Life is full of misconceptions that just won’t go away, and food is no different. Despite the advancements in food science and nutrition over the past 25 years, there are still a plethora of nutritional information and facts about food that are simply not true. Here’s 5 myths about food we’ve all heard that have been debunked by science.
Myth: Skipping breakfast is bad for you:
While it’s true a nutritious breakfast is the perfect way to start the day, skipping it won’t have any adverse effect on you. It’s widely accepted that omitting the meal from your day can slow down metabolism and cause weight increase, but researchers at New York’s Columbia University last year proved this to be untrue. The research paper concluded that: “In overweight individuals, skipping breakfast daily for 4 weeks leads to a reduction in body weight.”
Myth: Microwaving food kills the nutrients
Students rejoice, while most people believe that one of the most popular kitchen appliances will zap the food of its nutrients, the opposite is true. Using the microwave correctly is one of the most nutritious ways to cook food as the microwave creates the perfect environment for the food to retain its vitamins and nutrients. Food scientist Catherine Adams Hutt said that: “the best cooking method for retaining nutrients is one that cooks quickly, exposes food to heat for the smallest amount of time and uses only a minimal amount of liquid.”
Myth: Coffee is bad for you:
Everyone loves a cup of freshly brewed coffee in the morning to kick-off their day, but for years health experts insisted coffee should be avoided. It supposedly caused heart related illness and studies in the ‘80s claimed the drink could increase the risk of cancer. None of the above are true, and new research shows that it can make you feed happy, decrease the chances of type-2 diabetes and is packed with essential nutrients.
Myth: It takes 7 years to digest chewing gum:
We’ve all been told by our parents at some stage not to swallow gum because it’ll be stuck in our system for 7 years, which of course is false. It’s true that we can’t actually digest the gum, but it doesn’t just sit there. Its fate is almost identical to any waste product in your body and it follows the same route out.
Myth: Salt is evil
We’re always told too much salt is bad, but scientists are suggesting not enough salt could be equally as dangerous. The problem with salt is that there’s huge amounts of it in pre-packaged processed foods that people rely on too much. Cutting down on these meals would go a long way to preventing the damage that we normally associate with salt.
David Clarke
Image Credit: reelsmillbank.com
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