(no subject)
Alot of people believe (or want to believe) alot of weird things about nutrition. So in my quest to set the world straight on matters of nutrition (and not get all grumpy when they think of healthy eating), here is a quiz
Fact or Myth?
1. Calories eaten at night are more fattening.
2. Fasting helps rid the body of toxins.
3. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.
4. Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
5. Low-fat means low calories.
6. You can still eat shrimp and other shellfish on a cholesterol-lowering diet.
7. Multigrain foods are made with whole grains.
8. Olive oil has fewer calories than other fats.
9. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh.
10. Foods boasting ''0 trans fats'' contain ''good'' fats.
11. Organic food always is more nutritious.
answers
1. Calories eaten at night are more fattening.
MYTH
It is total calories that count, not the time of day you eat them. Many diet books may warn against eating after 8 p.m., but there is no ''witching hour'' that makes food more likely to adhere to your hips.
That said, avoiding late-night eating may be a smart strategy to help you eat less, said dietitian Elisa Zied of New York City. People who don't eat all day and then come home and devour everything in sight are probably eating more than they think. So space your meals throughout the day and keep track of total calories, not the clock.
2. Fasting helps rid the body of toxins.
MYTH
A fast may give you the perception of ''cleaning out'' your body's impurities but there is no scientific evidence that this is true, Zied said. Our body is pretty self-sufficient. We have our own ''detox'' system that filters out harmful products on a daily basis. You don't need to deprive your body of food to make that happen.
Nor will fasting keep weight off. The promise of losing ''8 pounds overnight'' may be alluring, but this is water weight, not fat, and it likely will be regained just as quickly. Remember: easy off, easy on. Plus, long-term fasting could be risky.
3. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.
MYTH
Studies show that breakfast skippers actually compensate for those missed calories by eating more throughout the day.
And you have to eat the right food: If you grab only a doughnut, you may be ravenous before lunch because of a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar, Zied said. She suggested a morning meal that contained fiber and protein.
People who regularly eat breakfast tend to have better luck losing weight and keeping it off.
4. Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
FACT
Honey seems to have a more ''natural'' appeal and some people claim it's less fattening. But as far as your body is concerned, there is no difference if you dip into your sugar bowl or squirt from your honey bear bottle. Honey and sugar are both broken down into glucose and fructose.
Honey is a bit sweeter than sugar so you might use less, but that's the only benefit. Raw sugar, turbinado sugar, brown sugar and evaporated cane juice are all basically the same too. They may be slightly less refined than white sugar, but that only means more molasses, which is nutritionally insignificant. (And by the way, sugar does not cause diabetes, another popular nutrition myth.)
5. Low-fat always means low calories.
MYTH
If you see the word ''low'' on the label, that's your clue to look a little further, suggested dietitian Susan Moores of Minneapolis. Check for serving size and the number of calories on the Nutrition Facts label. Low-fat foods often contain the same amount or even more calories than regular versions.
That's particularly true for fat-free foods. If fat is taken out, something else is put back in -- and that's often sugar. Some studies suggest that snacks with low-fat labels simply entice you to indulge, so you end up eating more calories than if you selected the regular version.
6. You can still eat shrimp and other shellfish on a cholesterol-lowering diet.
FACT
Shrimp may be high in dietary cholesterol but it's low in saturated fat, which is a bigger blood cholesterol-raising culprit. Studies now suggest that saturated and trans fats tend to have a greater effect on our blood cholesterol than the cholesterol we eat, according to dietitian David Grotto, a Chicago-based ADA spokesman. Experts still advise us to keep a lid on dietary cholesterol to keep our hearts healthy (300 milligrams a day), but we should be even more vigilant about saturated and trans fat. So as long as it's not battered and fried, there may be no need to say sayonara to shrimp.
7. Multigrain foods are always made with whole grains.
MYTH
The only way to know for sure is to see if ''whole'' is in front of every grain in the ingredient list, Moores advised. ''Multigrain'' only means the product was made with several grains. You can't assume that whole grains were used. The same is true for ''7-grain'' or ''cracked wheat.'' Even breads and cereals that say ''made with whole grains'' may contain few whole grains. Look for products labeled ''100 percent whole grain.''
8. Olive oil has fewer calories than other fats.
MYTH
Somehow, with all the buzz about the heart-health benefits of olive oil, people forget that it's still a fat, said dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix of New York. All oils are 100 percent fat and supply basically the same number of calories--about 120 calories per tablespoon. ''Light'' olive oil has nothing to do with the amount of calories: That simply refers to the flavor. So even though olive oil contains the ''good'' monounsaturated fats, be mindful of how much you douse or drizzle.
9. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh.
FACT
Just-picked vegetables do have more vitamins and minerals, but the nutrient levels can drop the longer that produce is stored. Frozen vegetables are flash-frozen soon after picking to lock in nutrients. You can limit the loss of nutrients by steaming or microwaving with a little water or stir-frying with a bit of oil.
10. Foods boasting ?0 trans fats? contain ''good'' fats.
MYTH
Sometimes the substitution was a saturated fat, which signals no significant improvement. Turn the product over and check the Nutrition Facts label. Front-of-the-package claims are marketing facts, back-of-the-package claims contain nutrition facts, explained dietitian and ADA president-elect Connie Diekman. Don?t assume that ''trans-fat free'' is a healthful choice, she said. When a product says ''0 g trans fat,'' by law it can contain up to half a gram per serving. So if you eat a jumbo portion, you may be getting more trans than you bargained for.
11. Organic food is always more nutritious.
MYTH
Few studies have compared organic and conventionally grown foods, according to food toxicologist Carl Winter, director of the FoodSafe program at the University of California at Davis. Some evidence suggests that organic produce may be higher in certain antioxidants, but there appears to be no nutritional advantage to organic milk and meat, he said. The descriptor refers to the practices on the farm and not the nutritional content of the final product. When it comes to the snack aisle, don't assume that ''organic'' gives you the green light to load up. An organic cheese puff is still a cheese puff.
Fact or Myth?
1. Calories eaten at night are more fattening.
2. Fasting helps rid the body of toxins.
3. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.
4. Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
5. Low-fat means low calories.
6. You can still eat shrimp and other shellfish on a cholesterol-lowering diet.
7. Multigrain foods are made with whole grains.
8. Olive oil has fewer calories than other fats.
9. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh.
10. Foods boasting ''0 trans fats'' contain ''good'' fats.
11. Organic food always is more nutritious.
answers
1. Calories eaten at night are more fattening.
MYTH
It is total calories that count, not the time of day you eat them. Many diet books may warn against eating after 8 p.m., but there is no ''witching hour'' that makes food more likely to adhere to your hips.
That said, avoiding late-night eating may be a smart strategy to help you eat less, said dietitian Elisa Zied of New York City. People who don't eat all day and then come home and devour everything in sight are probably eating more than they think. So space your meals throughout the day and keep track of total calories, not the clock.
2. Fasting helps rid the body of toxins.
MYTH
A fast may give you the perception of ''cleaning out'' your body's impurities but there is no scientific evidence that this is true, Zied said. Our body is pretty self-sufficient. We have our own ''detox'' system that filters out harmful products on a daily basis. You don't need to deprive your body of food to make that happen.
Nor will fasting keep weight off. The promise of losing ''8 pounds overnight'' may be alluring, but this is water weight, not fat, and it likely will be regained just as quickly. Remember: easy off, easy on. Plus, long-term fasting could be risky.
3. Skipping breakfast helps you lose weight.
MYTH
Studies show that breakfast skippers actually compensate for those missed calories by eating more throughout the day.
And you have to eat the right food: If you grab only a doughnut, you may be ravenous before lunch because of a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar, Zied said. She suggested a morning meal that contained fiber and protein.
People who regularly eat breakfast tend to have better luck losing weight and keeping it off.
4. Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
FACT
Honey seems to have a more ''natural'' appeal and some people claim it's less fattening. But as far as your body is concerned, there is no difference if you dip into your sugar bowl or squirt from your honey bear bottle. Honey and sugar are both broken down into glucose and fructose.
Honey is a bit sweeter than sugar so you might use less, but that's the only benefit. Raw sugar, turbinado sugar, brown sugar and evaporated cane juice are all basically the same too. They may be slightly less refined than white sugar, but that only means more molasses, which is nutritionally insignificant. (And by the way, sugar does not cause diabetes, another popular nutrition myth.)
5. Low-fat always means low calories.
MYTH
If you see the word ''low'' on the label, that's your clue to look a little further, suggested dietitian Susan Moores of Minneapolis. Check for serving size and the number of calories on the Nutrition Facts label. Low-fat foods often contain the same amount or even more calories than regular versions.
That's particularly true for fat-free foods. If fat is taken out, something else is put back in -- and that's often sugar. Some studies suggest that snacks with low-fat labels simply entice you to indulge, so you end up eating more calories than if you selected the regular version.
6. You can still eat shrimp and other shellfish on a cholesterol-lowering diet.
FACT
Shrimp may be high in dietary cholesterol but it's low in saturated fat, which is a bigger blood cholesterol-raising culprit. Studies now suggest that saturated and trans fats tend to have a greater effect on our blood cholesterol than the cholesterol we eat, according to dietitian David Grotto, a Chicago-based ADA spokesman. Experts still advise us to keep a lid on dietary cholesterol to keep our hearts healthy (300 milligrams a day), but we should be even more vigilant about saturated and trans fat. So as long as it's not battered and fried, there may be no need to say sayonara to shrimp.
7. Multigrain foods are always made with whole grains.
MYTH
The only way to know for sure is to see if ''whole'' is in front of every grain in the ingredient list, Moores advised. ''Multigrain'' only means the product was made with several grains. You can't assume that whole grains were used. The same is true for ''7-grain'' or ''cracked wheat.'' Even breads and cereals that say ''made with whole grains'' may contain few whole grains. Look for products labeled ''100 percent whole grain.''
8. Olive oil has fewer calories than other fats.
MYTH
Somehow, with all the buzz about the heart-health benefits of olive oil, people forget that it's still a fat, said dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix of New York. All oils are 100 percent fat and supply basically the same number of calories--about 120 calories per tablespoon. ''Light'' olive oil has nothing to do with the amount of calories: That simply refers to the flavor. So even though olive oil contains the ''good'' monounsaturated fats, be mindful of how much you douse or drizzle.
9. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh.
FACT
Just-picked vegetables do have more vitamins and minerals, but the nutrient levels can drop the longer that produce is stored. Frozen vegetables are flash-frozen soon after picking to lock in nutrients. You can limit the loss of nutrients by steaming or microwaving with a little water or stir-frying with a bit of oil.
10. Foods boasting ?0 trans fats? contain ''good'' fats.
MYTH
Sometimes the substitution was a saturated fat, which signals no significant improvement. Turn the product over and check the Nutrition Facts label. Front-of-the-package claims are marketing facts, back-of-the-package claims contain nutrition facts, explained dietitian and ADA president-elect Connie Diekman. Don?t assume that ''trans-fat free'' is a healthful choice, she said. When a product says ''0 g trans fat,'' by law it can contain up to half a gram per serving. So if you eat a jumbo portion, you may be getting more trans than you bargained for.
11. Organic food is always more nutritious.
MYTH
Few studies have compared organic and conventionally grown foods, according to food toxicologist Carl Winter, director of the FoodSafe program at the University of California at Davis. Some evidence suggests that organic produce may be higher in certain antioxidants, but there appears to be no nutritional advantage to organic milk and meat, he said. The descriptor refers to the practices on the farm and not the nutritional content of the final product. When it comes to the snack aisle, don't assume that ''organic'' gives you the green light to load up. An organic cheese puff is still a cheese puff.