Nutrition Myths

•   Eating celery burns calories;  celery contains only a few calories, but it does not burn existing calories.

•   Eating beans or legumes are an adequate substitute protein; animal proteins, such as meat or fish, contain necessary amino acids that aren’t found in beans or legumes.

•   Fresh carrots are healthier than cooked carrots; actually, cooking helps unlock the betacarotene, so cooking carrots increases the nutritional value.

•   Removing chicken skin before cooking reduces fat; cooking chicken with the skin on helps preserve freshness and retain nutrients.  Keep the skin on while you cook the chicken, and remove it prior to eating.

•   Avoid carbohydrates for good health; carbohydrates are one of the body’s main energy sources and are an essential part of any diet.  To stay healthy, try to use whole wheat flour and brown rice.

•   Margarine contains fewer calories than butter; actually, margarine and butter have the same amount of calories.

•   Nuts are unhealthy; nuts can actually help prevent cardiovascular disease.  You can incorporate nuts into your diet as a mid-day snack, as long as you don’t eat more than 30g a day.

•   Milk adds to cold symptoms; milk has no effect on colds.

•   Hot or spicy foods contribute to stomach ulcers; while spicy foods can cause colonic irritation, they have no effect on stomach ulcers.

•   Eat less if you have a cold or a fever; actually, when you have a cold or fever, your metabolic rate increases, so you should eat more when you are sick.

From “Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal” by Lauren Gelman