There are so many diet myths out there of which we should be aware, I decided to post the top 10 most common ones according to netdoctor.co.uk. Until I started to do some online research, I thought myths 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8 were true!

1. Low-fat or no-fat diets are good for you.

The truth: Leading dietician Lyndel Costain says: ‘People tend to think they need a low-fat diet to lose weight, but you should still have a third of your calories coming from fat.’

The body needs fat for energy, tissue repair and to transport vitamins A, D, E and K around the body.

2. Crash dieting or fasting makes you lose weight.

The truth: This may be true in the short term, but ultimately it can hinder weight loss.

Claire MacEvilly, a nutritionist at the MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre in Cambridge, explains: ‘Losing weight over the long term burns off fat. Crash dieting or fasting not only removes fat but also lean muscle and tissue.’

The loss of lean muscle causes a fall in your basal metabolic rate – the amount of calories your body needs on a daily basis.This means your body will need fewer calories than it did previously, making weight gain more likely once you stop dieting.

3. Food eaten late at night is more fattening.

The truth: It’s not when you eat that’s important, but the total amount you consume in a 24-hour period.

4. A slow metabolism prevents weight loss.

The truth:
Clare Grace, research dietitian at the Queen Mary University of London, says: ‘Weight gain occurs when the number of calories eaten is greater than the number used up by the body.

‘Unfortunately, people are becoming increasingly sedentary, burning off less and less calories, and it seems likely this is a crucial factor in the increasing numbers struggling to control their weight.’

5. Fattening foods equal rapid weight gain.

The truth: Believe it or not, true weight gain is a slow process. You need to eat an extra 3500 calories to gain one pound of body fat (and vice versa for losing it).

Lyndel Costain explains: ‘If the scales say you’ve gained a few pounds after a meal out, it’s largely due to fluid, which will resolve itself – as long as you don’t get fed up, and keep overeating!

6. Low-fat milk has less calcium than full-fat milk.

The truth: Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk actually have more calcium, says dietician Alison Sullivan, because the calcium is in the watery part, not the creamy part.

She says: ‘If you’re trying to lose weight and cut fat from your diet, skimmed milk is your best bet because it is lower in fat and has 10mg more calcium per 200ml milk than full fat.

7. Low-fat foods help you lose weight.

The truth: ‘Low-fat’ or ‘fat-free’ doesn’t necessarily mean low calorie or calorie-free, warns Lyndel Costain.

Check the calorie content of foods, especially cakes, biscuits, crisps, ice creams and ready meals. Extra sugars and thickeners are often added to boost flavour and texture, so calorie content may be only a bit less, or similar to standard products.

8. Cholesterol is bad for you.

The truth: Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made mostly by the liver. It can be bad for us, because it forms deposits that line and clog our arteries. Clogged arteries contribute to heart disease. But we all need some blood cholesterol because it’s used to build cells and make vital hormones – and there’s good and bad cholesterol.

9. Vegetarians can’t build muscle.

The truth: Vegetarians can be as muscular as meat eaters by getting their protein from vegetable sources such as cheese, nuts, pulses and grains.

10. You always gain weight when you stop smoking.

The truth: Some people gain weight when they stop smoking, some lose weight and some stay the same.

While nicotine does increase the body’s metabolism, its effect is small. It’s far healthier to be an overweight non-smoker than not bother giving up because you think you’ll put on weight.

So there you have it. If you would like to read the article in its entirety, please click here.