Do eating ripened bananas cause precocious puberty in children? Can wearing contact lenses while barbecuing lead to blindness? Are seedless grapes seedless because of birth control pills? Actually, these rumors that have been circulating online for a long time are not true! Today, we will debunk these "pseudo-science" myths one by one!
Myth 1: Wearing contact lenses while barbecuing can cause blindness?
Debunking: Barbecuing will not cause contact lenses to melt!
Contact lenses are made of organic polymer materials such as silicone hydrogel and hydrated polymers. Their melting point is much higher than that of our skin and cornea. Therefore, if the temperature were high enough to melt the contact lenses in your eyes, your skin and cornea would have been burned first. However, when working in places with a lot of smoke and dust or in the presence of volatile chemicals, or when swimming in a pool, you should avoid wearing contact lenses to prevent dust, bacteria, and other infections.
Myth 2: Eating ripened bananas can cause precocious puberty in children?
Debunking: Ethylene will not harm the human body!
Bananas secrete ethylene when they ripen naturally. The component of ethylene is compatible with that of ripening agents, so it will not have a negative impact on the human body, let alone cause precocious puberty in children.
Myth 3: Eating Malatang often can erode the liver?
Debunking: Undercooked food can cause parasitic infections!
The rumor says that someone who ate Malatang and rice noodles for many years was found to have their body severely eroded by bacteria and worms, leading to death. In fact, bacteria and worms are not necessarily related to parasites. Undercooked or parasite-infested food can lead to parasitic infections. Therefore, it's not that eating Malatang easily leads to parasitic infections. As long as you pay attention to food hygiene, cook food thoroughly, especially rice noodles, frog legs, or aquatic products, and only eat them after they are fully cooked, you can effectively avoid the risk of infection.
Myth 4: Artificial food coloring causes ADHD in children?
Debunking: Food colorings that meet standards are safe!
The common rumor is that food colorings used by candy manufacturers cause ADHD and other symptoms like intellectual disability in children. This is not true. There is no conclusive evidence that natural or artificial food colorings cause ADHD in children. As long as the food colorings meet production and usage standards, they will not harm a child's body.
Myth 5: Are seedless grapes seedless because of birth control pills?
Debunking: Seedless grapes have nothing to do with birth control pills!
Seedless grapes: First, it's a matter of variety. Grapes like Crimson, Ruby, Summer Black, and Black Pearl are naturally seedless and do not require any cultivation techniques. The other type is that when seeded grapes bloom, they are treated to become seedless using gibberellin to prevent successful pollination, forming seedless grapes. Gibberellin is harmless to the human body and is widely used in developed countries like Japan and the EU.
Myth 6: Eating cup noodles will leave wax in your stomach?
Debunking: Standard packaging materials are safe!
The packaging for cup noodles is strictly regulated by standards. Qualified manufacturers, both internationally and domestically, strictly enforce these standards. Qualified cup noodles produced to standard will not have this problem. Even if a small amount of edible wax is consumed, it will be excreted along with other food residues, so there is no need to worry excessively.
Myth 7: Children with diarrhea should not eat?
Debunking: If there is no vomiting, they should eat normally!
The traditional advice is that for children with diarrhea, it's best not to eat for 24 hours to avoid further irritating the stomach and intestines. They should drink more water to prevent dehydration. This view is actually biased. Compared to adults, children with diarrhea are indeed more prone to dehydration, so it is important to replenish fluids appropriately. However, you should not just drink pure water; you also need to supplement minerals and salt in moderation.
At the same time, as long as the child is not vomiting, they can be fed. On the contrary, a child with diarrhea should eat reasonably and normally.
Myth 8: Wax on fruits like apples causes cancer?
Debunking: Both natural fruit wax and edible wax are harmless!
Fruits have a thin layer of natural fruit wax, which is harmless and nothing to worry about. The edible wax commonly used for preserving fruits is extracted from crustaceans like crabs and shells, and it is not harmful to the human body.
Myth 9: Antibiotics lead to drug resistance?
Debunking: Follow medical advice, and drug resistance can be prevented!
A child's immune system is not fully developed, so when illness strikes, they may not be able to heal on their own and may need the help of antibiotics. When a doctor determines that your baby needs antibiotics, it is crucial to use them in sufficient dosage, on time, and for the full course. This can greatly prevent the child from developing antibiotic resistance, so there is no need to worry too much!
Myth 10: Eating red-fleshed dragon fruit will cause bloody urine?
Debunking: This red urine is harmless to the body!
Red-fleshed dragon fruit contains anthocyanins, and this natural pigment is water-soluble. Therefore, if a person consumes a large amount of red-fleshed dragon fruit at once, their urine may be "stained" to some extent. However, this is completely different from bloody urine, and the redness caused by this reason is completely harmless!
Myth 11: Baby walkers help babies learn to walk safely and effectively?
Debunking: Baby walkers increase risks, and their use is not recommended!
China's "Child Fall Intervention Guidelines" clearly states that the use of baby walkers for infants is not recommended. Because experts believe that baby walkers do not help children learn to walk; on the contrary, they increase the risk of accidental injuries.
Myth 12: Eight cherry pits can poison an adult?
Debunking: The amount of toxic substance in a cherry pit is very low!
The "amygdalin" in cherry pits can convert into a very small amount of toxic substance. A 60kg adult man would need to eat 2.4 kg of pits to show signs of poisoning!