In order to meet all our nutritional needs, it is essential to consume a wide variety of food groups.
And the most important: eat everything, without abusing it, in moderation and avoiding ultra-processed foods (products loaded with refined flour, fat and sugar).
However, there are certain foods that have historically been marked as unhealthy or with wrong properties.
Countless myths that have been established over the years and that the specialists of the (FEN) deny in the guide ‘Your healthy choice’.
“The crumb is more fattening than the crust of the bread”
It is one of the most widespread myths, but it is still false. As the FEN experts indicate, the explanation is very simple.
-
As the crumb is softer, a greater amount of water is concentrated and, therefore, lower caloric intake.
-
“The bark, on the other hand, is the hardest part, it contains less water and the concentration of nutrients and the contribution of energy is greater.”
“Wholegrain bread has fewer calories than normal”
100 grams of white bread gives us 277 kilocalories and 2.2 grams of fiber. And if we compare it with another 100 grams of , there is hardly any difference: 250 kilocalories and 8.5 grams of fiber.
However, the difference is that those breads made with whole wheat flour “usually require more chewing” and “provoke greater satiety, since they are rich in fiber, so we usually consume less.”
And what about the ? How can they benefit from the properties of bread? They should replace it with the one made with corn, since it is free of gluten, a protein present in the grain of wheat and other cereals such as rye, barley and oats.
And it must be taken into account that some whole grain breads “may have added fat and sugars, in order to improve their flavor, which would considerably modify their nutritional value.” And no, bread is not fattening by itself.
“The only thing that makes us fat are the calories consumed in excess, wherever they come from, and that are not spent by our body, being stored as fat”, highlight nutritionists from the Spanish Nutrition Foundation.
Six or more servings a day of cereals are recommended, opting for whole grains or whole grain, since they contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals. And, of course, for options without added fat or sugar.
“Spinach provides a lot of energy”
the cans of spinach what did you drink Popeye they gave him ‘superhuman’ strength to be able to fight his great enemy: Brutus. But the properties attributed to spinach are also part of fiction, without detracting from its merits, since they have essential micronutrients.
AND . Thanks to the versatility of this food, they can be cooked with legumes, in smoothies, in a salad and even in an omelette.
“The reality is that spinach, like most vegetables, does not provide much energy due to the large amount of water it contains. Specifically, the energy value of spinach is 31 kcal per 100 g, so no one will be filled with energy after eating them, as was the case with the cartoon,” they point out.
“Canned vegetables are not healthy”
Can it be healthy to eat canned food? The FEN’s response is clear: yes, but with some nuance. Although part of the population is reluctant to consume them because they are wary of their nutritional quality and safety, nothing could be further from the truth.
If it is true that they can have a increased sodium and sugaronly “remains in the canning liquid, so removing it and washing the vegetables later is a good option to reduce their intake.”
And they are the perfect option in the absence of time and as an alternative to pre-cooked dishes, which are not usually healthy.
Nutritionists also stress that “this can be extrapolated to the frozen vegetables that, in addition, they do not usually have added salt and that, with a composition very similar to that of the fresh ones, it can be an interesting option to increase the consumption of this group of foods”.
“Fruit is more fattening if eaten as a dessert”
Those that should not be missing in our diet. And eat them every day. It is recommended to take about five pieces of fruit and vegetables a day. And if you choose fruits (banana, berries or orange), you can also control your appetite and weight. They are, therefore, a perfect snack to snack between meals.
They can be eaten at any time of the day. Because neither “The melon, in the morning, gold, in the afternoon, silver, and at night, it kills” nor fattening if taken as a dessert after a meal or at night.
“The caloric contribution of the fruit and its nutritional value is the same whether it is eaten before, after or during meals. It should also be noted that there is no reason why the consumption of fruit as a dessert generates digestive discomfort ”, specify the specialists from the .
“After milk you can’t drink orange juice because it cuts”
It is one of the phrases that all of us, at some point in our lives, have heard: “After milk, you cannot drink orange juice, because it is too short.” And it is not because of the orange juice specifically, but because of any fruit juice, and it is due to its acidity. But, as we all suspected, it is nothing more than nonsense reasoning.
This is how nutritionists explain it: “This belief is false. The acidity of the stomach is greater than that of orange juice, and during the digestion process the milk encounters the hydrochloric acid present in the stomach”.
“Dairy-free milk?”
Milk is present in our lives from the moment we are born. In childhood it is considered an essential element for the…