Contributed by Louise G.

 

It is hard to figure out what to eat. We hear conflicting information all the time.  First, eggs have too much cholesterol.  Now, eggs are healthy.  Don’t eat any carbohydrates vs.  be sure to eat whole grain bread.  How can we be sure what we should be eating?

  1. You shouldn’t cut off bread’s crust, that’s where all the vitamins are.  Yes, it is all true.  Studies have found that cancer-fighting antioxidants in bread are eight times more abundant in the crust.  But either way, whole-grain bread has more nutrients with the crust off than white bread with the crust on.
  2. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables helps to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.  They are also full of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
  3. Cholesterol is bad for you.  This is a popular belief left over from when scientists and nutritionists first started to measure cholesterol.  There are different types of cholesterol, both good and bad.   Saturated fats in meat, cheese, cream and butter are attributed with bad cholesterol, while nuts, seeds and fish are associated with good cholesterol.  But you do not need to give up meat and cheese.  If you purchase pasture fed meats and cheeses, the bad cholesterol is lowered significantly.
  4. Bananas are fattening.  For a fruit, they appear to be fattening, but compared to any other food and you will see they are low in fat.  They are full of potassium and other nutrients.  If you compare a banana to a slice of cake, the banana wins.
  5. Carbohydrates make you fat.  This is another instance of good and bad.  Bad carbohydrates are in items with tons of sugar like cake and cookies, french fries and cheeseburgers.  These foods will help you to add on the pounds.  But there are good carbohydrates that help your body burn fat.  These carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

 

What are some other health myths you’ve heard of?