People share and pass on many misconceptions about various eating habits from one generation to another. Most of us have been warned by our mothers or grandmothers not to swallow chewing gum because it would stick to our stomach; we were also warned not to eat eggs, fish, or lentils when we have a cold. We all share weight loss tips; some recommend drinking skimmed milk, or advocate the use of brown sugar instead of white sugar, while some accuse late meals of being the main reason behind weight gain and obesity, in addition to many other myths. Let us view together through some of these misconceptions that we have passed on as we grew up without thinking, and discuss them in search for the truth.
Diet
The world of weight loss diets is full of myths and misconceptions. Some people think that starving themselves is the best way to lose weight, but this is totally untrue. First of all, starving the body will likely fail at the beginning due to its difficulty and extreme risk to health, which may lead to craving different types of high-calorie foods; thus, causing weight gain instead of weight loss.
Another common misconception is avoiding carbohydrates because they cause weight gain; the truth is carbohydrates are not the reason. Eating complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, potatoes, and rice—without adding any fatty sauces or frying—is essential for a balanced meal. Not having a balanced meal that contains all the necessary nutrients weakens the body so it becomes vulnerable to diseases. The healthiest option is, thus, to eat a variety of low-calorie meals containing different ingredients, in order to lose weight slowly and over a long period of time.
Another famous misconception nowadays is that increasing the number of meals increases the rate of burning calories. The thermal effect of food—which is the calories needed by the body for the digesting process—consumes about 10% of the total calories you eat, which is not related to the number of meals, but rather to the total calories intake daily. On the other hand, low-calorie snacks prevent hunger between meals, which may help people control their appetite, not to increase the burning rate.
Last but not least, do late night meals increase weight? Yes; if you were a mouse that is! This idea was based on experiments conducted on mice. It was found that the mice that violate their biological clock system—which is based on the fact that night is for resting not eating—gain more weight than others; however, this was not proven in humans. What is more important than the time of eating is the quality of food and the calories it contains. Those who are used to eating high-calorie foods at night inevitably gain weight, not because of the time of eating the meal, but rather the high number of calories it contains.
Milk
Many people warn of drinking milk after eating eggs, although they form together a rich source of protein for breakfast; eggs are rich in protein, amino acids, and healthy fats, while milk supplies the body with calcium and protein. There is nothing that prohibits combining both of them except in the case of eating raw eggs, where the protein in the eggs combines with the biotin "vitamin B7", which prevents its absorption, in addition to the possibility of food poisoning due to bacterial infection after eating raw eggs.
Another myth is the belief that skimmed milk is healthier than full fat milk, as it has not been proven that people who consume full fat milk are at a higher risk of having heart attacks or suffering from diabetes compared to those who prefer skimmed milk; moreover, both groups are prone to obesity at the same rate. This is all about the increase in the absorption of vitamin D and vitamin A in case of drinking semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, so there is a lot of exaggeration. The third myth calls for boycotting dairy products—even eggs and fish—if you are suffering from a cold or flu. On the contrary, the body needs a good diet rich in protein at the time of illness, so there is no harm in eating these types of food after crossing out being allergic to any of them.
The fourth myth about milk is that it causes acne and pimples that affect the skin of the face and neck, but the American Academy of Dermatology and the Australian College of Dermatologists confirm that the only cause of acne is hormonal problems, skin type, genes, or even exposure to pollutants from the surrounding environment. Thus, there is no relation between diet, in general, and dairy products, in particular, and the appearance or spread of pimples and acne on the skin. For a healthy and strong skin that can resist environmental factors and pollutants, it is recommended to follow a balanced and integrated diet which contains all the needed nutrients on a daily basis.
This myth does not end here; there are some people who have taken it further, advocating that people should stop drinking cow milk in the first place, because it is intended and only suitable for calves. They argue that it is rich with large amounts of fats and protein, which calves need to gain extra weight; they claim that cow milk may make humans ill. In fact, some people may face problems with the lactose present in cow milk; where they suffer from allergies, indigestion, and stomach disorders, but most people consume it without facing any problems. It is a rich source of protein, calcium, iodine, and other important elements.
Sugar
You may have heard the myth that brown sugar is healthier than white sugar; in reality, the body deals with both in the same way. Both types contain the same calories; some types of brown sugar contain even more calories than white sugar does. The dark color of brown sugar is attributed to less refining processes, in addition to being mixed with unrefined molasses—the sugar refining process is carried out in order to get rid of impurities, purify the sugar, in addition to selling the molasses as a separate product—which is why the two types of sugar must be consumed carefully.
Sugar is also accused of causing hyperactivity in children; however, in 2017, a study published in the International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences (IJFANS) proved this wrong. This study was performed on 287 children, whose age ranged 8–12 years, to study the effect of sugar intake on the children's behavior. Scientists observed the behavioral results, sleep habits, and food intake, which proved that more than 81% of the children consumed large amounts of sugar, and despite that, eating all this amount of sweets did not affect their behavior or sleep patterns.
This study proves that there is no direct relationship between children's consumption of sweets and sugar and hyperactivity, except a small percentage of children whose bodies may react differently to sugar intake, where it increases their activity rate or causes them sleep problems. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that excessive intake of sugar may lead to obesity due to the high amount of calories it contains; hence, a risk of developing type 2 diabetes, tooth decay, and other diseases.
Myths and misconceptions may prevent us from enjoying life, limit our benefit from resources around us, and even harm us and our health badly. We must, therefore, always research and verify any inherited information before adopting or sharing it. As for the answer to the first question posed in this article, about digesting chewing gum: the stomach cannot actually digest it, but it certainly does not remain in the stomach or intestines for 7 years, but rather moves through the digestive system naturally until it comes out with stool.
References
food.ndtv.com
health.harvard.edu
healthline.com
healthline.com
mayoclinic.org
medicalnewstoday.com
parents.com
thebitingtruth.com
today.com
This article was first published in print in SCIplanet, Autumn 2020 issue.
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