More Food Myths
Cheeky Muffy

We all have heard myths regarding many things. I think you all know how I feel about these things. If they aren't true, they end up doing more harm than good. I don't know why we continue to spread myths, but I figure it has to do with lack of education. Myths still exist about diet. I have heard that in some parts of the world that certain meats have myths about them. For example people don't eat cats in Thailand because they think they contain poison. I'm not sure if I would eat a cat, I haven't so far in my life. But, if I was hungry enough I probably would. To what extent do we allow ourselves to get caught up in things that aren't true? Well, for thousands of years we have done it day in and day out. Sometimes myths are based upon real facts that keep us healthy. If we can't explain why people get sick eating a certain thing, then a myth is a great way to prevent it. In this day and age of science there is no need for that. Unless you are in a third world country, they can figure out why you got sick from something.

Let's talk about some of these myths. I think that some of them are funny.

Eggs are bad for you. This is one that always gets under my skin. Sure they are bad for you if you eat a dozen per day. But if you eat them like you should, they are actually good for you. Eggs have been given a bad name for too long. I think we should all go out and have a three egg omlet today. I'll take mine with cheese please. Greasy snacks cause pimples. This has been said about chocolate as well. This is farthest from the truth. Pimples are caused by clogged pores not by what we eat. If you are rubbing the chips all over your face, you might have an argument there. But, I don't think that is the case.

A glass of wine a day will keep the doctor away. This is true to an extent. They have done research on people around the world. People who drink wine are healthier. Of course, some of that is based on diet as well. I mean, if you are eating a whole pig every day, no amount of wine is going to help you.

What is healthier butter or margarine? Some people will disagree with me here, but I think butter is. Butter is a fat that hasn't been over processed. I like to think that all of these processed foods that we are eating is actually bad for us. I don't see the reason why butter is any worse for you. Infact, they are almost the same in regards to fat content and calories. I'm not saying that you should consume large amounts of butter. I would say the same is true with margarine. The key thing to do is, use it in moderation.

Are frozen foods less good for you than fresh? By no means. Sure they might loose a little of their crunch in the freezing process. The important thing to do is make sure that you aren't eating veggies that have other things added to them. This happens all the time, they will add cheese or other stuff to them. A lot of times they will cost less than the fresh items. If you are on a budget, I would suggest that you compare the prices of frozen veggies to fresh ones. You might actually get to save some money.

Can Mountain Dew make a man impotent? Well, this one is laughable. But it is said that the food dye can cause problems in men. The USDA has said that this isn't true. I'm not sure what to believe really. I want to think that this isn't true. I don't have to worry because I don't drink the stuff. Does vitamin C cure a cold? No. We are made to believe that it does, but in fact it doesn't. There is no proof that it does.

Do carbs make you gain weight? Yes they do. They will put on the pounds just like any other food will. If not more so. The key thing is moderation. Don't eat a loaf of bread with your breakfast. Celery takes more calories to digest than is in the product. That is false. There is no food like this on earth. There are more calories in celery than you will burn by eating it. That is one of the biggest myths out there.

As always, there is a little truth to the myths, but not much. Sometimes we will see things that we know are wrong, but they do have a point to them. Sometimes the point is just to make you think.