Food myths – 20 claims and whether they are true

There are some claims about certain foods that you aren't sure whether they are true or not. You can probably even think of a few at the moment. In this article we have listed 20 examples of food myths that are either false or at least only partially true.

1. Spaghetti makes you fat

Incorrect! If you want to lose weight, there is no need to ban spaghetti from your diet. What actually makes you fat are the sauces with which we serve the spaghetti. Still don't believe it? Then what do you say: A 60 g serving of spaghetti only contains 220 calories. In comparison, a portion of French fries has a whopping 360. So just avoid the sauces and enjoy your beloved spaghetti with vegetables and olive oil.

2. The margarine doesn't thicken as quickly as the butter

This food myth is also not true. In fact, there is almost no difference in terms of calories. 100g of butter contains 750 calories, while the same amount of margarine contains 745 calories. In principle, butter is the better choice because it contains valuable fatty acids that are good for the heart.

3. Rusks help with your diet and you lose weight faster

Wrong again! Instead, choose rye bread. It contains much fewer calories (210 in 100 g) than rusks. The proportion of calories in 100 g of rusks is 318.

4. Eating light makes you slim

This food myth is actually true. Unfortunately, we usually make mistakes when preparing them by using fats and sugars. In this case, it is much better to eat something wholesome.

5. Foods with little fat make you feel fuller for longer

Not true. The food myth here is that fat content plays a role. Actually, it depends on the carbohydrates whether and for how long we feel full. This is why bread, potatoes or pasta make us feel so full.

6. Raw foods are healthier than cooked ones

Food myths like this are only partially true. There are also vegetables that contain toxins when raw. These only become harmless to humans when the vegetables are thermally prepared. Such vegetables include, for example, eggplant and beans.

7. Salt increases pressure in the arteries

Scientists are no longer so sure about this food myth. It is true that large amounts of salt are harmful, but it should not be completely missing from our organism. According to studies, this can lead to heart disease. It leads to bad cholesterol. This so-called LDL cholesterol causes heart attacks and strokes.

8. The white chocolate consists of more milk

A completely false food myth. White chocolate only lacks cocoa and is therefore white. The color of the chocolate has absolutely nothing to do with the amount of milk.

9. You gain weight if you eat before you go to bed at night

This is also a food myth that is not true. Whether you gain weight depends entirely on what you eat during the day and in what quantities, i.e. how many calories and fats it contains and not the time of day. Of course, how often you exercise is equally important.

10. Spicy food is bad for the stomach

Here the exact opposite of this food myth is true. Hot spices not only stimulate the bile and liver to work better. They also kill pathogenic bacteria in the stomach. Foods or spices that have this effect include chili, curry, pepper, mustard and horseradish.

11. Spinach contains a lot of iron

Nope. Dry spinach contains more iron. There are approximately 35 mg of iron contained in 100 g. However, with fresh spinach it is only 3.5 mg. So it really depends.

12. Eggs increase cholesterol

This food myth is definitely not true! As long as you have a healthy metabolism, nothing can stop you from consuming an egg every day. It is true that eggs contain a lot of cholesterol, there are 200 mg in one egg. But this type of cholesterol does not enter the blood directly. So they are not harmful.

13. Pork is unhealthier than poultry meat

Yes and no. It really depends on what kind of poultry you eat. The poultry meat with the skin contains much more fat (17.5%) than pork fillet (2%). However, the claim is true if you only eat the white meat of poultry. It has a fat content of only one percent.

14. Grilling is healthier

Incorrect! This is a food myth, which can be explained in the following way. When grilling, the fat drips onto the coals. This creates a smoke made of carcinogenic substances that settles on the meat. Choose another variant instead. You can also wrap the meat in aluminum foil and grill it on the grill.

15. Apples need to be peeled

Exactly the opposite is the case with these Food myths the case. If you eat apples to do something good for your body, you should not peel them. The healthy vitamins are in the shell or directly underneath. So when you peel the apple, these are lost.

16. Brown eggs are healthier than white ones

That the color of the eggshell matters is a common rumor and a food myth! What affects the color of the eggs is the breed of the chicken. However, quality and taste are influenced by the food the chickens are fed.

17. Beer makes you fat

As long as you don't overdo it with the beer, it won't cause you to gain weight. So it's another food myth. Half a liter contains just 105 calories. What usually causes you to gain weight is all the goodies you eat with it like chips, salted peanuts, etc

18. Coffee serves as a counteraction to alcohol

Anyone who believes this food myth is very wrong and the consequences can be dangerous. Coffee has exactly the opposite effect. If you take it after drinking alcohol, it only ensures that the alcohol gets into the blood more quickly.

19. The perfect breakfast is cereal

That's not always true. The purchased, ready-made muesli contains most sugar and also a lot of fats. If you want to be on the safe side, it's best to put this breakfast together yourself. To do this, use muesli, walnuts and raisins. If you can't do without the sweet taste, you can also add dried fruits. With such a self-mixed muesli you also increase the energy value.

20. Fresh vegetables are healthier than frozen ones

This is also one of the food myths that is only partially true. It is bestif you have fresh vegetablesconsume it, but only if you consume it in a short period of time. If it stays in the fridge for several days, the healthy nutrients of many vegetables are lost. An example of this is spinach. So in this case it is better if you buy frozen vegetables. In this form the vitamins and minerals can be stored better.