5 Common Food Myths

Myth: "High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is worse for you than sugar" 

Health, High-fructose corn syrup was created to mimic sucrose (table sugar), so its composition is almost identical to sucrose's (55 percent fructose 45 percent glucose; with sucrose the ratio is 50:50). Calorie-wise, it's a dead ringer for sucrose. And in studies that compare the effects of HFCS with other sweeteners, HFCS and sucrose have very similar effects on blood levels of insulin, glucose, triglycerides and satiety hormones. In short, it seems to be no worse--but also no better--than sucrose, or table sugar.

Epidemiological studies show that consuming large amounts of added sweeteners--primarily in sodas and other sweetened drinks--is associated with greater risk of fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. And it's not just the extra calories they provide that may be hurting us; research by Stanhope and others suggests that fructose itself in added sugars may be hazardous to our health too. One problem is that our bodies weren't designed to handle a large amount of fructose at a time, she notes, because we wouldn't have come across it in our food supply. Problems arise when we learned how to turn foods--which contain fiber, water and other nutrients--into pure sources of sugars (e.g., refining sugarcane into table sugar).But the associations between sweetener consumption and disease don't implicate just HFCS, which despite its name contains only a little more fructose than sucrose does, Stanhope emphasizes. It's the sheer amount of the sweet stuff we consume that matters or, to put it another way, it's the dose that is the problem. Too much honey, agave syrup or dehydrated cane juice would likely cause the same health problems.

Myth: "If I exercise I can eat anything I want"

Just because you went for a jog doesn't mean you can eat extra pumpkin pie. Exercise is a must - it helps improve your mood, keeps you healthy and gives you the energy you need to take on the day. But it isn't an excuse to eat everything on the table.

Weight loss is achieved and maintained through a healthy calorie deficit, meaning you have to burn more calories than you eat in order to shed pounds.

It's fine to indulge a little over Christmas but make sure in between bigger meals you're choosing lean proteins and lots of vegetables.

Myth: "Carbohydrates make you fat"

There's no question that loading up on sugary and refined carbohydrate rich foods, such as white bread, pasta and doughnuts, can raise your risk of developing health problems like heart disease and diabetes. But if you cut out so-called "good-carb" foods, such as whole grains, beans, fruits and vegetables, you're missing out on your body's main source of fuel as well as vital nutrients and fiber. What's more, for many people, a low-carb diet may be harder to stick with in the long run.Low-carb diets are more restrictive. Anything that limits your choices will help you lose weight initially. But after a year or as much as three years, weight-loss differences between the diets tend to even out. One recent report noted that although there was a greater weight loss initially, low-carb dieters tended to regain more weight by the end of three years when compared with low-fat dieters.

Myth: "It's always a good idea to go with the salad"

Everybody knows salads are healthy, right? People who are on a diet often opt for entrée salads, whether they're eating out or at home. But the truth is that a salad is not always your best calorie bet. It's the fixings that make the difference when it comes to salad calories. If you're going to pile on the croutons, creamy dressing, cheese, bacon, avocado, mayonnaise-rich prepared salads (like coleslaw), meat, nuts, fried chicken strips, and wonton strips, you might as well order a double bacon cheeseburger and fries.

Salad dressing can spell disaster if you use too much of the wrong kind. For a lower-calorie salad, dress with a tablespoon or two of light vinaigrette or salsa, or a flavorful vinegar (like balsamic) along with a little heart-healthy olive oil. If you love creamy dressing, try diluting it with a little water or vinegar, or simply use less of it. A tried-and-true dieter's trick is to order salad dressing on the side, then just dip the tines of your fork into the dressing before you grab each forkful of salad.

Myth: "As long as you're eating healthy foods, calories don't matter"

Whole-wheat pasta (or bread or, um, pie crust) has just as many calories as "regular."

Start thinking in terms of nutrients instead of calories. Choose foods that give you a bigger nutritional bang for your buck, rather than processed junk with a lower caloric tally.