ion
f a c t  f i c t
FOODJulyMYTHS
2013
F AC T V S .
FICTION
olds up?
Which side h
Discover the truth behind five common
misconceptions about food and health!
By Myrica Gale, Dietetic Intern
H ow do yo u k n o w ?
ith all of the different
websites, articles,
advertisements and
other forms of information about
health and nutrition, how does
one know which is reliable?
W
Websites that end with
“.gov”, “.org”, or “.edu” are often
good sources. Try to stay away
from the information that does
not list an author. If an author is
found, it is important to verify
their educational credentials and
to see if their work is published in
a scholarly journal. Trustworthy
journal and magazine articles
should provide references.
Truth?
Myth 1
Fast food restaurant choices are
all unhealthy.
Fact: There are healthier options at fast
food restaurants
Myth 2
Anyone can benefit from a gluten
free diet.
Fact: There are no published scientific
articles to suggest that gluten-free foods
are healthier than foods containing
gluten for the general population
Myth 3
Eating after 8pm will make
you gain weight.
Fact: It doesn’t matter what time
of day you eat
Myth 4
Certain foods can burn fat and
help you lose weight.
Fact: No foods “burn fat.” For example,
it has been said that celery is considered
to be a negative calorie food because it
burns more calories to digest than the
celery provides; however, there is no
such thing as a negative calorie food
Myth 5
Diet drinks are as healthy as
water.
Fact: Calories? Sugar? Strangesounding ingredients? The nutrition facts
speak for themselves.
Myth: Fast food restaurant choices are all unhealthy.
Most restaurants have healthy options, but here’s McDonalds as an
example:
Instead of this...
Try this...
Instead of this...
Try this...
S-L: 150-310 calories
230 calories
150 calories
Instead of fries as a snack/side, choose
apple slices, side salad (without
dressing), or fruit and walnuts. Along with
more calories, the fries have more sodium
(160mg) and fat (11g). Remember, these
values are for a small order of fries; the
medium and large will have much higher
values!
For dessert try the vanilla cone or fruit
‘n’ yogurt parfait instead of the
McFlurry. The McFlurry is not only
higher in calories, but also has 23g of
fat and 180mg of sodium. The cone
has 4.5g of fat and 70mg of sodium
and the parfait has 2g of fat and 70mg
of sodium!
Instead of this...
Try this...
12 oz: 650 calories
150 calories
100 calories
“$1 any size” doesn’t mean you have
to get the biggest size! Try smaller
sizes of water, coffee, milk, or iced tea
(not sweet tea). A small cup of pop/
iced tea is 16 fl oz, a medium cup is 21
fl oz, and a large size is 32 fl oz.
Having a large cup of coke would be
the same as having 2 and 2/3rds cans
of coke! Keep in mind that the coffee
with 0 calories has no cream or sugar
in it yet. One cream is about 30
calories and a packet of sugar is about
15 calories. Iced tea has no calories.
Instead of this...
On-the-go
s
p
i
T
l
u
f
Health
Look it up
Nutrition Facts
Look online for nutritional information
before going to the restaurant. The
restaurant’s main site will usually have a
nutrition link to click on with the nutrition
facts for each item on the menu. If you
forget to do it before you leave, many
restaurants now have wi-fi, so you can
look it up on your or a friend’s phone!
Try this...
Choosing Meals
Meats
390 calories"
190 calories
Instead of the Premium Bacon Ranch
Salad with Crispy Chicken try the
Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled
Chicken with dressing on the side. A
major difference in these salads is the
crispy vs grilled chicken. The grilled
chicken is lower in fat than the crispy. The
bacon and ranch also add to the fat. Also
note that these values are without
dressing.
In general, when going out try to choose
meats that are grilled, baked, or broiled
instead of fried or breaded.
Salads
Avoid salads with croutons, bacon,
cheese, and crispy chicken/bacon.
These toppings add more fat and
sodium.
Making Changes
And last, but not least...
the famous cheeseburger.
On the Side
Instead of a Quarter Pounder
with Cheese, try the
Hamburger. Look at how
much less sodium there is in
the hamburger! A major
contributor to decreased
sodium is no cheese.
520 calories
26g fat
1100mg sodium
Remember to keep the dressing on the
side because many dressings are high in
fat and sodium. Dipping the fork in the
dressing before taking a bite is a good
way to control/limit the amount of
dressing that is consumed.
Portion Size
250 calories
9g fat
480mg sodium
Choose the smaller portions! Portions
are key; there is no need to get anything
“super-sized.” Try splitting the meal in
half and save on half for leftovers.
Myth: Anyone can benefit from a gluten-free
diet.
Fact: There are no published scientific
articles to suggest that gluten-free
foods are healthier than foods
containing gluten for the general
population.
What is gluten?
Gluten is the protein of wheat and
other grains that gives to the dough its
tough elastic character.
What foods is gluten found in?
Wheat, rye, barley, or by-products of
any of these.
Why would someone need to be on
a gluten-free diet?
Some examples of people that might
actually require a gluten-free diet are
people with Celiac disease, gluten
sensitivity, or wheat allergy.
Many foods are made with wheat, including most breads and pasta.
How has this myth come about?
It has come from the unsupported
belief that a gluten-free diet aids in
weight loss.
Why is this myth false?
There is no published data to support
this weight loss claim.
glu·ten /ˈglo͞otn/
Noun
A substance present in cereal
grains, esp. wheat, that is
responsible for the elastic texture
of dough.
Bakery items that are gluten-free may
be high in fat and calories.
Whole grain consumption has been
associated with a lower BMI.
There are studies to suggest that a
gluten-free diet in people with Celiac
disease may actually lead to weight
gain in some overweight and obese
people.
Benefits of wheat:
Help promote good gut bacteria,
which may protect the gut from some
cancers, inflammatory conditions, and
cardiovascular disease.
Wheat-based flours
and ingredients:
Foods usually made
with wheat:
White flour
Wheat Bran
Pasta
Couscous
Durum wheat Wheat Germ
Bread
Flour tortillas
Graham flour
Spelt
Cookies
Cakes
Triticale Semolina
Muffins Pastries
Cereal Crackers
Beer
Oats
Gravy
Dressings
Kamut
Sauces
Myth: Eating after 8:00pm will make you gain
weight.
Fact:
It doesn’t matter what time of the day
you eat.
What causes a person to gain
weight?
When more calories are eaten than are
burned off by exercise and every day
activities, a person will gain weight.
Note: That doesn’t mean you should
fill your daily calorie limit (ex. 2,000
calories) with foods high in saturated
fat, sodium, and sugar.
How did this myth come about?
People may believe they tend to crave
unhealthier foods at night-- chips,
dessert, buttered popcorn, etc.
However, foods don’t magically
become more fattening at night; you
still digest food even when you’re
sleeping.
Why do people sometimes
confuse time of day vs. caloric
intake as the reasons for weight
gain?
Some people may decide to not eat
after 8:00pm to lose weight because
they know that they tend to have
unhealthy snacks at night. The reason
these people are gaining weight is
likely due to consuming too many
calories rather than when the calories
are consumed. The time of day at
which they are eating these calories is
not the cause of weight gain.
A late night movie and buttery,
microwave popcorn may be a classic
pair, but there’s a way to make healthier
popcorn. Try using fresh kernels and airpopping them instead.
H eal t hy l at e - ni g ht r e c i p e s
S im p l y D el ic io u
s
H o m em ad e H u m
mus
2 cloves garlic
1 15-oz can no-saltadded garbanzo
beans, rinsed and
drained
Nutritional Info: Per Serving:90 calories (35 from fat), 4g
total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg
cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 12g
carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 1g
sugar), 5g protein
2 tbsp tahini (sesame
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp reduced-so
dium tamari
1/2 tsp ground cumi
n
1/4 tsp ground coria
nder
cayenne pepper, to
Recipe: Whole Foods Market
paste)
taste
2 tbsp finely choppe
d parsley
Put garlic in a food
processor and pulse
to
roughly chop. Add
garbanzos, tahini,
water, lemon juice,
tamari, cumin,
coriander and a pin
ch of cayenne (you
may add more later
to increase the heat)
,
and process until cre
amy and smooth.
Transfer to a bowl,
cover and chill for
at
least 1 hour.
Before serving, let
hummus come to roo
m
temperature. Mix in
parsley and serve.
H E A LT H Y S N AC K I D E A B A N K
LATE-NIGHT
CRAVINGS
8:00pm and you’re getting
hungry...
your
s
’
t
a
h
W
ss?
weakne
Chocolate Cake?
Instead, try:
Angel Food Cake
with Strawberries
H U N G RY ? c h o i c e s !
Chips
and Dip?
althier
There are he
Instead of reaching for that chocolate cake,
try Angel Food Cake with Strawberries. It is
lower in calories and has a serving of fruit!
Instead, try:
Unsalted
pretzels with
hummus
pan try fu l l o f s n a c k s ?
Get rid of these...
Hot fudge
sundae?
Stock up with these!
Instead, try:
Your favorite flavor of
sherbet!
Buttered popcorn?
Instead, try:
Homemade air-popped popcorn
Myth: Certain foods can burn fat and help you
lose weight.
Fact:
No foods “burn fat”. For example, it
has been said celery is considered to be
a negative calorie food because it burns
more calories to digest than the celery
provides. But there is no such thing as
a negative calorie food!
Celery?
Let’s say that 1 cup of raw celery has
about 15 calories. If a person needs
1950 calories per day to maintain their
weight then they would have to eat 130
cups of celery in a day. We can pretend
that is possible for this example. If
someone did actually eat 130 cups of
celery that would provide 1950 calories
so they would maintain their weight.
Suggesting that celery has negative
calories would mean that you could eat
all the celery you wanted and never
gain any weight, and actually lose
weight, but that is not true. If
someone ate enough celery (over their
calorie limit) it is possible to gain
weight.
Every food, including celery, has calories.
What about other foods?
Every food provides calories. The
digestion process burns calories no
matter what food one eats. Just like
Coca cola doesn’t adjust the amount of
calories in a can of coke for the
amount that is burned during the
digestive process, neither does the
celery nutrition facts.
Celery may not burn fat, but it is still healthy!
Celery Uses and Tips
Celery can be eaten raw or cooked.
Celery can be eaten plain as a snack or an appetizer, and sliced or chopped
to add to salads, soups, casseroles, and rice dishes.
Some foods that are commonly mistaken
as “negative calorie” foods include
broccoli, cranberries, cucumber, hot chili
peppers, lemons, radishes, spinach,
tomatoes, and watermelon.
Dip celery sticks into peanut butter, low-fat dressing or other low-fat dips.
“Uses and Tips” obtained from usda.gov
Myth: Diet drinks are as healthy as water.
t a k e a l o o k at t he f ac t s
Ingredients: Carbonated water,
colour (caramel E150d),
sweeteners (aspartame,
acesulfame-K), flavourings
(including caffeine),
phosphoric acid, citric acid.
Contains a source of
phenylalanine.
Diet soft drinks, while equal to water in
calories, contain other artificial
ingredients that provide no nutritional
benefit to the body.
Facts on Water and Diet Drinks
ater is necessary to the body
for optimum health.
W
Water helps your body to:
Regulate body temperature
Lubricate joints
Lessen the burden on the kidneys and
liver by flushing out waste products
Carry nutrients and oxygen to the cells
Diet drinks’ effect on the body:
Caffeine is a diuretic, which increases
the rate of urination. This can cause
dehydration, which can in turn lead to
lack of energy, lethargy, and an
increased heart rate.
The long-term effects of artificial
sweeteners are not known.
Although soda is low in sodium, there
is still more sodium in soda than
compared to water, which has none.
Prevent constipation
Protect organs and tissue
Dissolve nutrients to make them
accessible to the body
Water makes up 60% of the adult human
body.
D i et d r i nk s ’ e f f e c t o n t he b o d y
R e c ip e o f
Effects
Dehydration
The long-term effects
of artificial sweeteners
are not known.
Increased rate of
urination
Lack of energy
Lethargy
Increased heart ra
te
In the News: Fructose May Affect
Hunger Cues
Fructose May Affect Hunger Cues
By: Brenda Goodman, MA
WebMD Health News
In a study published in the Journal
of the American Medical Association,
researchers set out to determine if
glucose and fructose have different
effects on appetite and metabolism.
Researchers asked participants to
drink a beverage sweetened with either
pure glucose or pure fructose. The
participants were not aware of which
sweetener was in their beverage.
Glucose
Fructose
Increase in glucose and
insulin levels (blunts
hunger)
Little increase in insulin
Hypothalamus activity
slowed
Hypothalamus stayed
active (appetite still
active)
Participants said they felt
hungrier
During the study the participants
were given a scan, which allowed the
researchers to watch what was
happening to their brains. The
hypothalamus, which helps control
appetite was specifically looked at
along with hormone levels that control
the feelings of hunger and fullness.
Although this study shows that pure
fructose may affect hunger and appetite
differently than glucose, this study does not
prove anything about sugar (sucrose) or high
fructose corn syrup. Both of these sugars are
made up of fructose and glucose. When
consumed together, glucose and fructose would
likely balance each other out and not have an
effect on the hypothalamus.
Each participant completed the
experiment twice (each either a few
weeks or a few months apart). Each
time the researchers asked the
participants how satisfied they felt
after drinking the drinks.
This study should not be the determining
factor of which foods people should or
shouldn’t eat. Added sugar intake should be
limited in general, but it is not necessary to cut
any food out of the diet solely due to the
findings of this study.
I n t he ne w s : my t hs o f w e i g ht l o ss
a r e p l e nt i f ul , r e s e ar c he r s ay s
By Gina Kolata
Ne w s
“In my view, there is
more misinformation
pretending to be fact in
this field than in any
other I can think of.”
David B. Allison an
d colleagues
published an article
in The New
England Journal of
Medicine to call
out some myths on
weight loss and
obesity. It’s importa
nt to not believe
everything the media
says, look for
the research yours
elf. Just because
there is a study on
the subject
doesn’t mean the stu
dy is designed
appropriately, which
can lead to
misleading informati
on. See specific
examples given my
Dr. Allison here:
Jeffrey M. Friedman
FIVE USEFUL
WEBSITES
http:// www.fda.gov
http:// www.eatright.org
http:// www.choosemyplate.gov
http:// www.nutrition.gov
http://navigator.tufts.edu/
http://well.blogs.nyti
mes.com/
2013/01/30/myths-o
f-weight-lossare-plentiful-research
er-says/?
ref=health
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References
Denmark, B., Schloat, S., Thompson, M., Wollin, M. Nutrition Facts
and Myths. New York: Human Relations Media, 2009. Print.
Gaesser, G., Angadi, S. (2012). Gluten-Free Diet: Imprudent Dietary
Advice for the General Population? The Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics. 2012;112 (9): 1330-1333.
Mayo Clinic. Water: How much should you drink every day?
Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283.
Accessed January 30, 2013.
McDonald’s. Full Menu Explorer.
Available at: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/full_menu_explorer.html.
Accessed January 3, 2013.
Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Dehydration.
Available at: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec19/ch276/ch276b.html.
Accessed January 30, 2013.
PATIENT FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES
Nutri4on Counseling Center
UH Room #2A-­‐237 (second floor)
1500 E. Medical Center Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Phone: 734-­‐936-­‐7527