The amount of information that is available on any given subject is overwhelming. The Internet has made it easy to quickly find out everything that you ever wanted to know about a specific person, place, or thing. Some of this information has been available to us long before we were able to implement a search. The problem is that there is quite a bit of information that we have blindly accepted for many years.

Much of this information has been passed on to us from our parents, family members, and friends throughout the years. We may have doubted some things but we never bothered to check to see if they were actually true.

Here are 20 pieces of information regarding food and health issues that have been proven to be untrue.

 

1. Fresh is always best.

Most people seem to look down on frozen food when in many cases it is just as good, if not better, than fresh. Fruits and vegetables are frozen and packaged at their peak and can retain more vitamins than fresh products that have spent a little too much time from harvest to their arrival at the produce department. Frozen fish is also often considered fresher than the fresh fish in the seafood department.

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2. The 5-second rule applies when you drop food on the ground.

It’s not the length of time that the food is on the ground, but it is the status of the ground that matters. If the floor is harboring some serious bacteria your food will be contaminate within a millisecond.

 

3. Organic food is better for you.

A review of more than 98,727 studies were unable to definitely prove that organic foods were safer and healthier than regular foods. Many organic farmers use pesticides but they are classified as natural. The USDA states that the amounts of non-organic and organic pesticides are too low to be unsafe for human consumption.

 

4. The tryptophan in your Thanksgiving puts you to sleep.

We have bought into this myth every Thanksgiving but when you discover that cheddar cheese has more tryptophan than turkey you will realize it may be the overeating that is putting you to sleep.

 

5. Eating an apple every day will keep the doctor away.

Apples are high in fiber and vitamin C. They are definitely good for you to consume on a regular basis. But if you catch a cold or the flu, go see your doctor and get the appropriate meds needed to get rid of your illness.

 

6. Eating sugar makes kids hyperactive.

After blaming sugar for your kid’s behavior for all of these years, it might upset you to know that this theory has not been proven to be true. Eating sugar does not make a child hyper nor does it cause ADHD.

 

7. You cannot grow brand new brain cells.

Neurogenesis is a process that ensures that there are parts of your brain that prove your brain is not only capable but it does still produce new cells in certain regions even as we age.

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8. Chicken, turkey, and pork are better for you than beef.

When it comes to any of these forms of protein they each have a questionable past: overcrowded and inhumane pens, antibiotics, soakings with ammonia and/or bleach, and cruel forms of slaughtering. If you have cholesterol problems, you may want to opt for a low-fat form of protein but the main choice should be the least processed item.

 

9. There is no cure for cancer.

Not only are there cures for many types of cancer, there are natural and holistic treatments that work as well. There are many hospitals that focus solely on personalized cancer treatments and have enjoyed great success. They also continue to host clinical trials in order to keep new cures coming.

 

10. Chocolate can give you acne.

A study of people eating candy bars made of chocolate and those eating fake chocolate candy bars it was found that neither group suffered from acne as a result of the study.

 

11. Eating dairy will make your cold even worse.

It is not true that dairy affects the production of mucus when you are sick with a cold. Ice cream can help to make a sore throat feel better.

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12. Taking vitamins will make you healthy.

Instead of taking vitamins, which have not been proven to work, improve your diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables that will feed your body directly.

 

13. You get a cold by being outside in the cold air.

It may be cold outside and your temperature may drop, but the only way you are going to get a cold or the flu is by being directly exposed to germs that cause them.

 

14. Milk builds strong bones.

While the USDA recommends that adults consume three cups of milk daily, it has not been proven to help keep bones stronger than other forms of vitamin D and calcium.

 

15. You can’t go swimming for one hour after eating.

It was thought that if you went swimming right after eating the digestion process would attract blood to the stomach area reducing the flow to your muscles resulting in cramps. There is no proof that this has contributed to any drownings.

 

16. You should drink at least 8 glasses of water each day.

First of all, drinking 8 glasses of water each day is not bad for you. The problem is that it is not mandatory for you must drink 8 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. At least three glasses of water combined with the other fluids you drink each day equal the 8 glasses of fluids you should be drinking. If you enjoy drinking water, it is fine to continue, but some people find it difficult to get that much water down every day.

 

KEEP READING:  The Top 10 Allergy Myths You Probably Still Believe Infographic

 

Some of these exposed myths may have surprised you. The next time someone tells you what could be considered an old wives’ tale, check it out before you embrace it as true.

 

References:

www.realfoodmedia.org

www.summer-foundation.org

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3 Comments

1. 

   Gabe

   Mar 17, 2017 at 10:01 am

   Brought to you by all the corporations that make us sick for their profit.
   • 

     Marvin Zinn

     Mar 17, 2017 at 9:15 pm

     I totally agree! We are persuaded to take drugs doctors prescribe not for our health but money for the pharmaceutical business. From my work in 20 countries I learned there are other options, most less dangerous. I eat better food (mostly organic) than most medical employees do, and use herbs instead of most drugs. If I believed doctors I would have been dead already four times.
     • 

       Gabe

       Mar 18, 2017 at 8:25 am

       The best of health, Marvin.