8 Food Myths Busted!

Food myths are created from outdated science, old wives' tales, and a bit of wishful thinking. They stick around because they are so familiar. But every now and then, you need to take another look at information you believe is true and change with the times. How many of these common myths are still part of your nutrition playbook?

Certain foods can burn fat.

WRONG!

According to the "negative calorie effect," the act of chewing and digesting certain foods burns up more calories than the food itself contains. Cucumbers, celery, and grapefruit top the list of foods rumored to have "negative calorie" value. However, while it may seem as if you expend a lot of energy when you chew, in reality, chewing eats up only about 11 measly calories per hour. Low-calorie, high-nutrient foods certainly will help you lose weight—not because they create negative calories, but because you’re munching on them instead of crackers, chips, and cookies.

It's better to eat six mini meals than three squares.

INCORRECT!

As long as your food choices for the entire day are healthy and not too high in calories, either eating style can work. I find that many people prefer to eat more volume less frequently because of hectic schedules or heartier appetites. If that sounds like you, just be sure to keep your daily calories in check, and try not to go longer than four to five hours without eating. Doing so may make your blood sugar drop, causing low energy, headaches, and overeating in response to feeling blah. Have small snacks on hand—such as fruit, nonfat yogurt, or a bag of baby carrots—in case you're running late for lunch or dinner.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than frozen ones.

FALSE!

You may actually get more nutrients from some frozen fruits and vegetables. The same holds true for some canned vegetables. That's because the "fresh" produce you just bought at the grocery store may be a lot older than you think. After being harvested, produce can spend days being sorted, packaged, and then shipped, often cross-country. During that time, fluctuations in light and temperature rob fruits and vegetables of important nutrients such as vitamin C and folate.

The negative side of processing comes down to three factors: taste, texture, and additives. Frozen foods rarely taste as good as fresh, and processing can change the consistency of many items. Food manufacturers often add salt, sugar, and fat to otherwise healthy products. If you become a label sleuth, you can bypass foods that contain these additives. One final note: Items frozen in bags should move about freely, because clumping indicates that the product has been thawed and then refrozen.

Decaf coffee has no caffeine.

NOT TRUE!

My caffeine investigation found that decaf varieties contain between 8 and 32 milligrams of high-octane zip, depending on the cup size. Although this is significantly less than regular Joe (a typical 8-ounce cup provides 100-150 milligrams of caffeine), even a small amount may matter to caffeine-sensitive people. My advice: If you struggle with insomnia, stick with caffeine-free herbal tea  starting late afternoon.