5 Recent Nutrition Myths Debunked

Seed oils are bad
I think this is the hottest nutrition myth at the moment. If you follow anyone in the extreme “wellness” space they demonize seed oils and make you believe that even one drop is pure poison. The reality is, there is no science to back up such claims that seed oil is independently correlated to the diseases and conditions some people have claimed.

Seed oils are found in a lot of ultra processed foods, so if your diet is primarily filled with a lot of these packaged foods then that is not ideal. There is more than just seed oils in these foods making them not the best food choices. Also if your diet is high in ultra processed foods you might be lacking real food like fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, etc. If you have a predominately whole foods diet and occasionally have packaged food or eat out at a restaurant that uses seed oils it’s honestly not the end of the world. Anything can be “bad” in extremes…low to moderate intake is fine!

Prolon or Kroma Wellness programs good for weight loss/detox
It’s ”detox” season ugh. I’ve been seeing more and more people on social media promoting these programs and touting them as healthy resets. The reality is you pay a lot of money for powders and elixirs that feel fancy and distract you from the severe calorie restriction. That’s why they work…your calorie intake is very very low on any of these programs, so sure they “work” and you lose weight.

Once again, they don’t teach you anything about how to properly fuel your body, so when the program ends you likely go back to your same eating patterns and may even overeat those forbidden foods you missed during the cleanse.

I’ve written several posts on how to reset without going on a cleanse. Check out this post and this post if interested. I also wrote this 5 day no added sugar meal plan would also be a more realistic plan to follow if you’re wanting a reset plan.

Blood sugar should never spike
I’ve seen this a lot lately and since I’ve been tracking this a lot more I can honestly say it’s very difficult to never spike your blood sugar. More importantly, it is normal for blood glucose (sugar) to rise after you eat carbohydrates. It’s a normal response, and then your pancreas releases insulin to bring your blood sugar back down. The unhealthy part is if you’re constantly spiking your blood sugar all day long and not giving your liver a break. The blood sugar rollercoaster is not a safe one.

Blood sugar should fall into the range of 70-120 mg/dl most of the day (including post meal and fasting). It should rarely exceed 140 mg/dl. Ideally glucose doesn’t raise more than 30 mg/dl after a meal because that gentle rise doesn’t tax your metabolic system too much. Therefore, small spikes are a normal response to carbohydrates and combining carbohydrates with protein and fat, fiber, and walking or exercise after a meal will help blunt a spike. I plan to write a more in depth post on this.

Oat milk is horrible for you
My answer to this one is similar to the seed oil one. No one singular thing will completely ruin your diet. If oat milk fits into your meal plan and you can meet your nutrition goals while consuming it- great! Does oat milk typically contain higher carbohydrate content, usually added sugar and made with seed oils- yes it does. Especially if you’re ordering from a coffee shop that uses the barista blend type of milk alternatives.

However, like I said before…having one oat milk latte once in a while or a splash in your coffee isn’t the end of the world. Think big picture about your diet. If it fits, great. If you’re trying to find healthier substitutions to help you lose weight, control blood sugar, etc. try an unsweetened milk option. Malk and Three Trees both make oat milk with minimal ingredients and no added sugar. Pick and choose what works for your and you individualized preferences and nutritional needs.

“Oatzempic”
This is a new TikTok trend I’ve seen recently and it’s hilarious because oats have been deemed unhealthy, carb bombs, inflammatory, blood sugar spiking, etc. but now it’s being compared to Ozempic because it keeps you full for a long time. It’s also basically oat milk, which people say is bad (see above) but then now this is healthy…I can’t keep up with all the myths and trends.

“Oatzempic” is a drink people are making with 1 cup water blended with 1/2 c oats and squeeze 1/2 lime. The claim is that it keeps you full for hours.

Well duh. Oats are a prebiotic food and the beta-glucan fiber helps feed the good bacteria. The fiber helps to keep you full for hours by slowing down digestion. It can also help with regular bowel movements. Win win. Are oatmeal and Ozempic the same? Obviously not, but oatmeal can be very nutritious and doesn’t have to be blended in a gross drink. Oatmeal can be a great breakfast option, but make sure you combine it with a protein/fat to slow the carbohydrate absorption and fill you up 😉

Any other nutrition myths you’d like for to me cover next?

xx, A