Does Eating Protein build muscle? Nutrition Myths Debunked

Here are 3 nutrition myths:

Myth: Eating a lot of protein helps build muscle.

THE TRUTH: Protein alone does not build muscle mass. A strength-training program, along with enough calories from healthy foods, recovery time and sleep, are also needed for building muscle. Sure, you need protein, but overdoing it adds extra calories and won’t build bigger muscles. While most people get enough protein from their daily diet, strength-training athletes, like bodybuilders, might benefit from more protein, especially in post-workout snacks. But even that extra amount of protein can be met by simply choosing protein-rich foods, such as lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, lower-fat milk and alternatives, and legumes.

Myth: If a food is low in fat or fat-free, it must be healthy.

THE TRUTH: Just because a food is low in fat or fat-free doesn’t mean it’s healthy. In fact, a lot of foods that are low in fat are definitely not healthy choices, such as candy, pop, low-fat cookies and fat-free frozen treats. While these foods may have little fat, they can still be high in sugar ( high glycemic) and calories and offer few, if any, nutrients. There are, however, some foods that are higher in fat and a healthy choice, such as fish, avocados, nuts, seeds and nut butters. Choose foods wisely: Read food labels and consider a food’s overall nutrient content. Don’t judge a food by fat alone!

Myth: Certain foods, like grapefruit, cabbage soup or celery, can burn fat and make you lose weight quickly.

THE TRUTH: Sorry! There is no food that burns fat or makes you lose weight more quickly. Weight loss diets that focus on single foods, like grapefruit, cabbage soup or celery, are restrictive and lack nutrients needed for good health. It’s true that when you eat only one type of food, like cabbage soup, you might eat less and take in fewer calories than you need and maybe lose weight at first. But in the end, these diets are boring, don’t create healthy habits. Choosing Low GI foods as part of an active lifestyle is the best way to achieve a healthy weight.