FOOD MYTHSJuly 2013

W h i c h s i d e h o l d s u p ?

Discover the truth behind five common misconceptions about food and health!By Myrica Gale, Dietetic Intern

FACT VS. FICTION

ith all of the different websites, articles, advertisements and

other forms of information about health and nutrition, how does one know which is reliable?

Websites that end with “.gov”, “.org”, or “.edu” are often good sources. Try to stay away from the information that does not list an author. If an author is found, it is important to verify their educational credentials and to see if their work is published in a scholarly journal. Trustworthy journal and magazine articles should provide references.

Myth 1Fast food restaurant choices are all unhealthy.Fact: There are healthier options at fast food restaurants

Myth 2Anyone can benefit from a gluten free diet.Fact: There are no published scientific articles to suggest that gluten-free foods are healthier than foods containing gluten for the general population

Myth 3Eating after 8pm will make you gain weight.Fact: It doesn’t matter what time of day you eat

Myth 4Certain foods can burn fat and help you lose weight.Fact: No foods “burn fat.” For example, it has been said that celery is considered to be a negative calorie food because it burns more calories to digest than the celery provides; however, there is no such thing as a negative calorie food

Myth 5Diet drinks are as healthy as water.Fact: Calories? Sugar? Strange-sounding ingredients? The nutrition facts speak for themselves.

How do you know?

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On-the -go

Look it up Nutrition FactsLook online for nutritional information before going to the restaurant. The restaurant’s main site will usually have a nutrition link to click on with the nutrition facts for each item on the menu. If you forget to do it before you leave, many restaurants now have wi-fi, so you can look it up on your or a friend’s phone!

Choosing MealsMeatsIn general, when going out try to choose meats that are grilled, baked, or broiled instead of fried or breaded.

SaladsAvoid salads with croutons, bacon, cheese, and crispy chicken/bacon. These toppings add more fat and sodium.

Making ChangesOn the SideRemember to keep the dressing on the side because many dressings are high in fat and sodium. Dipping the fork in the dressing before taking a bite is a good way to control/limit the amount of dressing that is consumed.

Portion SizeChoose the smaller portions! Portions are key; there is no need to get anything “super-sized.” Try splitting the meal in half and save on half for leftovers.

Healthful Tips

Myth: Fast food restaurant choices are all unhealthy. Most restaurants have healthy options, but here’s McDonalds as an example: Instead of this... Try this...

230 calories 150 calories

Instead of fries as a snack/side, choose apple slices, side salad (without dressing), or fruit and walnuts. Along with more calories, the fries have more sodium (160mg) and fat (11g). Remember, these values are for a small order of fries; the medium and large will have much higher values!

And last, but not least... the famous cheeseburger.

Instead of a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, try the Hamburger. Look at how much less sodium there is in the hamburger! A major contributor to decreased sodium is no cheese.

For dessert try the vanilla cone or fruit ‘n’ yogurt parfait instead of the McFlurry. The McFlurry is not only higher in calories, but also has 23g of fat and 180mg of sodium. The cone has 4.5g of fat and 70mg of sodium and the parfait has 2g of fat and 70mg of sodium!

Instead of this... Try this...

Instead of this... Try this...

S-L: 150-310 calories 100 calories

“$1 any size” doesn’t mean you have to get the biggest size! Try smaller sizes of water, coffee, milk, or iced tea (not sweet tea). A small cup of pop/iced tea is 16 fl oz, a medium cup is 21 fl oz, and a large size is 32 fl oz. Having a large cup of coke would be the same as having 2 and 2/3rds cans of coke! Keep in mind that the coffee with 0 calories has no cream or sugar in it yet. One cream is about 30 calories and a packet of sugar is about 15 calories. Iced tea has no calories.

Instead of this... Try this...

Instead of the Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken try the Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken with dressing on the side. A major difference in these salads is the crispy vs grilled chicken. The grilled chicken is lower in fat than the crispy. The bacon and ranch also add to the fat. Also note that these values are without dressing.

12 oz: 650 calories 150 calories

520 calories26g fat1100mg sodium

250 calories9g fat480mg sodium

390 calories" 190 calories

Myth: Anyone can benefit from a gluten-free diet. Fact: There are no published scientific articles to suggest that gluten-free foods are healthier than foods containing gluten for the general population.

What is gluten?

Gluten is the protein of wheat and other grains that gives to the dough its tough elastic character.

What foods is gluten found in?

Wheat, rye, barley, or by-products of any of these.

Why would someone need to be on a gluten-free diet?

Some examples of people that might actually require a gluten-free diet are people with Celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or wheat allergy.

How has this myth come about?

It has come from the unsupported belief that a gluten-free diet aids in weight loss.

Why is this myth false?

There is no published data to support this weight loss claim.

Bakery items that are gluten-free may be high in fat and calories.

There are studies to suggest that a gluten-free diet in people with Celiac disease may actually lead to weight gain in some overweight and obese people.

Whole grain consumption has been associated with a lower BMI.

Benefits of wheat:

Help promote good gut bacteria, which may protect the gut from some cancers, inflammatory conditions, and cardiovascular disease.

Many foods are made with wheat, including most breads and pasta.

glu·ten  /ˈglo͞otn/

Noun

A substance present in cereal grains, esp. wheat, that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough.

Wheat-based flours and ingredients:White flour Wheat Bran

Durum wheat Wheat Germ

Graham flour Spelt

Triticale Semolina

Kamut

Foods usually made with wheat:Pasta Couscous

Bread Flour tortillas

Cookies Cakes

Muffins Pastries

Cereal Crackers

Beer Oats

Gravy Dressings

Sauces

Myth: Eating after 8:00pm will make you gain weight.

Fact:

It doesn’t matter what time of the day you eat.

What causes a person to gain weight?

When more calories are eaten than are burned off by exercise and every day activities, a person will gain weight.

Note: That doesn’t mean you should fill your daily calorie limit (ex. 2,000 calories) with foods high in saturated fat, sodium, and sugar.

How did this myth come about?

People may believe they tend to crave unhealthier foods at night-- chips, dessert, buttered popcorn, etc. However, foods don’t magically become more fattening at night; you

still digest food even when you’re sleeping.

Why do people sometimes confuse time of day vs. caloric intake as the reasons for weight gain?

Some people may decide to not eat after 8:00pm to lose weight because they know that they tend to have unhealthy snacks at night. The reason these people are gaining weight is likely due to consuming too many calories rather than when the calories are consumed. The time of day at which they are eating these calories is not the cause of weight gain.

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:90 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 5g protein

Recipe: Whole Foods Market

2 cloves garlic

1 15-oz can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste)1/4 cup water

3 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp reduced-sodium tamari1/2 tsp ground cumin1/4 tsp ground coriandercayenne pepper, to taste2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Put garlic in a food processor and pulse to roughly chop. Add garbanzos, tahini, water, lemon juice, tamari, cumin, coriander and a pinch of cayenne (you may add more later to increase the heat), and process until creamy and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Before serving, let hummus come to room temperature. Mix in parsley and serve.

Simply Delicious Homemade Hummus

A late night movie and buttery, microwave popcorn may be a classic pair, but there’s a way to make healthier popcorn. Try using fresh kernels and air-popping them instead.

Healthy late-night recipes

LATE-NIGHT CRAVINGS

H E A L T H Y S N A C K I D E A B A N K

T h e r e a r e h e a l t h i e r c h o i c e s !

Instead of reaching for that chocolate cake, try Angel Food Cake with Strawberries. It is lower in calories and has a serving of fruit!

8 :00pm and you ’re gett ing hungry . . .

HUNGRY?

Get rid of these... Stock up with these!

Chocolate Cake?Instead, try: Angel Food Cake with Strawberries

Chips and Dip?Instead, try: Unsalted pretzels with hummus

Hot fudge sundae?Instead, try: Your favorite flavor of sherbet!

Buttered popcorn?Instead, try: Homemade air-popped popcorn

pantry full of snacks?

What’s your

weakness?

Myth: Certain foods can burn fat and help you lose weight. Fact:

No foods “burn fat”. For example, it has been said celery is considered to be a negative calorie food because it burns more calories to digest than the celery provides. But there is no such thing as a negative calorie food!

Celery?

Let’s say that 1 cup of raw celery has about 15 calories. If a person needs 1950 calories per day to maintain their weight then they would have to eat 130 cups of celery in a day. We can pretend that is possible for this example. If someone did actually eat 130 cups of celery that would provide 1950 calories so they would maintain their weight. Suggesting that celery has negative calories would mean that you could eat all the celery you wanted and never gain any weight, and actually lose weight, but that is not true. If someone ate enough celery (over their calorie limit) it is possible to gain weight.

What about other foods?

Every food provides calories. The digestion process burns calories no matter what food one eats. Just like Coca cola doesn’t adjust the amount of calories in a can of coke for the amount that is burned during the

digestive process, neither does the celery nutrition facts.

Every food, including celery, has calories.

Some foods that are commonly mistaken as “negative calorie” foods include broccoli, cranberries, cucumber, hot chili peppers, lemons, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, and watermelon.

Celery may not burn fat, but it is still healthy! Celery Uses and Tips

Celery can be eaten raw or cooked.

Celery can be eaten plain as a snack or an appetizer, and sliced or chopped to add to salads, soups, casseroles, and rice dishes.

Dip celery sticks into peanut butter, low-fat dressing or other low-fat dips.

“Uses and Tips” obtained from usda.gov

Myth: Diet drinks are as healthy as water.

Diet soft drinks, while equal to water in calories, contain other artificial ingredients that provide no nutritional benefit to the body.

take a look at the facts

Ingredients: Carbonated water, colour (caramel E150d), sweeteners (aspartame, acesulfame-K), flavourings (including caffeine), phosphoric acid, citric acid. Contains a source of phenylalanine.

Facts on Water and Diet Drinks

ater is necessary to the body for optimum health.

Water helps your body to:

Regulate body temperature

Lubricate joints

Lessen the burden on the kidneys and liver by flushing out waste products

Carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells

Prevent constipation

Protect organs and tissue

Dissolve nutrients to make them accessible to the body

Diet drinks’ effect on the body:

Caffeine is a diuretic, which increases the rate of urination. This can cause dehydration, which can in turn lead to lack of energy, lethargy, and an increased heart rate.

The long-term effects of artificial sweeteners are not known.

Although soda is low in sodium, there is still more sodium in soda than compared to water, which has none.

W

The long-term effects of artificial sweeteners are not known.

DehydrationIncreased rate of urination

Lack of energyLethargyIncreased heart rate

Recipe of Effects

Water makes up 60% of the adult human body.

Diet drinks’ effect on the body

In the News: Fructose May Affect Hunger Cues

Fructose May Affect Hunger Cues

By: Brenda Goodman, MA

WebMD Health News

In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers set out to determine if glucose and fructose have different effects on appetite and metabolism. Researchers asked participants to drink a beverage sweetened with either pure glucose or pure fructose. The participants were not aware of which sweetener was in their beverage.

During the study the participants were given a scan, which allowed the researchers to watch what was happening to their brains. The hypothalamus, which helps control appetite was specifically looked at along with hormone levels that control the feelings of hunger and fullness.

Each participant completed the experiment twice (each either a few weeks or a few months apart). Each time the researchers asked the participants how satisfied they felt after drinking the drinks.

Glucose Fructose

Increase in glucose and insulin levels (blunts hunger)

Little increase in insulin

Hypothalamus activity slowed

Hypothalamus stayed active (appetite still active)

Participants said they felt hungrier

Although this study shows that pure fructose may affect hunger and appetite differently than glucose, this study does not prove anything about sugar (sucrose) or high fructose corn syrup. Both of these sugars are made up of fructose and glucose. When consumed together, glucose and fructose would likely balance each other out and not have an effect on the hypothalamus.

This study should not be the determining factor of which foods people should or shouldn’t eat. Added sugar intake should be limited in general, but it is not necessary to cut any food out of the diet solely due to the findings of this study.

“In my view, there is more misinformation pretending to be fact in this field than in any other I can think of.”

Jeffrey M. Friedman

David B. Allison and colleagues published an article in The New England Journal of Medicine to call out some myths on weight loss and obesity. It’s important to not believe everything the media says, look for the research yourself. Just because there is a study on the subject doesn’t mean the study is designed appropriately, which can lead to misleading information. See specific examples given my Dr. Allison here:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/myths-of-weight-loss-are-plentiful-researcher-says/?ref=health

News

FIVE USEFUL WEBSITES

In the news: myths of weight loss are plentiful, researcher saysBy Gina Kolata

http:// www.fda.govhttp:// www.eatright.orghttp:// www.choosemyplate.govhttp:// www.nutrition.govhttp://navigator.tufts.edu/

M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R

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ORVILLE REDENBACHER’S AIR POPPER

Enter your name into a drawing at the Healthy Eating Tip of the Month Board in the University Hospital Cafe to win this Air Popper!

WIN A PRIZE

With this prize, you can pop your own popcorn and enjoy a healthy and nutritious snack!

Denmark, B., Schloat, S., Thompson, M., Wollin, M. Nutrition Facts and Myths. New York: Human Relations Media, 2009. Print.

Gaesser, G., Angadi, S. (2012). Gluten-Free Diet: Imprudent Dietary Advice for the General Population? The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2012;112 (9): 1330-1333.

Mayo Clinic. Water: How much should you drink every day? Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283. Accessed January 30, 2013.

McDonald’s. Full Menu Explorer. Available at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/full_menu_explorer.html. Accessed January 3, 2013.

Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Dehydration. Available at: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec19/ch276/ch276b.html. Accessed January 30, 2013.

References

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