BEIJING, April 5 (Xinhuanet) -- "You know carbs make you fat." "Avoid eating eggs." -- People always believe these nutrition myths and follow them. But are they accurate?

    Rescently, in an American College of Sports Medicine-sponsored health and fitness summit held in Dallas, Wendy Repovich, an exercise physiologist at the Eastern Washington University in Cheyenne, Wahington, rebuked several common nutrition misconceptions.

    "Drink eight glasses of water a day." Repovich said people need to replace water lost through breathing, urinating, sweating each day -- but that doesn't necessarily total 64 ounces of water (1.2 kg).

    "It's hard to measure the exact amount of water you have consumed daily in food and drink, but if your urine is pale yellow, you're doing a good job. If it's a darker yellow, drink more water," Repovich added.    

    "Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol." This myth began because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, there's not enough cholesterol there to pose health risks if eggs are eaten in moderation, she said.

    Repovich said that studies suggest that eating one egg per day will not raise cholesterol levels and that eggs are actually a great source of nutrients.

    Here's another myth: "Eating carbohydrates makes you fat." Cutting carbs from your diet may have short-term weight loss benefits due to water loss from a decrease in carbohydrate stores, but eating carbs in moderation does not directly lead to weight gain, she said. 

    Repovich noted that the body uses carbs for energy, and going too long without them can cause lethargy.

    It's also a myth, Repovich said, that everyone needs vitamin supplements, although she admitted to popping a multivitamin each morning. People who eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, along with moderate amounts of a variety of low-fat dairy and protein and the right quantity of calories, probably don't need a vitamin supplement, she said.

    "But for the most part, we don't eat the way we should so probably a simple multivitamin is good for most people," Repovich said.

(Agencies)