#HealthBytes: 5 commonly-believed health myths which are completely false
Seeking and sticking to diet is a great idea, but notably, not all food advice is good advice. Some 'facts' should be taken with a pinch of salt. Additionally, it's advisable to consult a trusted dietician before choosing to believe 'food facts' on the internet, or according to hearsay. Here we try and dispel some commonly-held food myths.
Many smaller meals are better than few big ones
It's commonly believed that one should go for a number of smaller meals throughout the day instead of opting for two or three big ones. But what actually matters is the total calorie intake of a person for the day. Come to think of it, if the calorie count remains the same, what's the difference between six small meals and three large ones?
Diabetics must stick to consuming only sugar-free food products
Diabetes patients, around the world, are being sold specially packaged, sugar-free products like sugar-free biscuits, drinks etc. But, truth be told, this is just clever marketing. Medically speaking, there's no need to consume such commercial packaged sugar-free food products. Instead, a diabetic should simply look to reduce their carbohydrates intake, which includes sugar, white bread, sweet drinks etc.
You should prefer your food raw, not cooked
It has been widely believed, from time unknown, that heating up food kills all its enzymes and nutritious value, so one should prefer eating their food raw. But practically speaking, taking only raw food will deprive you of essential nutrients like protein, calcium, iron, and certain vitamins like B-12, since these are mainly obtained from animal sources, which can't be consumed completely raw.
All carbohydrates are bad for your health
One must not be fooled into believing that all carbohydrates are bad. In fact, carbohydrates are a great source of many essential nutrients and dietary fiber, and this makes them a must for balanced diet. But then, there are healthy as well as unhealthy carbs. Carbs with high glycemic index may raise blood sugar levels. Thus, they should be avoided, especially if you're a diabetic.
Microwaving food kills its nutritional value
Any heating or cooking method is bound to have a certain degree of impact on the nutrients value of the food, let alone microwaving. As against a commonly-held misconception, microwaving actually uses lesser heat and time to prepare food, as compared to other methods, which makes it one of the best ways to prepare/re-heat food.
