Busting those food myths!
Thursday 30 August 2012
Have you ever been told that you shouldn't eat cheese before you go to bed? Or that carrots help you to see in the dark? Well read on to see which of these are true and which are just a big pile of made up rubbish!
Cheese gives you nightmares:
False. The difficultly of digesting certain foods such as cheese can lead you to having a disrupted sleep but there is no evidence to suggest that cheese is particularly effective at causing dreams, good or bad. Sorry to burst your bubble guys!
Coffee is bad for you and can interfere with your sleep?
It depends. The good news is that studies show that compounds in coffee (including but not limited to caffeine) may reduce the risk of dementia, diabetes and liver cancer when drinking 2-4 cups a day. However, for those of you who coffee has a bad effect on you then it’s good to cut back!
Fried food will lead to heart disease.
Fried food isn’t as bad as once thought. Scientists have proved that fried food isn't as bad as first thought (so long as you are using olive or sunflower oil). They have claimed that while eating lots of fried food can increase some heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity, a link between fried food and heart disease had not previously been fully investigated.
Can carrots really help you see in the dark?
Carrots are rich in nutrients that can keep your eyes healthy. Catherine Collins, chief dietician at St George's Hospital, London, says: "Carrots contain lutein, which helps protect against the degeneration of the eyes as you get older." They also contain vitamin A, which helps to protect the eye by absorbing the light energy that passes into it.
Nutritious = healthy?
Not always. Don’t be fooled; foods often claim they are "nutritious," which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Cereal manufacturers are experts in marketing, using words that send a message of health, but unless you read the labels, eat at your own risk. Kids’ cereals often have more sugar than sweets.
Did you know…
Drinking tea can lower blood pressure. Hooray! Based on a study of black tea drinkers - conducted by Scientists at The University of Western Australia and Unilever –researchers found that compared with the placebo group, participants who drank black tea had a lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure of between 2 and 3 mmHg (millimetres of mercury).
WOW Fact.
The new Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Double Angus burger by Burger King's packs in an astonishing 966 calories. Avoid it at all costs, as it uses up half of a woman’s daily calorie intake and nearly all of the saturated fat allowance!
Weight-busting fact:
Chewing celery really does burn more calories than the amount in the food itself. Women burn 80 calories while digesting food and celery is only 6 calories a stalk!
Dark chocolate is good for you?
In moderation. A couple of squares a day is good for your heart and contains procyanidins but don’t forget that dark chocolate is still high in fat and calories.
If you're after some more motivational tips and dieting advice then why not join up to www.closerdiets.com? You could see yourself dropping a stone in just six weeks with our personalised diet plans. Whether you're aiming to drop a few pounds or totally transform your figure, Closer Diets is the best way to get started.