The media doesnât help either. One day, for example, theyâll report the benefits of coffee; two days later, theyâll tell you how dangerous it is!
When it comes to breaking down the truth to common health myths, we do our research. There are so many things that are generally held to be true, or proposed as fact in the media, that you might be shocked to learn that they often come with little to no basis once you dig a little deeper.
Four Common Health MythsâBUSTED
Today, Iâd like to share our findings of four of the most common health myths weâve been hearing latelyâjust to set the record straight for you.
1. âNatural Means Healthyâ
It seems like humans instinctually gravitate toward the word ânatural.â It makes it seem like itâs from the earth, so it must be good! But ânaturalâ is not synonymous with âhealthy.â If youâre out in the woods, for example, and see some berries growing on a bush, they may be natural, but they might be poisonous to eat. The same goes for various mushrooms and other plants. Alternatively, prepackaged foods containing lots of sugar and calories may be full of natural ingredients, but that cookie is still a cookie. Nature can be your friend just as much as it can be your enemy. Be sure to inspect your food beyond its ânaturalâ label.
2. âArtificial Sweeteners Are Worse Than Sugarâ
The toxicity of sugar is well documented. Itâs a fact that sugar leads to metabolic problems, obesity, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. At present, there is no such dataâor at least no consensusâon zero-calorie artificial sweeteners. Some observational studies show an association between them and weight gain, for example, but it could be because they are used to enhance a poor diet, like eating a bag of chips while drinking a can of Diet Coke. But the claims of zero-calorie sweeteners causing cancer and other health problems are unsubstantiated. If youâre looking for ways to cut sugar and add sweetness, artificial sweeteners likely wonât cause any harm.
3. âOrganic Fruits and Vegetables Are More Nutritiousâ
This is also untrue, and should come as a relief to anyone whoâs stretching their budget to buy expensive organic fruits and vegetables. Numerous reviews have found there is no nutritional benefit to eating organicâyouâre going to get the same benefits from organic spinach as you would from non-organic spinach. If itâs the pesticides that concern you, be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables well before consumption, rinsing them under water for at least 30 seconds.
4. âRaw Vegetables Are More Nutritiousâ
Again, this is largely a myth. Youâll lose some nutritional value by cooking your vegetables, including vitamin C, but youâll enhance others, like certain vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, because vitamin C is largely available in a variety of sources, the loss in cooked vegetables is not necessarily a concern.
What might be even more of a surprise is that microwaving might be the best way to cook veggies because it exposes them to heat for the least amount of time.
Although eating raw vegetables is not bad for you and still allows you to enjoy the nutrition of vegetables, they are not very palatable. At the end of the day, eating more fruits and vegetables is what mattersânot whether or not theyâve been cooked.
There are a number of health myths that exist. The more you know, the better off you are. Get informed to get healthy.
Sources for Todayâs Article:
Smith-Spangler, C., et al, âAre Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives?â Annals of Internal Medicine web site, September 4, 2012; http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1355685, last accessed October 16, 2015.
Carroll, A., âThe Evidence Supports Artificial Sweeteners Over Sugar,â New York Times web site, July 27, 2015; http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/upshot/the-evidence-supports-artificial-sweeteners-over-sugar.html?_r=0, last accessed October 16, 2015.
Beck, L., âWhat is the best way to cook vegetables to maximize their nutritional value?â Globe and Mail web site, April 13, 2015; http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health/leslie-beck-how-to-keep-the-vitamins-in-your-veggies/article23900957/, last accessed October 16, 2015.