Common Myths About Nutrition

From influencers on TikTok to the people at your gym with protein shakes in their hands, it feels like everyone’s a nutrition expert in today’s world. But when it comes to health, there’s a lot of misinformation out there, and some of it can be really harmful. Whether it's the myth that carbs are evil or that you must detox to be healthy, these ideas often create guilt and a toxic relationship with food. Diet culture can be a dangerous trap for many, one that sometimes leads to serious mental and physical health problems.

Myth 1: Carbs Make You Fat

Because of the rise of low-carb diets like keto and Atkins, carbohydrates have been demonized for years. But they are not the enemy, they’re our body's main source of energy. Cutting out carbs completely can lead to fatigue, irritability, and binge eating, all of which can worsen one’s physical and mental health.

Myth 2: Skipping Meals Helps You Lose Weight

This myth is not only false but also dangerous. Skipping meals can slow one's metabolism and lead to overeating later. It also messes with one's mood, concentration, and energy. I'm not saying every person should follow a cycle of specific meal numbers. Although the number of meals can change from person to person, restriction is dangerous. Constant restriction may trigger a cycle of guilt, shame, and compulsive eating, key symptoms of disordered eating.

Myth 3: All Calories Are Equal

Although it's technically true, focusing only on calorie counting can lead to obsession and fear of food. People tend to start seeing food as numbers instead of nourishment, which leads to a mindset linked with anorexia, orthorexia, and other eating disorders.

Myth 4: You Need to Be on a Diet to Be Healthy

The idea that one always has to be on a diet, restricting something, or chasing weight loss to be healthy is a huge lie many of us are taught to be true. But health can be neither measured with a size nor a number. Health is about balance, variety, mental well-being, and sustainability. The belief of constant dieting carries a risk factor for eating disorders and body dysmorphia.

Diet culture thrives on making people feel like their bodies are projects to be fixed. It markets fear. And in a time when social media is all covered with “What I Eat in a Day” videos and body transformation posts, it’s no wonder so many young people feel pressured to change how they eat, look, or live. But food should be something that fuels one physically, mentally, and emotionally, not something one should fear or punish oneself with. It is possible to build a healthier mindset that promotes self-love, well-being, and balance by challenging harmful myths like those above and rejecting diet culture. And probably the most important thing to remember: you don’t need to put your body in any shape that society “requires” to make space in the world. You belong just as you are.