1. “Eating before bed will make you fat”

If you work long hours or have a lifestyle that forces you to eat later on, you’ve probably questioned this myth before. Thankfully, most experts agree that a bit of late night indulgence will not necessarily make you gain weight. Food is metabolised in the same way irrespective of the time of day, the current consensus amongst dietitians is that you should consider all food intake over a 24 hour period. In some cases this could even extend to 72 hours as certain foods take a surprising amount of time to be fully absorbed by our digestive system.

2. “Nuts are good for you”

Despite being packed full of vitamins and minerals, nuts are known for having a high fat content, does this mean you should avoid them? Assuming you don’t have a nut allergy, the answer is no. The fats found in nuts are known as “unsaturated fats” or “good fats”, this is because they can actually improve your health! Studies show that nut eaters are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease! Their high fat content also makes them great for snacking when you need an extra bit of energy.

3. “Your blood cholesterol increases by eating eggs”

This is actually untrue, the cholesterol levels in the blood are determined by the body’s own production, so as long as you do not suffer from high cholesterol its fine to add eggs into your daily routine. They are a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals meaning they can make a great addition to any balanced diet.

4. “Drinking coffee makes you lose fat”

This is a common myth that’s often misunderstood. It’s true that the concentration of fatty acids in the blood increases after an intake of caffeine, however it doesn’t necessarily mean that the body is consuming more fats. The main benefit of coffee (apart from the taste!) is the energy boost it provides, if you can utilise this to exercise for longer then you should definitely see an increase in fat loss, provided you have a well balanced diet in place.

5. “Carbs make you fat”

The body stores fat when you consume more calories than you expend, your food choices have an impact on your overall health but fat storage is governed by this principle. So, theoretically you could lose weight on a diet of crisps and sweets provided you consume fewer calories than you burn. Unprocessed whole foods like rice and potatoes are the best source of carbs as they take more time to digest so you’ll be fuller for longer.