For a large majority of humans, food can be an emotional topic. Many of us want to put on weight, many want to lose it, while others simply want to maintain their current weight. This means that our diet is a sensitive issue that most of us are always playing catch up with to reach a particular goal. This has led to a lot of misinformation, myths and confusion on the topic of diet. Today we bring to you a special article that looks at the most common questions nutritionists are asked and what the right answer to that question is. 

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?

One of the most famous pieces of advice when it comes to diet is to ‘eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.’ This school of thought states that regularly eating breakfast helps weight loss by increasing metabolism and boosting satiety. However, if you are a person who manages just fine without breakfast and actually finds it beneficial to skip breakfast, then there is no reason to start eating it now. Studies have found that skipping breakfast could lead to weight loss as this reduces the total number of calories consumed in a day. In the same vein, there have been studies which found that those who skipped breakfast lost less weight on average. For every study that shows breakfast is beneficial, there is another that shows the opposite. The short answer is that research on this topic is mostly inconclusive. Stick to what works for you and your body instead of simply believing popular opinion.

Should I be worried about gluten?

A gluten-free diet is advised to people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance and even in certain cases of irritable bowel syndrome. Gluten is a protein generally found in wheat, barley and rye. For individuals with the above-mentioned issues, gluten can be difficult to break down and digest for their bodies. However, there has been no study which proves that eating a gluten-free diet results in any substantial health benefits. And yet, going gluten-free has become a trend today amongst many people. Completely cutting gluten out from your diet can be expensive, emotionally taxing and even affect your social life. Every time you enjoy baked coconut laddus with your friends, you might now wonder whether those laddus are gluten-free or not. An individual should only consider staying away from gluten if it has been specifically recommended by a doctor or a dietitian. In instances where this is not the case, a gluten-free diet has no remarkable benefits and can actually have significant drawbacks.

Is consuming fat bad for me?

Most people incorrectly assume that the fat in our diet is what leads to fat accumulation on our bodies. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Polyunsaturated fats are essential for bodily functions such as blood clotting, muscle movement and regulating inflammation in the body. These fats are not naturally produced in our body, which means we must consume these fats through our diet. To know which fats are good for you and which ones have negative effects take a look at the article we have comparing the two.

Do I have to stop consuming sugar?

Another popular question that many dieticians face is whether they should remove all sugar from their diet. Completely cutting off sugar is never recommended by dieticians, as this creates a mentality where you have to think about and measure everything you consume. A minor slip-up in such a diet can lead to stress and further sugar cravings to deal with this stress. When it comes to sugar the true culprits are often processed or refined sugars. We would suggest consuming these in moderation instead of trying to cut them all out at once. You can still consume natural sugars found in fruits and dairy products or eat healthy snacks that are made from all-natural ingredients.

Each and every person living on the planet is different. We all have different habits, likes and dislikes, and genetic and cultural traits that affect us in different ways. Most dieticians maintain that the answers to your nutritional requirements change based on your health, habits, lifestyle and other personal factors. Simply reading something on the internet or talking to a friend is not enough to determine whether it will apply to your body or not. Test these answers out for yourself to see how effective they are for you. Keep the methods that work for you and leave the unneeded information to others. That is the secret to nutritional advice that will make a difference.