There is a lot of misinformation regarding nutrition fads which include antioxidant pills, juicing and gluten-free diets etc. However, there were a lot of dietary patterns that have clearly shown to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease.
After analyzing current evidence, the report debunked some of the recent popular food fads, but also found that “There is a growing consensus that a predominantly plant-based diet that emphasizes green, leafy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fruit is where the best improvements are seen in heart health.”
Of course, there are as many disadvantages also with food dites if don’t opt to a proper diet. As globalization led to the introduction of many new cuisines, thereby increasing the appetite for new food items and eating food more than what is required is equivalent to poison. So, food which is tasty like fast food or junk food results in various health issues such as diabetes, obesity, heart diseases, gallstones, etc.
Here are some of the myths and facts on what food fads to avoid and which food trends to follow:
Myths: Eggs are bad for your heart.
Facts: Eggs contain a considerable amount of cholesterol (nearly 211 mg per large egg) in their yolks. Obviously, cholesterol is the fatty content in our blood which causes blocked arteries and heart attacks. But framing eggs as “bad for the heart” is not convincing, experts say. The main heart-disease is due to saturated and trans fats, which shows a greater impact on raising the level of blood cholesterol.
Epidemiologic studies say that healthy people can have an egg everyday benefits health.
Myths: Microwaving destroys nutrients.
Facts: It is not exactly true, whether we use a microwave, a charcoal grill or a solar-heated stove, the main factor is the heat and the amount of time we cooking which will affect nutrient losses, not the method of cooking. The longer and hotter we cook food, the more the chances of losing certain heat- and water-sensitive nutrients, particularly vitamin C and thiamin. Usually, microwave cooks food faster, it can actually help to reduce nutrient losses.
Myth: Brown sugar is healthier than the white sugar
Facts: Brown and white sugar both are equally bad for health. Brown sugar is also equal to our regular refined white sugar. The brown sugar contains certain minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, and magnesium that too in little amount, whereas white sugar does not include these. Most of the marketers to promote their product by saying that the sugar does not cause diabetes but remember whether it is brown or white; they may lead to sugar related conditions since it contains carbohydrates.
Myth: Coffee helps in weight loss and kills the desire to eat?
Facts: Caffeine can slightly increase metabolism but not enough to make a dent in weight. It can reduce one’s desire to eat but only for a short period.
Myth: Mangoes are fattening?
Facts: Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamin A and C. It does not promote weight gain because they are reasonably low in calories, and it contains only 1 gram of fat per mango. Mango skin contains compounds that could aid with weight management.
Myth: It is essential to fast periodically, to clean toxins from the body.
Facts: Our body has its own naturally designed system for removing the toxins which include the liver, kidneys and spleen. There is no proven study that not eating or liquid diet for some period of time can do this job better.
Myth: Apple cider and vinegar can burn fat
Facts: Apple cider vinegar does not burn fat but may assist in weight loss management. the acidic fluid in vinegar delays the digestion of carbohydrates. It also balances glucose levels after meals resulting in fewer cravings for dessert.
Myths: Eating just before going to bed fattens you.
Fact: Eating before bedtime does not gain weight, but it is healthy to eat two hours before going to bed. What to eat is much more important than when to eat.
Myths: Chilies can cause ulcers and gastritis.
Facts: Bacteria causes gastric ulcers but not chillies. Chilies dilate the stomach blood vessels helping to protect and repair the stomach lining.
Myths: Light olive oil has fewer calories.
Facts: Light olive oil is not the diet-friendly oil choice, that only refers to a refined oil that has a lighter flavour but not light caloric load.
Myth: Oatmeal is ideal for weight loss
Facts: Grains are high in carbohydrates and low in protein that provides an energy crash within a few hours after eating it, resulting in more sugar cravings.
Myth: Margarine is better than butter.
Facts: Margarine contains a large amount of processed vegetable oil and trans fat, which is highly toxic and can increase the risk of heart disease. Butter is a high-fat dairy product and is associated with a lower risk of obesity. Butter is a healthier choice.
Myths: Diet soda is better than regular soda
Fact: It is suitable for weight management and dental hygiene. It contains fewer calories than regular soda. However, there are many harmful ingredients in diet soda; it contains artificial sweetener. Consuming Regular soda for an extended period is also not good; there are chances of having a heart attack and also develop asthma, tooth cavities.
It is difficult to say whether diet or regular soda is better for your health, so it is good to avoid both.
Conclusion:
The human body is a complex machine which needs food to perform day to day tasks. The portion and type of food to be fed to the human machine depend from one individual to the other depending on their overall health and many other factors.
Our elders ate what they could grow naturally and did toil to earn that food, thereby balancing the input and output. The food we eat these days is, to a great extent, processed, meaning usage of chemicals to keep the food fresh and increase their shelf life.
So, instead of creating food fads from time to time, let’s resort to the diet and routine followed by our elders for long healthy life.
About The Hospital:
Sai Siva Children’s Hospital, Chanda Nagar, is a full-fledged medical facility specially designed for pediatric patients as well as young adults. The hospital was started in the year 2008, with the aim of reaching out to schools and villages to educate the middle and high school students about health & hygiene. Sai Siva Children’s Hospital is one of the most sought-after children’s hospitals in Hyderabad with a team of experienced doctors and skilled staff who aim to help your child have healthy growth and development. We believe that children today are the future of our world, and must have good health to make the world a better place to live in.