Many of us still avoid eating after six o’clock in the evening and believe that going to bed with a full stomach will turn into body fat. Others again believe that eggs raise cholesterol and that light products are healthy. We tell you about the most popular nutrition myths!
It doesn’t matter whether you use regular table salt or sea salt in your dishes. Both contain a similar amount of sodium – in one teaspoon you’ll find about 2,300 mg of sodium. And additional minerals, such as magnesium or iron, are found in such scanty amounts in sea salt that it’s hard to talk about their importance for health. As for iodine, sea salt practically does not contain it, unless it has been enriched with it.
Rather, in order not to gain weight, one should keep an eye on the daily amount of calories consumed. It is their excess, not nighttime snacking, that leads to weight gain. Some nutritionists in general are of the opinion that certain foods consumed before bedtime turn up the metabolism and promote weight loss. They motivate this by the fact that consuming food long before bedtime causes a drop in blood sugar levels at bedtime, and this makes it more difficult to fall asleep and generates the desire for high-carbohydrate meals the next day. For what it’s worth, a skillfully composed snack before bed will not only help you fall asleep faster, but also ensure proper glycemic levels.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Without fats, the human body is unable to absorb nutrients. Deficiency of fats also leads to disorders of the nervous system. A sufficient amount of healthy fats even supports weight loss and lowers cholesterol levels.
Look at the composition of products in the store rather than unknowingly reaching out to those with reduced fats, as most of them contain lower amounts of both “good” and “bad” fats, as well as a sizable amount of preservatives and enhancers such as sugar and sodium. Try to include polyunsaturated fatty acids (avocados, peanuts and pecans, almonds) and omega-3 fatty acids (chia seeds, flax seeds, algae) in your diet.
Many of us think that there is nothing better for health and bone strengthening than dairy products. Yes dairy products contain vitamin D and calcium, but it is also found in dark leafy greens such as arugula, kale and spinach. However, bone strength depends not only on calcium and vitamin D. Nevertheless, vitamin K, which you won’t find in dairy products but does in greens, and magnesium, found in almonds, cashews, oats or potatoes (but not necessarily in milk), also play an important role. So if you’re concerned about your bones, don’t limit yourself to milk, much less pasteurized or – worse – UHT.
Cholesterol levels in the blood are affected by saturated fatty acids and trans fats. The former are found in eggs in negligible amounts, the latter are completely absent from them. Scientists believe that the yolk provides a trace amount of cholesterol, so do not give it up, especially since you will harm yourself more than help. By refraining from eating eggs, you deprive yourself of a source of 13 important vitamins and minerals, as well as a tasty breakfast.
main photo: unsplash.com/Anastasia Zhenina
