Common Food Myths Exposed!

Readers,

Every so often, you hear about the newest diet trend...one year it is Atkins, the next it is the Paleo diet. Or the experts will try to tell you that you need to 'cleanse' and 'detox' to get all of the harmful toxins out of your body.

We all know that most of these diets, including veganism and vegetarianism, have some purported benefits, and that they also come with sacrifices. Simultaneously, I think that we all know that half of it goes back to someone trying to push an idea or sell a product so that they can make a dollar off of someone else. It's no different than the next clothing trend, designers and fashion-experts going to extremes to make a new look in vogue...it helps them sell more items as consumers have to change their wardrobe to fit in to popular culture. We all participate in it, and we're all victims of these marketing efforts.

So as long as we are on the same page and can be honest with ourselves, I think it is fair to remind everyone of some 'food myths' that many of us believe that have since been disproven. Some of these were quite surprising to me as well! While I'm going to focus on the highlights, feel free to check out the original source at ViralNova.

Myth #1: Chicken skin is bad for you

     Seriously though, who hasn't seen someone who peels the delicious skin off a chicken breast because of this myth? I don't, but I inwardly think to myself that I probably shouldn't eat it. In fact, the breading on a piece of chicken soaks up a lot more oil than the skin has itself. We always think chicken skin is bad for us because it is greasy and delicious, but from a nutrient standpoint, over 55% of the fat in chicken skin is the heart-healthy kind: mono-unsaturated fat.

 

Myth #2: Avoid whole milk

Well, no one can argue that this is still a very active food myth, judging by the aisles of 1%, 2% and skim milk at the grocery store. The funny thing is, there is peer-reviewed scientific evidence showing that if you drink whole milk, you are at a lower risk for heart disease!

 

                            

Myth #3: Sea salt is better for you than regular salt

Sodium chloride is the elemental name for table salt. Do you know what the elemental name is for sea salt? Oh yea, it is also sodium chloride! While it may be processed differently, sea salt still contains the same amount of sodium, which everyone is trying to regulate their intake of, despite shaky scientific evidence on that front as well.

Myth #4: Gluten-free living will benefit everyone

For the 1 in 133 people who suffer from celiac disease, consuming gluten is not in your best interest. But for everyone else out there, going gluten-free really won't accomplish much from a nutrition standpoint. Check out this review paper on whether non-celiac gluten sensitivity even exists.

 

 

Myth #5: Avoid high-fructose corn syrup like your life depends on it

There has recently been quite a stir about the superiority of table sugar versus high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). While critics point out that it's not a natural form of sugar, the inclusion of HFCS in nearly everything helps keep food prices low and is deemed "safe" by the US Food and Drug Administration. In comparison, table sugar is 50% fructose and 50 percent glucose, so HFCS only contains 10% more fructose than regular sugar.

 

I suppose the big takeaway for me is don't believe everything you hear about one food being the root of all of our country's problems around obesity. If you can't get through the day without drinking six or seven cans of soda, then you are probably getting way too many calories from soda, whether it is sweetened with HFCS or table sugar. Don't be duped simply by clever marketing and sales campaigns to make you pay a premium for a product that may not have any real nutritional benefit.

 

As with most things in life, moderation goes a long way. If you complement a moderate amount of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and sugars with a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise, you're probably going stay relatively fit and healthy.

 

I hope you enjoyed the reading, and this is just the tip of the iceberg! If you want to fact check on some other 'food myths' including MSG, the real nutritional content of potato skins, and whether carrots improve your eyesight, don't forget to check out the details at ViralNova!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Hyatt Frobose

 







Pass Me the {Chocolate} Milk!

School lunch programs all over the nation are undergoing unnecessary makeovers. First, there was Meatless Monday in Michigan and now several school districts have, or are considering, removing milk from school lunches. This decision is based on the fact that flavored milk, such as chocolate, contains 3-4 tbsp of sugar more than regular white milk. However, by pulling milk from school lunches, children are left no other choice to drink water, juice or soft drinks.  Did you know that chocolate milk is much healthier than several other lunchtime beverages?

Many children choose not to drink milk if chocolate milk isn't an option (I know this was true for me as I usually drank two chocolate milks at lunch). Not receiving the calcium, Vitamin D and protein that milk provides is far more detrimental to children's health than the 3 tbsp of sugar in chocolate milk.  I feel as if administrators looking to eradicate milk from school lunches are missing the forest for the trees.

A study presented at the School Nutrition Association Annual National Conference reveals that eliminating chocolate and other flavored milks from school cafeteria menus resulted in a dramatic drop in milk consumption along with a substantial reduction in nutrients—which are not easy or affordable to replace. The study included nearly 700 measurement days over three months at 58 elementary and secondary schools across the country. When flavored milk was not available, many children chose not to drink milk and missed out on the essential nutrients that milk provides. On days when only white milk was offered in cafeterias, milk consumption dropped an average of 35 percent.

The study results indicate to replace the nutrients lost from the decline in milk consumption:

• Required three to four different food items to match milk's nutrient contribution.
• Added back more calories and fat than were being reduced.
• Added back roughly half the sugar, netting a savings of only 15-28 grams per week.
• Cost an incremental $2,200 to $4,600 more annually per 100 students.

So, instead of trying to remove healthy choices from school menus, administrators should focus on educating children on the health benefits of meat and dairy products and a balanced diet. Remember:  For the greatest amount of nutrition, at the most reasonable cost, chocolate milk is the choice with the most muscle.

For more information on chocolate milk in school lunch programs check out the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and to learn more about the study visit http://www.milkdelivers.org/schools/flavored-milk/

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

Image: http://www.wmmb.com/wdc/ChocolateMilkHasMuscle.aspx

Tailgate Lectures: The winner receives immunity...

I love watching Top Chef and one of the infamous lines that comes out of host Padma's mouth is, "...and the winner will receive immunity."

Immunity is important in the game of Top Chef because if won, in the first round Quick Fire challenge, the contestant can not be eliminated in the second round Elimination challenge. If I were on Top Chef, I would definitely want IMMUNITY!

With calving season approaching back home and in full swing for many producers right now, I can think of a lot of ways IMMUNITY could be useful.

I can remember checking on our momma cows with my Grandpa in the early hours of the morning. It was always important for us to stick around after a baby was born and make sure the calf was able to stand and suck milk from the cow's udder. Grandpa always preached to me about the importance of the immunity being passed from the momma cow to the baby calf. He always used to say that a calf without immunity from its mom is as good as dead.

Immunity, not in the form of a free pass to culinary stardom, but rather in the form of milk is referred to as colostrum.

What is colostrum, you say?

A calf nursing at Star Lake Ranch in Oklahoma

Colostrum is the cow's first milk. It is produced just prior to giving birth and is vital to the health of a baby calf. This milk provides a balance of immunological proteins that give the newborn calf the antibodies it needs. Cows don't pass these large molecules through the placenta to the fetus, so it is imperative that calves receive them orally.

Many veterinarians suggest that calves receive colostrum within 0-6 hours after being born. It is also suggested that the future performance of the calf is dependent on receiving colostrum as well. For more information on the importance of colostrum straight from a veterinarian, read this article from Beef Magazine.

The best part about colostrum is that it is FREE! Such an important piece in the production puzzle and it doesn't cost a dime!

Padma doesn't ever give a Top Chef immunity for free, but the 30.9 million beef cows in the US are giving it to every calf that hits the ground.