FOR years, many of us have subscribed to the theory that an aspirin a day keeps the doctor away.
But now it turns out that taking a daily blood thinner might actually do more harm than good.
While a new study has found aspirin doesn’t really reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or dementia in the over 70s, it has been found to increase the risk of serious internal bleeding.
These days it seems like everything we’ve known about health and nutrition is continually being questioned.
One minute carbs are bad for us, then they’re good. We should follow a high-protein diet, then we shouldn’t.
Who can keep up?
Here are just a few of the wellness myths busted recently:
Myth 1 – Carbs make you fat
“No carbs before Marbs” might be the motto for the cast of TOWIE but it’s recently been proved that low-carb diets are a load of rubbish.
They’re often chronically low in vital nutrients that we naturally get from fibrous fruit and veg – with a recent study by US scientists claiming that cutting carbs can actually increase the risk of early death.
Myth 2 – Eating late at night makes you put on weight
Calories are calories – whatever time you eat them.
You put on weight if you eat more energy than you consume, but it’s the total number of calories you take in and burn, rather than when.
It’s bingeing close to bedtime that’s the issue.
Research suggests that one in three of us consume 15 per cent of their calories after 11pm, and many women take nearly half of their calories at – or after – dinner.
Binge eating at the end of the day can increase your blood sugar levels for a full 24 hours, according to a study published in Obesity of Research & Clinical Practice.
If you’re going to eat late at night, perhaps think about how long the window is that you’re eating in.
A moderate Intermittent Fasting-type plan might work for you – delaying your first meal the next day to allow for proper digestion and storage of the nutrients consumed the night before.
Myth 3 – Eggs are bad for you
Eggs are packed with nutrients but they also have a high cholesterol content – which is why for years, people have been wary about eating large quantities of them.
But new research suggests that there’s no link between eating loads of eggs and cholesterol imbalances.
Dr Nick Fuller, from the University of Sydney’s Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders, revealed earlier this year that you can eat up to 12 eggs a week without increasing the risk of heart problems.
They still remain one of the cheapest and most nutrient-dense foods out there – packed with protein, vitamins B, D and B12, riboflavin, selenium, iodine, folate, biotin…and many more.
Myth 4 – You can snack on endless nuts
Nuts like almonds are high in protein, vitamin E and good fats.
And they have been found to help with weight loss.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that overweight and obese people who ate 35g of dry-roasted, lightly salted almonds a day lost more total fat and belly fat than those who were on a nut-free diet – thanks, scientists believed, to the almonds’ high unsaturated fat content.
But almonds are energy-dense – meaning that they’re pretty calorific.
The people who lost the weight during the study only ate a quarter cup of almonds as part of a calorie-restricted diet.
That’s 23 almonds a day.
So no, almonds aren’t a food you can snack on mindlessly.
Myth 5 – Low-fat = healthy
For years, dieters have avoided eating fat like the plague.
But not all fats are created equal and some products which are low-fat are actually quite high in sugar (that’s how low-fat foods manage to maintain their taste).
Last month, a study claimed that eating cheese, butter and red meat could actually cut your risk of having a fatal heart attack.
And we know that high-fat diets can have dramatic effects on belly fat loss.
Zana Morris, author of The High Fat Diet: How to lose 10lb in 14 days, told The Sun: “The most effective formula for getting rid of belly fat is combining high-intensity training (e.g sprinting or whole body weighted exercises like squats) with a very low carb (sugar) and high fat plan.
“Fat is the only food group that doesn’t cause the body to release insulin.”
Myth 6 – Gluten-free diet is healthier
There’s no real proof that a diet free from gluten is any healthier than one that includes the naturally-occurring additive.
Only coeliacs really need to avoid gluten.
The Gluten Intolerance Group makes it clear, stating: “The gluten-free diet is sometimes promoted as a way to lose weight, or as a ‘healthier’ diet for the general population.
“These claims are unfounded.
“The gluten-free diet is healthier for people with gluten-related disorders (coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity), but there is no evidence that it is beneficial for people who do not have these conditions.”
Myth 7 – Hot water and lemon is better than coffee
While lemons contain lots of vitamin C and antioxidants, there’s no conclusive proof that a cup of lemon water will kick-start your metabolism, and there have been no human studies on the subject.
But we do now know that it could well ruin your tooth enamel because of the high acidity content.
If you do want to drink it, try diluting it with more water, using a straw to avoid contact with your teeth or rinse your mouth with water afterwards. Whatever you do, don’t brush your teeth immediately after drinking a cup of lemon water as your tooth enamel will still be in an acid-soften state which can lead to damage.
Meanwhile, having three cups of coffee has been proven to be good for your heart.
Myth 8 – Protein bars are a guilt-free snack
More and more people are looking for high-protein snacks, but loads of the added-protein bars on offer are basically glorified chocolate bars.
Boost Protein contains 35g of sugar per 100g, and 27g of fat, while Kind Protein bars contain 23g of sugar and 36g of fat (although there are low-sugar alternatives, like Barebells which contain just 2.8g per 100g).
Harley Street Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert told The Sun: “It is a common misconception that if something is high in protein, it must automatically be healthy.
“However, things like protein bars and protein drinks are often high in sugar.”
Myth 9 – Natural sugars like honey don’t make you fat
Pop into any health food shop and you’ll find snacks and treats which boast being sweetened by honey, maple syrup or agave. And they’ll have the price tags to match.
Scientists have shown that the biological effect that highly processed sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup is essentially the same as those of honey.
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In fact, honey has slightly more calories than sugar (64kcals per tablespoon) – so just because it’s a natural sugar, it doesn’t mean that you can go crazy with.
The crucial thing is how much sugar is in products.
It’s worth saying that honey has been found to have antibacterial properties, with GPs now being urged to prescribe it for coughs.
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