Busting Some Food Myths

Food is the basis of our existence but all our food habits are prefixed. We follow what we have learnt since childhood, irrespective of whether it is right or wrong. These give rise to a number of food myths. Myths are what you believe are right but in reality they have no truth in them and are insignificant Hence it is better to understand these myths and separate the fact from the myth:

• Junk food does not have any nutritive value. The fact is that no food is nutrient free. All foods have some nutrients in them. The foods categorized as junk foods have an imbalance of nutrients, which means that they may be a concentrated source of one nutrient and very low in other. So you can have some amount of junk food and still have a healthy balanced diet. Potato chips apart from fat contain vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and copper. Eat potato chips with low fat cheeseburger, salad and glass of juice or a whole fruit and you have a fairly balanced diet.
• As an athlete you need thrice the amount of protein compared to a non-athlete. It is true that the protein requirement of an athlete is higher than that of non-athletes but no research suggests that the requirement is thrice compared to a non-athlete. The requirement for a normal adult is about 1 gram per kilogram body weight and for an athlete; it is raised to about 1.6 grams per kilogram body weight. For this amount, no excessive supplements are necessary. This amount can be easily obtained from the additional protein in the diet. For example, two glasses of skimmed milk provide about 70 grams of protein.
• Excess sugar results in hyperactivity. Most people living in rural areas take in excessive amounts of sugar in their diet. Are they all hyperactive? Although research on this subject is yet to establish a direct cause and effect relation, but it has been reported that it is the occasion and not the diet that makes the people hyperactive.
• A zero fat diet is healthier than low fat diet. Fat if taken in excess is bad for health but if curtailed from the diet, is worse. You need some amount of fat in your diet to maintain your health. The current recommendations suggest a fat intake of 30 per cent of total calorie intake, of which less than 10 per cent should be from saturated fat sources. Fat is needed to generate essential fatty acids for the body. So a zero fat diet can pose health risks for you.
• It is best to eat fruits at the end of the meal. After a meal, the food is still in the process of being broken down and when you take in fruit, the fruit has to wait for its turn to get digested. In the meantime, the fruit gets fermented and you are prone to acidity and feel bloated. So it is best to have fruits alone, away from the mealtime.
• Only eating meat can meet your protein requirements. There are plenty of sources of protein, other than meats that can help you to meet your protein requirement. Cereals, pulses, milk and milk products are all good sources of proteins. Supplement cereals with pulses and you get a good quality protein source. In fact, excess meat results in excess intake of saturated fat and can hence cause health problems.