Is sourdough a superfood? Can you really reverse heart disease with what’s on your plate? Are you throwing away the most nutritious part of your produce and did carrots really help the Allies defeat the Nazis? Separating fact from fiction and seeing what science actually says about the medical myths that refuse to die.

Good sourdough bread can have health benefits – TRUE

Delicious bread is good for your diet? Well, kinda. According to the experts at SMH RENEW, authentic sourdough bread that is naturally fermented with wild yeast and lactobacillus bacteria contains all sorts of probiotics that are good for our microbiome and improve digestion. The fermenting process even breaks down excess sugars and reduces gluten content, without eliminating the healthy fiber your body needs.

However, while this makes sourdough bread a healthier option than breads packed with added sugars, sourdough bread should still not be considered “health food" and you still need to eat your vegetables.

Blueberries can help fight off carcinogens – TRUE

And it’s not just blueberries. Most berries—including blackberries and raspberries too—are packed with antioxidants that have been proven to prevent carcinogens from binding to the cells in your body.

Sarasota Memorial Dietitian Laura McLeroy, RD, recommends trying to eat a 1 cup of berries a day for maximum benefit.

Pro Tip: Boost your cancer-fighting berry brigade with some citrus reinforcements. A serving a day of fruits like oranges and grapefruits can help prevent cancer cells from activating.

Eating before bedtime causes weight gain – FALSE

While it’s true that eating a ton of rich foods before bed can lead to indigestion, heartburn, night-sweats, and strange dreams, the particular timing of one’s calorie intake has much less effect than the amount of calories consumed. When weight gain is tied to late-night snacking, the more likely culprit is the nature of the late-night snack itself, which tends to be addictively sweet/salty and high in calories, making it easy to overeat.

The best approach to managing weight is simply to eat a balanced diet, high in fruits and vegetables, snack in moderation—and reach for that apple instead of the potato chips, once in a while.

Fresh fruits and veggies are always healthier than canned or frozen – FALSE

Back in the days of horse-carts and no refrigeration, perhaps there was truth to this long-held belief, but it simply does not hold water today. As long as there are no added sugars, salts, syrups, or other unhealthy additives, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as the farm-fresh variety. And if you don’t live near the farm making your produce, there’s even a chance that the fruits and veggies flash-frozen and packaged at peak ripeness contain even more nutrients than the ones trucked in to be sold “fresh.”

Pro Tip: Canned and frozen fruits and veggies are great for eating healthy on a budget.

Carrots are good for your eyes – TRUE

Many have heard the story: to disguise the invention of radar during World War II, the RAF spread the rumor that their pilots were so effective against the Germans because a diet of carrots gave them improved eyesight. A seemingly quaint and silly ruse by today’s standards but one with a kernel of truth.

In addition to healthy fiber, potassium, Vitamins K and C, and others, carrots contain a prodigious amount of Vitamin A, which actually is crucial to vision development. But while a diet entirely lacking in Vitamin A will lead to vision impairment, eating a carrot-heavy diet will not give you super-vision.

But it can give you carotenemia.

You should wait 30 minutes after eating to swim – FALSE

If the concern is children with greasy fingers and unwashed faces getting in the pool, wait as long as it takes. But if the concern is that swimming after eating is dangerous, feel free to dive right in and wash away your worries.

Persistent myths claim that exertion after eating can lead to severe cramping or sudden muscle weakness, as blood flow and energy are diverted to digestion. Either of these things could be fatal if they should happen while swimming. But although these beliefs have persisted for decades, there is zero scientific grounding to suggest that either is possible or that swimming after eating is dangerous.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t have an upset stomach if you swim laps after a four-course meal.

The peels and skins of fruits and veggies have the most nutrients – TRUE

The juicy insides of the apple may be the sweetest, but the peel isn’t just for show. Studies have repeatedly shown that the skins and peels of our fruits and vegetables are by far the most nutritious parts of the meal, packed full of concentrated fibers and nutrients—sometimes containing even 100 times more than what is found in the rest of the plant.

Fruit and vegetable peels are often great sources of fiber, vitamins (A, C, K), potassium, calcium, cancer-fighting antioxidants and lots more. So ditch the peeler and stop discarding the most nutritious part of the meal.

Pro Tip: Always be sure to wash all fruits and veggies thoroughly first.

It’s impossible to reverse heart disease without surgery – FALSE

Reversing heart disease without surgery or a million medications is not only possible, it’s probably a lot easier than you think.

Developed in 1977, the Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease is designed to reverse heart disease and improve quality of life through sustainable and affordable lifestyle changes—without surgery or medication. And the results have been scientifically proven for decades.

Largely based on adopting a plant-based diet and an active lifestyle, the program has been shown to reduce risk of heart attack and other adverse cardiac events, reduce or eliminate need for medication, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and help patients lose weight, exercise more, and live better.

 

 

Written by Sarasota Memorial copywriter Philip Lederer, MA, who crafts a variety of external communications for the healthcare system. SMH’s in-house wordsmith, Lederer earned his Master’s degree in Public Administration and Political Philosophy from Morehead State University, KY.