Nutrition

► Nutrition Overview
► 5-A-Day
► Healthy Recipes
► Myths of healthy eating
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Myths of Healthy Eating

There are a lot of myths or old wives’ tales about food. Test your knowledge below.

Dried fruit is not as healthy as fresh fruit.
False! As part of your healthy balanced daily meals, it is recommended that you eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day. It doesn’t matter if they are fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. 

Drinking ice-cold water uses up more calories and helps you lose weight.
False! Drinking water that is ice cold doesn’t use up any more calories than drinking water at room temperature.

It’s OK to skip breakfast.
False! Breakfast is a very important meal. When we are sleeping, we are also fasting for an average of about eight hours. It is essential that we break this fast. Although people who skip breakfast catch up on their energy requirements later in the day, they’re unlikely to get all the vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast can provide. And, if we’ve missed breakfast, we are more likely to snack on foods that are high in sugar or fat by mid-morning.

Most of the salt in our diet is added at the table.
False! 75% of the salt in our meals comes from processed foods. Just 10-15% comes from the salt we add when we’re cooking or at the table. So, if you want to cut back on salt than you need to cut back on processed foods.

Sweets are a good source of vitamins.
False! Sweets contain high amounts of sugar and are not a good source of vitamins and minerals. 

Healthier foods are always far more expensive than other foods.
False! Although it’s true that some healthier ingredients can be more expensive, often you only need to use them in very small amounts. And sometimes, choosing the healthier alternative can actually save you money.

Choosing healthy food to eat is very limiting and it’s boring, too.
False! It’s true that we shouldn’t eat too much of certain foods, or eat them too often, such as those that are high in fat or sugar. However, there are lots of interesting foods we should be eating more of, such as fish and fruits and vegetables. Remember, you are only limited by your imagination!

If the label says “low fat” or “reduced fat” than the product will always be a healthy choice.
False! To claim that a product in “reduced fat” the amount of fat must be at least 25% lower than the standard product. But these types of foods tend to be high in fat and energy in the first place, so the “reduced fat” version can still have quite high amounts of both. 

Foods labeled “low fat” or “reduced fat” aren’t necessarily low in calories. The fat is replaced by other ingredients, so the product can end up with the same or an even higher calorie content.

And, if you’re tempted to use more of a “reduced fat” product than you would of the full-fat or regular version, you might end up having the same, or even more, fat and calories.

Having a traditional cooked breakfast in the morning can be a health choice.
True! If you grill lean bacon, poach the eggs, and include baked beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms cooked with out fat (including butter), and serve it up with whole wheat bread, you will have a delicious cooked breakfast. And it’s healthy and balanced too!

If you want the healthier option, it’s best to choose a vegetarian dish.
False! Some vegetarian dishes contain a lot of fat, especially if they are made with lots of cheese, oil, pastry or creamy sauces, or if they’ve been fried. So, they aren’t necessarily a healthy option.

But it’s always a good idea to have some vegetables with your meal because we should be eating at least five portions a day of fruit and vegetables.

Salads are always healthier options.
False! Salads can be healthier options. However, it is what you put on your salad, such as cheese, bacon bits, salad dressing, that can actually make your salad an unhealthy alternative. To have a healthy salad, you may want to leave off the cheese, the bacon bits, and the Chinese noodles. 

In addition, you have to be careful what salad dressing you put on your salad. Many places now offer reduced-fat and low-calorie dressings, which can improve the quality of your salad. But when they don’t, order your dressing on the side and rather than pouring the dressing on the salad, dip your fork into it, then take a bite of salad. Very little dressing sticks to the fork, but you’ll still get some of its flavor with every bite.