Nutrition Myths Busted Separating Facts From Fads in the Health World
Gryor Team
•
September 22, 2025
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Nutrition Myths Busted: Separating Facts From Fads in the Health World
In the digital age, the "health world" is a confusing and noisy place. We are bombarded with conflicting headlines, celebrity-endorsed "miracle" products, and viral trends that promise rapid results. It’s a world of fads, where one day "fat is the enemy" and the next, "carbs are toxic."
This constant flood of misinformation makes it nearly impossible to know what to eat. The "truth" about nutrition, however, is rarely as extreme, complicated, or new as these fads suggest.
This guide will bust some of the most persistent and popular nutrition myths with scientific facts, helping you separate the fads from the fundamentals of long-term health.
Myth 1: "Carbs Make You Fat"
The Fad: This is the most popular myth of the last decade. It’s the driving force behind low-carb and ketogenic diets, suggesting that bread, pasta, fruit, and potatoes are the primary cause of weight gain.
The Fact: Excess calories make you fat, not carbohydrates.
The Science: Weight gain is a simple-but-not-easy equation: you gain weight when you consistently consume more calories than your body burns, regardless of whether those calories come from protein, fat, or carbs.
The "carb" myth is built on a misunderstanding. There are two very different types of carbohydrates:
Simple/Refined Carbs: These are foods like white bread, cookies, candy, and sugary sodas. They are low in nutrients and fiber, digest quickly, and can spike your blood sugar, leading to a "crash" that leaves you feeling hungry again soon after.
Complex Carbs: These are foods like whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa), legumes (beans, lentils), and vegetables (sweet potatoes, broccoli). These foods are "nutrient-dense" and, most importantly, packed with fiber. Fiber slows down digestion, helps you feel full for longer, and feeds your gut microbiome, all of which are essential for managing weight.
Cutting out all carbs means you are also cutting out some of the most nutrient-dense and high-fiber foods on the planet.
Myth 2: "All Fat is Bad" (And "Fat-Free" is Good)
The Fad: This myth dominated the 1990s and 2000s. We were told to avoid fat at all costs, leading to a boom in "fat-free" and "low-fat" products, from cookies and crackers to yogurt and salad dressing.
The Fact: Healthy fats are essential for life, and "fat-free" products are often worse for you.
The Science: When manufacturers remove fat from a product, they have to replace it with something to make it taste good. That "something" is almost always sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients. This is why a "low-fat" yogurt is often a high-sugar, high-calorie bomb that will spike your blood sugar and increase your hunger.
Like carbs, fats are not created equal:
"Bad" Fats (Trans & Saturated): Trans fats (now banned in many places) and excessive saturated fats (found in processed meats and baked goods) can raise your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.
"Good" Fats (Mono- & Polyunsaturated): These healthy fats—found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish—are critical for your health. They help lower "bad" cholesterol, reduce inflammation, keep you feeling full, and are essential for brain health and absorbing vitamins (A, D, E, and K).
Myth 3: "Egg Yolks Are Bad for Your Heart"
The Fad: This myth is a direct spin-off of the "low-fat" craze. Because egg yolks contain a high amount of dietary cholesterol (around 186 mg per egg), they were vilified for decades as a direct cause of high blood cholesterol and heart disease.
The Fact: For the vast majority of people, dietary cholesterol has a minimal effect on blood cholesterol.
The Science: A solid body of research has shown that our blood cholesterol levels are primarily manufactured by our liver, not directly imported from the food we eat. The liver's production of cholesterol is most influenced by our intake of saturated and trans fats, not dietary cholesterol.
The foods eaten with eggs (like bacon, sausage, and buttered white toast) are far more likely to cause heart problems than the egg itself. The yolk is, in fact, the most nutritious part of the egg, packed with protein, Vitamin D, and B-vitamins. For most healthy people, eating up to seven eggs a week is perfectly safe.
Myth 4: "You Must Eat Small, Frequent Meals to 'Boost' Your Metabolism"
The Fad: You've heard this one: "Eat 6-8 small meals a day to 'stoke the metabolic furnace' and keep your metabolism high."
The Fact: Meal frequency has a negligible effect on your overall metabolism.
The Science: Your body burns calories digesting food. This is called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). This myth assumes that by eating more often, you are "stoking" this fire more often.
But the TEF is directly proportional to the size of the meal.
Scenario A: Eating 6 small meals of 300 calories each. You get 6 small, temporary metabolic boosts.
Scenario B: Eating 3 large meals of 600 calories each. You get 3 large, proportionally longer-lasting metabolic boosts.
At the end of the day, the total calories burned from digestion are almost identical. What truly matters is your total daily calorie intake, not how many meals you divide it into. For some, small meals help control hunger; for others, it leads to "grazing" all day. The best plan is the one that fits your lifestyle, not a "metabolic" myth.
Myth 5: "Eating After 6 PM Causes Weight Gain"
The Fad: This is a simple, catchy rule: "Don't eat anything after 6 PM, because your metabolism slows down and your body will store those calories as fat."
The Fact: A calorie is a calorie, regardless of what time the clock says. The real problem is what you're eating, not when.
The Science: Your metabolism does not just "shut down" after 6 PM. The real reason people who eat late tend to gain weight is behavioral, not metabolic.
It's a Calorie Surplus: For most people, late-night eating isn't a planned meal; it's extra calories on top of a full day's worth of food.
It's "Mindless" Eating: We are typically not eating a salad while watching TV. We are "mindlessly" eating high-calorie "snack" foods like chips, ice cream, and candy, where it's easy to consume hundreds of calories without even noticing.
It's Poor Decision-Making: At the end of a long, tiring day, our willpower is at its lowest, and our impaired decision-making leads us to high-sugar, high-fat "comfort" foods.
Myth 6: "You Need to 'Detox' and 'Cleanse' Your Body"
The Fad: This is a multi-billion dollar industry. Detox teas, 7-day juice cleanses, and "flushes" promise to "remove toxins," "cleanse your colon," and "reset" your body.
The Fact: You already have a world-class, full-time "detox" system: your liver and your kidneys.
The Science: The concept of "toxins" that a tea can "flush out" is vague, unscientific marketing. Your liver is a sophisticated filter that neutralizes harmful substances, and your kidneys are experts at excreting waste from your body.
No Evidence: There are virtually no well-designed scientific studies to show that detox diets or cleanses actually "remove toxins."
The "Weight Loss": The rapid weight loss from a "cleanse" is almost entirely water weight loss from increased urination (a diuretic effect) and the loss of waste from your digestive tract (a laxative effect). It is not fat loss, and it is "gained back immediately" once you resume a normal diet.
The Dangers: These products are unregulated by the FDA and can contain harmful ingredients. They can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and, in some rare cases, severe liver and kidney damage.
Myth 7: "Brown Sugar is Healthier Than White Sugar"
The Fad: Brown sugar, "raw" sugar, or sea salt seem more "natural" and "rustic," and are therefore marketed as healthier alternatives to their white, refined counterparts.
The Fact: Nutritionally, they are almost identical.
The Science: Commercially-produced brown sugar is simply white sugar with a small amount of molasses added back in for color and flavor. While that molasses does contain trace amounts of minerals (like calcium and iron), the amounts are so "insignificant" that you would have to eat a dangerous, artery-clogging amount of sugar to get any measurable benefit.
Both are "added sugars," and both are processed by your body in the exact same way. The "truth" is to reduce your intake of all added sugars, not to swap one for a slightly more expensive, tan-colored version.
Nutrition Myths Busted: Separating Facts From Fads in the Health World
In the digital age, the "health world" is a confusing and noisy place. We are bombarded with conflicting headlines, celebrity-endorsed "miracle" products, and viral trends that promise rapid results. It’s a world of fads, where one day "fat is the enemy" and the next, "carbs are toxic."
This constant flood of misinformation makes it nearly impossible to know what to eat. The "truth" about nutrition, however, is rarely as extreme, complicated, or new as these fads suggest.
This guide will bust some of the most persistent and popular nutrition myths with scientific facts, helping you separate the fads from the fundamentals of long-term health.
Myth 1: "Carbs Make You Fat"
The Fad: This is the most popular myth of the last decade. It’s the driving force behind low-carb and ketogenic diets, suggesting that bread, pasta, fruit, and potatoes are the primary cause of weight gain.
The Fact: Excess calories make you fat, not carbohydrates.
The Science: Weight gain is a simple-but-not-easy equation: you gain weight when you consistently consume more calories than your body burns, regardless of whether those calories come from protein, fat, or carbs.
The "carb" myth is built on a misunderstanding. There are two very different types of carbohydrates:
Simple/Refined Carbs: These are foods like white bread, cookies, candy, and sugary sodas. They are low in nutrients and fiber, digest quickly, and can spike your blood sugar, leading to a "crash" that leaves you feeling hungry again soon after.
Complex Carbs: These are foods like whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa), legumes (beans, lentils), and vegetables (sweet potatoes, broccoli). These foods are "nutrient-dense" and, most importantly, packed with fiber. Fiber slows down digestion, helps you feel full for longer, and feeds your gut microbiome, all of which are essential for managing weight.
Cutting out all carbs means you are also cutting out some of the most nutrient-dense and high-fiber foods on the planet.
Myth 2: "All Fat is Bad" (And "Fat-Free" is Good)
The Fad: This myth dominated the 1990s and 2000s. We were told to avoid fat at all costs, leading to a boom in "fat-free" and "low-fat" products, from cookies and crackers to yogurt and salad dressing.
The Fact: Healthy fats are essential for life, and "fat-free" products are often worse for you.
The Science: When manufacturers remove fat from a product, they have to replace it with something to make it taste good. That "something" is almost always sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients. This is why a "low-fat" yogurt is often a high-sugar, high-calorie bomb that will spike your blood sugar and increase your hunger.
Like carbs, fats are not created equal:
"Bad" Fats (Trans & Saturated): Trans fats (now banned in many places) and excessive saturated fats (found in processed meats and baked goods) can raise your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.
"Good" Fats (Mono- & Polyunsaturated): These healthy fats—found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish—are critical for your health. They help lower "bad" cholesterol, reduce inflammation, keep you feeling full, and are essential for brain health and absorbing vitamins (A, D, E, and K).
Myth 3: "Egg Yolks Are Bad for Your Heart"
The Fad: This myth is a direct spin-off of the "low-fat" craze. Because egg yolks contain a high amount of dietary cholesterol (around 186 mg per egg), they were vilified for decades as a direct cause of high blood cholesterol and heart disease.
The Fact: For the vast majority of people, dietary cholesterol has a minimal effect on blood cholesterol.
The Science: A solid body of research has shown that our blood cholesterol levels are primarily manufactured by our liver, not directly imported from the food we eat. The liver's production of cholesterol is most influenced by our intake of saturated and trans fats, not dietary cholesterol.
The foods eaten with eggs (like bacon, sausage, and buttered white toast) are far more likely to cause heart problems than the egg itself. The yolk is, in fact, the most nutritious part of the egg, packed with protein, Vitamin D, and B-vitamins. For most healthy people, eating up to seven eggs a week is perfectly safe.
Myth 4: "You Must Eat Small, Frequent Meals to 'Boost' Your Metabolism"
The Fad: You've heard this one: "Eat 6-8 small meals a day to 'stoke the metabolic furnace' and keep your metabolism high."
The Fact: Meal frequency has a negligible effect on your overall metabolism.
The Science: Your body burns calories digesting food. This is called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). This myth assumes that by eating more often, you are "stoking" this fire more often.
But the TEF is directly proportional to the size of the meal.
Scenario A: Eating 6 small meals of 300 calories each. You get 6 small, temporary metabolic boosts.
Scenario B: Eating 3 large meals of 600 calories each. You get 3 large, proportionally longer-lasting metabolic boosts.
At the end of the day, the total calories burned from digestion are almost identical. What truly matters is your total daily calorie intake, not how many meals you divide it into. For some, small meals help control hunger; for others, it leads to "grazing" all day. The best plan is the one that fits your lifestyle, not a "metabolic" myth.
Myth 5: "Eating After 6 PM Causes Weight Gain"
The Fad: This is a simple, catchy rule: "Don't eat anything after 6 PM, because your metabolism slows down and your body will store those calories as fat."
The Fact: A calorie is a calorie, regardless of what time the clock says. The real problem is what you're eating, not when.
The Science: Your metabolism does not just "shut down" after 6 PM. The real reason people who eat late tend to gain weight is behavioral, not metabolic.
It's a Calorie Surplus: For most people, late-night eating isn't a planned meal; it's extra calories on top of a full day's worth of food.
It's "Mindless" Eating: We are typically not eating a salad while watching TV. We are "mindlessly" eating high-calorie "snack" foods like chips, ice cream, and candy, where it's easy to consume hundreds of calories without even noticing.
It's Poor Decision-Making: At the end of a long, tiring day, our willpower is at its lowest, and our impaired decision-making leads us to high-sugar, high-fat "comfort" foods.
Myth 6: "You Need to 'Detox' and 'Cleanse' Your Body"
The Fad: This is a multi-billion dollar industry. Detox teas, 7-day juice cleanses, and "flushes" promise to "remove toxins," "cleanse your colon," and "reset" your body.
The Fact: You already have a world-class, full-time "detox" system: your liver and your kidneys.
The Science: The concept of "toxins" that a tea can "flush out" is vague, unscientific marketing. Your liver is a sophisticated filter that neutralizes harmful substances, and your kidneys are experts at excreting waste from your body.
No Evidence: There are virtually no well-designed scientific studies to show that detox diets or cleanses actually "remove toxins."
The "Weight Loss": The rapid weight loss from a "cleanse" is almost entirely water weight loss from increased urination (a diuretic effect) and the loss of waste from your digestive tract (a laxative effect). It is not fat loss, and it is "gained back immediately" once you resume a normal diet.
The Dangers: These products are unregulated by the FDA and can contain harmful ingredients. They can lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and, in some rare cases, severe liver and kidney damage.
Myth 7: "Brown Sugar is Healthier Than White Sugar"
The Fad: Brown sugar, "raw" sugar, or sea salt seem more "natural" and "rustic," and are therefore marketed as healthier alternatives to their white, refined counterparts.
The Fact: Nutritionally, they are almost identical.
The Science: Commercially-produced brown sugar is simply white sugar with a small amount of molasses added back in for color and flavor. While that molasses does contain trace amounts of minerals (like calcium and iron), the amounts are so "insignificant" that you would have to eat a dangerous, artery-clogging amount of sugar to get any measurable benefit.
Both are "added sugars," and both are processed by your body in the exact same way. The "truth" is to reduce your intake of all added sugars, not to swap one for a slightly more expensive, tan-colored version.