INTERNET LISTS DEBUNKED - Clean Eating (Dos)

The internet is full of lies and lists.  And lists of lies.

Health and weight-loss is a lot more complex than a group of simple one-size fits all rules, no matter how appealing that seem.  Especially when some of those rules were invented to sell books, diet plans or food products.  Click here for the don't list.



DO #1:  Eat six small meals a day - Myth.

• Despite claims, eating six small meals a day doesn't increase your metabolism.  Experiments with equal numbers of calories for more or less meals have shown no difference in weight loss.
• Some people benefit from reduced hunger (and therefore eat less) by "grazing" while others aren't satisfied with the smaller meals and become hungrier (and therefore eat more.)
• Eating less meals takes more time and needs to be carefully planned to avoid hunger and to not to increase calorie intact.
• For more information:  Ask Men, Baltimore Health & Fitness Blog, Body Building.com, Money Crashers (Myth #2), The NY Times, The People's Chemist,  Shape.com, The South China Morning Post, Web MD.

DO #2:  Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of rising - Myth (Varies from individual to individual).

• For some people it's a good idea to skip breakfast.
• An unhealthly breakfast isn't better than no breakfast, and you shouldn't overeat at breakfast.
• It's important to remember that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" is an advertising slogan to sell cereal.
• The idea that you need to eat within an hour of rising because it boost metabolism and increases concentration is a myth:
• For more information:  Ditch Diets Live Light, 8fit, Shape.com, Stronglifts.
• The idea that you need to eat breakfast every day (to lose weight) is a myth:  There have been three clinical studies.  Two have shown no change, only one suggesting that there was some weight loss.
• For more information:  Appetite For Health, Ditch Diets Live Light, 8fit, Money Crashers (Myth #1), Shape.com.
• The idea that you need to eat breakfast every day is a myth:
• For more information:  Baltimore Health & Fitness Blog, Ditch Diets Live Light, Gnolls, 

DO #3:  Eat a combination of lean protein [and] 7 complex carbs at each meal - Myth.

• The idea that lean protein is good for you is a myth:
• For more information:  Weed 'em & Reap.
• The idea that complex carbohydrates are better for you is a myth:
• For more information:  Gnolls.

DO #4:  Eat healthy fats every day - Myth (Oversimplification).

• The whole "healthy fats" and "unhealthy fats" thing is a misleading over simplification... saturated aren't as good as some other fats but they aren't all bad and they are necessary to a healthy diet.
• For more information:  BBC News, Chris Kresser, Delicious Obsessions, How Stuff Works, Life Hacker (Myth 8).

DO #5:  Drink 2 or 3 litres of water each day - Myth (Oversimplification).

• Most people should probably drink more water, but there is no set amount.
• 2 - 3 Litres is the amount of water the average person needs each day - but eating and other drinks also provide it.
• For more information:  Eating Well, The Guardian, Modern Health Monk, Net Doctor, The Week.

DO #6: Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day - Myth (Empty Fad).

• "Clean eating" is a myth.  An oversimplification using loaded words and pseudo-science.
• For more information:  Evidence Magazine, JCD Fitness, Money Crashers (Myth #5),

DO #7:  Depend on fresh fruit & vegetables for fibre, vitamins, nutrients & enzymes - Myth (Oversimplification, varies)

• True to a point.  The preference is to get them from fresh fruit, vegetables and meat, but if you have some problems that diet can't fix, supplements may be needed.
• For more informaton:  Health Reviser, Mayo Clinic, Symptom Find, Web MD, 

DO #8:  Adhere to proper portion-size - True, but unreasonably vague.

~ DUG.