Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL HEALTH / FOOD MYTHS Don't Swallow These 10 Food Myths Jp, J w^ v -■«PPK Myths abound In relation to favorite foods. U«n to separate fast from fic tion. jnHHHHHHHHBHfIHIHI (MS) - Navigating the world of nutrition can get tricky. It seems that as soon as one dietary strategy is proclaimed beneficial, others quickly refute the claims. Over time, myths develop in relation to certain foods that can create real problems for people trying to separate fact from fiction. That’s just what this article will help you do. Below are various food myths that have caused confusion amongst health-minded Americans throughout the years. l. Saccharin has a warning label. Arguably, a big misconception exists about granulated sugar substitutes. The truth is, saccharin, a substance used in the popular product known as Sweet’N Low, has been used for more than 125 years. Andwhilesaccharin’ssafety was „.once questioned more than four that advanced In fact, in 2000, the U.S. Congress passed the Sweetest Act, which removed the warning label from saccharin and deemed it safe for people of all ages. That Congressional Act also confirmed that saccharin doesn’t affect insulin levels, thus making it a smart option for people with diabetes. With five hundred billion packets sold and counting, Sweet’N Low continues to defy this particular food myth by remaining a great-tasting, low-calorie product for the past 50 years. 2. Frozen vegetables are less nutritious than fresh ones. Frozen vegetables are generally picked at the peak of freshness and flash-frozen to retain their nutritional content. 3. You should drink eight glasses of water per day. Staying hydrated is important, but the water you drink can come from other sources than simply water alone. Milk, juice, coffee, tea and even soft drinks can contribute to water requirements. 4. Margarine is better for you than butter. It depends on the margarine. Many margarines are processed using hydrogenation, which adds harmful trans fats that increase “bad cholesterol” LDL levels and even decrease the good HDL. 5. Dried fruit is not as healthy as fresh fruit. As part of a healthy diet, it is recommended that you eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. So any way you slice, chop or bite into it, it doesn’t matter if the fruit is fresh or dried to be healthy. 6. Olive oil can protect you from a heart attack. Olive oil is still a fat and should be used in moderation and not considered a cure-all for heart disease. 7. Multigrain foods are always made with whole grains. Just because the label states that an item is “multigrain” doesn’t mean that it is made from whole grains. Whole grains are those that have the bran, germ and endosperm of the grain intact. 8. Coffee will stunt your growth. Coffee cannot stunt your growth, but drinking it in lieu of calcium-rich dairy products could impact bone health. 9. Spinach will make you stronger. Although Popeye might tell you so, spinach doesn’t have any special strength-producing properties over other healthy fruits and veggies. 10. Spicy food causes stomach ulcers. Stomach ulcers are caused by infection or bacteria present in the stomach. While spicy foods may not cause ulcers, they can certainly aggravate them and should be consumed in moderation. Joseph Stephen Lomboy, MD Internal Medicine, LLC 1031 Ke|th Drive Joseph Lomboy, MD Board Certified in Internal Medicine •Arthritis •Asthma •Cholesterol Management •Diabetes •Dementia •Emphysema •Heart Disease •Hospice (478) 987-7444 Clinic Hours: Monday - Wednesday, Friday 8:30 - 5:30 pm Thursday. Saturday 8:30 -12 noon ACCEPT MOST INSURANCE. NEW PATIENTS WELCOME. Suite B Perry, GA 31069 Open Saturdays •Minor Surgeries •Nursing Home •Preventive Care •School Physical •Stroke •Women's Health •Advanced Wound Care •Hypertension HEALTHCARE GUIDE 2007 Marietta Lomboy. ANP, CWCN Adult Nurse Practitioner 15 51988