5 Of The Biggest Weight Loss Myths Busted December 2014 | Page 4
Myth 2:
To lose weight – cut out bread, pasta and potatoes.
Bread, pasta and potatoes (along with cereal, crackers and rice) are all high carbohydrate foods, but
eliminating these foods won’t necessarily help with weight loss. A lot of it depends on what we do
with them. There is a big difference between eating a salad sandwich (with 2 slices of multigrain
bread, lean meat and lots of salads) versus eating 4 slices of white bread slathered with butter and
vegemite. There is also a big difference between a creamy cabonara pasta laden with cheese and
bacon versus a spaghetti bolognaise made with lean mince and vegetables.
Some people do eat too many carbohydrates everyday however avoiding carbs completely is not a
healthy approach to eating or weight loss. In the short term, very low-carbohydrate diets can result
in fast weight loss and good weight loss results. However, long-term studies have shown very little
difference between high or low carb diets in terms of overall weight loss when the calorie intake is
equal.
Very low carbohydrate diets are not recommended for a number of reasons and you may be
surprised to hear that carbohydrates are actually a very important part of a healthy, balanced diet –
evenwhen you are trying to lose weight.
There are four macronutrients in our diets that contribute calories. These are fat, carbohydrates,
protein and alcohol. Their kilojoule content per gram is listed below:
o
o
o
o
Fat 37kJ/g
Alcohol has 29kJ/g
Protein contains 17kJ/g
Carbohydrates have 16kJ/g
As you can see, fat has more than double the amount of energy (calories or kilojoules) per gram than
both protein and carbohydrates. Alcohol also has a very high calorie-density (a high number of
calories in a small portion).
Key Action Areas
For your health, it is recommended to have a balance of all macronutrients (excluding alcohol!)
in your diet everyday. Carbohydrates, Fat and Protein each contribute significant and important
nutrients in our diets.
Carbohydrates occur naturally in a wide range of food including cereals, bread, vegetables, fruit
and dairy. Carbs are the bodies preferred energy source and th e only source of calories your
brain can use efficiently.
Protein is needed for our bodies to build and renew cells and tissues. Protein is also essential for
healthy immune function and also healthy skin, hair and nails.
Fat helps your body absorb certain nutrients such as Vitamin A, D, E and K. Fat also protects
organs and helps with maintaining body temperature.
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