Every day people face loads of unchecked nutritional information published online. It can become dangerous for some individuals who decide to change their diets based on such false or unsupported claims. For instance, there is a lot of negative information about carbohydrates that can be found on the Internet.
One way to identify such questionable assertions is to notice if the website or blogger uses such words as “bad carbs”. For instance, on the website called Live Science, there is an article discussing how eating “bad carbs” (starting from white rice) can increase one’s risk of disease (Cicetti, 2013). The authors suggest using the glycemic index to determine whether the given product is “a good” or “a bad” carb stating that “bad carbs” can, among other things, dangerously increase one’s blood sugar (Cicetti, 2013). However, this method is not likely to give a person a comprehensive picture regarding these foods nutritional value and their effect on blood sugar levels (since it is also important with what they are consumed). Moreover, the overall labeling of any food group as “bad” is not a scientific approach. The webpage also lacks references to support most of the claims. It is worth noting that the article was published in 2013 when there was less negative attention to diet culture rhetoric.
However, even more, recent publications make such assertions. For instance, an article published in 2020 on the website Health Shots propagates the benefits of a low-carb diet and, among other things, emphasizes that reducing carbohydrates consumption will make an individual more energetic (Bhardwaj, 2020). It explains that by stating that it takes time for the body to break down carbs (Bhardwaj, 2020). While some of the article’s claims are supported by research, this thought is not backed by any scientific information. Indeed, complex carbs can be slower to digest, but they usually give people energy for longer. Therefore, this claim is bogus. These examples illustrate why, while looking for nutritional information online, it is important to stick only to trusted sources that support their suggestions with recent research.
References
Cicetti, F. (2013). Good carbs, bad carbs: what you need to know. Life Science. Web.
Bhardwaj, N. (2020). 7 wonderful things that happen to your body when you opt for a low-carb diet. Health Shots. Web.