Many people, for the sake of their health, adhere to various dietary maxims. But did you know that many of these long-held, deeply believed dietary maxims are actually filled with one-sided lies? So, what is the truth? Let's uncover these lies and explore the reality.
1. Brown bread is whole wheat bread. Health-conscious people are often misled by the color of food: brown bread is considered a healthier and more nutritious food. Little do they know, that's just food coloring added by bakers to make the brown bread a more tempting shade to buy. Note that brown bread is not the same as whole wheat bread; when buying whole wheat bread, it's best to check the label.
2. Buttered bread is healthier than french fries. Everyone knows french fries are high in calories, so they opt for what seems like a healthier alternative: bread. But to make the bread taste better, many people spread butter on it. In fact, compared to french fries, the fat content of buttered bread is almost the same. They also contain almost identical amounts of starch, protein, and minerals. Therefore, buttered bread is no healthier than french fries.
3. "Green" fruits don't need washing. Even "green" fruits should be washed carefully with water before eating. This is because parasite eggs on the fruit peel (like on strawberries or apples) are invisible. If eaten without washing, it's easy to fall ill.
4. Sweeteners help with weight loss. Many people know that eating sugar can lead to weight gain, so they believe that using sweeteners instead of sugar can help us lose weight. However, studies show that some sweeteners (especially saccharin) can accelerate insulin secretion, which can only make you more dependent on sugar.
5. Salads are extremely beneficial to health. Probably because salads are low in calories, they are favored by many people. Salads contain up to 80% water, so the nutrients the human body absorbs from them are very low. What's more, most women should not eat too much salad. Because women's constitutions are generally considered "cold" in traditional terms, eating too much salad can easily lead to poor metabolism, poor blood circulation, irregular menstrual cycles, dull skin, and even wrinkles.
6. Eating at night will ruin your figure. In fact, you only gain weight when you eat too much and too late at night. If you don't consume excessive calories at night, you won't have a problem with being overweight. However, be aware that eating too late or having a habit of midnight snacks can indeed burden the stomach and easily lead to sleep disorders and weight gain.
7. Butter has more calories than margarine. Butter and margarine have the same number of calories. In fact, the calorie content of some margarine products is not only not lower than regular butter, but their content of unsaturated fatty acids is higher, which can more easily lead to an increase in cholesterol levels in the body.
8. Red-shelled eggs are more nutritious than white-shelled eggs. The color of an eggshell is only related to the breed of the hen. The nutritional value of an egg depends entirely on the health of the hen and the quality of the feed it is given daily, not on the color of the eggshell.
9. Enzymes in tropical fruits help with weight loss. In fact, the enzymes in tropical fruits support protein digestion, allowing food to be better absorbed by the body, but body fat is not burned. Therefore, you cannot lose weight by only eating tropical fruits.
10. Honey is low in calories and helps with weight loss. In fact, the calorie content of honey is only slightly lower than that of sugar. It has little effect on weight loss. However, in terms of potassium, zinc, and copper content, honey is more nutritious than sugar.
11. Eating potatoes easily leads to weight gain. Many people consider potatoes a food that easily causes weight gain, but this is not the case. Potatoes contain starch, but their water content is as high as 70%, with the actual starch content being only about 20%. They also contain dietary fiber that creates a feeling of fullness. Therefore, using them as a substitute for staple foods not only makes it less likely to gain weight but can also have a weight-loss effect. The reason potatoes are seen as a fattening food is entirely due to improper traditional cooking methods, such as making them into french fries or potato chips. A medium-sized potato, when made into french fries, has 200 times the calories of a baked potato. What makes you fat is not the potato itself, but the oil it absorbs. Anyone who has cooked beef and potatoes knows that potatoes are very good at absorbing oil.
12. Raw vegetables are healthier. Many vegetables are indeed healthier when eaten raw because that best preserves their nutritional content, especially vitamins. However, eating raw is not suitable for all vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, beans, and so on.