Every day, we are bombarded with facts about food. So, come with us as we channel our favorite
Discovery channel show and BUST the Top 10 Food MYTHS You Still Believe!
Multigrain Is The Same As Whole Grain
The truth is, that while both terms have the word “grain,” they don’t actually mean
the same thing at all. However, the good news is that they're both good for you, so regardless
of which one you’ve been choosing, don't worry, it's been a good choice. While there's
plenty of food products that don’t exactly live up to their names, Whole Grain and Multigrain
are, as it turns out, pretty much exactly what they say they are. A food item labeled
“multigrain” means that there are multiple grains in it. And when the term “whole grain”
comes up, you know they used the entire/whole grain. So, which one should you be looking
for? Honestly, it's just a matter of personal preference. What tastes best to you? Whole
grains might provide a little more fiber and nutrients than their multigrain counterparts,
but both are pretty healthy options. If we are talking bread, you're on the right track
by choosing either multigrain or whole-grain - what you need to look out for is extra added
sugar and stuff like that. But as far as the grains go, you are golden!
Carbonated Drinks Aren’t Good For You
We should clear something up right out of the gate on this one. When we say carbonated
drinks, we mean the no-calorie beverages, like Perrier. We're not talking about those
carbonated sodas with all the sugar and additives; those aren’t good for you and can have serious
detrimental effects on your health. But back to the refreshing and perfectly good for you
carbonated drinks. While the myth partly comes from the idea that too much carbonation
intake is bad for your teeth, these drinks actually have very little effect on your dental
health, and there's no evidence of any negative effects on your bones. In fact, there's even
some evidence to suggest that carbonated drinks like sparkling water can have a positive effect
on your digestion and reduce constipation. Also, given that it offers up no calories, it makes
for a nice and pleasurable alternative to plain, still water. So, next time you’re
at a restaurant and the waiter asks you if you want “sparkling” water for the table…
go ahead and say yes with confidence and enjoy the bubbles without all of the baggage that
comes with a soda.
Nuts Are As Bad for You As Junk Food
This is one thing you hear a lot from your friends trying to make you feel bad for not
joining them in their junk food craze and eating your bag of Trailmix, while they're
stuffing themselves with donuts. Well, the joke's on them, because while they're out
making bad food decisions, you're over here, treating your body to some healthy royal respect.
It's amazing how this myth even caught on in the first place. The nutritional value
of nuts compared to any junk food is just so much higher, it makes you wonder who could
come up with it in the first place. Sure, you don’t want to down a whole mason jar
of nuts in one sitting, but as long as you eat them in moderation, nuts are a very healthy
snack. Nuts are a great source of protein, and studies have shown that eating nuts more
than four times a week can reduce your risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes and heart diseases,
which is what that box of 12 donuts would probably end up giving you. And while we
all wish that a can of coke, a tin of Pringles, and a 3 Musketeers bar a day would keep the
doctor away, there aren't any studies telling us that. So, better stick to nuts for now!
Microwaving Food Removes Nutrients
While it's true that cooking food in the microwave, instead of on the stove or in the oven, can
lead to less tasty outcomes, your food will not, in any way, be less nutritious. The
myth that microwaves remove the food’s nutrients is a pure falsehood. In fact, it can actually
make food healthier. The best way to remove nutrients from vegetables is to cook them
in water - and the longer they are in said water, the more time the nutrients have to
leach out of them. Well, if you are using the microwave to gently steam your veggies,
the quick heat of the microwave actually means they're given less time to lose nutritional
value. There were even studies done to show how the carcinogenic compounds in bacon are
lessened when cooked in a microwave. And cooking eggs, carrots, and tomatoes in the microwave
can actually increase the level of certain nutrients, which adds even more health benefits
than when cooked conventionally. And by the way, cooking with a microwave doesn’t have
to mean lesser-tasting food either. One of the greatest food minds of our time, Alton
Brown, recommends using a microwave for certain food preparations, from cakes to asparagus.
And if it’s good enough for Brown, then it should be good enough for us all!
Swallowed Gum Stays in Your Body for 7 Years
We've all heard this one growing up. Grownups were always telling us to throw our gum in
the garbage and to never ever swallow it because if we did, it would stay in our stomachs
for 7 years. There's no doubt that this myth was scary enough to keep many kids from purposely
swallowing their Hubba Bubba. Well, as it turns out, we can all just go ahead and calm
down. There’s no need to set a Google Calendar alert for 7 years in the future if you swallow
a piece of gum. The truth is, the gum should be out of your system in no more than a few
days. So, where does this myth come from? Well, it is still based on a little bit of
truth. It’s true that your stomach can’t break down the gum resin as it does with other
food items you ingest. But, the gum doesn’t get stuck in the stomach. Rather it gets pushed
along the intestinal route - like everything else - and eventually leaves your system during
a routine trip to the bathroom. Now, in some freak cases, if someone was to swallow a whole
lot of gum in a short period of time, then it could possibly block the digestive tract.
But this is a very rare occurrence and isn't something you really need to worry about.
Although, keeping this myth alive in order to keep kids from swallowing too much gum
isn’t the worst idea (and if they really get scared, just come clean and tell them
the truth).
Brown Eggs Are Healthier
While there actually is a little difference between dark meat and white meat, when it
comes to dark and white eggs, there's absolutely none! Most marketing has told us that brown
eggs were healthier, and they’ve done quite a job of supporting this statement, given
how prevalent this myth is even today. But it just isn’t true. The only difference
between brown and white eggs is the type of chicken that laid them. White eggs come from
white-feathered chickens with white ear lobes (yes, apparently chickens have ear lobes - who
knew?), and brown eggs come from red-feathered chickens with red ear lobes. That's it. What
really affects the nutritional value of the eggs is what the hens who lay them ate. The
diet of the chicken is most important to the nutritional value they will pass on in the
eggs they lay. So, if we are to assume that the hens had similar diets, then their eggs
would be similarly nutritious and taste the same - regardless of whether they come out
white or brown. So, why are brown eggs generally more expensive? Well, hens that lay brown
eggs are generally bigger than white-feathered hens and therefore require more feed, which
is a cost that ends up being added on to the price of the eggs at retail. So get that myth
out of your head - they may look fancier than their generic white counterparts, but now
you know, brown eggs are almost exactly the same.
White Meat Is Healthier Than Dark Meat
If given a choice, many people will pick white meat over dark meat when chicken is on the
menu. However, that choice is usually done for health reasons and not for the taste - because,
as anyone who knows anything will tell you, dark meat tastes way better than white meat.
But, we've always told people that white meat is healthier, so that's why so many people
lean toward white meat and forget about the true delicacy that is dark meat. All in an
attempt to do right by their bodies. But do you really have to sacrifice taste for your
health when it comes to chicken? The answer is no! So, technically, yes, white chicken
meat does have fewer calories than its dark counterpart. However, the difference is only
about 30 calories per serving - which really isn’t that much - and as long as you aren’t
overeating, it should barely affect your overall calorie intake for the day. Now, we also know
that what makes dark meat taste better is all the extra fat that white meat doesn't
have. But again, the difference might surprise you. A skinless chicken breast (white meat)
weighing in at 100g has about 2.5g of fat. Whereas a baked or grilled 100g, skinless
chicken thigh (dark meat) has 7g of fat. Yes, it’s a bit more but far less than what we
were led to believe. It should also be noted that, while a little fattier and higher in
calories, dark meat is richer in nutrients and has more iron and zinc. Just something
else to think about when you're trying to decide if you should grab the breast or the
leg next time you're eating chicken!
Late Night Eating Causes Weight Gain
Don’t eat after 7 O’Clock! Don’t eat within 2 hours of going to bed! Don’t have
that midnight snack! These are all things we've heard at some point in our lives with
the basic idea that doing any, or all, of those things will make you gain weight. Well,
true, they could have that effect on you. But it has absolutely nothing to do with the
time you decide to eat. As many experts will tell you… calories can’t tell time. So,
that big piece of chocolate cake you are scarfing down, while the Oreos are just waiting there,
waiting their turn? it doesn’t know if it’s 1 pm or 1 am. All it knows is that
it is delicious and full of calories, and those calories will have the same effect on
your body - and your attempted weight loss - at 1 pm or at 1 am. So, where does this
late-night eating myth come from? Well, it comes from the assumption that if you're eating
late at night, it's probably extra intake above your daily meals and snacks. Now, when
you look at it that way, it makes sense, but only if that midnight snack actually is a
snack. If your schedule makes it so that you can't have dinner at a "regular time," then
that's totally okay! The only thing you have to look out for is what type of food you eat
during that late-night feast. Some studies show that the later it gets, the more likely
you are to eat fatty foods, which ultimately will make you gain weight. So, as long as you're making
smart and somewhat healthy choices, you should be in business. You know, maybe have that
McDonald's before 7 o'clock, just for the sake of it.
Don’t Cut Raw Meat On Wooden Cutting Boards
If you're even just a recreational cook, then you've probably come across this myth on multiple
occasions. The idea here is that wooden cutting boards are more porous, and therefore they
trap in the raw meat's bacteria, making them less sanitary to use. This doesn't necessarily
make sense, as plastic cutting boards can just as easily be the host of bacteria. Anyone
who's used a plastic cutting board before can vouch for the fact that, after only a
few uses, you'll start to see knife cuts in the board - which would seem like the perfect
place for bacteria to dig in and hide. Well, there have been some pretty hefty studies
done, and they've all found that neither wood nor plastic cutting boards are more preventative
when it comes to bacteria. The important thing is to clean them well, regardless of
the material they're made of. Plastic boards can go in the dishwasher, while wooden ones
need to be hand-washed. If you're cleaning them properly, you should be ok with just
one cutting board, although it definitely wouldn't hurt to have separate boards: one
for meat and poultry, one for fish, and one for veggies. And that way, you don’t ever
have to worry about washing your boards until after you're done cooking, now, that's luxury!
Celery Has Negative Calories
Has anyone ever told you that eating celery burns more calories than you're taking in
simply by consuming the celery itself? Well, next time you hear someone say that you can
tell them that they don’t know what they're talking about because it just isn’t true.
There's no such thing as "negative calories." Celery does only have 10 calories per serving and
is full of fiber, so while you won't technically lose weight by eating it, you will get tons
of nutrients. The dietary fiber it contains also helps to curb hunger cravings, making
celery the snack of choice. So that simple, sturdy green stick is not only a healthy treat
but also the perfect way to stay away from those high-calorie snacks possibly responsible
for the future few added pounds. So, go pick up your celery and dip it into your peanut
butter jar, or in ranch, or in whatever floats your boat, and enjoy your new (kind of) healthy
snack!
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