5 food myths + one bonus

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There are couple factors I appreciate a lot more than a food stuff myth. Much more precisely, busting a foodstuff myth. In today’s article, I want to bust a couple myths for you, together with a handful of that have a great deal of dogma driving them. I’m also like hyperlinks to some of my past short article for The Seattle Occasions or The Washington Submit on these topics (feasible paywalls…sorry). Appreciate!

Myth 1: You should really in no way refrigerate tomatoes

That is accurate some of the time, but not all of the time. It is dependent on where by your tomatoes arrived from — the yard, the farmer’s industry, or the grocery store.

If your tomatoes came from your backyard — or from a farmers marketplace the place you have confidence in they have not been refrigerated—store them at place temperature if they nevertheless require to ripen, but shop ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator and consume inside a few days for greatest high quality, allowing them occur to room temperature to start with. The good quality of ripe tomatoes will deteriorate far more at place temperature than when saved briefly in the refrigerator.

If your tomatoes arrive from everywhere else (i.e., a grocery retailer), believe they have by now been refrigerated. Shop them in the refrigerator right up until you are ready to use them.

If you want to geek out a lot more on these tomato factoids, I thoroughly credit history J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (writer of the exceptional and geek-worthy cookbook “The Food items Lab) and his Significant Eats column on the subject matter.

Fantasy 2: You ought to stay clear of white food items

Essentially, a quantity of white food items are complete of nourishment, and could even be identified as superfoods! These include things like cauliflower, garlic and white button mushrooms, not to mention bananas, pears, white peaches and nectarines, jicama, parsnips, ginger and even the humble potato.

• Cauliflower. A member of the tremendous-wholesome, phytonutrient packed cruciferous spouse and children, along with broccoli and kale, which get all the credit rating. Some of their phytonutrients have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer homes. Try it roasted.
• Garlic. Just like the cruciferous family, the allium family, which involves garlic, onions, leeks, shallots and scallions rightfully should have superfood position. The phytonutrients in garlic may perhaps assistance shield us versus coronary heart disorder, chronic inflammation and may perhaps even gradual the growth of a number of forms of most cancers. When you chop or mince garlic, allow it sit for 10 minutes just before including it to what you are cooking to strengthen the output of beneficial compounds.
• White mushrooms. Mushrooms include a form of fiber that may perhaps assist preserve your blood sugar and cholesterol levels healthier, as nicely as antioxidants. They also provide that savory umami taste that helps make food additional delicious, and they can even act as a stand-in for meat in some recipes.

I wrote an write-up for the Washington Submit that provides lots far more information and facts on these superfoods.

Myth 3: You shouldn’t prepare dinner with extra virgin olive oil

The reality is that quality EVOO is safe and sound — and delectable — to cook dinner with at any temperature normally utilized in the home kitchen. You can even bake with it! It’s correct that EVOO has a lessen “smoke point” (the issue when an oil starts off to smoke and break down and generate unhealthful no cost radicals) than refined oils like canola oil, vegetable oils and light-weight olive oil, its smoke level is high enough to be a healthful preference for pretty much all types of cooking we do at property. Mediterranean international locations, particularly Greece, cook every little thing in further-virgin olive oil.

Smoke level relies upon partly on the excellent, age and condition of the oil. Superior-excellent EVOO is protected in a array of 350-410 degrees, in portion due to the fact it is wealthy in antioxidants, which secure the oil from starting to be broken when heated. Bad top quality oil, or oil that has long gone rancid, will have a lessen smoke place.

I debunked this myth (and a handful of other olive oil myths) in The Seattle Moments.

Myth 4: Coconut oil and butter are good for you

No, butter’s not back, and coconut oil doesn’t are worthy of its health halo. These saturated fat are high-quality in moderation from a culinary point of view, but they really do not do everything for your wellness. There’ve been a good deal of headlines saying that saturated fat’s not “as terrible for you” as was once imagined, or that coconut oil is balanced mainly because it “behaves” otherwise than other saturated fats when we consume it.

The point is that saturated fat does even now increase cholesterol and there’s no research to again up the statements made in favor of coconut oil. Essentially, the Emperor has no garments. From a culinary standpoint, I consider both coconut oil and butter have their spot in the kitchen area, but just really do not take into consideration them overall health food items. You are a lot greater off utilizing olive oil.

For far more, see my Seattle Instances column on butter, and my column on coconut oil.

Myth 5: Fruit has way too considerably sugar OR fruit is a “free” foodstuff

Fruit has all-natural sugar, but that is not the exact thing as the added sugar that, indeed, we should stay away from heading overboard on. But, fruit is frequently increased in carbs and energy than greens, so even while we should “eat our fruits and veggies,” veggies get.

Most of us have a sweet tooth, because that was our initial taste to establish as toddlers. Fruit is fantastic, and it nature’s perfect healthier sweet. Nutrient-wise, fruit is very similar to vegetables, complete of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber and water. But…it has extra carbs. So if you are much more lively, you may benefit from a lot more fruit. Much less active, much less fruit.

You can come across considerably more data in an article I wrote for The Seattle Instances.

Bonus meals fantasy: Soy foodstuff are harmful (and lead to cancer)

The simple fact is that common soy foods are an outstanding supply of plant-primarily based protein, and have been discovered “not guilty” of the overall health crimes they’ve been billed with. The jury’s continue to out on the remarkably processed soy discovered in protein powders and vitality bars. What men and women have a tendency to be concerned about are phytoestrogens. 1 sort of phytonutrients in soy, isoflavones, is also a phytoestrogen — a plant compound that weakly mimics the impact of the hormone estrogen. This at the time lifted worries that having soy may possibly improve breast most cancers risk.

The American Cancer Culture claims the proof signifies that soy foods are secure and potentially helpful. When eaten on a regular basis, isoflavones have been linked to decrease risk of breast and prostate cancer, as very well as heart sickness, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis. Nevertheless, it’s ideal to prevent significant doses of isoflavones in complement sort, and the jury’s out on the soy protein isolate uncovered in lots of vitality bars and soy “meats.” Master a lot more in my Seattle Periods report on plant proteins.

As an more, additional reward, right here are backlinks to posts I’ve composed on two very fantasy-deserving matters, gluten and minimal-carb eating plans:

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Carrie Dennett is a Pacific Northwest-based mostly registered dietitian nutritionist, freelance writer, intuitive feeding on counselor, author, and speaker. Her superpowers consist of busting diet myths and empowering women of all ages to feel improved in their bodies and make food items selections that support pleasure, nutrition and well being.

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