What Are Examples of Outdated Nutrition Advice?
In a world full of conflicting nutrition advice, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To shed light on these common misconceptions, a Licensed Nutritionist and Health Expert have shared their professional insights. Kicking off with the importance of explaining good and bad fats and wrapping up with re-education on fruit and sugar, this article features seven enlightening perspectives. Dive in to discover how these experts tackle outdated advice and guide their clients towards healthier choices.
- Explain Good and Bad Fats
- Debunk the Low-Fat Diet Myth
- Educate on Essential Dietary Fats
- Focus on Balanced Nutrition
- Encourage Nutrition by Addition
- Challenge the Weight Loss Cure-All Myth
- Re-Educate on Fruit and Sugar
Explain Good and Bad Fats
One piece of outdated nutrition advice I still hear is, "Won't fat make you fat?" The old dogma of fat being a macro that will increase your waistline is ingrained in many people, especially chronic dieters from the '80s and '90s. I begin with explaining where in our body fats are used and stored, then share the difference between good and bad fats, highlighting how bad fats create inflammation, less-receptive cells, and poor brain health. I then work to explain what healthy fats are and how some of them even work to keep fat off the body.
Debunk the Low-Fat Diet Myth
Debunking the 'Low-Fat Diet' Myth for Sustainable Health
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Prowise Healthcare, I meet clients who subscribe to the notion that low-fat is the solution to losing weight and healthy living. This low-fat idea, which became popular in the '80s and '90s, still has not gone away despite studies emerging on the benefits of healthy fats. Still, many people shudder at the mention of avocados, nuts, and olive oil because they think these foods will add fat to their bodies and waistlines.
This misunderstanding not only pinches their diverse sources of food but also takes away their healthy fats, which are key in promoting heart and brain functioning. To eliminate this inaccurate claim, I place a stronger emphasis on the idea that even healthy fats are required in moderation. I also teach my clients the facts, including that fats come in trans forms, saturated, and unsaturated.
For example, I put it concisely that trans fats are inflammatory and not good for the cardiovascular system, so they should be eliminated as much as possible. Unsaturated fats, like the ones found in olive oil, avocados, and fatty fish, lower LDL cholesterol and encourage a healthy heart. Because this new understanding becomes the main reason for my clients' healthy food choices, they do not have to suffer or viciously crave food anymore and can have various foods within reach.
I work in consulting with people on ways in which they can formulate a proper eating regime based on reasonable proportions of macronutrients. Instead of stressing about low-fat items, which are in most cases loaded with processed sugar, we emphasize consuming wholesome foods that nourish the body and help in energy replenishment.
Educate on Essential Dietary Fats
As the CEO of GardenCup, a meal-delivery service focused on nutrition, I still see many clients following outdated advice like “fat makes you fat.” The truth is, dietary fat is essential for health and provides energy. I educate my clients that the types of fat matter most. Saturated fat from red meat and full-fat dairy should be limited, but monounsaturated fats like olive oil and avocados, and omega-3s from fish, are part of a balanced diet.
Another myth is that “breakfast is the most important meal.” For some people, skipping breakfast works fine and won’t ruin your metabolism. At GardenCup, we offer nutritious salads, grain bowls, and smoothies whenever people want to eat. There’s no perfect formula, just listening to your body.
Many also think “calorie counting” is necessary to lose weight. While calories matter, obsessing over numbers often backfires. I encourage focusing on whole foods, watching portion sizes, and choosing nutritious options. Losing 1-2 pounds a week by making better choices is sustainable, unlike extreme diets. For long-term success, build healthy habits and be kind to yourself.
Focus on Balanced Nutrition
As a nutritionist with over 27 years of experience, I still frequently encounter the myth that "fat makes you fat." The truth is, healthy fats from foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil provide energy and help absorb nutrients. At SmallerU Weightloss, we focus on lean proteins, high-fiber whole grains, and healthy fats—not cutting calories.
Losing 1–2 pounds per week through better choices is sustainable, unlike extreme diets. I encourage focusing on nutritious options and listening to your body rather than obsessing over numbers. The key is building healthy habits and being kind to yourself, not restrictive rules.
For example, many clients think they have to cut out entire food groups to lose weight, but that often backfires. Instead, we teach moderation and balance. Have a slice of birthday cake; just don't eat the whole thing! And stay active—even just walking or doing light exercise a few times a week provides huge benefits. Some supplements or protein powders can help support goals when real food isn't an option, but should never replace it.
Trusting in balanced, nutritious foods for weight loss and maintenance leads to success. Many strict dieters get trapped in an unhealthy cycle of restricting and then overeating. But when you give your body what it needs, you feel energized, satisfied, and motivated to stay on track.
Encourage Nutrition by Addition
So many clients come looking for me to help them eat less. That doesn't surprise me because that narrative has been humming in the background of our food culture for many years. In actuality, though, many of these clients would benefit from eating more, not less—eating more consistently, eating more variety, eating in a way that balances nourishment and pleasure. I encourage clients to focus on nutrition by addition. I encourage clients to ask themselves, "How can I give my body what it needs right now?" rather than, "How can I make myself get by with less?"
Challenge the Weight Loss Cure-All Myth
An outdated piece of nutrition advice that seems to be ingrained in many of our minds is that weight loss is the "cure-all" for many ailments and other symptoms. Weight is not an accurate, sole determinant of one's health. People can be healthy at different sizes, and weight loss is not a fix for all ailments and symptoms. Intentional weight loss or dieting and restricting for weight loss can be more detrimental to someone's health than it would be to stay at their current weight. Dieting is not a successful or permanent solution.
Instead, I work with clients to make sustainable and balanced changes over time that feel safe. I also make sure to provide education on how to advocate for oneself with their other medical providers when seeking treatment, as well as education on the toxicity of diet culture.
Re-Educate on Fruit and Sugar
There is a bunch of outdated nutritional information that makes me cringe, but one of the top ones I hear is that fruit has too much sugar or that fruit shouldn't be consumed because of the sugar, as it's the reason for gaining weight.
It makes me crazy when I hear a client say this and how many are avoiding fruit because of this advice, which appears to be a part of the current trend with the call for high-protein diets (another topic for another day). However, people don't understand that our brain needs natural sugars in the form of glucose to function effectively and our muscles need natural sugars to perform our daily activities—this is our primary energy source to function all day, every day.
What do we need to be aware of? It is the sugar added to processed foods, and the sugar in fruit differs due to the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can cause blood sugar spikes. For example, pineapple has fiber, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, iron, and various B vitamins—all necessary nutrients for our bodies to function optimally.
There needs to be a lot of re-educating clients and the public about differentiating between whole fruits (e.g., apples, bananas) vs. processed fruit products (e.g., juice, dried fruits), as not all fruit is equal, and how to pair fruit with protein or fats to maintain a balanced, healthy diet with moderation. There is no reason a healthy person should avoid complete food groups like fruit.
