The month of March is Nutrition Month in Canada, and this year’s theme is: “Nourish to Flourish.” It is a reminder that food affects much more than just our weight. What we eat has a tremendous impact on our heart health, blood sugar levels, and our overall energy on a day-to-day basis. Health Canada points Canadians to the same basic starting place: eat a variety of healthy foods, drink water often, and limit eating highly processed foods.

In South Asian families, food is often tied to a sense of comfort, love, and culture. That is part of what makes nutrition advice tricky. Individuals are not simply just talking about nutrients. They are talking about decade old family recipes, classic snacks with chai, and foods that remind them of home. Because of this, health myths can spread easily. Some of them may sound harmless but unfortunately, they may pull people away from what helps.

A common myth is that “homemade food” automatically means it is healthier. This isn’t always the case. Homemade food can be wonderful, but if a dish is packed with butter, cream, salt, or sugar, it still affects the body the same way. A homemade sweet is still a sweet. A fried snack is still fried. The better question is not whether something came from a package or from your own kitchen. The better question is how often you eat it, how much of it is on the plate, and what else is around it.

Another myth is that brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup do not count the same way as white sugar. They may sound more natural, but the body still breaks them down as sugar. This really matters for people with diabetes, prediabetes, fatty liver, or anyone trying to lower sugar intake. Health Canada’s food guide recommends making water your drink of choice and limiting foods and drinks high in sugars, sodium, or saturated fat. The source may look different, but too much is still too much.

Fruit gets blamed too. Many people worry that fruit is “too sweet” and should be avoided, especially if they have diabetes. In most cases, that is not the right takeaway. Whole fruit comes with fiber and other nutrients, and Canada’s Food Guide places vegetables and fruits as a major part of healthy eating. Juice is different. Whole fruit and fruit juice do not work the same way in the body. An orange and a glass of orange juice are not the same.

Then there is the idea that all fats are bad. Health Canada does not say to avoid all fats. It says to choose foods with healthy fats more often and to limit foods high in saturated fat. That means there is room for nuts, seeds, and other healthier fat sources in the diet. The issue is not a spoon of oil in a home-cooked sabzi. It is the steady build-up of deep-fried foods, heavy restaurant meals, and packaged snacks eaten often.

Packaged foods create another challenge because labels can be confusing. Health Canada now requires a front-of-package nutrition symbol on many prepackaged foods that are high in saturated fat, sugars, or sodium. That symbol is there to help shoppers make health-conscious choices at the store. If you see the label, pause and compare your options. Sometimes one small switch, like choosing a lower-sodium soup or a cereal without the symbol, is more realistic than trying to change everything all at once.

The good news is that healthy eating does not mean abandoning South Asian food. It means building a healthier plate from foods many families already know. More vegetables. More lentils and beans. More whole grain choices when possible. Replacing sugary drinks with water. Eating fewer highly processed snacks. Canada’s Food Guide also reminds people that healthy eating is more than just the food itself. Cook more often, eat meals with others, and be mindful of how food marketing influences your choices.

For families, the most useful step is usually the smallest one. Add one extra vegetable to dinner. Cut back on sugar in chai. Read one label before buying a packaged snack. Swap one sugary drink for water. Small changes help to build habits that create long term change in life.

Nutrition advice can feel confusing, especially online. March is a good time to come back to the basics. If the message sounds extreme, expensive, or disconnected from everyday life, it probably will not last. The best food habits are usually the ones that fit your actual home, your actual schedule, and the foods your family will truly eat.