It’s 2026 — remove the food myths and the fad diets

By Cherice Bronte-Tinkew, RD

There was a recent video titled ‘Food myths to leave behind in 2026’ that inspired my column this month.

Social media plays a big role in everyone’s life, and it can be overwhelming at times. There are many tips and tricks on what foods you should eat or what food groups you should avoid, quick fixes, and extreme diets called ‘fad diets’.

A ‘fad diet’ is a plan that promotes results such as fast weight loss without robust scientific evidence to support its claims.

For 2026, I encourage simplicity in understanding good nutrition. Remove the noise and concentrate on nutrient-dense foods and take time to appreciate preparing and eating meals.

Cut out your favourite foods to lose weight

Many of us, have our Trini food favourites: doubles, macaroni pie, breadfruit oil down, and pelau. Do we have to give up these to be healthier? Putting one on a diet involves more psychology rather than the action of putting the meals together and physically moving the body.

So drastically removing or feeling you cannot enjoy your favourite foods can produce a depressed feeling and is not sustainable to meet healthy goals.

If you do overindulge, cut back on portions, decrease by half or change the recipes to include more fibre and less sugar and salt.

For example, add salad to half your plate with a smaller portion of macaroni pie, or add christophene or ochro to your pelau and replace the sugar for stewing with tomato paste or roucou.

Gluten free products are healthier for losing weight

Gluten is a type of protein found in wheat, rye and barley. It helps in developing texture and shape of baked products. Some persons can be diagnosed with gluten sensitivity or Celiac diseases which makes it harder for their bodies to process it. Gluten-free options would be recommended. So, if you have seen this trending—to choose gluten-free products—it is not a one size fits all especially for the purpose of weight loss.

If you find yourself choosing bread or baked goods frequently, it might be excessive and you can choose to reduce the intake. Bread is part of the Staples food group, and it provides us with carbohydrates for energy.

Choosing other items like sweet potato, green figs, and oatmeal in place of bread can be done. Choosing whole wheat or whole grain bread instead of plain white bread increases fibre and this helps in reducing weight.

Going vegetarian is healthier

Instantly removing all animal products still requires one to balance meals with adequate protein from other sources. Having a meal with just a baked potato or avocado on bread is not a balanced meal. Adding protein in your diet is like adding building blocks for your muscles and tissues in your body. It pairs well with staple foods like bread or potato to create balance.

Include plant-based protein from legumes such as peas, beans, nuts and seeds. If you are still including dairy products as a lacto-vegetarian, choose low fat or reduced fat milks, yogurts and cheese. Don’t forget the wide variety of vegetables, fruits and healthy fats.

Avoid all processed foods

‘Avoid all processed foods’ is a vague statement and can be interpreted in many ways. Does it mean I can only eat raw foods? Does it mean only processed meats, and I can still have my sweet biscuits?

There are different stages for processing food. Some have to be processed to become edible, for example, wheat is milled to become flour. Some foods are processed for longer shelf life such as canned tuna.

The simple rule is to choose foods with simple ingredients. If they include excessive amounts of salt, fat and sugar, they are ultra-processed and can be harmful to one’s health. So, the tuna sandwich can still be a part of a healthy diet.

I may not have covered all the myths, but when in doubt look towards the experts like a registered dietitian or look for accredited information online.

When researching, ask yourself if it is practical for your lifestyle and can be maintained.

Cherice Bronte-Tinkew has been a registered dietitian for over nine years. She is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians.

For more information: Facebook and Instagram pages @JustCherNutrition.

Email- justchernutri@gmail.com