In the past, when material goods were not as abundant, eating was a simple matter. Although the food was somewhat monotonous, at least there were no experts sitting around the table constantly saying, "Eat this, don't eat that." Nowadays, all sorts of nutritional advice are everywhere, and people always want to keep up with the latest trends. But are they really as good as you expect? The latest issue of the American magazine "Prevention" invited experts to reveal the many misconceptions in healthy eating.
Misconception 1: Foods containing grains are all healthy
Although numerous studies have found that grain-rich foods can effectively resist heart disease, cancer, and many other diseases, experts also point out that only unprocessed grains are rich in nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium. Once wheat is processed into flour, these nutrients are lost. Harriman, director of a non-profit consumer organization in Boston, says, "Unfortunately, most of the grain-rich foods on the market today are just labeled as such; in fact, they don't contain a single whole grain." Therefore, when buying such products, be sure to read the nutrition label carefully and confirm that the grain you need is listed as the first or second ingredient.
Misconception 2: Vitamin drinks are healthy
Bottled water has now become a "nutritional concept drink," claiming to be rich in various vitamins and herbal "essences," which shows just how high people's concern for health is. However, Elizabeth Somer, an advisor to "Prevention" magazine, advises everyone to "watch their wallets," as these bottled waters contain a lot of calories. Taking a certain well-known brand as an example, a whole bottle contains 125 calories, and its vitamin C content is less than that of two strawberries. Therefore, when you are thirsty, you can choose calorie-free pure water. If necessary, taking a daily multivitamin tablet is also a good choice.
Misconception 3: Dehydrated vegetables are far better than potato chips
Dehydrated vegetables are becoming more and more popular, from dehydrated carrots to shiitake mushrooms and onions. However, these seemingly healthy snacks still lose some of their nutritional value. Moreover, a 120-gram bag of carrot chips contains about 600 calories, equivalent to potato chips. Are you surprised?
When you want a snack, you might as well choose a small handful of nuts. They are rich in fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, and can also satisfy your desire to chew. If you want to choose an absolutely healthy product, fresh, unprocessed vegetables are the best. Shredded carrots, celery sticks, and cucumber slices are all good choices.
Misconception 4: Snacks containing fruit are healthier
The exquisite fruit photos on the packaging claim that all products come from fresh fruit—even so, you absolutely cannot use them as a source to supplement your daily nutritional needs.
"Concentrated grape or pear juice sounds very healthy, but in fact, their ingredients are mostly just fructose and water," says Professor Gail from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Florida State University. "They often contain a lot of calories—almost entirely from added sugar."
If you treat such snacks as fruit, it's best to eat less of them. If you are looking for some simple and quick methods, perhaps packaged raisins or other dried fruits are a good choice.
Misconception 5: Bottled milk is fresher
The short shelf life of milk in glass bottles leads people to mistakenly believe it is fresher, but this is not the case. Some nutrients in milk in transparent packaging will be lost. The calcium in milk is relatively stable, but vitamins and amino acids will decompose under light. A study by Cornell University found that when milk is packaged in a transparent container and exposed to fluorescent light for 16 hours, its vitamin A content decreases by 32%. Light can also oxidize the fat in milk, making the taste worse.
It is best to choose milk packaged in an opaque container. In this case, the nutrients in the milk can be preserved for more than 10 days.
Misconception 6: Drinking alcohol is bad for your health
More than 100 studies have confirmed that compared to teetotalers, moderate drinking can reduce the risk of heart disease by about one-third. Drinking alcohol with meals can slow the rise of alcohol content in the blood and at the same time speed up the body's metabolism. These factors combined can help alleviate high blood pressure. Another benefit of drinking a small amount of alcohol with meals is that alcohol is a well-known effective ingredient for preventing arterial thrombosis and heart disease, which often occur after a large meal.
Misconception 7: Eating mint candies after a meal
The refreshing taste of mint candies is suitable for relieving the greasiness after a meal, but in fact, this can cause a lot of trouble. The U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Center found that mint can cause heartburn and may also cause stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation. The reason is that mint relaxes the muscle at the cardia of the stomach, thereby causing reflux.
If you have heartburn, drinking a glass of plain water after a meal and then taking a walk is a good choice. Walking can keep you upright, and with the help of gravity, stomach acid cannot flow back into the esophagus.