Food Fib 1: There are magical foods that cause you to lose weight
Ms Griffiths said that if this were true, people would eat these foods by the truckload.
"Some foods, such as celery and grapefruit, are said to burn off body fat, which is simply untrue," she said.
"Foods rich in fibre, including fruit, vegetables, wholegrain breads and cereals, and legumes are the closest you will come to fulfilling this theory as they provide a feeling of 'fullness' with minimal kilojoule intake and tend to be low in fat."
Ms Griffith said that in the simplest terms, for weight loss to happen, the energy out from exercise needed to the exceed energy in from food.
Food Fib 2: Low-fat or non-fat means no calories
Dr Slater said calories and kilojoules come from carbohydrates, protein and fat and are called macronutrients.
The majority of food we eat is made up of a combination of these macronutrients.
"A lower fat content in a product does not mean low in kilojoules, as the kilojoules can come from carbohydrates, sugars or protein rather than from fat," Dr Slater said.
"Lollies, for example, are high in sugar but have very little fat, so they are not calorie-free."
Dr Slater said to look at the kilojoules per 100g of a food in order to assess and compare its energy density - the lower the energy density (kJ per 100g), the more beneficial the product would be to you managing a healthy weight.
Food Fib 3: I'll save calories by skipping meals
According to Ms Griffiths, the problem with skipping meals is that the ensuing energy deficiency triggers cravings - usually for sweet food - to restore the imbalance.
"Your best plan is to eat healthy food regularly without choosing the high-fat, sugar and kilojoule quick-fix food," she said.
Food Fib 4: Carbohydrates are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight
Ms Griffiths said foods containing carbohydrates were an important part of a healthy diet.
"Carbohydrates provide energy for your body and fuel for your brain, and there is no scientific evidence that supports cutting out all carbohydrates from your diet," Ms Griffiths said.
She said choosing a variety of wholegrain, low-GI carbohydrate containing fibre helped you feel fuller for longer.
"There is undisputed evidence that the best way to control body weight and excess fat is to balance energy intake with energy output," Ms Griffiths said.
"The simple key to losing weight is finding an eating pattern that helps you reduce the amount of calories you eat, in combination with physical activity, and to keep energy input in line with output to maintain your weight."
Food Fib 5: You can get the vitamins and minerals you need from a capsule
Consider this: eating an orange will offer Vitamin C, folate, fibre and provides satiety, meaning you will feel full. A vitamin tablet will only deliver vitamins, and according to Ms Griffiths, if you already have enough in your diet, you are just making expensive urine.
"If you aren't sure how your diet rates, it's a good idea to see an accredited practising dietitian to assess your diet and if it meets your individual nutrient requirements. In most cases, any areas that need help can be improved by tweaking food intake before looking at supplements," Ms Griffiths said.
One vitamin supplement that is an exception to the rule is folate.
"Women of childbearing age should consume 400 micrograms of folate per day to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in their unborn child during the early stages of pregnancies, something that is hard to achieve with diet alone," Ms Griffiths said.
Food Fib 6: Dairy products are fattening and unhealthy
Dr Slater said that although rich in calcium and needed for bone health, dairy products could be relatively high in saturated fat so it was recommended that reduced-fat varieties or reduced-fat alternatives be chosen, where possible.
"Low-fat soft cheeses such as cottage cheese and ricotta contain very little calcium and serves of full-fat cheeses should be limited to three or four times a week," Dr Slater said.
Food Fib 7: Eating after 8pm causes weight gain
"There is no research supporting the idea that eating after a certain time will lead to weight gain," Dr Slater said.
"It's the total amount of kilojoules you consume on a daily basis that will affect weight management. When these are consumed is irrelevant."
Food Fib 8: Supplemented foods help me get the nutrients I need so I won't eat foods I don't like
Dr Slater said it was always best to get the nutrients your body needed from natural foods, and that many products claiming to have added nutrients actually contained as little as 1-2 per cent of the daily recommended intake of the nutrient.
"There are, however, circumstances when this is true; for example lowering atherogenic blood lipids such as triglycerides requires a level of bio-active compounds that we cannot achieve through diet alone," she said.
"In these cases, supplementation may be necessary to achieve an intake needed for treatment. A good example of this is plant sterols, which are added to margarine, milk and yoghurt."
ellievsbear
stormborns
theartofmadeline
2087
izzy806
