Diet and health myths

Diet and health myths: What's fact or fiction?!!!

MYTH: Fresh fruits and veggies are better than frozen

FALSE: Nothing beats the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables picked in season. However, most frozen fruits and vegetables are picked and packed at the peak of ripeness and thus contain the highest nutrient levels. You can try flash-frozen fruits and vegetables as a healthy option.

MYTH: Eating less will always make you lose weight

TRUE to an extent: If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. But, if you eat too few calories your body will go into "starvation mode" and will store fat because it thinks you will not be consuming any more calories. Eating too few calories will cause your metabolism to slow down and thus burn fewer and fewer calories to conserve, Schwartz said.

MYTH: Energy Drinks will Give Me Energy

Semi-true: Energy drinks may give you a little boost, but they are usually jam-packed with sugar (up to 14 teaspoons) and have way too much caffeine for your own good (some side effects include rapid heartbeat, insomnia, and annoying tapping)—long story short, the energy boost won't last, said Corey Schwartz, a certified health and fitness specialist and the founder of RemixYourHealth.

MYTH: Fat-free means calorie free

FALSE: Pretty much everything has calories. Fat-free just means food sans fat. Make sure you are careful with your fat-free selections as sometimes they are loaded with sugar and salt to regain flavor from the missing fat, Schwartz said.

MYTH: Eating your calories at night makes you gain weight

FALSE: A calorie is still a calorie regardless of what time it is. Why does it appear that late-night calories hold more weight? Usually late night eating is typically mindless (aka. done in front of a TV or computer) and portion control is thrown out the window. That, combined with a decrease in activity later in the day, will lead to weight gain, Schwartz said.

MYTH: Multi-Grain and Whole Grain are the Same Thing

FALSE: Multi-grain doesn't always mean whole grain. Multi-grain bread may have a wide variety of grains, but it's likely they may not all be whole, Schwartz said.

MYTH: Certain foods make you burn fat

FALSE: There is not a single food out there that can single handily burn fat. However, certain foods like lean proteins, nuts & seeds, and certain fruits can bolster your metabolism by using more energy to digest themselves.

Shared by : Seemanth Nair