Carbs, Cleanses, and Low-Fat Lies: Debunking Popular Food Myths

The holidays are in full swing—Christmas is this week, and the New Year is right around the corner. And if there’s ever a time when food myths hit harder, it’s now.

Fear of Carbs at the holiday dinner table, “detox cleanses” in January to make up for eating holiday carbs, and the endless cycle of guilt over "indulgent" treats. Sound familiar? 👀 You’re not alone. I’ve been there too. 🫂

Welcome back to Motivated with Meg! In this episode, we’re breaking down the most common food myths that pop up this time of year…like why you don’t need to “detox” after the holidays, why carbs aren’t the enemy (yes, even good ol’ bread), and how to spot sneaky marketing traps like “low-fat” and “fat-free” labels.

If you’re tired of feeling like you need to “get back on track” every January, this one’s for you. Let’s reclaim your relationship with food—no rules required.

Topics Covered

• How food myths get started (and why they feel so real)
• The food myths that ran my life
• The truth about carbs and why they’re not the enemy
• Why juice cleanses feel like they “work” but don’t actually detox your body
• The surprising problem with low-fat and fat-free foods
• How we only see evidence that supports our beliefs and ignore everything else, aka confirmation bias
• Your experiment for the week!

Resources:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Nutrition Science – Reliable source of evidence-based nutrition information.
• Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch – A resource on moving away from diet rules and reclaiming body trust.
• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics – Professional guidance on balanced eating and debunking common myths.

Connect with Meaghan

• Follow @motivatedwithmegpodcast

Follow @meaghanmcelroen

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