6 Nutrition Myths Women Should Stop Believing

Separate fact from fiction in common women’s nutrition advice and make food choices that support a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

Online advice and conversations among friends can make it hard to know what’s actually best to eat. Many women want to make healthy choices, but a lot of the information circulating is mixed, outdated, or simply incorrect.

“This isn’t unique to women, but there is more messaging around weight loss, dieting, or protein consumption in online spaces that women frequent,” says Maya Feller, RD, the founder and lead dietitian at Maya Feller Nutrition. “The influencer that’s the most compelling or feels like a trusted friend is really able to pull the viewer and the reader into whatever they're saying and make people more prone to believe them.”

In general, healthy eating does not require extreme rules. A woman’s body needs a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein, and fat, to work properly. If any of the following six myths sound familiar, nutrition experts explain why it may be time to rethink them.

1. Myth: Carbs Are the Enemy

Even with low-carb diets and carb avoidance still popular, carbohydrates are not automatically harmful. Some carbohydrates contain sugar, but healthy carbs are also the body’s main and preferred energy source.

“Instead of eliminating carbs, shift your focus to the quality of carbs,” says Sharniqua White, RDN, a culinary dietitian in Greensboro, North Carolina.

There are three main types of carbohydrates, and only one category should be seriously limited.

• Simple sugars are carbs from one or two types of sugar. These are the type of carbs to limit, particularly if you have diabetes. They’re easily digested and quickly absorbed, and they can cause blood sugar to spike. They’re found in candy, fruit juice, soda, syrups and sweeteners, and packaged foods like white bread, cookies, and cakes.
• Starch is a type of complex carbohydrate that occurs naturally in vegetables, grains, and beans. Starch is digested more slowly, which makes it healthier, and it will eventually break down into simple sugars known as glucose, which is an essential energy source.
• Fiber is another type of complex carbohydrate, and it is found in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans. Fiber helps keep our digestive system healthy, and it can also play a big role in healthy weight maintenance.

2. Myth: All Processed Foods Are Bad for You

It’s true that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — mass-produced packaged snacks, bread, candy, and baked goods — are not part of a healthy diet.

Indeed, one recent study found that higher UPF intake in women is associated with increased risk of certain types of early-onset colorectal precancerous growths.

But those foods are only one category of processed foods. Many others are minimally processed or processed less heavily, including the prechopped and frozen fruits and vegetables many women rely on to feed their families.

“Many processed foods can help save time and provide great nutrition,” says Rosanne Rust, RDN, author of DASH Diet for Dummies and the owner of Rust Nutrition Services in Florida. “Canned vegetables, canned beans, and frozen fruits, vegetables, and legumes are convenient solutions to get a quick meal on the table.”

She adds that other processed foods, such as fortified breakfast cereals and breads, can help fill nutrient gaps, especially the iron, folate, and other vitamins and minerals needed by children and people who can become pregnant.

3. Myth: Your Body Occasionally Needs a Detox or Cleanse

If someone is trying to sell you a detox pill, potion, or powder, it’s worth being skeptical, says Milton Stokes, PhD, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian based in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut, area.

“You can safely ditch the idea of detoxing because your body already does it for you,” says Dr. Stokes. Your liver and kidneys work continuously to remove waste and toxins.

Beyond being unnecessary, cleanses can also be harmful to a woman’s body. Highly restrictive, low-calorie diets — like those used in detoxes and cleanses — can raise the risk of menstrual disorders if followed long-term.

“The overall culture of weight loss in chasing skinny really leads women to believe they need a detox, when they don’t,” adds Feller.

White says that instead of restrictive cleanses, people should “support these organs by staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and limiting excessive alcohol intake.”

For anyone still unconvinced, research on detox cleanses is limited and low quality. There are also safety concerns, since some juices used in detoxes and cleanses are unpasteurized and may carry harmful bacteria.

4. Myth: Eating Fat Makes You Fat

This belief grew out of the late 20th-century low-fat trend, when many women were told any fat they ate would settle on their hips and thighs forever. While fats are more calorie-dense than carbohydrates and protein, some fats are healthy and essential, and the female reproductive system depends on them.

Research has also shown that muscular women with higher levels of body fat may have more protection against heart disease.

“Weight gain is influenced by many different factors, not one specific macronutrient,” says White. “Healthy fats actually play a key role in satiety and nutrient absorption.”

If you want to reduce fat in your diet, begin with saturated and trans fats, which have long been linked to heart disease and weight gain.

White recommends including healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in appropriate portions rather than cutting fat out altogether. These are found in foods such as nuts, seeds, avocados, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, and olive oil.

5. Myth: Organic Foods Should Always Be Prioritized

Foods grown with an emphasis on sustainability, soil and crop standards, and limited pesticide use are appealing to many health-conscious shoppers, and women are more likely than men to prefer organic food.

But if the price is too high, there’s no reason to feel guilty about choosing conventionally grown produce.

“While organic foods can reduce exposure to certain pesticides, they are not necessarily more nutritious than conventionally grown options,” says White. “The most important goal is to eat more fruits and vegetables overall, organic or not, so choose what fits your budget and access.”

The Environmental Working Group publishes an annual Clean Fifteen list showing which produce items have the lowest pesticide levels.

1. Pineapple
2. Sweet corn (fresh and frozen)
3. Avocados
4. Papaya
5. Onions
6. Sweet peas (frozen)
7. Asparagus
8. Cabbage
9. Cauliflower
10. Watermelon
11. Mangoes
12. Bananas
13. Carrots
14. Mushrooms
15. Kiwi

6. Myth: Protein Is the Most Important Nutrient to Prioritize in My Diet

Low-carb eaters, GLP-1 users who need protein to help preserve muscle, and midlife women focused on leaner muscle mass have made protein the nutrition trend of the moment. But that does not mean it should crowd out every other food group.

“Grain foods, fruits, and vegetables provide fiber and a multitude of important vitamins and minerals that the body needs,” Rust says.

Beyond possible nutrient deficiencies, a very high-protein diet can also contribute to digestive problems and may place strain on the kidneys or raise heart-health concerns, especially when it includes red or processed meats high in saturated fat.

Nutrition guidelines suggest that adults should eat 1.2 to 1.6 grams (g) of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. For someone who weighs 150 pounds, that works out to roughly 82 to 109 g of protein daily.