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The biggest nutritional myths part 2

Posted by Aisling Murray on

This is a continuation of last week’s discussion on nutritional myths.

  1. Being overweight due to eating dairy and wheat that your body can’t process

I hear this theory a lot in my clinic and it is not true. If your body can’t process a food, it would suggest that food is not being metabolised and calories are not being absorbed, meaning a person would lose weight not gain it. There is no evidence to suggest that food intolerance causes weight gain, it can however cause bloating, skin irritations and cramps plus more. If you think you have a food intolerance, I suggest getting a food intolerance test done (available at Whelehans Pharmacy) and see a nutritionist for advice on how to change your diet.

 

  1. You can eat as much healthy food as you like

You can have too much of a good thing. True unrefined fresh foods are healthier for you but they still contain calories. The fat in foods like nuts, avocadoes and olive oil is better for the heart than fats like butter and margarine but all fats have the same amount of calories so less is more.

 

  1. Fresh foods are better than frozen

A lot of frozen foods are just as nutritious due to a process called flash freezing. The food is immediately frozen once picked meaning all the nutrients are retained. Fresh foods can lose their nutrient content during transportation, in this instance frozen food can be more ideal.

 

  1. Raw vegetables are better than cooked

In some cases certain vegetables have more benefits when cooked, for example, cooking carrots breaks down the tough cellular walls that encase the beta-carotene. Cooked spinach allows us to absorb more of the iron and calcium. Cooked tomatoes allow the body to absorb more lycopene (cancer fighting phytochemical).

 

 

  1. Microwaving reduces nutritional content of food

This theory is misguided as it isn’t the cooking method used but the length of time and temperature used in cooking which effects the nutrient content. Whether you use an oven or a steamer, the longer and hotter you cook the food the more heat and water sensitive nutrients are lost. Vitamin C and Thiamine (B vitamin) are particularly sensitive to cooking. As a microwave cooks’ food quicker it can actually minimise the loss of certain nutrients.

 

Whelehans Nutrition Service

Whelehans nutritional service is a private one to one advice service with nutritionist Aisling Murray. Aisling’s areas of interest include weight loss management, nutrition education and food intolerance. Our nutrition service offers you the chance to change your life in a positive way by focusing on your overall wellbeing with the chance to follow up on your progress.

 

Aisling Murray has a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and offers a personal specialist nutrition service at Whelehans Pharmacy. Call Whelehans at 04493 34591 for an appointment. Aisling’s Nutriton Clinic costs only €10 per week.

 

 


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