64,000 chance of becoming sick eating shellfish. 1 in 88,000 chance of dying from oysters. In fact you’re statistically more likely to get sick from poultry, eggs, beef and pork
- Lie – veganism saves animals
Spare me..
Veganism kills far more animals. Vegan monocrop farms may not (directly) kill cows and chickens but the death rates of small little fluffy creatures, mice and the all important bee is through the roof. Not to mention it’s killing our topsoil which if continued will more than likely result in the death of 7 billion people
- Lie – Kale is healthy
To be honest I’m being a little controversial here. It’s not that Kale is unhealthy, it’s just that kale is actually very hard to digest. Kale is high in raffinose, a carb that is known for its digestive issues causing bloating and gas. Kale has also been known to harm thyroid function as it poses a high risk of iodine deficiency. Kale has also been linked to kidney issues, iron toxicity and those that eat lots of kale are at risk of kidney stones.
Personally I do still eat Kale but I keep it occasional and I cook it first to help with digestion.
I could go on with the list..
- Lie – eggs are bad for your health
- Lie – saturated fat is unhealthy (it’s actually the healthiest fat)
- Lie – a calorie is a calorie
- Lie – eating lots of protein is bad for your kidneys (only if you have a pre-existing condition)
- Lie – whole wheat is heart healthy
- Lie – red meat causes cancer
- Lie – vegetable oils are healthy
- Lie – fat makes you fat
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