Ready to bust some nutrition myths? Click the linked words below to discover the facts, not the fiction.
- Flax seeds are healthy and everyone can benefit by eating them.
- It’s healthy to drink 8 glasses of water per day.
- Cholesterol-rich foods should be avoided.
- Butter is bad for you.
- Lard is bad for you.
- Saturated fat is the “bad fat” and should be avoided.
- Nuts and seeds are a good source of omega-3.
- Red meat is bad for us, and bad for the earth.
- Calcium supplements make strong bones.
- Fiber foods and supplements encourage regularity.
- Heartburn results from excessive stomach acid production.
- Protein powders are a helpful nutrition supplement.
- Soy milk makes a healthy alternative to milk.
- Raw milk presents dangerous risks.
- A vegan diet is the healthiest diet.
- Vegetable oils like canola oil make good cooking oil options.
- Diabetics (and everyone else, while we’re at it) should eat whole grains and low fat foods.
- Don’t salt your food.
- Carrots are a good source of vitamin A.
- Health is an equation of calories in and calories out.
Any other nutrition myths you’d add to the list?
Everything is so true. The info about cholesterol is something that I also explain to people around me over and over again, and yet so many people remain in the dark. So many folks still believe that eating eggs is bad, even though even the mainstream media and doctors have now changed their views.
I admit I used to be one of those people who believe in the magical powers of flax seeds. Well, no more – I still have a small bag from the old days and occasionally put it in my salads but it’s definitely not a staple anymore.
I used to be badly constipated all my life, and the more fiber I had, the worse I felt. I went Paleo and magic happened – I became super regular.
Thanks for writing this. A lot people need this information.
Thank you for sharing your experience and I’m glad to hear that this post resonated with you!
Are chia seeds healthier than flax seeds or do they mess with hormones too ?
Great blog, btw!
They don’t have the phytoestrogens, but they should be consumed in only small amounts because they are very high in gut-irritating fiber.
For me, the fiber is a god send! I have never been so (happily!) regular thanks to chia seeds! However, I landed here because I googled ‘chia seeds and estrogen dominance” (don’t see that listed though)… so is this something I need to worry about? Not something I am willing to put with (sadly) in regards to my beloved chia. Thanks!
Chia seeds actually do have a lot of phytoestrogens, comparable to flax seeds. I did not know this until I started adding 3-4tsps of chia to my smoothies every day for about a month and ended up with menopause symptoms. Took me a while to figure it out, it was hard to find information on this. I got back to normal after stopping them. They supressed my estrogen too much. From what I have been reading, phytoestrogens affect different people in different ways and it looks like I am more sensitive then others.
Do the issues for flax that you raise still hold when you consume them whole for their laxative effect?
…also there seem to be conflicting information about flax….I read in Lorna Vanderhaege’s book, “Sexy Hormones” that they are actually quite good and she isn’t (at least to me) considered mainstream….
when I say whole…I’d like to emphasize that they also remain whole (if you know what I mean)…
The seeds are less digested when they are whole rather than ground so this will minimize the hormone-disrupting effect. Still, the whole seeds can be quite irritating to the digestive tract. Due to the phytoestrogen content, I don’t recommend eating flax in any form.
I love your blog!!!! i’m from mexico and i’m also a very selective eater so your post is very helpful! thanks
Love your blog!
I apologize that this question is a little misplaced, but I can’t find a search bar on here.
Okay so, as I have been reading more and more on your blog about Paleo and GAPS, and now how to much fibre is harmful for you, and I was wondering are oats okay? I am crazy about oatmeal and homemade granola – but only real, unrefined oats – and I think they are a grain? So does that make them bad for you or too much fibre?
Thanks!
The most healthy way to prepare oats is to soak them overnight (here are directions:http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/soaked-oatmeal-a-filling-and-frugal-start-to-the-day.html ) because oats are high in phytic acid which prevents your body from absorbing minerals. I don’t think the fiber content of oats is something to be really concerned about, just eat them in moderation (perhaps a couple times per week)
Hi Lauren,
I’m intrigued by the information you have shared about cholesterol and would love to learn more. Could you offer research articles and/or sources other than Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride that you have come across supporting this perspective on cholesterol? Gratefully, Shirley
Hi Shirley! There are like 12 pages listing many of the scientific studies in Dr. Natasha’s book that I discussed above called “Put Your Heart in Your Mouth” 🙂
I agree with the person who commented above me. Your lack of ability to provide sources beyond one or two books makes you seem unbelievable (not to say that you are right or wrong) and as if you are just trying to earn referral dollars. I can’t appreciate a conclusion that was formed after reading just one book or one source of information, regardless of how many articles are in that said book. You can find one book (with a list of associated references) to prove about anything.
Most of this information contradicts what I have learned in my biology, chemistry, physiology, pathophysiology, and so on courses I took while in college. Most people would probably agree. With that being said, I (and probably many people) would want more references, and I would hope people who form controversial opinions would use more than one reference to form those opinions. I wouldn’t be able to get away with even writing a paper or a treatment plan for a client without using significantly more than one quality reference. Plus, you should never rely on someone else’s interpretation of an article. You should read information for yourself.
I’m fully open to changing my mind about existing ideas, but the research has to be there. I’m growing a little frustrated that everyone seems to reference the same one or two books for all of their articles. Not that you mention this book, but the Ecological Diet (or something like that) book was a huge disappointment to me. I was so excited to read that book, and then there was no research at all behind that book. The person who wrote it was hardly qualified to write such a book, and it seemed as if she was just pulling stuff out of her butt! I feel sorry for all the people who haven’t been taught how to properly research and will fall victim to the fact that anyone can right a book.
Sorry, this is a soap box that is going to fall on your blog but is not meant to be exclusively for you. I am gleaming lots of useful information from your site, though I don’t agree with it all (just as I suspect you won’t agree with all my opinions or all of any other human’s opinions). If I thought you were a joke, I wouldn’t bother. I am following you through email and Pinterest, and I look forward to more of your articles. Some of your articles are better researched and provide multiple quality references within the article. I hope I see more amazing articles like those (you’ve changed my opinion on a few things). I’m getting sick of seeing a reference to the same one author, though. I think you need to provide better research on your claims about cholesterol. Also, more recent research on some of the articles would be good, too…
Of course, you don’t need to please me 😉 Just my opinion…
Hi, have you heard if Weston a price? Or Sally Fallon? Her book nourishing traditions has many sources.
I love you. I am so tired of everyone saying how great flax is, it definitely messed me up. And I loved your article about almond flour.
Keep up the good work!
What about sprouted flax seeds?
Nope, they still have significant amounts of phytoestrogens.
What do you think of soaked walnut for omega-3 intake ? Seafood source is not an option for me.
I’m going to do a post on that! Since walnuts contain a ratio of 4 grams of omega-6 to each gram of omega-3, they aren’t a good option. Omega-6 and omega-3 should be in a 1:1 ratio. Grassfed animals and grassfed tallow (rendered fat from the animal) are good sources of omega-3. If you could do seafood, I would have recommended fermented cod liver oil. That’s a supplement that I take.
I eat mostly a paleo diet and after about three months of adding flax into my diet I noticed significant weight gain which I normally never have problems with my weight. I also am noticing more acne when I have my periods. If I stop eating flax will things return to normal and how long will it take?
“For women, estrogen dominance usually means PMS, acne, menopause problems and more…” it’s in the article with a link on that subject <.<