The truth about 6 common food myths

The truth about 6 common food myths

If you believed everything you read about foods and diets, you would be hard pressed to eat anything beyond the occasional celery stick and half a grapefruit. Much of what we hear about foods and eating is incorrect and based on outdated science. Here we examine five of the top food myths to set the record straight:

Food myth 1: Eating most of your daily calories before midday will keep weight off

You gain weight when you eat more calories than you burn - no matter what time of the day you eat them! Eating sensibly throughout the day and exercising regularly will keep you from gaining weight. And staying away from post-dinner snacks will help too!

Food myth 2: Processed foods are not as nutritious as fresh foods

If you want to eat healthy, you're more likely to grab a piece of fresh fruit than something out of a packet. But in some cases, processed food can be just as - or even more - nutritious than their fresh counterparts. Frozen vegetables and fruits retain their high vitamin and mineral content long after the fresh version has been reduced after being picked, shipped to market, sold, stored and then finally, eaten. Some breakfast cereals, breads and spreads also have vitamins and minerals added to make them extra nutritious.

Food myth 3: Carbohydrates make you fat

It was once thought that carbohydrates made you fat so eliminating high carb foods such as potatoes, pasta and bread from your diet was the best thing to do when trying to lose weight. It is now understood that our bodies prefer to burn carbohydrates than fat. To gain weight you have to consume more calories than you burn. This is harder to do with high carbohydrate foods, because they tend to make you feel full, than high fat foods. Eating a diet high in carbohydrate is likely to reduce the amount of fat in your diet.

Food myth 4: It's better to graze than to eat three meals a day

Whether you eat a little often or eat only three times a day, the important thing is to keep your calorie intake under control. As long as you don't graze on junk food or wait so long between meals that you over-eat, it matters little what your mealtime style is.

Food myth 5: Bananas are fattening

Perhaps because they are not as full of water as other fruits, bananas have gotten a bad reputation for being fattening. In fact, a medium banana contains approximately 108 calories and most of that comes from their carbohydrate content. Bananas are a filling fruit that makes them a perfect snack and are full of essential vitamins and minerals.

Food myth 6: You shouldn't drink while you eat.

The argument here is that by drinking while you eat, you dilute your digestive juices and thereby slow down the digestive process which will make you fat. Evidence now shows that the opposite is true - drinking water while you eat actually improves your digestion. Water has no calories so will not increase your calorie intake. However, if you drink alcoholic or sweet drinks when you eat, these additional calories will add to your calorie intake and excessive amounts will make you gain weight. The lesson here? Only drink water with your meals.

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Last revised: Tuesday, 6 July 2010


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