FOOD MYTH BUSTERS | Just-Eat.co.uk

From seared meat sealing in juices; to 8 glasses of water a day, there are certain food ?facts? that are so established, we don?t even think about them. Well we?re here to blow your mind (metaphorically, no need to hide) with our guide to food myths that are definitely just myths.

Searing meat

The myth: Searing meat seals in juices.

Why? In 1850 German chemist Justus Von Liebig published the claim that searing meat (putting it in a very hot pan and browning all sides quickly) sealed in the juices, resulting in a juicier (and tastier) dish.

Busted: Compared to boiling of meat, a popular and widely used cooking method at the time, he was right that it was juicer ? but the food science is bunkum. While it sounds like it makes sense (it makes a harder exterior the juices can?t escape from!) meat does not ?work? like that. Searing meat actually causes greater loss of liquid due to the higher temperatures used. What searing meat does do is create a lovely flavour, better texture and colour to the meat. That?s why chefs still do it today.

You must drink 8 glasses of water a day

The myth: To keep healthy you should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Why? It takes the body, roughly, two litres (8 glasses) of water to metabolize a diet of 2000 calories. If your body ?uses? 8 glasses of water a day, you should be replacing that water everyday.

Busted: Firstly, the science is true, on average your body does use up 8 glasses of water a day. But the myth you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day isn?t true. Why? Water is in everything; your body doesn?t just get water from just water. Fruit and vegetables are on average 80% water, meat is between 50% and 80% water and even bread is almost 35% water! Quite simply, if your body couldn?t break the food down and extract the water, we wouldn?t be alive today. It?s also been suggested the 8 glasses myth originated from Doctors wanting to promote drinking water over sugary fizzy drinks. It?s certainly true that drinking water is good for you (in the sense that it contributes to nearly all of your bodily functions, staves off hunger and dehydration), but the ?8 glasses? rule is far from a rule.

Eggs contribute to high cholesterol

The myth: Eggs are high in cholesterol and should be avoided by those with high cholesterol and/or on a diet.

Why? Egg yolks do indeed contain a fair bit of cholesterol, the average egg contains 212 milligrams. On par with single servings of liver, shrimp or duck meat.

Busted: Eggs have got a bad rap amongst those with high cholesterol and/or on diets. ?They?re really high in cholesterol!? people proclaim, and avoid them like an egg-y plague. While it is true that the egg yolk contains cholesterol, the Harvard Medical School points out that very little of it makes it into your bloodstream, which is where cholesterol does the damage. Not only that but your body?s cholesterol levels are influenced by saturated and trans fats; eggs contain very little saturated fat and zero trans fats. What eggs do contain is: protein, vitamin A, B, D and E, choline, iron, calcium and potassium! So while we?re not suggesting those trying to watch their weight or avoiding high cholesterol go out and eat a 20 egg omelette, they shouldn?t be avoiding them in fear. Eggs are packed with loads of good stuff and won?t noticeable affect your cholesterol if eaten as part of a balanced diet.

You should rinse pasta after you?ve cooked/drained it

The myth: After your pasta is cooked and drained, rinse it with hot water for a hot dish, cold water for a cold dish.

Why? Erm, because ? people have been told to? This seems to have originated as one of those old housewife tales (old housewives make up a lot of tales apparently) without any real reason why it should be done.

Busted: Cooking pasta releases starch, when you drain it, a thin layer of starch still clings to the pasta. Rinsing the pasta washes off this layer; stop doing that! The starch helps sauces to cling to the pasta, which is exactly what you want to happen. Not only that but pasta is constantly absorbing liquid, keeping a little cup of the starch-y water aside after you drain the pasta is really useful if your pasta & sauce is looking a little dry, just add in some of the starch-y liquid. You only need to rinse your pasta if you?re making a cold pasta dish ? the thin layer of starch is what causes the pasta to stick together when it goes cold.

Fresh fruit is better for you than dry/frozen/canned fruit

The myth: Fresh fruit is much better for you than fruit that has been dried, frozen or canned.

Why? When you do any of those 3 processes to fruit, it takes away many of the nutrients that make fruit good for you.

Busted: This is only true for one thing: vitamin C. Fresh fruit is best for that and has more than dried, frozen or canned fruit. But otherwise dried, frozen and canned fruit contains just as many nutrients as fresh fruit. So next time you?re snacking on a few raisins, don?t let anyone tell you they don?t count towards your five-a-day! Just one tablespoon of dried fruits will count as one ?portion? of your daily intake.

(Sources: listverse, Lifehacker and wwrecipes)

Source: http://blog.just-eat.co.uk/food-myths/

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