True or False?

TRUE! - Barbecued meat is a health risk :

When meat is cooked at temperatures above 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4, chemical changes produce amines, some of which are toxic, warns the National Cancer Institute in the United States. They advise substituting gentler cooking methods such as poaching and stewing for barbecuing, roasting, grilling and frying. Barbecuing is especially suspect as carcinogenic vapours from the charcoal concentrate in meat. This becomes a cancer risk if you eat barbecued food regularly. By eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and salads, you will help to defend the body against toxins and carcinogens.

TRUE! - Carrots help you see in the dark :

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a substance the body converts to vitamin A, which is essential for healthy eyes. Vitamin A is also necessary for the normal functioning of the retina, the part of the eye that controls vision, and for the light-sensitive areas of the eye. It also wards off corneal changes and drying of the eye. In ancient Egypt, rich in vitamin A, was eaten to prevent night blindness.

FALSE! - The vegetarian diet is protein deficient :

Most people believe that unless they eat meat, chicken and fish, they are not getting enough protein. Most of us eat too much protein which puts pressure on our kidneys and depletes the bones of calcium. The amount we need is very small; protein should provide no more than 10 to 15 percent of our daily calorie intake. Vegetarians have, in the past, been advised to eat complementary proteins (beans and rice for example) at the same meal, but current thinking has amended this to the same day. Whether we are vegetarians or not, our diet should be sufficiently varied to derive all our nutritional needs from a number of different sources.

TRUE! - Greens are very good for you :

Cabbage and members of the brassica family - such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kale - contain large amounts of beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C and some vitamin E. All three vitamins have antioxidants powers which, experts believe, play a role in pereventing heart disease. Brassicas may also protect against cancer of the colon, stomach and oesophagus. A recent Chinese study found that eating 100g raw or cooked cabbage per day provides significant protection against the occurrence of stomach cancer.

TRUE! - Cooking vegetables reduces their nutritional value :

Minerals and vitamins B and C are water soluble. To minimise the loss in cooking, nutritionists recommend that we use very little or no liquid, so steaming and microwaving are preferable to boiling. Always aim to cook vegetables for as short a time as possible because vitamin loss increases with cooking time. The cooking liquid does retain some nutrients, so use it in soups and sauces. Numerous studies have also indicated that some powerful antioxidants, body detoxifiers and anti-cancer agents that are found in vegetables are also diminished by cooking - which gives us all the more reason to eat more fruit and vegetables.

FALSE! - Spinach is a good source of iron :

Spinach contain iron. However, iron from plants is harder for the body to absorb than iron from animal sources, and it helps if you eat it with foods rich in vitamin C. Curly kale and watercress are better sources.

TRUE! - An apple a day keeps the doctor away :

Dr. Bircher-Benner, a Swiss physician and pioneer of nutrition, found that consuming raw, grated apple helped to alleviate severe digestive problems. Complementary practitioners claim that apples are great detoxifiers, remove impurities from the body; they neutralise the acid byproducts of digestion and are beneficial to sufferers of rheumatism and arthritis. Nutritionists agree that apples are rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and pectin, which helps to lower cholesterol.

FALSE! - Bran is the best sourse of fibre :

There are two main types of fibre: insoluble and soluble. Bran - the outer husk of, for example, wheat, rice and corn - is insoluble. While sprinkling bran on food helps with constipation, eating too much can hinder the body’s ability to absorb calcium, iron and magnesium. Soluble fibre is found in oats, beans, barley, rye, vegetables and fruit. Eating these foods will supply your fibre needs in a more palatable way and the nutrients they contain help to protect you against diet-related cancers and heart disease.

HALF-TRUE! - Margarine is healthier than butter :

Not all margarines are better than butter. Depending on the manufacturing process, some oils that are normally liquid at room temperature are hydrogenated to harden them into block form for cooking or in tub form for spreading. This process reduces polyunsaturates and increases saturated fats which may increase blood cholesterol and fat levels in much the same way that butter does. Check labels; they will indicate if the product contains hydrogenated fats. Buy margarines that are labelled unhydrogenated. Substitute olive oil when cooking.