Nutrition, an update on preconceived ideas

Whether it’s about starchy foods, organic, sugar, fruit or vegetable juices, breakfast, weight gain, coffee, eggs… it doesn’t matter! We often hear all or nothing with good and bad information about our diet. So, to see things more clearly, we suggest you take stock of 9 preconceived ideas.

Misconception #1: Starchy foods make you fat

You’ve decided to go on a diet and ban starchy foods from your diet. So is this a good idea or a bad idea? Just a quick reminder about starchy foods, they are a family of foods that includes cereals, legumes and tubers. Cereals are: rice, pasta, bread, quinoa, bulgur, semolina, oats, rye, etc. Legumes are: Soy, lentils, split peas, chickpeas, broad beans, red, white or black beans, etc. Tubers are: Potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, etc.

Misconception #2: You have to eat pasta before a competition!

The pasta party is a moment of conviviality before a major sporting event such as a marathon, a long-distance trail, a triathlon. It is organized the day before the race. The idea is to consume pasta in large quantities to build up glucose stocks in the liver and muscles, called glycogen . It provides the energy needed to run long distances .

Misconception #3: In the morning, you can eat whatever you want

According to this saying, you could eat whatever you want! The excuse or pretext is to say that you have all day to eliminate the calories swallowed at breakfast. Myth or reality?

The sports breakfast, high in protein based on oatmeal, eggs, oilseeds, seeds and fruits, is the most recommended. It is rich in fiber, mineral salts, vitamins, carbohydrates and proteins. It is great for regulating blood sugar and satiety.

Misconception #4: Brown sugar is healthier than white sugar

Naturally, brown sugar or “cassonade” gets its color thanks to the pigments present in the sugar cane stalk. As for white sugar, it is extracted from beetroot. Vergeoise is a white sugar that changes color through a prolonged heating process. From a health point of view, there is no significant difference between these types of sugar.

Misconception #5: Fresh fruit juice is equivalent to fresh fruit.

The juicer craze! The one that makes us want fresh fruit and vegetable juices rich in mineral salts and vitamins. They offer us a concentrate of energy in a single glass! All this is true. Only, what we generally don’t tell you is that they explode your blood sugar, especially 100% fruit juices! Why?  Because they are devoid of fibers that limit the absorption of sugar in the blood. Whereas, fresh fruits, to crunch, to chew, are more interesting for their fiber content because they increase the satiety effect.

Misconception #6: Coffee to fight fatigue and be efficient

Fatigue, stress, overwork, overtraining, lack of sleep and muscle recovery… What is, as a general rule, our first instinct? A cup or bowl of coffee! Does it really help us to be in better shape? The answer is no. Coffee is rich in caffeine, a molecule known for its exciting and stimulating properties.

So, yes, at the time, it feels good, it warms the heart, and we feel a little more energetic. In reality, coffee, taken regularly during the day, will force your body to draw even more on its reserves. In fact, by drinking coffee, you cancel the symptoms of fatigue but in no way the fatigue itself. It is as if, with tendinitis in the Achilles heel for example, you continued to train thanks to the anti-inflammatories that your doctor gave you. The anti-inflammatories will eliminate the pain linked to the inflammation but in no way, the damage to your tendon. The risk is to injure yourself more seriously.

Misconception #7: Lemon is acidifying

With the acid-base diet, foods have been classified according to an index called the Pral index. It reflects an acid or alkaline action at the digestive level of foods by measuring the acidity level in the urine using small strips found in pharmacies. There is often an amalgamation between the taste of a food and its function. This is absolutely true for lemon: It has an acidic taste but is alkaline. If foods have a negative Pral index, they are said to be alkaline. If they are positive, they are said to be acidic.

Misconception #8: You should eat 3 hours before exercising

On the other hand, if your workout takes place at 6 p.m. and your last meal is lunch, we advise you to have a light snack, adapted to your sport, and this can be consumed 1 to 1.5 hours before training. Otherwise, you risk not performing well or having hypoglycemia. So plan a practical and easy-to-eat snack that is easy to digest with, for example, almonds, a dairy product and a fruit.

Misconception #9: An energy drink increases sports performance

Energy drinks do not improve your physical and intellectual performance.Studies show that 30% of consumers mainly feel agitation, nervousness and an increase in their heart rate.In addition, with energy drinks, there are risks of addiction and doping drift by stronger substances. Injuries are also more frequent among athletes who consume this type of product because they push the limits of their body and make it endure too much physiological and mechanical constraints.

Misconception #10: Eggs increase cholesterol

Yes, eggs are high in cholesterol, but recent studies have not shown that healthy people who eat eggs, or even a lot of eggs, have a higher risk of heart attack and/or stroke. They may even have beneficial effects on health because they contain proteins, vitamins and mineral salts. They remain a good alternative to meat or fish. Thanks to the proteins they contain, they ensure good satiety and avoid cravings between meals.