False Ideas about Foods and Nutrition
A false or Wrong ideas about effect of food on health may be spread deliberately by those, who wish to promote their products. Food fallacies exist because of ignorance of basic scientific information about the subject. Food quacks exploit this ignorance to sell their products. In each region, people have a number of beliefs. These are passed on unquestioned from one generation to the next. It may be wise to consider those in the light of scientific knowledge. Some may have a sound basis, others not.
Some Misconceptions about Carbohydrate in the Diet Potatoes are fattening. No particular food is fattening or otherwise. All energy intake in excess of the body's need is stored as fat. Potatoes provide about a kilocalorie per gram, about the same as cooked rice. It is the oil, used in seasoning or frying that contributes to the extra calories of the potato recipes.
Honey is said to contribute significant amounts of minerals and vitamins. This is not supported by facts.
Similarly, it is said that jaggery contributes more nutrients to the diet than white sugar. Actually it does not, for the amount consumed in the diet is very small.
Sucrose (sugar) is injurious to health, because it is pure refined food. This not true. It is the cheapest sweetener available and hence used in infant milk formulas and in medical preparations. When used in moderation, it is an important source of quick energy. Used in ORS, it is life saving. It is present in many foods in nature such as apples, peas, honey, oranges, etc.
White flour is nutritionally poorer than (whole wheat flour). This is true. When grains are milled and refined, the outer coat of the grain is removed. Thus the high quality protein, minerals, B vitamins, all the vitamin E found in the embryo are lost. But the whole wheat flour used to make flat bread, millet , oat flours used to make bread, contain all the nutrients in the grain. It is important to know these facts.
General Fallacies
It is said that cooking or processing vegetables results in loss of nutritive value. It is not a correct statement. Cooking and processing improves the texture and flavour of vegetables. The loss of vitamin C in home cooked vegetables is only minimal (10 to 15 per cent), if the cooking water is retained.
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