Food Myths: To Believe or Not to Believe

As the famous cardiologist Dean Ornish, MD, reminds us, “The whole point of science is to help people sort out conflicting science, and nowhere is there more conflicting claims than in the area of diet.” Let’s look at some of the most stubborn food myths that manage to surface around the topic of food.

Myth #1 – Brown Eggs are More Nutritious than White Eggs

Fact:  Brown eggs are equal to white in nutritional value, flavor and cooking characteristics. Additionally, one isn’t healthier, more “natural” (the USDA has a legal definition for “natural”, but it applies only to meat and poultry) or more eco-friendly than the other.  In general, white shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and white ear lobes and brown shelled eggs are produced by hens with red feathers and red ear lobes. It’s that simple!

Myth#2 –  Eating After 7:00 PM will Cause Weight Gain

Fact: Your body doesn’t use a clock to determine how many calories it should have. It requires a specific amount of daily calories and if you are under your daily requirement come 7:00pm, eating after that time will not cause weight gain.  Eating later in the evening isn’t recommended because digestion then conflicts with the body’s restorative process that takes place throughout the night.

Myth #3 – High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is Worse for You than Sugar

Fact:  HFCS and sucrose have similar effects on blood levels of insulin, glucose, triglycerides and satiety hormones. HFCS has recently taken blame for our U.S. obesity epidemic; however, there is not enough scientific data to confirm this sweetener changes metabolism, increases body fat, or boosts appetite. The most important thing is to cut back on all added sugars.

Next time you hear, “best thing to happen in the world of nutrition,” be skeptical. Make sure you do your research from trusted, credible websites and established scientific journals.   A few recommended websites are: healthfinder.gov, http://healthfinder.gov/ ,and http://www.eatright.org/. Remember if something seems too good to be true, most likely it is.