Myths grow from all kinds of misinformation, and the foods that you eat also have some myths surrounding them. Some of them are traditional which you may have heard from your grandmothers; while some come from “new age” health gurus. So to make sure you know the fact from the fiction, here are some foods myths that need to be revealed.

1. You should avoid all kinds of carbohydrates
When it comes to food and weight, two most blamed groups are the fats and the carbohydrates. No carb diets have become the byword for many and even celebrities endorse the goodness of such a diet. It is true that people are often advised to stay away from carbohydrates; but what most people don’t know is that, there is a distinct grouping of good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. Moreover, not all people need to avoid carbs; people who are overweight and have sedentary lifestyle are often asked to reduce their intake of carbohydrates. Our body needs carbs to stay fit and healthy; so you have to provide these by eating the right kind of carbohydrates. That includes whole grain products like brown bread, whole wheat pasta and most grains. Even potatoes can be good for you, depending how you eat them. If you just boil them or roast them, they are good. But the moment you deep fry them as French fries, they become unhealthy. Remember if you don’t have carbs in the right proportion, you will have problems like constipation, muscle aches, headaches and for growing children, this can retard their development.

2. Protein only comes from animal meat
Proteins are made of amino acids and our body can’t produce eight of such acids. So it is a common belief that we have to have meat products to get those amino acids. But it has been successfully proved by scientists that plants also have these amino acids in them and it is not exclusive to animal meat only. You will only have to look at nature to see it; gorillas, elephants, giraffes are all strong and big animals that are totally herbivorous in nature. If they did not get protein, it could have been virtually impossible for them to reach their size! So it is true that plants do have all kinds of protein that your body needs. In fact, it is seen that in average, people who opt for vegetarian food live longer than their non-vegetarian friends! They get their requited proteins from pulses, soya products and nuts.

3. You need to have dairy products to have calcium
We all know the importance of calcium in our diet. That is why from childhood we are encouraged to eat diary products as it is believed to be the only source of calcium. But this also a half-truth; there are many plants and other food items that are good sources of calcium. In fact, too much of high-fat dairy products can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The rule is to have them in low-fat format and also eat foods like spinach, broccoli, tofu, soy milk and beans to get the required calcium amount for your body.

Now that some of the food-myths are revealed to you, make sure you change your diet and eating habits if these myths were influencing them before. Eating right is the first step towards a healthier and longer life; so make sure you do it right.

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