With so many food claims and myths flying around, how do you separate fact from fiction? Nutritional advice can be hard to understand and difficult to navigate. Sometimes, what’s good for you today may not be viewed the same way tomorrow. But we’re here to break down the facts and reveal some food myths that are totally untrue:
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Organic food isn’t as healthy as it’s been made out to be, especially when it comes to boxed produce like snacks, cookies, cornflakes and candy. The truth is that these items contain the same amount of sugar, fat and empty calories as regular foods.
When fat is removed from foods, it’s usually replaced by sugar or salt.
Read the ingredients label before buying anything that is marketed as low-fat as they can sometimes be worse than the unadulterated version. Alternatively, just eat a smaller portion of the regular version.
Lots of research has been done in recent years, and the verdict is that the entire egg can actually be a part of a healthy diet and in most people, do not significantly impact cholesterol levels or heart disease risk.
(Read more: 10 New Reasons Why You Should Eat More Egg)
While coffee is a diuretic (it makes you pee more often), the water content that it contains actually counts towards your daily water intake so even if you’re drinking two to three cups daily, you won’t be at risk of dehydration.
Butter’s ingredient list is short and sweet and doesn’t contain extra ingredients to make up for lack of taste but if you do want to avoid butter, look for spreads that are made of olive oil instead and don’t reach for margarine at any cost.
An Electrolux Ugly Food Survey found that 83 per cent of Singaporeans will only buy food or fruits that look fresh and good but just because an apple has a few bruises on it, it doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s still perfectly edible and could even be a little sweeter.
(Read more: 10 Recipes With Fruit For Better Digestion)
We hate to break it to you but sugar is sugar is sugar. Simply being labelled as raw or natural doesn’t make it any healthier for you than the sugar contained in a can of fizzy soda for example. So instead of reaching for it, try cutting back on sugary items in your diet.
You’d think that choosing the salad is safe. But all the add-ons piled atop a bed of lettuce can make the sugar, fat, and calorie count just as high as that burger you’re trying to resist. Also, salads are often served in such large portions that it could lead to bloating.
Gluten gets a bad rep but unless you have Coeliac disease or are gluten intolerant there’s no reason to avoid wheat-based products at all. It’s also important to note that not all gluten-free foods are created equally. Some gluten-free breads may even contain high levels of sugar.
(Read more: 5 Reasons Why Your Kids Should NOT Go Gluten Free)