We believe we eat well, we choose low-fat products, we look for protein-enriched foods, and we even think that a glass of wine a day could be beneficial to our health.
However, some of those habits we have completely normalized are not as healthy as we think.
And that is precisely the problem: many times we do not need to overhaul our entire diet, but rather start by identifying what we do wrong without realizing it.
The dietitian-nutritionist and science communicator Aitor Sánchez focuses on those everyday mistakes and on the messages we continue to take as gospel about nutrition. His involvement in the campaign Razones de Peso, led by Lilly, aims precisely to contribute to changing society’s perception of obesity and to remind that it is not an aesthetic issue nor a problem that can be reduced to willpower.
The foods that seem healthy, but we should review
One of the areas Sánchez emphasizes most is the false sense of eating better by choosing certain versions of common products. Among his examples are low-fat sausages and foods enriched with protein.
«People look for the best deli meat or its best version, instead of changing their eating pattern», he explains.
The nutritionist uses as an example those who spend time and money seeking a sausage with 95% meat, when they could opt for alternatives such as a slice of bread with extra virgin olive oil, grated tomato, hummus, or mackerel.
He also warns about the rise of protein-enriched products.
The problem, he explains, is that many people focus only on the amount of protein they contain, without paying attention to the nutritional quality of the product as a whole. Behind some protein bars and protein desserts can lie formulations that are not as healthy as they appear.
Another habit that invites review is alcohol consumption. In light of the belief that a daily glass of wine is good for the heart, Sánchez proposes seeking antioxidants in foods such as fruit.
He also reminds that we do not always need to resort to red meat to obtain iron: mussels and nuts are other alternatives.
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Not five meals a day, nor a glass of wine: the dietary myths we keep believing
Nutrition is surrounded by messages we repeat almost without questioning. Some come from popular beliefs and others have been heavily shaped by the food industry.
For Aitor Sánchez, one of the big mistakes is thinking that there are indispensable foods. “There are no indispensable foods, only nutrients,” he notes. That is why he explains that those who do not consume dairy can obtain calcium through leafy greens, seeds, or legumes.
He also contends that Spain has progressively moved away from the Mediterranean diet toward a Westernized eating pattern, in which the less healthy products are taking on a growing role.
His recommendation is clear: incorporate more fresh vegetables and plant-based protein, and reduce the consumption of ultraprocessed foods, alcoholic drinks, and processed meats.
And if budget is a concern, eating well does not have to be expensive. Oats, whole-grain bread, fruit and seasonal vegetables, legumes, potatoes, and olive oil are among the foods he recommends adding to the shopping basket. «There’s no need to buy smoked salmon and pricey deli meats; a simple can of chickpeas is enough,» he explains.
Obesity is not a matter of willpower: what lies behind weight gain
Beyond eating habits, Sánchez wants to highlight an issue still surrounded by prejudices: obesity. Through the campaign Razones de Peso, backed by Lilly, he defends the importance of stopping linking this disease exclusively to aesthetics and starting to understand it from a health perspective.
«In its development, genetics, the environment, and our habits all play a role… so drawing hurried conclusions such as it being solely a matter of willpower is a big deception», he explains.
The specialist also addresses a situation that raises many questions: why do some people eat little and still not manage to lose weight.
Among the possible explanations he points to is that the amount of food may still provide more energy than is expended, that physical activity levels may be very low, or that there are metabolic factors that hinder the process.
Another common problem is the well-known rebound effect. For Sánchez, the mistake lies in framing healthy eating as a diet with a beginning and an end. “There should be no after part of a diet because that means it had a start and an end,” he explains.
His proposal is to build a way of eating that can be sustained in the long term and that we also enjoy while eating.
For those who want to start changing their habits, the nutritionist suggests three simple measures: drink more water instead of alcoholic or sugary drinks, include vegetables in lunches and dinners, and always have fruit for dessert. Small changes that can help improve our diet without resorting to restrictive measures that are impossible to maintain.
