Honey is NOT better for you than sugar… and five other common food myths busted
Foods can sometimes get a bad name without there even being any proof - but now six age-old rumours have been debunked
EATING healthy meals can be difficult to keep up, especially when many of our favourite foods have gained a bad name - but here are six common beliefs debunked.
Ranging from honey being better for you than sugar to whether dairy really is good for our bones, this is the truth behind those common food myths.
Honey is healthier than white sugar
The common belief is that because honey is created by bees it's a better choice for you than sugar, but as sugar originates from canes or beets, both foods are equally "natural".
In fact, a teaspoon of honey contains 16 calories, the same amount found in sugar and all of these are added sugars:
- brown sugar
- agave
- brown rice syrup
- molasses
- evaporated cane syrup
- Demerara sugar
- date sugar
Eating chocolate is good for you
While there are some health benefits to eating chocolate because it has elements of the antioxidant, called flavanoids (or flavanols), most chocolate doesn't have enough to make a big difference.
Even 70 per cent dark chocolate may not contain much flavanols because of the processing that takes place from the cacao bean to the edible product.
And although studies show that flavanols can reduce blood pressure and "relax" blood vessels, to feel those benefits, you'd have to eat a significant amount of cacao chocolate.
Watermelon contains a lot of sugar
Just like all fruits, watermelon does contain natural sugars, called fructose, but it is also nearly 92 per cent water which means that sweet taste isn't more sugar.
The reason why many people think watermelon has more sugar is because it has a high glycemic index but a lower glycemic load, meaning the blood sugar doesn't change much after it's eaten.
Dairy is the best for keeping your bones healthy
One very common food myth is that dairy is the best for keeping your bones healthy, but often people make the mistake of believing dairy is calcium.
Nutritionist expert Andy Bellatti told“Dairy contains calcium, but so do dark-leafy greens. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, just like all milk alternatives.
"Additionally, bone health goes beyond calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin K is important for bone health (dark leafy greens have it, dairy doesn’t).
"Magnesium (present in foods like almonds, cashews, oatmeal, and potatoes, but missing in dairy products) also plays an important role in bone health.”
Eating after a certain time will make you gain weight
Many of you will have heard the myth that everything you eat after a certain time instantly turns to fat but according to the experts this is simply not true.
With Andy saying it was "A silly weight-loss gimmick. What matters is what you’re eating throughout the day."
The idea is that if you eat before bed your metabolism will slow down and won't burn off the food you just ate, so the food will turn to fat.
But while it is true your metabolism slows down it doesn't mean your body just stops digesting food altogether.
Frozen yogurt is a low sugar-choice compared to ice cream
Although frozen yogurt is a low-fat choice compared to ice cream, it isn't a lower-sugar option because foods with less fat tend to have more sugar to make it taste better.
The the only way to know is to check the label of the frozen yogurt, low-fat and no-added sugar options are available as they use low-calorie sweeteners, but often the toppings add to the sugar count