Aitor Sánchez is the author of books such as ‘My diet is limping’ (Ed. Paidós) and ‘What about nutrition?’ (Ed. Paidós) to put an end to ten common myths about food.
Why are there so many myths in nutrition?
It should be taken into account that everyone has their own bag of experience, that is, since everyone eats, everyone has something to say and has their own experience and opinion. Also, there are many outdated pros. Until a few years ago, dietitians and nutritionists had no say, and it was the doctor who advised how to eat. On the other hand, there is the food sector, which is one of the most basic elements. In the world of health, food is the area most linked to consumption. Saying what we should and shouldn’t eat is in many cases directly contrary to economic interests.
Why is it so hard to deny them?
Often misinformation is conveyed through very short and catchy slogans that take little time to create, but it takes a lot of effort to disprove them. For example, fruit sugar is very high. It is very easy to sow doubt and distrust in a single word, but it takes a great deal of effort to refute it. They play with slogans that are short and loose but create a lot of confusion. People are also used to being willing to listen to some simple tips, and these simple conversations are very engaging, especially in complex areas like nutrition.
How can one distinguish between myth and reality?
It is important to use common sense. Nutrition is a field with a certain baggage, if we receive a message from one day to the next questioning all of the above, we should at least be skeptical. On the other hand, you must have logical thinking. From time to time we hear that a certain food is dangerous or that we should eat it, but if we apply common sense we find that this is not true. For example, “dairy products are essential for bone health,” but how about people who are allergic to lactose or can’t even access it?
To what extent can such myths harm health?
These arguments can be harmful because they cause us to form unhealthy habits. For example, the myth that alcoholic beverages are healthy or that sugar is necessary. These myths will perpetuate bad habits and will of course have a direct impact on those who practice them. On the other hand, there is a situation when doubts arise about a healthy food and you stop eating fruit, for example, because “glucose rises”, but replace this usual dessert with less healthy ones, such as pies, custard. less healthy dairy desserts. . It causes a worse decision.
Myths perpetuate bad habits and have a direct impact on those who put them into practice.
Most of these examples seem harmless
It may seem so, but there are many myths that have been validated in popular culture and are not filtered out and are directly assumed. For example, legumes are not good for dinner. You go to a restaurant and you see someone eating chickpeas for dinner and you probably raise your hands above your head, but it wouldn’t surprise you if another table had pizza or kebab for dinner. Or even a gin and tonic. And they are much less healthy options.
In the book, you comment that diets are becoming more and more qualitative and less quantitative. Because?
We are in an era where nutrition is changing. In the past, the dietetic approach meant thinking of a person with a scale in hand, prescribed by a doctor, and with great effort. The new way of understanding this gives him a much kinder image, which encourages much more commitment, which makes people more concerned about prioritizing healthy food over eating certain amounts. Undoubtedly, this contributes to a gentler approach to nutrition and a more harmonious approach to what we really need. In the end, no one eats with a scale.
Diets have been associated with a negative connotation almost from the moment they emerged.
The word diet has such derogatory connotations because it reminds us of another era. Until a restriction is understood as a soft regime. And now we are increasingly realizing that you can have a healthy diet without too many restrictions. This is the approach we nutritionists are now trying to prioritize. Thus, the link between healthy eating and the endocrine diet is increasingly moving out of the drawer in a form that will likely say “1500 calorie diet” and instruct you to eat chicken breast. away from the popular mentality, grilled chicken, four Maria cookies and coffee with skim milk.
You can have a healthy diet without too many restrictions.
Is nutrition a pending lesson in school?
I have an idea here that usually doesn’t match up with many of the demands of my career. I think nutrition should be in schools, but I don’t think it should be a lesson. Other countries have done this, and it has been shown that nutrition issues do not work well, that meals should be in the school curriculum, but that is not the case. I envision a future where these food ingredients are available and teachers can work across them in the classroom and dining room. For example, the production of certain foods, reading the label, the critical spirit of advertising, etc. to understand.