Food Myths That Will Shock You
I'd like to tackle some common food myths that seem to have taken on lives of their own. That's the topic of another TODAY show segment. (Scroll to watch the video from the segment below.)What do you think of these? Do you have any others you've heard about to share? Leave a comment!
Myth #1: "Chinese Food Makes You Hungry"
This is a very old myth, at least several decades old, which comes from the way Chinese food "used to be" prepared.Years ago, portions were much smaller than other cuisines, low in whole-grain carbohydrates (white rice), and low in fiber (most dishes didn't have much in the way of veggies), and relatively low in protein. So, this combo of factors can help speed up the rate of your stomach emptying, and cause you to be hungrier sooner.
Nowadays, Chinese food has more vegetables, more lean protein/tofu added, and you can get brown rice. Plus, the portions have grown to meet consumer demand. Quite a difference!
Answer? Chinese food does NOT make you hungrier later on than any other type of food.
Myth #2: "Turkey Puts You to Sleep"
This myth is most commonly associated with a Seinfeld episode where Jerry wanted to feed a girl some turkey to put her to sleep. "Turkey has tryptophan" and that will make her fall asleep.Here’s the 411 on the sleepy stuff: Trypotophan is the precursor amino acid for the brain chemical, serotonin, that does promote sleep. More tryptophan in the brain makes more serotonin, which can make you sleepy, but it's not so simple.
The tryptophan in turkey (and all other proteins) is surrounded by other amino acids that compete with the tryptophan to get into the brain. That's where the tryptophan needs to go to turn into serotonin. In protein, the tryptophan is in smaller amounts compared to others, so when you eat protein, tryptophan can't get into the brain—it's out-competed by the other amino acids. (Have I lost you yet?) No extra trytophan in the brain = No more serotonin = No more sleep. That's why this is a myth. But, people are usually eating a giant meal when they eat turkey, which promotes fatigue, not the turkey alone.
Answer? Myth!
Myth #3: ”Drinking Ice Water Helps You Lose Weight”
Drinking water is always good for weight loss, but this concept is related to the idea that if you drink ice water, your body has to burn calories warming it up.Technically correct, but the number of calories you burn are really tiny. It's about 1 calorie per ounce of ice water to warm it up. We would think it would take more calories to heat up the water, but it doesn't.
So, drink water, but only ice water if you like it. Of course, you also don't cancel out the calories of an iced beverage that has calories because it's cold (like soda or juice), although that would be nice!
Answer? Myth!
Myth #4: ”Carbohydrates Are More Fattening Than Other Foods”
Carbohydrates, whether fruits and vegetables, or starchy stuff (like breads, rice, pasta, potatoes) all have 4 calories per gram of food. This is the same as protein with 4 calories per gram. It's about half of what fat has at 9 calories per gram!Where people get messed up is that they first don't realize that fruits/veggies are carbohydrates, rich in water and fiber, and the starchy carbs can be fiber rich, but of course, low in water.
It's a lot easier to gobble down refined starchy carbs (white flour), since there's no fiber to expand in our stomachs to signal we're full. So, people have the perception that carbs are more fattening, because it's easy to overeat on them, and then tend to eat less of the 100% whole grain starches. Plus, carbohydrates are combined with fat for dessert items, which means lots of added sugars (still carbs). But don't blame the carbs on that!
Answer? Myth!
Myth #5:”Spicy Foods Burn Calories”
While this feels like it should be true, it's a myth, when it comes to burning significant calories. We eat spicy foods, start sweating, and feel warm. Is that a metabolic effect? Yes, but such a tiny one, you can't count on that to burn many calories, and certainly not to justify eating a spicy meal just because you'll be burning calories from the spices.The effect on us is more superficial—sweating and warmth—and not a robust metabolic one. But, you can use spices to rev up the flavor of lower calorie foods like chicken, fish, and vegetables!
Answer? Myth!
Myth #6: ”Avoid Dairy Products When You Have a Cold”
This is such a common myth that a number of scientific studies have been done to test this. The myth is that dairy products have been thought to promote mucus production, and thus should be avoided with colds and other upper respiratory problems, including asthma.There is no consistent effect of dairy products on mucus production. It cannot be demonstrated that this is a problem. If you feel that you are affected, then don't do it, but don't avoid needlessly. It is possible to have this sensation, since milk can have a filmy residue in the mouth after drinking, but this has nothing to do with mucus.
Answer? Myth!
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Comments
I don't know anything about studies that have been preformed and their outcomes. I use to love milk and after quitting truck driving I would drink a couple of gallons a week.
I have asthma which (with me) is triggered by dry throat. I would be awakened about a dozen times a night (every night) with attacks. This went on for about 3 years (about the time I quit driving). I also had bad sinuous problems and related having to breathe through my mouth with my attacks.
About 8 years ago I heard the "myth" of milk and mucus. I immediately took myself off milk and within a few days I was having less sinus problems. Within a week I was sleeping all night with no attacks. Now for 8 years, I am rarely wakened by attacks.
The issue with Chinese food and getting hungry afterwords has been monosodium glutamate. I do get sleepy after a couple bowls of turkey soup as compared to a couple bowls of clam chowder.
I do avoid milk when I have a cold but it is for completely different reasons. I usually have a sore throat when I have a cold and I have to drink my milk cold so that obviously would not help my throat!
I've never heard of avoiding milk during a cold, but whenever I have a milkshake or eat a big bowl of ice cream I really do get a lot of mucus. I have to cough a lot. It's so weird.
I stopped eating dairy products for a while to see if it had any affect on me. When I started eating them again I would cough up mucous every morning. When I stopped eating it the mucous stopped. This has been consistent each time I stopped and started for many years
I dont think people realize that we are the only species who drinks anothers lactation after being old enough to gather and eat food on our own. ( I do realize there are many thing we do that no other species does) try out the no milk thing if you have asthma, but take your Ca supplements. I noticed less use of rescue inhalers during the winter immediately.
I find dairy products
I find dairy products
I find dairy products
I was once told by my medical doctor that milk is really not for human consumption. I do believe that milk does promote mucas during a cold as does sugar. I, and many others I know, have proven that time and time again each cold season, as well as during the holidays when one tends to consume more sugar. So, I find it hard to believe that this is entirely a myth.
Re milk and mucus production: Who says mucus is bad for you? Excess mucus is a symptom not a disease. Washes away germs. The problem is when it gets too dry and sticky. I've recently started using a mucus promoting over the counter medicine and it has given me relief the few times I've a cold.
The main myths I see in this article are the ones promoted by the author. I'm so disappointed with the media's lack of knowledge and investigative skills.
Regarding the 'myth' about spicy food and weight loss - it has been proven that several spices have an appetite suppressant effect. You may not burn extra calories from eating them, but you might not take in as many to start with! Way to go not investigating, American Media!
Yes and they always told us cranberries didn't work for the bladder,,said it was a myth. THEY WERE WRONG. Sometimes we, by instictnt, know what is right better than the "experts".
Sorry Dr. Fernstrom, but all calories are not equal (see Myth # 4) Carbohydrates cause a rise in blood sugar and a subsequent release of insulin. When insulin is elevated, the human body does not access stored body fat for energy. That is why low carb diets induce weight loss, even if they contain the same number of calories as the dieter's previous high carb diet. (Of course, this assumes that the high-carb diet was within reason.)
Nutrition Science = Nutrition Myth e.g. the blood brain barrier that is VERY selective about what gets through and what doesn't. The classic was the 70's alarm over food additives and particularly in bread such as BHT and Sodium propionate.These "preservatives" are two of the most potent antioxidants that we know! It's very possible that the recent decline in heart disease rates and increase in longevity are due, at least in part, to a daily diet of Wonder Bread enriched with a 'poison' (much antioxidant research showing powerful positive life lengthening effects in rats was done in the 1960s). Most 'nutritionists' I have spoken with are poorly trained in human physiology and seem to make up their proclamations out of whatever prejudices make a good story for them. Science has little meaning for these talking heads. We are all becoming way too familiar with stunningly incompetent physicians and, especially the witch doctors we call nutritionists. The best way to be healthy is simply learn about your own vehicle.
Milk a mucus a myth? Too dangerously ignorant to be a 'doctor'.
This person's as much a doctor as Doctor Dre. Nothing was disproven here as a myth. All she did was say, 'the car that ran him over didn't kill him, it was the impact when his head hit the pavement.'
It DOES take calories to heat water. A calorie is defined as the amount of heat needed to heat 1cc of water 1 degree celsius. There are 30 cc in an ounce. Ice water is 0 degrees Celsius and body temp is 37. So it takes 1110 calories to heat up the water. The confusion is that food "calories" are actually kilocalories or 1000 calories. To burn off the 500 kiolocalories from a whopper, you would have to drink 500 ounces of icewater, or 4 gallons.
The information here is outdated and I am sure, based on the antiquated textbooks that the author studied from.
Cow's milk does increase mucous in SOME patients due to a sensitivity to casein. The best way to determine if there is a sensitivity is simple: stop all dairy for one week as a trial.
Carbs with a high glycemic index increase insulin levels, and this results in anabolism, which causes uptake and storage of fat, and protein.
I read an article on msn a few days ago that cited a study that proved that drinking cold water can burn up to 70 calories a day. My son was premature and had several respiratory problems as a baby. When he caught a cold the doctor immediately replaced his milk with a substitute because of mucus production.
Busting myths is tricky business. You really have to be up on all the latest info before exposing your own prejudices or you risk your credibility in the long run. Old wives don't get to be old for nothing.
The "old" Chinese factors like few veggies/fiber and low protein are opposite of traditional Chinese food as opposed to the US. Just wanted to point that out.
Also, the milk thing... I know when I eat too much cheese or eat lots of ice cream, I definitely find myself clearing my throat and have lots more mucus! It was AFTER experiencing this that I actually read about it, so it's not like the idea was planted in my head prior. Strange.
I have been a big fan, and drinking lots of milk since a child, it has never had any effect on me, with or without a cold. ( re mucus )
I have reached the age of 70+ and am in very good health, so you can make your own mind up as to if it is good or bad for you.
Many people, unknowingly, are allergic to dairy products. The effects can be observed in many different ways. It is possible that the mucus effect could be showing an intolerance to milk, ie and allergic reaction, and that is why there is no clear cut across the board agreement. I personally can drink skim milk in small doses but cannot eat most ice creams. The body is yours and it is up to you to discover its fine- and not so fine- points.
Charlotte,
You probably have either dairy intolerance or are allergic to dairy. I have a histamine reaction (allergic reaction) to dairy that causes a great deal of mucus if I eat/drink dairy. Similiar to anyone with pollen allergies getting a stuffy head.
I do believe milk and dairy products promote more mucus. The dairy products leave a coating of film on your throat that holds more moisture thus causing extra mucus
I was not aware of the relationship between mucus and milk drinking. I have a question, can lact-aid and skim milk avoid this mucus problem? I have to accept that not drinking milk is a big sacrifice for me, but I am a teacher and sometimes feel this mucus in my throat.
thanks for the interesting information.What about drinking a lot of water ?does it help increasing metabolism? .thanks and keep up the good work.
I once worked at a T-Shirt factory and there was a LOT of lint!! The company gave away milk all day to make the lint come up off the chest. I guess they knew what they were talking about over 20 years ago. I never heard of anyone there getting sick or dying because of this huge lint build up in their chest and some people worked there 25-30+ years!! I have noticed that since I eat a lot of yogurt my sinuses are always stuffed up.
People. What she said may be true, and what you're saying is true too! It all depends on the person. for some people, dairy products induce mucus, for some they don't. either way, mucus really isn't a problem, the solution is a tissue. And also, drinking milk is kinda weird to begin with. We're humans, not cows.
If milk and mucus are not associated with each other at all...then why does a medical doctor tell you not to drink it when you have a cold?
Not very good information here, I believe...
If milk and mucus are not associated with each other at all...then why does a medical doctor tel you not to drink it when you have a cold?
Not very good information here, I believe...
I'm afraid I won't be reading your information any longer. If you are incorrect about dairy products and mucus build up, what else is incorrect here?
I am a vegetarian and when I eliminated dairy products the mucus problem disappeared. My friend who is an opera singer won't use dairy products at all because of their adverse affect.
I appreciate you making an effort to help people However I believe it is vitally important that you get your facts straight.
Beef is a Carcinogen in the body due to the BGH (Bovine Growth Harmone) used to make cows mature quickly to feed the multitudes.
It makes sense that if beef creates cancer cells in the body, the dairy from the cows does the same. Along with the fact that dairy DOES create mucus in the system.
If you aren't eating healthy, non processed foods, you may not notice as much. If you need to blow your nose frequently, it is a good sign that your body is making an effort to eliminate excess mucus.
I can see that many others are finding this milk thing contoversial.I used to study chinese medicine(for fun),and the claim for milk promoting more mucus came up there too.
I used to drink about a litre a day,until I was 12 years old.Whenever I had a cold,I would be this human fountain of snot!Since then until now, 33yrs,I have had lactose intolerance and I use milk only on coffee + take calcium-magnesium suplements,sometimes cheese and low-lactose yogurt and I rarely have a very runny nose EVEN if I have a bad cold.(Sometimes people dont realise I have a cold because I dont have much mucus coming out.)
So,in my experience,milk(products)DO increase mucus.And why do you think children have snot in their nose almost all the time,sick or not..?!?
Also,in chinese medicine,they say it`s not very wise to drink ICE cold water due to it slowing your metabolism etc.
Go figure.Makes some sense to me,though.
If you have breathing difficulty after drinking milk, chance are you are having an allergic reaction. You don't have to be lactose intolerent to be allergic to milk. The majority of people are allergic to milk and wheat gluten. If you cut these 2 items out of your diet, you won't have a weight problem. Your small intestine will also work properly, instead of reacting. Research celiac disease.
this site sucks
As a child I always remembered the doctors saying to eliminate the milk because of mucus for babies. I have a son who has asthma. I took him off milk when he was young because he could not tolerate it. As an adult, I have asked him if he has tried milk and how he felt afterward. Yes, he definitely indicated that it makes him feel sick and that he feels the difference in his throat and chest. I don't know where the study comes from, but I believe my son and am glad that we don't drink milk!!
I cannot eat chinese food because it contains MSG (monosodium glutanate) extentively in their cookings.Also Campbell's soup has MSG.Will you please do some investigating this myth.
I am led to believe that it increases the heart rate (I have been in hospital for that).It raises blood pressure and induces migraine.
