In short: When cooking a stir-fry, you can only get the full nutritional value of broccoli, carrots or peppers if you cook them with a source of fat. Whether you choose a good olive oil, avocado oil or cream (animal or vegetable) is up to you. In addition to the health benefits, fats such as oils, butter, nut butters and avocado also simply add more flavor to meals, which means that we will continue to prepare the vegetable stir-fry from our example more often in the future.
2. Salt is bad
Salt is another ingredient that has a very bad reputation, especially today, but is actually indispensable, says Lopez. Not only does it add flavor to food, but it is also crucial for body functions such as maintaining the nervous system and regulating water balance. However, since people with health problems such as high blood pressure or heart disease are often advised to consume as little of it as possible, much of the online nutrition bubble now tends to believe that it should be avoided altogether, Lopez continued.
However, most adults without pre-existing conditions can, according to theAmerican Heart AssociationConsume between 1,500 and 2,300 milligrams per day. This is equivalent to about a teaspoon of salt. That may not seem like much, but most dishes only contain a pinch or two of salt anyway. If a full teaspoon is specified in a recipe, this usually refers to an amount that will later be divided into several servings.Good to know:The sodium content also varies depending on the type of salt. Finer table salt contains 2,300 mg per teaspoon, while coarse (kosher) salt only contains 1,920 mg per teaspoon.
Nevertheless, you shouldn't overdo it with the sodium, says Lopez - because consuming too much salt can result in skin problems, digestive difficulties and water retention.
3. Fruit contains too much sugar
Fruit brings a touch of refreshment and a dose of sweetness to a whole range of meals: morning cereal, our favorite lunch salads or desserts. However, the diet industry in the 2000s popularized the term fructose, and to this day many people shy away from the calorie content in fruit or the supposed risk of diabetes.
While eating many certain fruits can be a problem for people who already have diabetes, the risk for people without the disease is actually not as high as thought. According to oneStudyfrom 2016, which is inJournal of Diabetes Investigationpublished, eating fruit can even increase the risk of type 2 diabetesreduce: “In addition to natural sugars, fruit contains vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, water and fiber, all of which benefit our health,” explainsRhyan Geiger, RDN, owner ofPhoenix Vegan Dietitian.
DieGerman Society for Nutritiontherefore even recommends a daily consumption of 250 grams of fruit per day for an adult without previous illnesses. This corresponds to approximately one apple, one apricot and one banana, i.e. up to three portions of fruit.
4. Frozen foods have hardly any nutrients
Far too many people believe that turning to packaged ingredients - whether to speed up preparation or just because they like the taste - means a less nutritious meal and that whole foods are superior to processed foods, explainsCara Harbstreet, MS, RD,vonStreet Smart Nutrition: “These biases can even lean towards anti-disability and food elitism, with the assumption that everyone is physically and financially capable of cooking all meals from scratch,” she explains.
