Some nutrition advice just won't go away no matter how much evidence stacks up against it. You've probably heard someone repeat one of these at the gym, in a group chat, or from a well-meaning relative at Christmas lunch. The frustrating part is that a lot of these myths sound logical on the surface, which is exactly why they stick around so long.

Take the idea that carbs make you fat. Carbs got a bad reputation somewhere along the way, but weight gain comes down to eating more energy than your body uses, not from one macronutrient acting as a villain. Rice, oats, and fruit aren't the enemy. If anything, cutting carbs too hard around training sessions tends to leave people flat and unmotivated to move, which does more damage to progress than a bowl of pasta ever could.

Another one that won't die is the claim that eating after a certain hour, usually 7 or 8pm, gets stored straight as fat. Your body doesn't have an internal clock that flips a switch at nightfall. What actually matters is your total intake across the day and week. If dinner at 9pm is the only time that works with your schedule, that's fine, so long as the rest of your eating pattern is reasonable.

Detox teas and juice cleanses are still marketed hard, and people still buy in because the idea of "flushing out toxins" feels appealing after a big weekend. Your liver and kidneys already do that job around the clock without help from an overpriced tea bag. These products mostly just make you go to the toilet more, which isn't the same thing as detoxing anything.

Then there's the belief that a high protein intake wrecks healthy kidneys. This one gets repeated so often that people start avoiding a second scoop of whey protein isolate out of genuine worry. For someone without existing kidney disease, research hasn't shown that a higher protein intake causes harm. If you do have a diagnosed kidney condition, that's a different conversation, and it's worth having with your doctor rather than guessing.

Fat free labels still trick people into thinking a product is automatically the healthier choice. Often the fat gets replaced with added sugar to keep the taste palatable, so you end up with something that isn't actually lighter on calories at all. Reading the actual nutrition panel tells you far more than the marketing claim on the front of the pack.

Old advice sticks around because it's simple and easy to repeat, even once the science has moved on. The honest version is usually less exciting: eat enough protein, get some fibre and variety in your meals, move your body regularly, and don't stress every time you eat past a certain time of night. It's not as catchy as a rule with a deadline attached, but it holds up a lot better over time.