Myths & Facts
Milk causes asthma?
Many well-meaning parents rob their children of essential nutrients by taking it upon themselves to exclude milk. Poor diet leads to poor health, which can make asthma worse. The major triggers for asthma are infection, exercise, weather and temperature change. Food and drink, food additives and chemicals are low ranking triggers. The right diet for asthma is one that contains cereals, fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meats.
Are all calories created equally?
All calories are not created equal, One gram of carbohydrate or protein contains only 4 calories, but one gram of fat contains 9 calories. \"Fat calories sneak up on you\", Dr. Goor says. \" A few handful of potato chips has the same number of calories as two medium-sized baked potatoes topped with non-fat yoghurt and steamed vegetables.\"
Carbohydrates have a lot of bulk per calorie?
Eating them triggers feelings of fullness. It\'s difficult to overeat if you base your diet on them. \"if you reduce your fat consumption from the typical 35 to 40 % of calories down to the 10 % \" Says Dean Ornish, M.D., the doctor who pioneered heart disease reversal using a low-fat diet, \"you can eat one-third more food without increasing your total number of calories. You feel full & satisfied, but still reduce your risk of heart disease and the other fat related diseases and you lose weight\". In addition to their high calorie content, fats are also metabolised differently from carbohydrates. The body uses most carbohydrates. The body uses most carbohydrates quickly, and can only store about one day\'s worth as glycogen in the liver and in muscle tissue. If you eat normal amounts, Dr.Goor says, \" carbohydrates are never stored as fat.\" Fats on the other hand, are not metabolised right away. They are stored as fat in adipose tissue, which has an almost unlimited capacity to bulge with fat. Unlike carbohydrates, fat calories don\'t cause feelings of fullness, so you keep eating and eating, gaining weight, and increasing your risk of all the fat-related diseases.
Potatoes & Cakes are the villains?
Most of the people beleive that carbohydrates(starches & sugars) were the dietary villian. But nutrition scientist have prove that the real villian in the diet is FAT. Carbohydrates including fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains provide most of the body\'s energy. They are a main source for body energy. If weight controlled is concerned, limit your fat calories and you don\'t have to worry about total calorie intake. It is not potato which is fattening but butter, sour cream and ghee people put on. The same goes for sugar. Cakes, chocolates, icecream are fattening not because it contains sugar, but because it is loaded with fat.
Milk causes mucous?
Milk is only linked to mucous production in the case of true food allergy. The only way to check out a food allergy is through a controlled elimination diet and by an allergy specialist.
Is it okay to give low fat, skimmed milk to infants?
Low fat and skimmed milk is not suitable for children under five. Breast milk should be used until one year. Children upto the age of two need regular milk for growth and development. Offer regular milk to children under five.
MythsA whole bunch of food fallacies have been handed down to us for generations. The irony in believing them and following the practices they advise is that while thinking we are following the voice of experience we might actually be depriving our bodies of good health.
Fish and curd should not be consumed together as they cause stomach cramps or white patches on the skin.
You should end meals with a cup of tea for satiety value.
Older people should eat fewer meals.
Margarine is less fattening than butter.
The fat content of milk can be reduced by adding water.
Desi ghee is bad for the heart.
Refined oils are better for the heart than butter or ghee.
Drinking milk is better than taand butter both contain 25% fat. They have the same calorie count. So margarine is as fattening as butter. Besides, margarine is rich in saturated fatty acids as well as trans fatty acids, which raise blood cholesterol.
Myth: The fat content of milk can be reduced by adding water. Fact: Adding water to milk dilutes all the other nutrients in milk apart from fat. If you want \"less fat milk\", buy skim milk instead, which has all the nutrients but less fat. You can make skim milk at home by refrigerating the milk overnight and skimming off the fat the next morning.
Myth: Desi ghee is bad for the heart. Fact: Desi ghee is rich in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, which is bad. However, it also contains substantial amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, which is good. Desi ghee is also a rich source of Vitamin A. Desi ghee is not harmful when taken in small quantities, say half a teaspoon a day.
Myth: Refined oils are better for the heart than butter or ghee. Fact: Every fat, including different oils, has its own composition. Kardi and sunflower oils are rich in PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids), while ghee, butter, groundnut oil and mustard oil are rich in SFA (saturated fatty acids) and MUFA (mono saturated fatty acid). It is recommended that PUFA, MUFA and SFA are consumed in the ratio 1:1.5:1. So, all the three sources, that is ghee or butter (1/2 tsp), mustard or groundnut oil (1 tsp) and safflower or sunflower oil (1/2 tsp) should be consumed in a day for a healthy heart.
Myth: Drinking milk is better than taking it in the form of curd. Fact: Some people cannot tolerate milk - they get diarrhoea or \"heavy\" feeling. For these people, the best substitute for milk is curd. Apart from containing all the nutrients of milk, curd has the lactobacillus - friendly bacteria which aid digestion - and is thus digested easily.
Myth: Mono diets help fat loss. Fact: Mono diets lead to a pronounced loss of lean body mass, and may suppress the appetite leading to altered blood chemistry.
Myth: Honey can be used as a substitute for sugar when you\'re trying to lose weight. Fact: Honey consists of 75% sugars (glucose and fructose) and 25% water. Every gram of honey provides 3kcal.
Myth: Pickles are not rich in calories. Fact: Generally oil and salt are used as preservatives in pickles. Neither is particularly healthy. A gram of oil provides 9kcal and a high salt intake is not advisable for people with high blood pressure.
Myth: A label saying \'Cholesterol free\' indicates a health food. Fact: \'Cholesterol free\' doesn\'t necessarily mean fat free. The food might well be cholesterol free but at the same time be rich in saturated fatty acids or trans fatty acids, both of which raise blood cholesterol. \'Cholesterol free\' is just a marketing strategy - don\'t set too much store by it.
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