Tim Caulfield Debunks Diet Myths

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Tim Caulfield Debunks Diet Myths

If there’s a moral to the story Timothy Caulfield tells in The Cure For Everything: Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness, it’s this: we probably accept and act upon many common but untrue beliefs about physical and emotional wellness. Americans are bombarded with countless directives on staying trim and healthy, especially when it comes to what we eat. Having pored over the latest scientific research, Caulfield, a researcher in health law and policy at the University of Alberta, found at least seven diet-related myths we can stop fretting over.

Drink Eight glasses of water a day

A favorite of moms everywhere, this myth has been around a long time. Yet there is no evidence to support this idea, Caulfield asserts. That’s because our bodies are actually pretty good at regulating our liquid intake without our needing to obsess over it. Instead of counting glasses, Caulfield says we should drink when we are thirsty. Why does this myth persist, then? “I think the bottled water industry helps to keep it alive,” Caulfield says.

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There are magic diet foods

“I thought I might find some food that should be eaten that might have a significant impact on weight loss,” Caulfield says. “Unfortunately, I found none.” He adds that some foods do make us feel more satiated, and we know the unhealthful foods we should avoid. But no one has found a magical food that will allow you to easily shed pounds and keep them off. And diet research has shown that, over time, all diets perform about the same—poorly.

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We need to cleanse and detoxify

Nope. Our bodies do this for us, Caulfield found. He adds that there is absolutely no evidence that we get any benefit from detox diets or colon cleanses. On the contrary, both can actually harm our bodies. Who knew?

Photo: Refinery 29

There are magic calories that don't count

Many foods claim they are full of “the good kind” of calories, Caulfied says. But he found that because weight and maintenance are, generally speaking, about calories consumed versus calories burned, these claims don’t mean much in the long run. “Don’t believe any story about some calorie-neutral food,” Caulfield says. “A calorie is a calorie.”

Photo: Optimal Body Balance

Exercise alone will lead to sustained weight loss

Exercise is great for you, but it is not a good solo strategy for weight loss. Instead, exercise must always be coupled with a healthy diet, which Caulfield says, “is 90 percent of the story.”

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We need lots of supplements and vitamins

This is another myth fueled by a large industry—big pharmaceutical. But according to Caulfield, we should ignore the hype. While he says it is true that certain people, such as pregnant women, benefit from some supplements, recent research has found no health benefit to the consumption of multivitamins and other supplements. If you are eating a healthy and balanced diet, there’s no need to consume a host of supplements. Related is the myth that some supplements allow us to easily shed pounds, like the recent raspberry ketone fad. Again, Caulfield says, there is little evidence to support this idea.

Photo: Tanya Constantine/Getty Images

Figuring Out What to Eat is Complicated

A recently published study found that most Americans think their income taxes are easier to understand than what they should and shouldn't eat. Before he researched his book, even Caulfield thought many of the rules around what to eat were convoluted and unclear. “This is crazy and sad,” Caulfield says, adding that “in fact, the basics of a healthy diet have been known for a long time.” They are: eat lots of fruits and vegetables (approximately half of one’s diet), whole grains, lean protein and a bit of dairy. And, of course, avoid the junk.

What were some of the more surprising food facts Caulfield found in emerging research? That we can maintain a healthy weight by enjoying a healthy breakfast every day and primarily eating Mediterranean.

Break out the paella!

7 Diet Myths Debunked!

Tim Caulfield Debunks Diet Myths

Drink Eight glasses of water a day

Photo: Image Source/Getty Images

There are magic diet foods

Photo: CSA Images/Getty Images

We need to cleanse and detoxify

Photo: Refinery 29

There are magic calories that don't count

Photo: Optimal Body Balance

Exercise alone will lead to sustained weight loss

Photo: Jim Cummins/Getty Images

We need lots of supplements and vitamins

Photo: Tanya Constantine/Getty Images

Figuring Out What to Eat is Complicated

Photo: Noel Hendrickson/Getty Images

7 Diet Myths Debunked!

Tim Caulfield Debunks Diet Myths

Drink Eight glasses of water a day

Photo: Image Source/Getty Images

There are magic diet foods

Photo: CSA Images/Getty Images

We need to cleanse and detoxify

Photo: Refinery 29

There are magic calories that don't count

Photo: Optimal Body Balance

Exercise alone will lead to sustained weight loss

Photo: Jim Cummins/Getty Images

We need lots of supplements and vitamins

Photo: Tanya Constantine/Getty Images

Figuring Out What to Eat is Complicated

Photo: Noel Hendrickson/Getty Images

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