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Expert works to clear up common misconceptions about food, diet
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It's spring time and for many people that means getting in shape for the summer. When it comes to diet and good nutrition, there is a lot of information coming from a variety of sources - some true, some not so true. To distinguish the facts from the rumors, we called in an expert: Greta Heru.
Heru is a professional in family and consumer sciences and works as program coordinator for the American Dairy Association and National Dairy Council. She recently talked with the Hattiesburg American to address some of the most common food and nutrition myths.
Myth 1: Eating carbohydrates causes weight gain.
False. "We've seen that so much in some of the more trendy diets. And the bottom line is if you're trying to lose weight, it's calories not carbs - but you want to make sure the carbs you're getting are the most beneficial. That would be your whole grains.
"Read your labels and make sure the first ingredient is 100 percent whole wheat or whole, stone ground wheat. In looking for those whole grains, pick brown rice over white rice. Oatmeal is a wonderful whole grain. These are the most beneficial. Carbs provide quick energy and are very important to the body and important for heart health. Rather than eliminating them, just make better choices."
Myth 2: Dairy food is fattening.
False. "There are so many levels of fat in dairy products and dairy provides nine key vitamins and minerals. One cup of milk is 80 calories, 1 1/2 ounces of string cheese is 80 calories, and an 8-ounce container of yogurt is 80 calories. All three offer unique package of calcium and other essential nutrients. Doctors recommend milk to maintain our bones, and research in recent years shows that three servings of dairy can help you to maintain a healthier weight and blood pressure.
"Using yogurt is a wonderful way of cutting the fat on a great recipe. An example of how dairy products and how much fat it took out of a recipe: I substituted mayonnaise with fat-free plain yogurt. This substitution saves 1,090 calories and 132 grams of fat."
Myth 3: Fresh fruits and vegetables are healthier than frozen or canned.
Truth: "It's both true and false. Just picked fruits and vegetables are good right away, but when you get them into the store, they've been around a while. Frozen vegetables are frozen when they are at their peak. They may be even better frozen than by the time you get the fresh ones. For canned fruits and vegetables - take note - you should rinse them from the can to get rid of the sodium. If the fruit is syrup packed, rinse it off.
"In recent research, lycopene is more powerful after it's been processed, like in canned tomatoes. The bottom line is eating more fruits and vegetables is important for all of us. The recommended services by the dietary guidelines say we should eat three servings of vegetables and two of fruits."
Myth 4: Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is just as effective as eating healthy foods.
False. "We think food not pharmacy. Nature produces its own disease-fighting food. For example, in an orange, you're not just getting Vitamin C but you're getting other antioxidants that help the body. You can't duplicate that in a synthetic pill. It can be an insurance to take a supplement to enhance what you get from food, but it should never replace nutrition from real foods.
"It's a good idea just to supplement what you're doing already but I wouldn't rely on it. That's not going to give you what you've gotten from the foods."
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Myth 5: Does eating sugar cause diabetes?
False. "Diabetes is caused by a lack of insulin in the body, and it's caused by being overweight and inactive. People who are overweight and inactive are at a greater risk. They are so (overweight) because they have eaten a lot of sugary foods, but those foods didn't cause diabetes - being overweight did."
Myth 6: Most people believe the best way to lose weight is to skip a meal.
False. "It is recommended that the best way to start the day is to eat breakfast because it gets metabolism going and eating snacks through the day keeps it going. When you skip a meal, it causes metabolism to be sluggish. Skipping a meal tends to cause people to overeat.
"To eat a good breakfast, I would try to get at least three of the food groups, like peanut butter on whole grain toast and an orange, or cereal with milk and strawberries or oatmeal with a piece of fruit and milk."
Myth 7: What about the myth that flavored milk isn't good for children?
False. "This is an excellent choice for children and (research shows) a better overall nutrition and lower weights than those who didn't drink milk. It's better to drink flavored milk than to avoid milk altogether.
"Our children are in a calcium crisis. Nine out of 10 teenage girls and 8 out of 10 boys don't get the calcium they need. If flavored milk is what they drink, it's not going to hurt them as long as you're giving them a balanced diet."
Myth 8: Is it true that brown eggs are more nutritious than white?
False. "No. It's the difference in what the chicken ate. It has nothing to do with quality or nutritional value. Nutritionally, they're the same."
Myth 9: Are nuts fattening?
False. "Fiction. When eating them, you want to do so in a reasonable amount, which is the amount you can hold in the palm of your hand. Nuts are a wonderful source of protein and include fiber, Vitamin E, Omega-3 and is an important part of a healthy diet.
"The two nuts we hear the most about are almonds and walnuts. Almonds are supposed to help with memory and offers more than a peanut. If you don't like nuts, don't feel you have to eat them but they are a good source of protein and fiber but you can have a good diet without eating nuts."
By LA TONYA FRELIX
Source: Hattiesburg AmericanAll rights reserved.