FOOD MYTHS TO BE AWARE OF

Don’t let weight loss myths, like the ones listed below, hold you back from achieving your goals.

# Myth: Drink three glasses of milk every day, or their equivalent.

Reality: Most adults cannot properly digest milk. Instead, choose leafy greens and legumes for calcium and drink plenty of water.

# Myth: Orange juice is a great source of vitamins.

Reality: Drinking any fruit juice is like drinking liquid sugar, and it’s not the best source of vitamins. For antioxidants, choose blueberries, green tea, pecans, artichokes, kidney beans or blackberries.

# Myth: Whole grains, especially oatmeal, are heart-healthy.

Reality: Eating ground-up grains is like eating sugar. Choose naturally heart-healthy foods like edamame, blueberries, nuts, legumes, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, flax seeds, dark leafy greens, pomegranate, avocado or green tea.

# Myth: Three square meals a day is the healthiest way to eat.

Reality: It is easier to control hunger by eating five smaller meals or three meals and two snacks over the course of your day.

# Myth: Eat bananas if you have heart problems because they contain potassium.

Reality: The starch in a ripe banana instantly turns into sugar in your bloodstream. If you’re looking for potassium, choose sun-dried tomatoes, kidney beans, dark leafy greens or avocado.

# Myth: Vegetable/tomato juice is like drinking a serving of vegetables.

Reality: Vegetable/tomato juice is drowning in sugar. Opt for whole foods, especially raw cruciferous vegetables and dark leafy greens.