Starch
True or False: Only bread, potatoes and pasta are considered starches/carbs
What is false! Carbohydrates are found in many foods including fruits, vegetables and legumes.
True or False: Fat raises cholesterol
FALSE! Many fats, especially those high in unsaturated fatty acids, can help to lower blood cholesterol.
True or False: you can't get enough protein on a vegan/vegetarian diet
False! It may be harder to meet your protein needs on a vegan/vegetarian diet, but it's not impossible. Many plant proteins are actually denser than animal proteins, meaning there may be more protein in a pound of spinach than a pound of chicken, but think of all the spinach you'd need to make up a whole pound! Thankfully, high protein plant based foods exist, like beans/legumes, tofu and soy found in many meatless meat options (think chik'n, veggie burgers etc!)
FALSE! There’s no nutritional difference between organic milk and regular milk. Both not only taste great, but they contain the same vitamins and minerals. By the way, all milk must meet the same rigorous standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration
True or false, health at every size is "anti-science" and "anti- health"
False! There is so much research out there crediting the HAES movement, but as a tidbit, it is important to keep in mind that research has proven highly negative effects of weight stigma and weight cycling.
True or False: Starches/Carbs are "unhealthy"
what is FALSE! Starches are the main nutrient your body uses for energy. They make it possible to dance, learn the piano, hangout with friends, build a snowman and get out of bed in the morning.
True or false: Our bodies need fat
What is true! For our brains, fat is especially important since it is the first nutrient used for that organ to function.
False! While protein plays a role in muscle development, it is also important to maintain bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, hair, hormones and even antibodies that fight off diseases and viruses like COVID 19!
True or False: For the price, milk supplies more nutrients than juice
True, mostly. Per 8-ounce glass, milk provides twice as many nutrients and vitamins as juice, TYPICALLY!!! It all depends on the fortification of the juice in question. By the way, nutrients added by fortification are just as bioavailable as natural nutrients :)
true or false: Surely you can’t be healthy at any size
One of the most common misconceptions is that HAES claims that everyone is healthy, regardless of their size. The distinction between “health” and “healthy” is important, because HAES is really about the ability of anyone to pursue health (if that is what they want,) not a commentary on a person’s health status. The HAES paradigm also rejects the notion that weight and body size are proxies of health. In other words, the pursuit of health doesn’t involve weight loss, or achieving a certain body size or shape.
What is false! The keto diet restricts the intake of carbs and focuses on mainly fats with some protein. If only fats and proteins are being taken in, the body will use fat as energy by converting fatty acids to glucose molecules (sugar). The process to do this creates by-products called ketones. If enough ketones build up in the blood, a person is at risk of ketoacidosis, which is when the blood becomes too acidic (strays from its regular pH). Ketoacidosis is life threatening.
True or false: Red meat is a bad form of protein
True or false: Flavored milk isn’t good for you due to added sugar.
FALSE: False: Research shows children who drink flavored milk actually meet more of their nutrient needs. Milk, whether it’s flavored or plain white, contains thirteen essential nutrients including protein and calcium.
True or false: But surely there is a point where someone is too fat and would benefit from weight loss
While HAES practitioners recognize that higher body weights are associated with negative health outcomes, there is no evidence to show that weight itself causes these outcomes, nor is there evidence that weight loss prevents or improves these outcomes. In fact, there is evidence that weight stigma is associated with the same negative health outcomes that are often blamed on weight. Recommending weight loss as a medical intervention is ineffective not only because weight is regained for the vast majority of people, but can also cause harm by encouraging weight cycling, disordered eating, and reinforcing weight stigma.
True or false: Gluten is bad
What is FALSE FALSE FALSE!!! Gluten is actually a PROTEIN that is found in many starches typically to make them stick together (no one likes crumbly bread). Nothing about gluten is "unhealthy" or dangerous unless you have celiac disease, which is a rare autoimmune disease diagnosable by biopsy.
True or false: Extra virgin olive oil is less processed and therefore better than regular olive oil.
False, extra virgin olive oil is made from only cold pressed olives, while other versions are made from a blend of cold pressed olive and processed derivatives. Although, any oil that doesn't meet extra-virgin standards is refined to get rid of undesirable impurities, giving the oil a more neutral flavor and lighter color coined by extra virgin varieties. This means... most oils are created equally 🥳
true or false: Eating protein is bad for the kidneys
False! When processed through the kidneys protein creates a by-product called urea, typically excreted in urine. If suffering from kidney disease (when the kidneys are not functioning properly), it may be recommended that protein intake may be limited to avoid a build up of urea that may be harmful. However, with healthy kidneys, protein is safe to consume at most quantities.
True or False: Soy, almond, coconut and rice beverages are healthier than real dairy milk.
False: While some milk-alternative beverages are a good source of plant protein, they are fortified and do not offer the same package of healthy nutrients — calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin — found in milk and milk products. One 8-ounce glass of almond beverage only provides 1 gram of protein, while real dairy milk provides 8 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving.
true or false: HAES is a relatively new concept, created by Dr. Linda Bacon
Though Dr. Bacon may have popularized Health At Every Size with their book of the same name published in 2008, they were not the creators of HAES, nor do they own the trademark. That honour goes to the Association of Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH), which was formed in 2003. But even before that, the concepts that form the foundation of HAES can be traced back to the 1970s, with the start of the fat activism movement. When it comes to the history of science and healthcare, it can still be argued that HAES is a relatively new (and still evolving) framework, but it’s not as young as many people perceive it to be.
What is False! Carbs/Starches are the main nutrient used for energy in the body. The sugar carbs/starches break down into will provide you with energy to help make you feel able to take on your day. Carbs/Starches can be more energizing even than caffeine.
True or false:butter is bad for you
First of all butter is good for the soul, so FALSE. And, from a scientific standpoint, butter is not "bad" for you. Butter can be part of a healthy diet just like any other food and even has benefits such as high vitamin d (rare in most foods!), calcium, vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
True or false: Protein is only found in animal meats, eggs, legumes, beans and nuts.
False! Protein is found in many (dare I say MOST) foods! While protein may be higher in protein dense foods like meats, eggs, legumes, beans and nuts, there is still protein found in breads and most grains, leafy greens and even fruits!
True or False: Pasteurized milk offers more health benefits than unpasteurized milk.
True, Raw (unpasteurized) milk and foods made from it do not provide any more health benefits than pasteurized milk, and raw milk can pose serious health risks, such as exposure to E. coli, listeria and salmonella, according to the Federal Drug Administration and other health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
true or false: HAES promotes “unhealthy” body sizes
The HAES practitioners respect body diversity and recognize that different body sizes and shapes occur naturally among humans.
HAES also believes that every individual deserves respect, regardless of body size. Weight bias, stigma and discrimination have been shown to negatively impact health, increase stress, and contribute to chronic inflammation, as with any form of discrimination.