When you get down to it, the right answer is usually the simplest one.
And the same thing goes for your health, too. While silly rules (like don’t eat after 8pm, for example) might be trending, it’s always common sense that prevails time and again as the perfect solution.
Proof? Here are five of the top nutrition and health questions we get asked… and the answers sound pretty reasonable to us!
Should I be eating margarine or butter?
Hmm, natural butter or highly processed, deodorised, bleached, coloured and flavoured margarine? Yeah, it’s a tricky choice for us, too.
Don’t be fooled by the low-fat propaganda. While butter is very high in calories and should be consumed in moderation, recent studies suggest that there is little to no association between saturated fats and heart disease. Margarine, on the other hand, can be packed with inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids and disastrous artificial trans fats. Not to mention the artificial colouring. It also tastes awful, too, so there’s that.
Full-fat milk or skim?
If you’re the type to order a skinny latte, you might want to think again (what would the Italians say?!). Firstly, full-fat milk is not really full fat: it contains only around 3.25 per cent butterfat. If you’re only drinking a glass or two a day, it doesn’t amount to much at all!
Anyway, the proof that full-fat makes you fat is just as watered down as skim milk. A 12-year study linked a high dairy fat intake with a lower risk of dangerous belly fat, while a low dairy fat intake showed the opposite. Full-fat milk also fills you up for longer. Pass the glass!
HIIT training or a daily walk?
Exercise is a very personal thing, and the important thing is that you’re getting regular physical activity. But don’t feel like you’re pressured to join Crossfit or run a half-marathon if that’s not your bag.
Gentle, incidental and mindful exercise can be just as beneficial. Indeed, one study showed that 30 minutes of aerobic activity was optimal for fat loss and cardiovascular health. Realistic and achievable goals are… well, the goal here.
Smoothies or juice?
One hundred per cent, smoothies. Juices chuck out perfectly good, satiating fibre, contain more sugar and can even lead to constipation. They also need blooming great big contraptions to make. Smoothies can be made of whatever you like – fruit, protein, healthy fats, vegetables – and can be literally whipped up at the touch of a button.
Sugar or… um, sugar?
Ok, so this is the big ’un. The question we get asked most – what sugar should I be eating? To keep things short and sweet (you can read more on our stance on sugar here), we aim to cut down on fructose, not glucose. Glucose is found in basically all foods and fuels the cells in the body, while fructose is mostly processed by the liver, causing metabolic mayhem.
To avoid too much fructose, it’s really as simple as cutting out processed junk. Table sugar (sucrose) is half fructose, so we get rid of that. We do get a small amount of fructose from our recommended two serves of fruit a day. But unlike plain sugar, fruit is packaged in fibre and nutrients to buffer the effects of fructose, and therefore it’s our preferred source of sweetness.
We originally published this article in March 2016. We updated it in June 2016.
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