Nutrition Myths Debunked: The Truth About Supplements, Food Dyes, Seed Oils, and Raw Milk

5 days ago

Busting the Most Common Nutrition Myths

Are artificial food dyes harmful? Are seed oils inflammatory? Is raw milk good for you? And what about supplements - do they actually work, and do you need them as an athlete?

In Episode 111 of the Eat for Endurance Podcast, Sports Dietitian Lauren Link, MS RD CSSD joins me to dive deep into the most debated nutrition topics from this past year. We separate fact from fiction, break down the science, explore why these nutrition myths are so widely embraced, and provide practical tips to help you make safer, well-informed choices for your health and athletic performance.

Nutrition Misinformation is Everywhere

Nutrition and other health misinformation is rampant in the online and real world, fueled by social media and fear-based marketing. Many influencers and other non-credentialed “experts” promote a variety of nutrition claims that are not backed by science, often while selling their own shady products and services.

Here’s the key to navigating all the noise, especially when consuming social media content:

Check credentials: Does this person have credentials that match what they're talking about? Remember, Registered Dietitians (RD and RDN) are the nutrition experts.
Follow the money: Why is the person talking about this particular topic or product? Are they selling something or being compensated?
Critically evaluate nutrition claims: Are their claims backed by science (human not just cell or animal studies)? Do they sound too good or outrageous to be true?

Let's take a closer look at some of the most common nutrition myths that Lauren and I both encounter in our client and social media work.

Supplements - Necessary or Overhyped for Athletes?

The supplement industry is largely unregulated, and should be approached with extreme caution. Not only do many supplements make outrageous claims about supposed health and/or performance benefits, but others do not actually contain what they claim to on labels. Some may even contain harmful substances.

For example, this 2023 study looked at 57 supposedly performance-enhancing sports supplements, and found that 89% of tested supplements did not match their labels, 40% had no detectable amount of the ingredient it claimed to have, and 12% contained FDA-prohibited ingredients.

Can you imagine buying a supplement, and it not even having a trace of what it said to have in it?! Wow.

So do you really need supplements as an athlete? And if need or want to take one, how do you choose a safe supplement?

Dial in your foundations (everyday diet, performance nutrition, sleep, stress) before adding performance supplements
Check that the performance supplement you are considering has strong scientific evidence behind it (e.g. caffeine, creatine monohydrate, sodium bicarbonate, etc)
Be wary of proprietary blends, as they often hide unknown and possibly harmful ingredients
Buy products that are third-party tested (e.g. NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Sport, Informed Choice, USP Verified, etc)
Get bloodwork done to test for deficiency before automatically supplementing with vitamins and minerals (e.g. Vit D, iron, etc)
Consider adding an omega-3 supplement (e.g. fish oil or algal oil) if you do not regularly consume fatty fish
Multi-vitamins are generally low-risk, if using a tested product, though may not be necessary or beneficial if you eat a balanced and adequate diet

If able, consult with a registered dietitian and/or a sports-informed physician before adding new supplements to your routine.

Are Artificial Food Dyes Bad for You?

Artificial food dyes, particularly Red 40 and Red 3, have been at the center of controversy this past year. The noise has gotten particularly loud in the context of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement.

Recently, the FDA revoked the use of Red No. 3 in response to a 2022 color additive petition and based on the Delaney Clause, which according to the FDA website, "prohibits FDA authorization of a food additive or color additive if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals." The FDA site goes on to explain that only two studies demonstrated male rats developing cancer when exposed to very high amounts of Red No. 3 due to a "rat specific hormonal mechanism," and that studies in other animals and in humans did not replicate these results.

In other words, the FDA revoking Red No. 3 was due to a petition, not because of science. There currently is no strong evidence of harm to humans. That said, this isn't something we "need" and it's not necessarily a bad thing to get rid of it.

As for Red No. 40, it's far more common and found in many foods including children's cereals. There has been a lot of public interest and outrage on this one, including a large protest outside of the Kellogg Headquarters demanding that the company remove all food dyes (including Red 40) from their cereals.

Many studies have claimed that Red 40 may cause hyperactivity and other behavior disturbances in children, but only a small percentage of children may be affected and the percent varies depending on the study you look at. Dietitian Jennifer Anderson of Kids Eat in Color did a great job giving a "hysteria free" summary of the research in this reel.

The real issue here isn’t really food dyes themselves - it’s overall diet quality. Food dyes (among other things) happen to be prevalent in ultra-processed foods, and a diet too high in ultra-processed foods is detrimental to health.

At the end of the day, food dyes are a distraction from the bigger issues that our country faces, as dietitian Jessica Knurick writes about in this fantastic article discussing why MAHA is so problematic.

So the big takeaway here is that we should not go out of our way to consume food dyes. But, you don't need to swear off every single food with food dyes either. As always, do what is right for you and your family.

The Seed Oil Controversy

Seed oils like soybean, canola, sunflower, safflower, sesame, and corn oil have been demonized in wellness culture for many years. The MAHA movement turned the heat up, claiming that "seed oils are one of the most unhealthy ingredients that we have in foods."

However, research over many decades shows that polyunsatuated fatty acids, which includes seed oils, are actually cardioprotective and can reduce inflammation when replacing saturated fats.

So why the controversy? Many processed foods contain seed oils, leading some to wrongly associate them with poor health. These two things should not be conflated.

Instead of avoiding seed oils entirely, focus on including a wide variety of unsaturated fats (seed oils, olive oil, nuts, avocado, fatty fish, etc) as part of a diet made up of mostly whole, nutrient-dense foods.

But you do NOT need to cut out all processed and ultra-processed foods. In fact, most of my athlete clients need to include many ultra-processed foods to meet their high energy and nutrient needs, especially during exercise.

Raw Milk: Nutritional Powerhouse or Dangerous Trend?

Raw milk has gained popularity, especially over the last decade, due to claims of higher nutrient content and beneficial bacteria. However, it also poses serious health risks, as it can contain pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, and even bird flu, which can be deadly - especially for children.

Pasteurization, which was introduced over 100 years ago, is a short heating and cooling process designed to eliminate these types of pathogens without destroying nutrients. As this review study explains, pasteurization has dramatically decreased the incidence of sickness due to drinking raw milk, and the popular claims that raw milk is nutritionally superior, prevents lactose intolerance, and provides more beneficial bacterial are simply not rooted in science.

The takeaway? Raw milk’s risks far outweigh any supposed benefits. Pasteurized milk is very nutritious, and a safer choice. Don't get caught up in all the hype - even if you see all the keto and carnivore bros chugging gallons of raw milk and preaching about how amazing it is!

Nutrition myths debunked with Lauren Link: The truth about food dyes, seed oils, raw milk and supplements

Busting Nutrition Myths: Key Takeaways

The nutrition world is incredibly overwhelming and confusing, and there are many compelling nutrition myths swirling around that appeal to deep-rooted wants and fears. Here are some tips to help guide you as you make your way through these murky waters:

Be cautious about trusting nutrition information online. Check who is funding the message, what products they are selling, and if valid human research studies are cited.
Supplements are poorly regulated, so choose wisely! Stick to third-party tested options and don’t waste money on sketchy proprietary blends.
Food dyes are not the main problem for most people. Instead of fixating on removing all artificial colors, focus on improving your overall diet quality as well as other foundational things like sleep and stress.
Seed oils are not inflammatory villains. They are actually beneficial when part of a balanced diet, and especially when replacing saturated fats.
Raw milk poses unnecessary risks. Pasteurized milk provides the same nutrients without the danger of contracting a foodborne illness.

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