LinkyThe Truth About 6 Food Myths
By Leslie Fink, MS, RD | 05/03/2004
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Can an apple a day really keep the doctor away? That belief has been common since medieval times, and it turns out for good reason: Researchers from Cornell University have found that an apple's peel and flesh contain powerful cancer-fighting and -preventing chemicals.
Apples may live up to their age-old reputation, but blindly following food adages and superstitions can sometimes be harmful, says Roberta Duyff, MS, RD, author of Food Folklore: Tales and Truths about What We Eat (Chronimed Publishing, 1998). So seek out the guidance of a licenced health professional before you try any suspicious dietary "cures."
Here are six other food-oriented health adages, along with what the experts say about them:
Should I feed a cold and starve a fever?
This is definitely one from the dark ages. Science shows that people who have fevers have an increased need for calories, not a decreased one, and there seems to be no justification for overeating when someone has a cold (although some like to think being sick warrants a sympathy doughnut or two). Bennett encourages lots of fluids ? broth, juice, Jell-O ? and whatever else you can stomach, adding that "chicken soup will work as well as anything else."
If I eat less, will my stomach shrink?
Dieters want to believe this (especially as bathing suit season approaches), but it's not true. Whereas our stomachs do expand to handle a large amount of food, explains Duyff, once they're empty, they go back to their normal size.
Are fresh vegetables better than frozen or canned ones?
Canned carrots might not be your idea of a tasty dish, but that doesn't mean you should discredit them. Frozen and canned vegetables can actually be more nutritious than fresh ones. They're often picked and processed at their peak of ripeness, using techniques that lock in a slew of nutrients. Just make sure not to destroy their nutritional value by overcooking them. However, if you're watching your sodium intake, buy either frozen or reduced-sodium canned veggies.
Can chicken soup cure the common cold?
Studies show that there might be an anti-inflammatory benefit to chicken soup. Is it powerful enough though to replace that "nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, achy, stuffy head, fever so you can rest and have a good morning medicine"? "I wouldn't bank on it," says Bennett, but if the soup feels good going down, enjoy it.
Will eating grapefruits burn off extra calories?
Wouldn't it be great if we could just pop a ruby red to lose weight? Reality is, though, it takes much more than a grapefruit to whittle away a 32-inch waist. Whereas the digestion of a grapefruit, or any other food, will burn calories, it's not nearly enough to shed pounds. Plus, you don't want to eat just grapefruit, do you?
Can drinking alcoholic beverages warm me up on a blustery winter day?
Depending on your cocktail of choice, it might burn your throat and give you the illusion of warmth. But truth be told, if you're relying on alcohol to warm you up while skiing or ice skating, you'd be better off putting on a heavier sweater. Drinking alcohol makes us lose heat, Duyff explains.
The only food myth I pay heed to is that eating 'fire' foods such as fried foods weakens you and should not be eaten if you are sick. I can't think of too many others that you could devote a book too, but it does look interesting.
