Dancers strive to be as healthy as possible. They’ll look into almost any piece of nutrition advice they think might help them perform better onstage. But, despite good intentions, sometimes the guidance we get is simply wrong, or we misunderstand information. Don’t let your efforts become counterproductive: Avoid these nutrition myths that get passed around backstage far too often.

Myth: Always Choose Whole Grains
While whole grains and complex carbohydrates are your best sources for prolonged energy, if you eat them at the wrong time, they might not help your dancing. Have to be onstage after the next scene? Simple, easily digestible carbohydrates, like white bread or pretzels, are actually the better choice. “The closer you are to performance, the more simple foods you should choose,” says Heidi Skolnik, a New York nutritionist who works with dancers at the School of American Ballet. Complex carbohydrates digest slowly, so it can take a long time before your muscles can use them for energy. “There is a difference between eating meals for nutrients—like having a high-fiber lunch—and eating for immediate fuel, like right before class,” explains Skolnik. “White carbs won’t give you whole-grain nutrients, but they do carry easily accessible energy and calories.” She says even a handful of jelly beans will give you a boost.

Remember, if the body doesn’t have enough carbohydrates to draw from onstage, you could end up feeling lethargic and having trouble concentrating. Plus, if you’re bloated from eating only whole grains too close to performance, those fouettés will be harder to nail.
 
Myth: Fresh Produce Is Always Best
Don’t look down on frozen, canned and dried fruits. “Frozen produce actually retains the most nutrients because it is harvested at peak freshness and doesn’t decay as quickly as fresh produce,” says Melissa Ireland, a sports dietitian who works with Los Angeles Ballet Academy. A recent report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture found that fresh fruits and vegetables lose their nutrients during shipping and while sitting on shelves than frozen or canned produce. Some dried fruits end up having more nutrients as well—just watch for added sugar. And if sodium is a concern when eating canned vegetables, simply wash them in water!

Myth: Cutting Out Gluten Is a Good Idea
Going gluten-free is trendy right now. But unless you think you have a diagnosed gluten intolerance, eliminating gluten simply to lose weight can backfire. “Many foods with gluten are packed with fiber, phytonutrients and essential B vitamins that athletes need,” says Emily C. Harrison, dietitian at Atlanta Ballet’s Centre for Dance Nutrition. “And in order to make gluten-free foods palatable, many manufacturers add things like sugar, which increases the calorie count.” Go to a dietitian to investigate your true gluten needs before restricting or cutting it out of your diet.

Myth: Red Meat Is Bad for You
Many health-conscious dancers think they should steer clear of red meat’s hormones, antibiotics and animal fat. But the iron and zinc found in red meat is beneficial, especially for women. “We’re not talking about a slab of prime rib,” Skolnik says. “But three ounces of lean red meat has three to nine grams of fat (less than a Snickers bar), and is a great source of proteins and nutrients.”  Plus, because meat contains all of the essential amino acids, it is a complete source of protein, meaning your body can easily use it to build muscle.

Myth: Drink When You're Thirsty
Water is a dancer’s best friend: It transports oxygen and nutrients to working muscles and carries waste away. But if you wait to drink until you’re thirsty, you’ll already be dehydrated—which puts your body at risk of injury. “Dancers often restrict water intake to prevent frequent trips to the bathroom,” says Ireland. “But while the old adage of drinking eight cups of water holds true for non-athletes, active individuals need substantially more.” She suggests drinking one half to one ounce of water per pound of body weight instead—which can put the total at closer to 16 glasses a day.

Myth: Dancers Shouldn't Eat Fat
“Dancers are in such a competitive environment and so they think, ‘If I don’t eat fat, I won’t be fat,’ ” says Harrison. “But that’s not healthy.” Your body needs fat to absorb vitamins D, A, E and K, and to help maintain hormone levels. Plus, it also helps keep your stomach from growling in between meals because it fills you up better than protein or carbohydrates alone.

The key here is choosing wisely. Fats from sources like avocados, nuts, olive oil or a bit of cheese will help you digest and absorb nutrients from all those greens you pride yourself on eating—and it will help you feel more satisfied, too.

Myth: Never Eat Late at Night
The old school of thought said that eating late was a no-no. But it depends on your schedule. When you have night shows or evening rehearsals, you need to be more flexible. While you don’t want to eat straight up until bedtime, it’s completely appropriate to have a snack two hours before. “Just pace your day,” Skolnik says. “Two-thirds of your calories should be consumed by the time two-thirds of your day is over.” Planning for a post-performance bite will also help you avoid late-night panics. “If you make rules that are black and white,” warns Skolnik, “you will delay eating for so long that when you do eat, you might eat more.”

Myth: To Be Healthy, You Must Eat Healthy All the Time
While nutritious foods should make up the bulk of your meals, there is absolutely room for indulgences. Becoming obsessive or inflexible can lead to an eating disorder. According to Skolnik, 10 to 15 percent of your diet should be considered discretionary, so if you are eating 2,000 calories, let yourself spend 200 to 300 on your favorite treats.




Be the Worst
Taking class with more advanced dancers can be a humbling test of your pride. But don’t shy away from the challenge—it could help you improve. New research suggests that training alongside people you see as more skilled than yourself motivates you to work harder and longer. Sign up for a class outside your comfort zone at least once a week. And in any level, stand next to the best dancer in the studio. Then let your competitive energy push you to be even better.



The Antidote to Carbs   
Good news: This Nutcracker season, you can enjoy some Christmas cookies backstage without the second-act energy crash. How? Just wash them down with a glass of green tea. A study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research found that mice had about half the typical spike in blood glucose when their starchy food was accompanied by a green-tea compound. It turns out the top antioxidant in green tea, EGCG, slows down the digestion of carbohydrates, so it helps keep your blood sugar more stable. All you need is 12 ounces with your cookies, and you’ll make it through “Waltz of the Flowers” just fine.



Pilates vs. Yoga
Two of the most popular cross-training options for dancers are Pilates and yoga. But which one offers the best benefits? When you look at the scientific research, it turns out that the answer depends on your goal.

Pilates: If you want to increase your core strength, Pilates is your answer. The classes focus on building your abdominals and back muscles, and have been proven effective. Pilates is also known to improve alignment as well as muscular balance. However, there’s little evidence that the exercises significantly decrease body fat or add muscle in any other part of your body.

Yoga: The practice’s flowing exercises and plank positions have been shown to strengthen the entire upper body. In a 2011 study, young people who did sun salutations regularly for six months were able to bench-press significantly more weight and complete more push-ups than at the start of the study—even when they did no other resistance training. Yoga’s focus on regulated breathing and meditation also offers therapeutic effects, improving mood and reducing stress, which makes it a great option during intense rehearsal or performance periods.



The Science of Marking   
Marking is more than just a way to give your body a break during rehearsal—it might actually improve the quality of your performance. A recent study published in Psychological Science found that dancers who marked a variation ended up performing it more fluidly than a routine they’d only ever danced full-out. Setting aside time to focus on the mental challenge of learning choreography better ingrains the sequences in your memory. That means the steps will come more easily once you get onstage, leading to more seamless transitions. Just be sure to get the go-ahead from your choreographer before substituting hand positions for pirouettes.



Grape Lovers Are Healthier
Could grapes be the secret fountain of youth? Recently published research shows that frequent eaters of this vitamin-packed fruit are more likely to have healthier diets and consume more key nutrients than non-grape eaters. So far, researchers have not found the connection, but until they figure it out, it can’t be a bad idea to stash some in your dance bag. (Raisins do the trick, too.)

Like many dancers, New York City Ballet soloist Antonio Carmena is constantly looking for ways to help his body run more efficiently. After watching a documentary about juice cleansing this March, Carmena decided to try his own three-day version during the last week of the company’s season. “I wasn’t trying to lose weight,” he says. “I just wanted to restart my body.”

Attempting to be as healthy as possible, Carmena created his own juices from spinach, kale, cucumbers and squash, occasionally throwing in berries, ginger or grapefruit. On the first day, he felt hungry but also more hydrated. By day two, though, he’d become stressed-out, and noticed that he had far less energy in rehearsal. “I felt weak, and couldn’t push as hard,” he says. “I realized a juice cleanse isn’t good while you’re dancing.”

Juice cleansing or fasting—where people drink only fruit and vegetable juice while avoiding solid foods—has been used in religious and cultural rituals since the Old Testament days. Dieters have co-opted the practice because it offers a quick way to drop pounds on a short-term basis, and some alternative-medicine practitioners believe that giving the body a break from solid foods allows it to focus on healing. Today, the fresh juice business, including premade juice cleanses, has become a $5 billion industry.

Dancing on the Diet
Juicing has gained traction among dancers. Some view it as an opportunity to get in top aesthetic form before an audition or performance. Others, like Carmena, see it as a chance to detox, although few scientific studies have tested that idea. The deluge of fluids, vitamins and minerals is also appealing to health-conscious perfectionists: All of those berries, citrus fruits and leafy greens can load the body up on antioxidants.

But an all-juice diet has serious consequences. Juices lack protein, digestion-enhancing fiber and healthy fat, and don’t include the combinations of elements that help your body take advantage of the health benefits of fruits and veggies. “Nutrients need to be in certain forms to be digested and enter the bloodstream,” explains Rebecca Dietzel, a biochemist in private practice in nutritional counseling. “Calcium from kale, for example, can’t get into its ionized form when it’s put through the juicer.”

What’s more, juice cleanses rarely offer substantial calories, causing a host of problems. Within 48 hours of starting a juice cleanse, your body is forced to burn muscle mass for energy, says Joy Dubost, PhD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “You’re losing essential nutrients and electrolytes,” she says, “which over time can affect the rhythm of your heart and cause muscle cramps.” Thinking it’s experiencing a famine, your body goes into a state of panic, and inflammation increases, making chronic injuries like tendonitis worse. “Your brain also says, ‘Let’s turn down any nonessential processes so we can conserve fuel,’ ” says Dietzel. “That includes hormone production and healing processes, both essential to dancers.”

Then why do so many dancers say that juicing makes them feel great? “It’s often because dancers are usually dehydrated, and during a juice cleanse they finally get the fluids their bodies crave,” says Dietzel, who adds that you can get the same effect by drinking adequate water. Some cleansers even feel euphoric after a few days. But this isn’t the result of improved health; it’s because the body has started dumping opiate-like hormones into the system to protect you from noticing that you’re “starving.”

The aftereffects of a juice cleanse can also backfire. Most dancers gain weight when they return to solid foods because they’ve slowed down their metabolism. “You’ve programmed your body to store fat; it thinks it needs to save fuel,” says Dietzel. Because your body has turned down the production of digestive enzymes, it also takes a few days to restart that process, making you feel sluggish and tired after eating.

A Smarter Cleanse
Not all of the principles of a juice cleanse are inherently misguided. Cutting out artificially processed foods in favor of fresh produce can be a healthy choice. If you’re interested in the idea of rebooting your diet, Dietzel suggests spending one day drinking lots of water and eating only fruits and veggies (a large variety). “You’ll get more hydrated, give your liver a break from fat metabolism and get a wide range of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds,” she says. “Plus, all that fiber supports intestinal and colon health by absorbing toxic compounds in the intestine and helping to create a healthy bowel movement.” However, she warns, just like a juice fast, this one-day diet doesn’t offer enough energy to fuel a full day of dance rehearsals. Only try it on a day off.

For the long term, incorporating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains with high fiber into your diet and drinking more water will keep your body on track. That way, you won’t need to resort to drastic cleanses in order to hit a risky “reset” button.



Take a Hike
To become a professional ballet dancer, you have to put in countless hours at the studio. But you should also get outside once in a while, too. Why?

You need sunlight: Researchers recently found that ballet dancers have a high risk of vitamin D deficiency because they spend so much time indoors. This has been linked to impaired muscular performance and an increased risk of injuries.

If you get injured, nature can help: Simply having a view of trees has been shown to help patients heal significantly faster, and experience less depression and pain during recovery.

You’ll be able to focus on choreography better: Studies have shown that regularly spending time in nature improves our attention, and helps us handle stress.

Psychologists believe these benefits come from the absence of stressful man-made demands, such as traffic jams and loud construction noises. Rather than bombarding your attention, nature lets you think as much or as little as you like. A simple hike or day at the beach gives you a chance to replenish your mental resources—making you that much more prepared to tackle technical challenges once you’re back in the studio.



The Early Bird Wins Again
Looking to shed vacation pounds before the fall season? Try eating your meals earlier. A recent study found that dieters who ate their lunch before 3 pm lost significantly more weight than those who ate it after, even though there was little difference in the overall calories. Researchers think glucose (sugar) may be processed differently later in the day, or the timing of our meals may impact our circadian rhythms, disrupting our metabolism. Either way, it’s a simple strategy to slim down while still getting the calories your body needs.



Watch Out: Dance Injuries On the Rise
As dance grows more popular?, injuries are becoming more common. A recent study found that the annual number of dance injuries in children and teenagers increased 37 percent from 1991 to 2007. Researchers suspect that increased competition has created a greater demand for impressive technique, leading to a heightened risk of chronic and acute injuries.

But there?’s a solution. A separate recent study done at Birmingham Royal Ballet?’s Jerwood Centre for the Prevention and Treatment of Dance Injuries found that by developing individual conditioning programs for the company’s dancers, researchers were able to decrease injuries by more than half. “Dancers move incredibly efficiently,”? explains lead researcher Nick Allen. ?“But they also need strength so that, by the hundredth time they do a grand jeté, they won’?t have to start compensating.?” He points out that all other sports use cross-training not only to reduce injury risk, but also to maximize athletic potential. “It’s time the ballet world realizes that dancers need strength training, too,”? he says. Before you get injured, make an appointment with a physical therapist who works with dancers to assess your body’?s unique weaknesses, and create a conditioning plan to build the strength you need.



The Sweet Spot
The sugar aisle can feel overwhelming. With so many options, which is the healthiest? Jan Hangen, Boston Ballet School’s consulting nutritionist, helps break down your choices:

Sugar: Whether it’s brown or white, added sugar should only be consumed in moderation. Nutritionists recommend no more than 20 to 25 grams a day, or roughly four to five teaspoons. Eating more could wreak havoc with your blood glucose and elevate your insulin, which makes and stores fat.

Aspartame, Sucralose & Saccharin: These non-caloric substitutes are 200 to 600 times sweeter than sugar. Experts think that intensity might rewire your taste receptors to dislike less sweet foods, such as natural fruits. And because the sweetness prepares your gut for fuel that never arrives, you might be driven to overeat afterward. Also, the chemicals might predispose you to metabolic syndrome, which includes weight gain and type-2 diabetes.

Stevia: This recently popularized substitute is billed as natural, but although it comes from a plant, in extract form it’s actually a chemical. There is currently no data on its long-term use.
   
Best Choice: Agave Nectar. It has the same baking properties as sugar, but a lower glycemic index, so it won’t raise your blood glucose as much. And although it comes with slightly more calories than sugar, it’s 40 percent sweeter, so you’ll use less. Most importantly, agave nectar provides small amounts of calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. As Hangen explains, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You’re safer with calories—we know how the body uses them.”