9 Myths about food that should have stayed in the past

Have you ever read somewhere that palm oil is bad for your health? Or that MSG (monosodium glutamate) and potatoes are addictive and therefore shouldn’t be included in diets? Probably already. Every day we are bombarded with this and other information about the world of food.

Today, we bring you a series of popular myths about different foods that we shouldn’t believe. Therefore, before including this food in the diet or excluding that other, check whether the source of the information is really serious or if it is all nonsense.

Many people think that black coffee contains more caffeine. Its intense flavor seems to lend credence to this claim, but this has no bearing on its ‘strength’. The amount of sugar also does not change the level of caffeine at all. A latte, a cappuccino and a black coffee are exactly the same in this respect, what may suggest variation is the type of coffee.

Many nutritionists do not agree with this statement. It is recommended to consume fruits for breakfast or between meals. Sweets should only be consumed in the morning. After lunch, it is better not to consume sugar and confectionery.

E621, or in scientific language the monosodium salt of glutamic acid, is one of the most widely used food additives in the world. Its formula comes from Japan. In 1908, chemist Kikunae Ikeda extracted monosodium glutamate from algae and described its taste as ‘umami’ (tasty). In fact, this substance is found in most natural products, from bell peppers to tomatoes. This makes our language receptors work more intensively, which is taken advantage of by manufacturers. The biggest danger of products containing artificial E621 is the risk of overeating.

Many people claim that white flour products should not be consumed by those who want to lose weight. These products should be replaced with rye-based bread. What happens is that the caloric amount is almost identical, that is, if you eat a lot of one or the other, you will get fat. The most important difference is in the flour. Rye bread contains more fiber, so it is preferred by metabolism. On the other hand, wheat bread, being more porous, is easier to digest.

Granola has won the love of healthy food lovers around the world. The mixture of oats with nuts, honey and other products is really very nutritious and healthy. However, many commercial granolas contain artificial sweeteners that increase appetite and make people eat more than they need.

Experts defend that vegetable oils are good for health, but in limited quantities: no more than 30g per day. They contain unsaturated fatty acids that improve cholesterol metabolism, something that can serve as a preventive action for diseases related to the vascular system.

It really does contain a lot of healthy microelements, but the amount doesn’t make much difference. It is very unlikely that anyone would be willing to consume 2 kg of sugar to fulfill the necessary daily amount of potassium. The main advantage of brown sugar is that it is unrefined. Calling this product healthy generates a lot of controversy among nutritionists, since it has 97% sucrose and its caloric value is 387 kcal per 100 g.

Not everything is as serious as it seems. The potato contains potassium, magnesium and iron. Of course, some details need to be considered. For example, the calorie content per 100 g of potatoes in the oven is only 80 kcal, but fried potatoes, with the same mass, reach 317 kcal. At the same time, if you add some sauce, then the calorie content will increase a lot. With pasta, things are even more complicated. For every 100 g of regular pasta, there are approximately 114 kcal. The calorie content of wheat pasta is 230 kcal. However, durum wheat pasta contains much more nutrients and fiber, less starch and less fat, whereas regular pasta is just ’empty’ calories.

The reputation of this tropical oil has been affected by its high content of palmitic acid, which increases ‘bad cholesterol’. However, it also contains oleic acid, which neutralizes the possible damage caused by palmitic. As a result, palm oil has no effect on cholesterol metabolism. Extra virgin palm oil, bright orange in color, is a source of unsaturated fatty acids and beta-carotene. The main problem lies with the manufacturers, who tend to put palm oil in different products because it is cheaper, deceiving the consumer.

There are many other myths in the food world, these are just a few. If you know more examples, share in the comments.