In recently experiences a lot of shade has been thrown at certain foods that frankly don’t deserve it. Then other foods are made out to be “Food Gods” when they are no better than the other foods. These food myths are about to be tarnished by the actual science behind food.
“Gluten free diets are good!”
MYTH. The only people that should be on gluten free diets are those with Celiac’s disease- otherwise it’s just silly. Do the people saying these even know what gluten is? Gluten is actually a protein found in cereal grains (wheat, oat, barley, and rye).
Going gluten free can lead to deficiencies in Vitamin B, D, and fiber which are often found in there whole grains (store bought gluten free pastas and such do not have to be fortified with vitamins while regular ones do). Also gluten free items usually contain added sugars to make them taste better, which can lead to weight gain.
“Acidic foods cause heart burn!”
MYTH. No no a little cup of lemonade or some Marinara sauce can actually go a long way when it comes to acid re-flux a.k.a. heart burn.
There is something called a “negative feedback loop” meaning your body does opposite. Since you consumed something acidic your stomach produces less stomach acid, thus no heart burn.
“High fructose corn syrup is the worst!”
MYTH. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but; All sugars are created equal. There is no sugar that is worse or better for you than the other. Sugar is something we should keep low in our diets in general but cane sugar, agave nectar, and granulated sugar are no better than high fructose corn syrup.
“Diet soda is great for weight loss!”
MYTH. Diet soda does not help you lose weight it can actually cause the opposite.
The artificial sweeteners in diet soda messes with the good bacteria that already resides in your stomach. This can cause you to feel hungry (when normally you wouldn’t)! And as you know when people are hungry- they eat. Over eating= weight gain.
“Eggs are going to give you high cholesterol!”
MYTH. Tell the egg haters they aren’t welcome here. Eggs- especially egg yolks are great for you, they contain so many vitamin, protein, and desirable fat.
Yes, high body cholesterol is bad. Yes, eggs contain cholesterol. But, it has actually been proven that dietary cholesterol (consumed in food) has little to no effect in body cholesterol levels. What raises body cholesterol levels is saturated fats, like the fat found in red meat.
Don’t get me wrong some cholesterol is necessary in the body for brain function! Everything is better in moderation.
“Microwaves take away the nutrition in food!”
Kinda MYTH. While cooking something in a microwave does decrease the nutritional value of food- we should be singling out the poor microwaves.
Any form of cooking food decreases the nutritional value. By a lot? No. But a raw carrot will hold a higher nutritional value then a roasted carrot (or microwaved carrot LOL).
“Organic foods are superior!”
MYTH. There is no scientific evidence at all that makes organic food better than regular food. A strawberry is a strawberry no matter how it’s grown. You are going to receive all the same vitamins & minerals, it’s going to taste the same, and have the same shelf life.