New book destroys the myth that ‘carbs cause obesity’

No, eating after 6pm will not make you fat

A new book has sought to destroy dietary myths such as 'carbs cause obesity' and 'don't eat after 6pm'. Fad diets spread like wildfire in the fitness industry, and social media hasn't really helped in that regard. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram started running fact-check warnings on their platforms in the wake of the US Presidential Election, when Donald Trump falsely accused the Biden camp of having "stolen" the election. But should this feature be limited to politics? Wherever you look, there are diet myths shared all over social media to huge numbers, often preventing people from achieving their goals. A new book aims to redress the balance. In Forking Wellness, registered nutritionists Sophie Bertrand and Bari Stricoff destroy most of the unhelpful diet myths you will have encountered online. Former Balls of Steel presenter and current TalkRADIO host Mark Dolan courted controversy recently when he claimed "CARBOHYDRATES CAUSE OBESITY. The end." https://twitter.com/mrmarkdolan/status/1364880543721152513?s=20 This is nothing but nonsense, say Bertrand and Stricoff. "Carbs don't cause weight gain. "It is thought the brain uses 20% of all energy needed by the body and the glucose from carbohydrate-containing foods provides adequate fuel for the brain to function properly." In other words, Dolan needs to dose up on carbs before pondering another tweet. In terms of the best sources of carbohydrate, the authors write: "Good sources for carbs include breads, whole grains, starchy vegetables (potatoes, butternut squash, parsnips and peas) and fruits." There is no evil food group; your body requires protein, carbs and fats, to varying degrees, throughout the day. The claim that 'eating fat makes you fat' is as confused as thinking carbohydrates cause obesity, if Bertrand and Stricoff's advice is anything to go by. "It's estimated that one third of our energy intake should come from fat, more so from unsaturated fat sources, like nuts, seeds and avocados... But some saturated too. "Saturated fats are usually found in animal products and are good to include as part of a well-balanced diet. Many people don't include enough fats in their diet, particularly fatty acids which are often referred to as omega-3s." You'll find omega-3s in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel. Elsewhere, the authors ridicule the idea that eating after 6pm is bad for you - another common diet myth. "Digestion isn't dictated by the time of day. Your body will not digest nor store food differently at 6:01pm. "Our digestive systems work just as hard in the morning as they do throughout the day."