Diet myths about cabbage soup and carbohydrates

Diet Myths: Nutrition experts explain about cabbage soup, carbohydrates and fruit before exercise

05/02/2014

If you want to lose weight, you are spoiled for choice. Countless diets promise fast customer success. Whether cabbage soup, the renunciation of carbohydrates or the pineapple diet actually tumble the kilos, explained three nutrition experts to the magazine „focus“. Monika Bischoff, Director of the Center for Nutritional Medicine and Prevention at the Charitable Brothers Hospital in Munich, Professor Hans Hauner, Director of the Institute of Nutritional Medicine of the Technical University of Munich, and Professor Martin Halle, Director of the Center for Prevention, Nutrition and Sports Medicine of the Technical University of Munich Take a closer look at the most popular diet myths.

Diet myths are not based on scientific knowledge about nutrition
One of the misconceptions about dieting is the assumption that soy products support weight loss more effectively than dairy products. In fact, soy-based foods have no notable advantage over cow's milk products when dieting. The vegetable protein is often used by vegetarians and vegans to replace dairy products. It contains calcium, but in smaller amounts than normal dairy products. This should also be considered in a diet.

A popular diet myth is also the radical diet, in which the diet is switched to a specific or only a few foods. It should be particularly fast lead to customer success. Examples are the cabbage soup diet and the pineapple diet. However, nutrition experts advise against radical diets and thus one-sided nutrition. So the cabbage soup diet contains no protein, so that the fat burning is inhibited. The risk of the yo-yo effect is correspondingly high. Nutrition experts therefore advise against radical diets for long-term and sustainable weight loss.

In the case of the pineapple diet, the enzyme bromelain should prevent the fat utilization and thus contribute to weight loss. In fact, however, bromelain is cleaved during human digestion to produce small fragments that have no effect in the gut.

Numerous diet myths promise quick success in losing weight
Another mistake concerns weight loss. Some people who want to lose weight expect a size of clothes within two weeks. However, according to nutrition experts, this is not possible if the diet includes a healthy diet. For every kilo less on the scale, about 7,000 calories must be saved. Since a dress size is about a weight loss of five kilograms, therefore, around 35,000 calories must be saved. Those who want to permanently reduce their weight should not take more than 400 kilocalories less per day. With regular sports can be burned additionally 300 calories. For a weight loss of five kilos should be scheduled for two to three months.

Another diet myth refers to the diet before exercise. According to an apple before the sport to boost the metabolism vigorously. Exactly the opposite, however, is the case as the nutrition experts report. Thus, the sugar contained in the apple is more readily available than the stored fat, so the body first uses it for energy. The fat cells are attacked only when the sugar is consumed. Exercising on an empty stomach is therefore more effective for losing weight.

Also very popular is the renunciation of carbohydrates after 18 o'clock. Nutritionists consider this type of diet particularly questionable because a carbohydrate-free diet after 6pm does not necessarily mean that the diet is healthy and balanced before that. The other way around, the one who eats noodles, rice and potatoes does not feed himself unhealthily. The renunciation of carbohydrates usually means the loss of quality of life, as much is omitted. Gradually the desire for food disappears. The nutrition experts therefore recommend a balanced diet.

The golden rule for losing weight
Only those who consume more energy than they consume lose weight. This means that we only lose weight when we burn more calories in everyday work, in sports and, of course, in our body's own processes, such as the metabolism we feed ourselves with. Experts also speak of a negative energy balance.

Hardly any diet is successful in the long term without accompanying physical activity. Because in sports additional calories can be burned, which otherwise have to be saved while eating. (Ag)