The internet is full of nutrition advice, and if you’ve ever scrolled through your social media and immediately felt overwhelmed ten minutes in – you’re not alone. Unfortunately, a lot of the information out there is misleading, outdated, or taken completely out of context. As a registered dietitian, I see these nutrition myths confuse clients every single day, often leading to unnecessary restriction, frustration, and stalled progress. 

Let’s clear things up. Below, I’m breaking down some of the most common nutrition myths (and questions I get asked from clients all the time) and the science-backed truth you actually need to know. 

Myth #1: You Need to Avoid All Sugar, Even From Fruit

Truth: not all sugar is the same. 

Sugar often gets blamed for weight gain and chronic disease. While excess added sugar can absolutely contribute to health issues, not all sugar functions the same way in the body. There’s a big difference between added sugars found in packaged foods and drinks and naturally occurring sugars found in whole foods like fruit. 

Fruit also provides fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support overall health. Fiber slows digestion and helps prevent rapid blood sugar spikes, something added sugars don’t do. 

Dietitian tip: While I’m very much team fruit, I do recommend pairing fruit with protein or healthy fat to increase fullness and support balanced blood sugars. For example, pair an apple with natural peanut butter or berries and Greek yogurt. 

Myth #2: Avoid Carbs If You Want to Lose Weight

Truth: carbs are your body’s preferred energy source. 

Carbohydrates have been unfairly blamed for weight gain and blood sugar issues for years. This is largely due to the popularity of low-carb diets like keto and Atkins. 

Carbohydrates are your body’s primarily source of fuel, and quality of your carbohydrates are key. Carbohydrates can be used immediately or stored in the liver and muscles for later use, but the type of carb you consume depends on how the body utilizes it. 

For example, complex carbohydrates are types of carbohydrates from fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains. These types of carbs provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals that support digestion, hormones, and metabolism. Your body will use these types of carbohydrates easier than carbs from refined sources like granola bars, crackers, or cookies. 

A common question I get asked often is how many carbs should a person have. My answer is always – it depends on factors like health goals, blood sugar stability, stress, exercise, and overall lifestyle. 

Overall, we don’t want to go too low carb or too high carb. 

Going too low-carb can negatively impact areas like your thyroid health, adrenal health, energy levels, and blood sugar stability. This is something I see often in clients who followed a low-carb diet for years and years. 

Alternatively, going too high-carb, especially if you aren’t eating enough protein or fat, can spike blood sugar levels, lead to energy crashes, sugar cravings, and increase your risk for weight gain and insulin resistance. 

Dietitian tip:  Make sure to always pair carbs with a buddy (ideally protein), and aim to eat your protein or veggies first at a meal, and heavier carbs at the end of the meal. It’s not that we shouldn’t have any carbs, it’s just about eating them better. 

Myth #3: You Shouldn’t Eat Past 7 PM

Truth: there’s no perfect cutoff time to stop eating.

While I do recommend eating the majority of calories earlier in the day because it’s beneficial for blood sugar regulation, metabolic function, and digestion, the time on the clock matters far less than overall intake, food quality, and balance throughout the day. 

For many people, later dinners are completely normal due to work schedules and family routines. If dinner happens earlier in the evening, incorporating a balanced bedtime snack can actually help stabilize blood sugar overnight (especially if you find you wake up a lot throughout the night). For example, if you eat dinner at 5pm, and go to bed at 10pm, eating a snack around 8pm can help keep you nourished throughout the night. 

Dietitian tip: Leave at least an hour between eating and bedtime to allow your body to digest your food before lying down.  

Myth #4: Weight Loss Is Just Calories In and Calories Out

Truth: weight loss is much more complex. 

While a calorie deficit is part of weight loss, consistently eating too few calories can cause the body conserve the fat you have, and slow down your metabolism as a protective response. This is one reason why nearly 95% of diets fail and often lead to weight regain, sometimes with additional weight. 

Under-eating places stress on the body, and when the body is stressed, it prioritizes survival over fat loss. Sustainable weight loss requires eating enough calories and macronutrients to support organ function, brain health, muscle maintenance, hormone balance, and a healthy metabolism. 

Plus, weight loss is influenced by many factors beyond calories, including blood sugar control, stress levels, sleep quality, hydration, fiber intake, physical activity, gut health, inflammation, nutrient status, and mindset. 

Looking for personalized support with this? Apply for my 1:1 program Healing Hormones Academy HERE.

Myth #5: Intermittent Fasting is Great for Women

Truth: we don’t see the same benefits of intermittent fasting in women that we do in men. 

Intermittent fasting has gained popularity over the years, but much of the research has been conducted on men. Women’s hormones and metabolism respond differently to fasting, and extended fasting periods can increase cortisol levels and potentially disrupt menstrual cycles for some women. 

Plus, women have better glucose tolerance in the morning. While intermittent fasting often recommends beginning your eating window later in the day, women are missing out on the critical time when their bodies can best utilize blood sugar. 

Dietitian tip: Many women can still experience the benefits of fasting with a more gentle approach, such as a 12-hour overnight fast. 

Myth #6: You Need At Least 1 Gram of Protein Per Pound of Body Weight

Truth: eating one gram of protein per pound of body weight is unrealistic and unnecessary for most people.

While protein is essential and many women aren’t eating enough of it, a more sustainable approach is starting to focus on eating at least 25-30 grams of protein at each meal, or about 30% of your total calories from protein. This amount of protein supports muscle maintenance, metabolism, satiety, and hormone health. 

Dietitian tip: Some of my favorite ways to bump up protein include adding cottage cheese to eggs, mixing hemp seeds into hummus, using bone broth to cook rice or pasta, and prioritizing proteins first at my meals. 

Looking for high-protein, family-friendly meal plans sent to your inbox every Friday morning? Start your free trial of the FUELED Community HERE. 

Myth #7: You Have to Give Up Your Favorite Foods to Be Healthy

Truth: perfect eating isn’t healthy, and healthy eating isn’t perfect. 

Completely eliminating favorite foods often leads to burnout, overeating, and an unhealthy relationship with food. 

This is why I teach my clients the 80/20 approach – eating 80% for nourishment, and 20% for fun. This approach allows for flexibility without restriction while supporting health long-term. 

For example, instead of having a glass of wine with dinner each night, focus on having it no more than 2 days per week. 

I often hear from clients that the 80/20 approach help them to not feel deprived, and reduces cravings overall. 

Myth #8: Eating Healthy is Expensive

Truth: eating healthy doesn’t have to cost more.

Budget-friendly staples like beans, cottage cheese, canned tuna, oats, eggs, frozen vegetables, and seasonal produce can form the foundation of nourishing meals. These types of foods will also help keep you full longer, which will help reduce overall snacking. 

Planning meals, cooking at home, and reducing food waste can save you so money in the long run. Highly refined foods, take-out and frequent dining out typically cost more per serving, with meals for a family of four easily ranging from $50 to $100+. 

Plus, eating well is truly investment for your future self. 

The Bottom Line

The truth is, nutrition doesn’t have to be confusing, restrictive, or rooted in fear. Most nutrition myths oversimplify complex systems like metabolism, hormones, and blood sugar. When you focus on balance, adequacy, and sustainable habits, you create results that actually last. 

You don’t have to sort through the nutrition confusion alone. If you’re ready to better understand your body, balance your blood sugars, support your metabolism, and create sustainable habits, apply to work with me 1:1 so we can build a personalized plan that fits your lifestyle.