Food Folklore - Myth or Fact - August 8 - July 10, 1997

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Chocolate causes acne

--Click and hold for the answer--> Food MYTH! In a classic study at the U. of Penn., researchers fed 65 adolescents with acne the equivalent of a pound of chocolate every day for a month. For another month, the same kids ate fake chocolate - the results: NO DIFFERENCE Neither kind of chocolate made the acne worse - or better! So what does make acne worse? Just being young!

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Fresh, raw foods are always best

----And the answer is....----> --> Food MYTH! While canning destroys some nutrients and antioxidants, so does overcooking. Frozen and Freeze-dried foods are generally just as nutritious as fresh. But sometimes cooking helps. Heating tomatoes, especially with a little oil, releases lycopene - an antioxidant that has been linked with less cancer according to cancer researcher John Weisburger.

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Cranberries fight bladder infections

----And the answer is....----> --> Food FACT! This one surprised me too! But according to a recent study at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, elderly women who drank a little over a cup of cranberry juice cocktail daily were 60% less likely to harbor high numbers of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections than women who drank no cranberry juice. Apparently, chemicals in the cranberries block bacteria from sticking to the urniary tract lining, so they are washed away. Drink up!

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Spicy foods hurt your stomach

----And the answer is....----> --> Food MYTH! Subjects were fed hot sauce and jalapeno peppers and then had their stomachs and intestinal tracts examined via an internal video camera. The results - fiery foods may actually protect the stomach lining, discouraging bleeding and damage. In fact, Andrew Weil, an M.D.from the U. of Arizona, says that spice foods and cayenne pepper actually may relieve ulcers. Bad news note: Spicy foods definitely do aggravate heartburn!

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Shrimp is bad for cholesterol

----And the answer is....----> --> Food MYTH! Shrimp is relatively high in cholesterol but very low in fat. A new Harvard study finds that shrimp, as part of a low-fat diet, improves blood cholesterol.

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Nuts are bad for you

--Click and hold for the answer----> Food MYTH! Nuts are high in fat, but most of it is a good type of fat. Studies show that people who eat small amounts of nuts regularly are less apt to have heart disease! Both Walnuts and Almonds have lowered blood cholesterol. Nuts are also high in heart-protecting magnesium and Brazil nuts are rich in selenium, an anti-cancer mineral, according to recent research. Here's the bad news - Dry-roasted nuts are not significantly lower in calories and fat. And I felt so righteous eating them! Phooey!

Food Myth or Food Fact?

Cabbage causes intestinal gas

----And the answer is....----> --> Food FACT! (Did you miss this one - I even knew the answer without peeking!) So do other members of the cabbage family, Uncle Brussels Sprouts, Brother Broccoli, and Sister Cauliflower. So do dried beans of course.

Food Myth or Food Fact?

What is the #1 cause of flatulence?

----And the answer is....----> --> MILK! Because some people are 'lactose intolerant' (have trouble digesting milk suar), milk is the No. 1 cause of intestinal gas! New research shows that the type of bacteria in your intestines has more to do with whether you emit gas than does the food you eat. (I can't wait to tell my husband this one!)

Food Myth or Food Fact?

All alcohol 'cooks out' of food.

----And the answer is....----> --> Food MYTH! You have to cook food for a while to get rid of all the alcohol, the longer it simmers, the more the alcohol evaporates according to tests at Washington State University. 5% of the alcohol remained in a pot roast simmered in wine for 2.5 hours, 40% remained in chicken simmered 10 minutes, and 75% remained in cherries jubilee flamed for 48 seconds. Well, that explains why I love those flaming desserts so much!

Our Fun Food Fact Sources:

• Eat Smart by Jean Carper in USA Weekend - May 9-11, 1997