SOME DIET MYTHS
Indians are increasingly getting concerned about their health and wellbeing. This is a welcome change, but many people have incorrect notions about the kind of food they should eat and avoid.
Myth about Eggs:
Talk to people about eggs, and most people will say, “Oh yes! Eggs are a good source of proteins. But you should throw away the yolk. It contains cholesterol, and everyone knows cholesterol is bad for the heart.” Well folks, you would be surprised to learn that it’s a myth. You can eat eggs safely. Most of the fat in egg yolks is unsaturated – the kind that is good for the heart. In addition, egg yolks have nearly half the protein of an entire egg, plus some other essential nutrients.
Myth about Meat:
Many people believe eating meat is bad for health. It is loaded with fat and cholesterol. Actually, eating lean meat (like chicken meat) can be part of a healthy plan to lose weight. Chicken meat especially contains minimum amount of fat, but supplies a good quantity of protein and other nutrients that the body needs.
Another myth that many people believe in is that olive oil is very healthy and should be used for cooking. Well, that might be true abroad, but not true in the Indian context. Why so? “In India, we cook at a very high temperature – about 250°C or more. This is way beyond the smoking point of olive oil (which is about 210 °C), and at high temperatures, the oil becomes carcinogenic”, says a nutrition expert. “Instead, use standard Indian oils that have a high smoke point.” She however advocates using olive oil for salad dressings and for shallow frying.
Myth about Sugar Substitutes:
Everyone knows by now that simple sugar is bad for health as it gets absorbed directly and plays havoc with your metabolism. Many people, especially those with a medical condition, choose an artificial sweetener instead. The manufacturers tout sugar substitutes to be very low cal and consequently a healthier substitute for sugar. Sorry people, but that is not exactly a good choice. Most of these artificial sweeteners contain some form of chemicals like sulfa drugs, aspartame, cyclamates or polyols. Apart from polyols, the other chemicals can cause an adverse reaction in some individuals. The jury is also out on whether some sugar substitutes cause cancer.
Myth about Whole Grain Biscuits:
Whole grains are good for health. However, biscuits and bread, despite what they claim on the label, are not totally whole grain. The logic is simple. To make biscuits, you need some white flour (maida). When a manufacturer says ‘whole grain biscuit’ they typically mean ‘some part is whole grain’. Well, that is not usually enough. To top it, manufacturers need to add hydrogenated oil in biscuits to make them crisp, as well as some preservatives to increase their shelf life. The process of hydrogenating the oil releases trans fats, which are extremely detrimental to health. All these more than negate the good effects of the whole grain in the biscuits.
