Myths & Facts

FACT : Not all processed foods are unhealthy. Some processed foods, such as whole grain pasta, and plain frozen vegetables, are healthy choices. But some others like deep fried foods, salty snacks and packaged baked goods such as donuts and croissants provide few nutrients or are high in calories, fat, sugar or sodium and should be limited.

FACT : There is no food that burns fat or makes you lose weight more quickly. Weight loss diets that focus on single foods, like grapefruit, cabbage soup or celery, are restrictive and lack nutrients needed for good health. It's true that when you eat only one type of food, like cabbage soup, you might eat less and take in fewer calories than you need and maybe lose weight at first. But in the end, these diets don't create healthy habits you can stick with, and don't help with long-term weight loss.

FACT : Energy drinks might make you feel a short burst of energy, but it doesn't last. Energy drinks usually contain lots of sugar; in fact, one energy drink can have up to 14 teaspoons of sugar. Most energy drinks have caffeine, and too much caffeine may cause unwanted side effects such as rapid heartbeat and insomnia. These drinks should not be consumed in amounts more than 500 ml per day. The best way to get energized is to eat well, be active, stay hydrated and get enough sleep.

FACT : Cooking actually increases carrots’ nutritional value. The process breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase the beta-carotene.

FACT : The latest research shows that they don’t actually contribute to high cholesterol. In fact, eggs are an inexpensive source of many nutrients, including zinc and iron, antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin D, and the brain-boosting chemical choline.

FACT : Choosing the healthiest carbohydrates, especially whole grains, is more important to your well-being. At least seven major studies show that women and men who eat whole grains have 20 to 30 percent less heart disease. A study has also found that adults who ate the most servings of whole grains had lower body weight.

FACT : Proteins are long chains of amino acids, strung together like beads on a necklace. Your body needs a complete set of the acids in order to build body tissues. Meats contain them all, but so do most plants. Even if you never touched meat, you would get all the amino acids you need from beans, vegetables, grains, and fruits.

FACT : Like all oils, olive oil is a mixture of many kinds of natural fats. Almost 15 percent is "bad" (saturated) fat - the kind that raises cholesterol. Most of the rest is monounsaturated fat, which serves no purpose other than providing unnecessary calories. Only a tiny fraction of olive oil is in the form the body actually needs.