Nutrition Myths and it’s destruction

Prof. habil. dr. Manefa Miskiniene

ScieCons meeting in Ljubljana

18th-19th May, 2011

ScieCons

Honey is better than whitesugar because it is natural

Many people claim that honey is better than sugar, when in fact they are almost chemically indistinguishable. However, spoon for spoon, sugar actually contains fewer calories than honey. Although honey does contain small quantities of minerals, they are present in such tiny amounts that they have little nutritional significance.

Brown Sugar is better than White

Brown Sugar is better than White Sugar

The brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. Yes, brown sugar contains minute amounts of minerals. But unless you eat a gigantic portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown sugar and white sugar is absolutely insignificant. The idea that brown and white sugar have big differences is another common nutrition myth.

Brown Eggs are more nutritious than White Eggs

Contrary to a widely believed nutrition myth, eggshell color has nothing to do with the quality, flavor, nutritive value, cooking characteristics, or shell thickness of an egg. The eggshell color only depends upon the breed of the hen.

According to the Egg Nutrition Council, "white shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes and brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. There is no difference in taste or nutrition content between white and brown colored eggs".

Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol

This myth began because egg yolks have the most concentrated amount of cholesterol of any food. However, there's not enough cholesterol there to pose health risks if eggs are eaten in moderation. Studies suggest that eating one egg per day will not raise cholesterol levels and that eggs are actually a great source of nutrients.

Vitamin supplements are necessary for everyone If you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole

grains, along with moderate amounts of a variety of low-fat dairy and protein and the right quantity of calories, you don't need to supplement.

Special vitamin supplements are recommended for people who are pregnant or have nutritional disorders.

Natural or herbal weight loss products are safe and effective

A weight loss product that claims to be "natural" or "herbal" is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are safe or that they work. For example, herbal products containing ephedra have caused serious health problems and even death. Newer products that claim to be ephedra-free are not necessarily danger-free, because they may contain ingredients similar to ephedra.

Some natural or herbal weight loss products can be harmful.

Low-fat or nonfat means no calories

A low-fat or nonfat food is often lower in calories than the same size portion of the full-fat product. But many processed low-fat or nonfat foods have just as many calories as the full-fat version of the same food or even more calories. They may contain added sugar, flour, or starch thickeners to improve flavor and texture after fat is removed. These ingredients add calories.

Tip: Read the Nutrition Facts Label on a food package to find out how many calories are in a serving. Check the serving size too it may be less than you are used to eating.

Eating after 8 p.m. causes weight gain

It does not matter what time of day you eat. It is what and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the whole day that determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight. No matter when you eat, your body will store extra calories as fat.

Tip: If you want to have a snack before bedtime, think first about how many calories you have eaten that day. And try to avoid snacking in front of the TV at night it may be easier to overeat when you are distracted by the television.

Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight

No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.

Tip: The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active.

Added sugar is always bad for you

Use the sweet stuff to ensure that sugar calories are far from “empty” calories.

Sugar is essential in the kitchen. Consider all that it does for baking, creating a tender cake crumb and ensuring crisp cookies. Then there’s its role in creating airy meringue or soft-textured ice cream. Keep in mind that other sweeteners like “natural” honey are basically refined sugar anyway—and they are all metabolized by your body the same way, as 4 calories per gram. Sugar also balances the flavors in healthy foods that might not taste so great on their own. Don’t go overboard, of course. Most health experts suggest that added sugar supply no more than 10 percent of your total calories—about 200 in a 2,000-calorie diet.

Eating eggs raises your cholesterol levels

Dietary cholesterol found in eggs has little to do with the amount of cholesterol in your body.The confusion can be boiled down to semantics: The same word, "cholesterol," is used to describe two different things. Dietary cholesterol—the fat-like molecules in animal-based foods like eggs —doesn’t greatly affect the amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream. Your body makes its own cholesterol, so it doesn’t need much of the kind you eat. Instead, what fuels your body’s cholesterol-making machine is certain saturated and trans fats. Eggs contain relatively small amounts of saturated fat. One large egg contains about 1.5 grams saturated fat, a fraction of the amount in the tablespoon of butter many cooks use to cook that egg in. So, cutting eggs out of your diet is a bad idea; they're a rich source of 13 vitamins and minerals.

All vegetarians are healthy eaters Research shows that people who follow a vegetarian eating

plan, on average, eat fewer calories and less fat than non-vegetarians. However vegetarians, like non-vegetarians, can make food choices that contribute to weight gain by eating large amounts of high-fat, high-calorie foods as well as food with little or no nutritional value. The term vegetarian is not synonymous with health. Healthy nutrition comes down to choosing nutritious foods within the recommended amounts and limiting foods high in fat, sugar and calories. These facts hold true for those people who choose to include animal products into their diets as well as those who do not!

Fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen Fresh produce may not be as fresh as you think. By the

time it travels from farm to supermarket to your dinner plate, a few weeks may have passed, during which time nutrients are lost.

Research has shown that many frozen vegetables (and fruits) rival or outshine fresh as a source of vitamins and minerals. That's because processing and packaging takes place almost immediately after harvest, locking in more nutrients.

When fresh produce is out of season, or out of your price range, frozen is a good alternative to have on hand. Just stay clear of brands with added salt.