You’ll have all heard the following sentences at least once:
“Do not add too much sugar”
“Fried and fat foods are bad for you”
“Coffee will damage your health”
But have you ever stopped and wondered whether they are all true?
I’m here to show you that not everything you have believed is true and that you can enjoy your guilty pleasures without worrying too much that it could harm your health.
Take a look at some of the most common myths about food:
Added Sugar Is Always Bad For You
Okay yes, if you pack your meals with tons of sugar, you will probably develop some health issues, but consuming sugar moderately will not have the same effect. The truth is that natural sugar is found in fruits, dairy and other foods and it is essential for a functioning organism. Refined sugars are metabolized by your body in the same way as natural sugars. Also, experts claim that added sugar makes no more than 10% of your total calorie intake – which really is not that much.
All Saturated Fats Raise Blood Cholesterol
You have to be aware of one thing…in order for your body to function normally it requires all the essential compounds; fats being one of them. Many medics advise to keep away from saturated fat as they raise cholesterol and could cause heart attacks. But the truth is a bit different. Not all saturated fats are bad for you. Some of them, like stearic acid, don’t raise harmful cholesterol, but actually boosts the beneficial HDL cholesterol levels. It is important to inform yourself about all the different kinds of saturated fats and to learn how your body handles them.
The More Fibre You Eat, The Better
When talking about fibre, it is pretty much the same story as with saturated fats. There are countless different types of fibre that have different functions in our body. Because of the complete hype about fibre rich foods being insanely healthy, many producers are now packing their products with these specific types of isolated fibre.
The conclusion?
Yes, fibre foods are healthy, but only if they are fibre rich whole foods, like whole grains and legumes. If you don’t like fibre foods, you can implement natural calcium in your diet to make up for the calcium your organism needs.
Fried Foods Are Always Too Fatty
We all know the drill – if you wish to lose weight, prevent high cholesterol or possible heart attacks, you have to stay away from greasy, deep fried foods. Well here’s some good news for all of you who cannot simply resist that savoury flavour. Fried foods do not necessarily have to be unhealthy and soaked in oil. The trick is to minimize oil absorption by following one simple instruction…keep the oil temperature up. If the temperature is low it will actually absorb more oil and become greasy. So, monitor the oil temperature with a thermometer and use paper towels to remove excess oil and you can enjoy your fried foods without risking your health.
Coffee Is Bad For Your Health
Can you imagine starting your day without coffee? Neither can I. Luckily for us, this myth about the unhealthy properties of coffee has finally been debunked. According to recent studies, coffee might actually have some major health benefits, like protecting against Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, liver cancer and other liver diseases. It can also improve cognitive functions and decrease the risk of depression. Of course, this is only true if consumed moderately.
Before you start treating yourself with your favourite snacks, make sure you inform yourself in the best way possible about the healthy properties of these foods, about the different functions they have in your body and most importantly how to prepare these foods in a healthy manner.
Are you eating healthy or are you making some nutrition mistakes?
About the author
Amy Mia Goldsmith is an editor at Beausmith lifesyle blog and Ripped.me fitness blog. She has a degree in nutrition and her goal is to teach people to live a healthy, happy life.
