Top 10 food myths!

There are various food myths which are prevailing all over the world. What to eat, when to eat and how often to eat are such questions which usually confuse most of the individuals. We believe in such myths because they sound like they could be true. Nowadays, we have scientific knowledge and on the basis of that knowledge we should not believe in food myths. The most common food myths which are still prevalent in our contemporary society are stated below:-

• Potatoes make you fat- Earlier people used to think that carbohydrate rich foods such as rice and potato,etc, increases body weight. So for losing or reducing weight they used to eliminate carbohydrate rich foods from diet. Now we know that carbohydrates are the body's preferred energy source. Potatoes do not automatically makes you fat. So no problem you can take potatoes in moderate quantity.

• Fat free products will help you in losing weight - If you take fat free labelled products they can lead to weight gain, In fact, these foods have more calories. Approximately, these foods have same number of calories [may be slightly less] in comparison to other regular foods. In addition, most of the persons eat more quantity of labelled foods under the misconception that it comprises of less calories. However they take a total of more calories which can cause weight gain.

• Eggs increases cholesterol levels - There is no doubt that eggs are good source of health. An egg provides you various nutrients such as protein, vitamin A,B,D, zinc, iron, calcium and phosphorus,etc. It is as per daily requirement of cholesterol by our bodies. So, if you take up to 2 eggs daily there is no problem of cholesterol level.

• Drinking while eating makes you fat - The actual fact behind this misconception is that enzymes and their digestive juices will be diluted by drinking water while eating. It will slow down your digestion which may lead to excess body fat. In contrary, there is a scientific fact that drinking water while eating improves digestion.

• Don't take milk immediately after eating fish - Most of the persons believe that you should not take milk immediately after eating fish. They think that it will make you sick. Some persons think that spots can appear on your skin. As a matter of fact, there is no scientific reason in taking milk immediately after eating fish. Indeed, these products may be taken together. There is no problem at all.

• Starve yourself if you want to lose weight - Eating a good diet is more important than not to eat when you are on a weight loss programme. Include such food items in your diet which suppress appetite and increase metabolism   so that you don't eat too much. 

• Exercise makes you to eat more - Exercise burn calories which may increase your hunger. Research studies conducted in this area have not shown that the individuals who do exercise, consume more calories than those who don't exercise. so there is no truth in this statement.

• Aluminium foil and cookware is linked to alzheimer's disease - If you haven’t heard this one in a while, good-it was repeated often in the late 80s and through the 90s, and even though it’s fallen out of fashion (largely because it’s just not true) there are still a lot of people who believe it. This myth has its roots in research from the 1960s and 1970s that showed elevated levels of aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The hyperbole alarm was subsequently sounded, and for years people were warned off of aluminum pots and pans, and even aluminum foil to store food.

• Everyone should drink 8 glasses of water everyday - This myth is a holdover from a poor attempt by a number of doctors who wanted to wage an ill-researched campaign against sodas and sugary drinks. Their hearts were in the right place, but the fact of the matter is that there’s no uniform rule for how much water a person should drink in a given day. Alannah DiBona explains, “Water’s been touted as the cure for all sins, and in some ways, it’s true—proper hydration is necessary for just about anything body and mind-related. However,8 glasses per day isn’t going to always be the right number for you.”

• Dairy is the best thing for healthy bones - When I asked Andy Bellatti about the most stubborn food myths he’s encountered, he noted that too many people confuse “dairy” with “calcium,” assume they’re the same thing, and think that dairy is the best thing for healthy and strong bones. He explained, “Dairy contains calcium, but so do dark-leafy greens. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, just like all milk alternatives. Additionally, bone health goes beyond calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin K is important for bone health (dark leafy greens have it, dairy doesn’t). Magnesium (present in foods like almonds, cashews, oatmeal, and potatoes, but missing in dairy products) also plays an important role in bone health.”

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