Nutrition Myths

Old myths and new ones are a daily source of interest.

Myths about nutrition are often handed down from generation to generation. Here are a few of the more common nutrition myths...

Myth: Some "health foods" have special powers of protection and healing.

Fact: A particular food or food supplement will not prevent or cure diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer or heart disease. Health foods" do not offer any special power for prevention or healing. Recommended amount and combinations of basic food groups contribute to good health.

Myth: You should never drink milk while eating fish or lemons.

Fact: No experimental or clinical evidence has ever shown that eating these foods together will make you sick. If you can eat these foods separately, then you can eat them together. In fact, fish chowder or oyster stew combines both fish and milk.

Myth: Some foods, such as boiled eggs and grapefruit, burn calories.

Fact: There are no foods with the magic property of burning calories. The real secret to weight control is to reduce food intake and increase exercise.

Myth: Beets are high in iron and should be eaten to prevent anemia.

Fact: Actually, beets have very little iron. The red color of foods is not necessarily related to the iron content of the foods. Beet greens are a good source of iron.

Myth: Foods grown with organic fertilizers are more nutritious than foods grown with chemical fertilizers.

Fact: There is no difference in the nutritive quality of oranically fertilized crops and chemically fertilized crops. All fertilizers are changed to organic chemical compounds before the plant uses the nutrients. Most nutrients, except minerals, are synthesized by the plant not absorbed from the soil.

Myth: Fresh vegetables are more nutritious than frozen or canned vegetables.

Fact: Many frozen and canned fruits and vegetables may actually contain more nutrients than fresh products. Produce is often frozen or canned almost immediately after it is harvested which helps preserve nutrients. Fresh produce, on the other hand, may lose nutrients when it is exposed to air and light during shipment and storage.

Myth: Toasted bread has fewer calories than untoasted bread.

Fact: Because toasting bread only removes water from the bread, the caloric value of toasted and untoasted bread is about the same. However, a slice of toast or a slice of bread only contains about 70 calories.

Myth: Synthetic vitamins are not as effective as vitamins from natural sources.

Fact: Your body cannot tell the difference between a vitamin from natural sources and those made in a lab. The vitamins made from natural sources are usually much more expensive than synthesized vitamins. Also, many so-called natural vitamin pills often contain chemical compounds.

For more information on milk and nutrition contact your local County Extension Office.