SHARES
Health-related information are easily available at our fingertips on the Internet or social media. Hence, it becomes imperative to be able to tell myth from facts. For the food lovers out there, read on to learn about the truth to common food myths.
5 Common Food Myths
Myth 1: Egg yolk contributes to high cholesterol that is heart-damaging.
Truth: A large egg provides 211 mg of cholesterol, which is equivalent to almost 70% of reference daily intake. Although there is some truth that eggs are high in cholesterol, not all cholesterol are created equal. A study involving 37 participants with metabolic syndrome were randomised to receive either three whole eggs per day or the equivalent amount of yolk-free egg substitute. After 12 weeks, those that had whole eggs resulted in better lipid profiles with greater increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) and reductions in low density lipoprotein (LDL). In short, taking whole eggs is good for the heart.
Myth 2: Carbohydrates are fattening.
Truth: Fact check – carbohydrates are not fattening; calories are. Carbohydrates belong to 2 categories: good carbohydrate and refined ones. On one hand, good carbohydrates, such as whole grains and beans, are a good source of fuel, nutrients and fibres. On the other hand, refined carbohydrates, like white bread, pasta or doughnut, are stripped on most of the nutrients and fibres, causing quick digestion that results in blood sugar and insulin spikes. Besides that, it increases blood triglycerides, blood sugar levels and cause insulin resistance, leading to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Hence, choose your carbohydrate wisely.
A controlled trial studied the effect of low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diet on weight loss. Sixty-three obese individuals in the trial received either low-carbohydrate (Atkins diet) or low-fat diet. The results showed that while individuals receiving low-carbohydrate did result in greater weight loss for the first six months, the difference between two groups were not significant at one-year mark. Nevertheless, the authors of this study admitted that longer and larger studies are needed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of Atkins diet.
Myth 3: Avoid fats at all cost to lose weight.
Truth: Fats are part of a balanced diet to provide essential nutrients. Consider incorporating foods with healthy fats, like avocados, olives or nuts, as it healthy fats are beneficial for the heart. Despite that, you should limit fat intake as fats supply more calories per gram than protein or carbohydrate. Nevertheless, low-fat options may not necessarily be better as full-fat version can leave someone feeling full and satisfied, hence preventing extra calorie consumption.
Myth 4: Suppers are sinful and lead to weight gain.
Truth: Turns out, calories cannot tell time. Therefore, the time of calorie consumption does not matter. In any case, poor food choices often occur late at night due to fewer healthy options available, emotional eating or eating when tired. Hence, late eaters may result in eating more calories, with the calorie surplus leading to weight gain over time. On the bright side, tackle late-night hunger with healthy snacks to keep calorie intake on track.
Myth 5: Microwaved foods are less nutritious.
Truth: Instead of scrutinising the cooking method, what’s more important is to cook with appropriate cooking time and heat. Simply put, the longer and hotter the food is cooked, the more heat- and water-sensitive nutrient will be lost. Thus, this is where microwave ovens come in handy. To cook vegetables in a microwave oven: Add some water to the dish containing vegetables, then loosely cover the dish to steam the vegetables.
Conclusion
Always eat a balanced diet with all types of healthy food source in moderation. If in doubt, talk to your healthcare professional for more advice.
by Joanne Lee
Multipotentialite. Loves creating and seeing ideas come alive. View all articles by Joanne Lee.
