Top food myths

Good bacteria can help you lose weight

True
For every probiotic evangelist there are several that sneered at the idea that these ‘good bacteria’ products did anything other than leave a big whole in your pocket. But according to a recent study, probiotics are very much more than a health food gimmick.

Probiotics, which are available as yoghurts, drinks and pills, contain so called ‘good’ bacteria that manufacturers claim aid digestive health and boost the immune system.

But the jury remained out – until now when a study has found that they do have many health benefits, including proving effective medicines and helping to control weight.

But you need to need to use the probiotics every day to see any benefits and you should be mindful of the sugar content (it’s best to opt for a pill over yoghurt) which will negate any of the benefits.

Eggs raise your cholesterol levels

False
Eggs have been lumbered with a heart harming reputation for a long time despite the claim that they contribute to heart disease being proven wrong in numerous studies.

Yes, eggs contain cholesterol but it’s now believed that the real threat to our heart health doesn’t lie with cholesterol in foods such as eggs, but the sort made by our body.

Dangerous levels of LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol have been linked to a diet high in saturated fat – the kind you find in processed eat, cakes, biscuits.

Far from being a food to be feared, eggs are a part of a healthy diet as they’re loaded with nutritional goodness – the yolk alone contains carotenoids, vitamin A, Vitamin E and choline – so get boiling/frying/poaching.

Fat is bad for you

False
Contrary to what large sections of the diet industry would have you believe, fat is an essential part of our diets. The confusion comes because there are so many different types of fat – and they’re not all created equally.

Unsaturated fat, the kind found in nuts, oily fish and vegetable oils are essential for the smooth running of our internal organs – especially our brain.

Fat is needed to transport fat soluble vitamins including X, D, E and K and essential fatty acids whose name is an indication of just how vital they are to your body.

Without fat in our diet, our bodies wouldn’t be able to produce the engine fuel that supports our brain and other major organs. Fats biggest PR problem is that it’s so energy dense – you don’t get much calorie bang for your portion buck.

A gram of fat contains nine calories – twice as much as the protein equivalent which is why the Department of Health recommends that no more than a third of your daily calories

Being apple-shaped is more dangerous than being pear-shaped

True
Being prone to putting on weight around your middle doesn’t just make doing your skinny jeans up a pain; it could increase your risk of heart disease.

Experts believe that the best way to predict the likelihood of suffering a heart attack is the proportion of your waist to your hips.

To do this, measure your waist at the smallest point, and then measure your hips at the widest point. Divide the first number by the second number: an ideal ratio is 0.8 or lower. Any higher and you should think about blasting that belly with some fat-busting cardio.

Calcium could reduce fat

True
A recent study by the University of Tennessee (funded by the American National Dairy Council so, um, it might be a little biased) discovered that obese mice who were put on high-calcium, low-calorie diets lost a about a fifth of their body weight, while those who ate low-calorie and low-calcium diets lost just 11%.

Of course, we’re not obese mice, but researchers believe that calcium may have a similar affect on humans as it encourages the body to burn energy rather than store it as fat.

Sadly that doesn’t mean that a block of calcium rich, but very fatty, cheese suddenly becomes calorie neutral. Instead opt for fat-free, calcium-loaded, green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and broccoli.

Diet drinks can make you fat

True
Words of wisdom and Paris Hilton aren’t usually found in the same sentence together but the socialite’s memorable “Only fat people drink Diet Coke” statement may have a ring of truth about it.

According to researchers in the US, artificial sweetener found in diet tricks the body into making you eat more. The sugary substance makes your body believe that it’s about to get a huge calorie surge and when you disappoint it, it strikes back with hunger pangs that lead you to the cookie jar. So swap that Coke Zero for a glass of water – make a sparkling if you miss the fizz.

Don’t eat after 8pm

False
The diet myth that won’t die, due in large part to celebrities continually wheeling it out in any ‘I’ve dropped a stone’ stories.

Calories can’t tell the time; you don’t stop burning energy as soon as the Eastenders theme tune strikes up. In an ideal world we would reverse our usual eating pattern – starting with a big breakfast and eating a decent lunch makes sense, after all we need the energy during the day not while we’re asleep.

But most of us barely have time to grab a piece of toast first thing and it’s difficult to eat a slap up meal over a keyboard.

But eating late at night isn’t responsible for weight gain; eating your biggest meal of the day after the clock has struck 8 might leave you with a little indigestion but you won’t wake up with bigger thighs.