Last week, I explained that one of the main problems in the field of nutrition is not that there is not enough detail and detail. Some nutritional information is simply wrong. Today I’d like to share more of my list of food myths and facts

Myth: Sweet potatoes and white potatoes are related. Fact: The sweet potato is actually a member of the same family as morning glories. White potatoes, on the other hand, are part of the nightshade family along with tomatoes, eggplants and peppers.

Myth: You can overcook mushrooms. Fact: While you could possibly burn or scorch mushrooms, their structural integrity will remain intact no matter how long they are cooked. This is because chitin, a large molecular structure contained in the cell walls of fungi, can withstand higher amounts of heat unlike other polymers found in certain foods.

Myth: Eating once a day is a good way to lose weight. Fact: Intermittent fasting, or eating all your calories in one meal each day, can cause temporary weight loss, but the weight almost always comes back. This is because when you go long periods without eating, your body doesn’t know you’re choosing not to eat, it just thinks food isn’t available. This causes the body to go into starvation mode, where it amplifies every calorie.

Myth: Fat-free salad dressings are better for you. Reality: So many people choose fat-free salad dressings in an effort to reduce their fat intake, thinking it’s healthier. On the contrary… dietary fat is necessary for the absorption of several valuable nutrients, including those found in many salad-type dishes, such as beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamin K. Even for those who do not often indulge in salads, dietary fat is crucial for the utilization of all sources of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Myth: Coconut oil is good for your health. Fact: Coconut oil is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat and milk of the fruit of the coconut palm. However, there is very little (if any) scientific evidence that coconut oil provides health benefits. One of the main issues is that coconut oil is 90% saturated fat, compared to butter (64% saturated fat), beef fat (40%) or even lard (also 40%). . Saturated fats tend to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood. LDL is the “bad” cholesterol, and high blood levels can increase the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.

Myth: Multigrain cereals are always healthy. Fact: It’s true that grains are definitely better than refined white flour because they contain more nutrients like fiber and B vitamins, but don’t fall into the “multi-grain trap.” Just because a food product has “muti-grain” on its label doesn’t mean those grains haven’t been over-processed and stripped of many of their nutrients. It simply means that the particular food product was made from more than one type of grain.

Myth: Fruit Loops cereal comes in different flavors: Fact: Speaking of multi-cereals, you’d think these multicolored loops would have varying flavors that match their colors, but that’s not the case. Fruit Loops once consisted of 3 colors… yellow, orange and red, representing the flavors of lemon, orange and cherry. Today, among the colors displayed are orange, red, blue, green, purple and yellow. However, not only are the flavors the same, every bite of cereal in your bowl tastes the same. They all have the same “fruit” flavors. By the way, this also applies to Fruity Pebbles and Trix cereals.

Myth: French fries were invented in France. Fact: There is good evidence tracing them back to the country’s northeast neighbour, Belgium. It is believed that villagers along the Meuse resorted to frying potatoes when the river froze and they could not fry the fish. By the way, they are not called fries in France either, but rather “fries” or “French fries”.

Myth: Farmed salmon is pink. Fact: Farmed salmon are generally grey. Wild salmon are naturally pink, due to their diet which includes astaxanthin, a reddish compound found in krill and shrimp. Farmed salmon has an added pink color.

David Crocker is a nutritionist and master personal trainer. Questions? Email David at [email protected] or text 864-494-6215.