Advice is easy to come by these days, but how much of it is good advice? Certainly, when it's about what we eat, there are plenty of half-truths and just plain dumb ideas going around. With the experts seemingly changing their minds on what healthy eating actually is; it can be hard to know which food is good or bad for your health.
Food & Nutrition is continually faced with the challenge of dispelling common myths about calories and weight management. There exist a lot of bizarre and at times ridiculous views about food. Food myths are created from outdated science, old granny tales, and a bit of wishful thinking. They stick around because they are so familiar. But every now and then, you need to take another look at information you believe is true and change with the times. Here are some food myths that we have busted!
- Milk: Good or bad?
Milk, a decade back, was offered to gods as ‘Amrit' (Nectar), but now it has become controversial to drink milk. But in reality, Milk like any other food is compatible with some people (as it gives them strength, calcium, protein) and is incompatible to many others (as it gives them bloating, sinus, asthma, gall stones). So ultimately it is your body constitution which matters, not milk per se.
- Eat only fruits, milk and vegetables everyday to lose weight very fast.
Many people have a mistaken belief that eating only fruits, vegetables and milk for days will help to lose weight real quick. But the truth is that this weight loss will only be there for the first week. After that you will hit a plateau which will result in frustration and binge eating.
- Vegetarians do not get enough proteins
Vegetarian people can very easily get enough proteins from soya, nuts and paneer. Besides a judicious mix of pulses can also help you get your protein requirements. It is the potato and bread/maida (white flour) fanatics who have problems getting nutrients.
- Sugar is BAD
Eating sugar is essential for life and absence of sugar can cause hypoglycemia. It would be of value to know that even dals (pulses) have enough carbohydrates (65%) to release sufficient glucose in the blood stream. But eating white sugar predisposes the person to insulin fluctuations and hypoglycemia.
- Have only Soup for weight loss
To lose weight, have soups every night. This pearl of wisdom only benefits men not women because women end up with huge amounts of water retention (thanks to the salts in the soup). It would be better to just have papaya at night.
- Heavy exercises are great for weight loss
Not true! The best bet is to combine simple walk and a focused diet program to knock off the initial weight and after you reach close to the target, go easy on the diets and intensify the exercises. The result is easy weight loss, no knee problems and no rebound weight gain.
- Some Oils can be used freely
Not true for heart patients. Olive oil, rice bran oil and the newer heart friendly mixed oils are very good but that still does not allow you to make parathas with oil dripping from it. One also should not use cholesterol free margarine as it has very unhealthy Trans-fatty acids.
- Eating one meal at dinner time is good for dieting
This practice, besides slowing down the metabolism, also results in acidity, gas, dull dry skin and results in a rebound weight gain.
No matter what myth you might come across, a little common sense will help you stride over it. Let Knowledge prevail!
