True and false ideas about balanced food and nutrition - Part |||

26.08.2021

Did you know that 1 glass of fizzy drink contains 4 lumps of sugar? Learn the truths and untruths about a balanced diet.

30.    Frozen vegetables contain far less vitamins and nutrients than fresh vegetables
FALSE: The vegetables are frozen directly after they have been harvested. So most of the vitamins are conserved and are similar in quantity to fresh ones, which are sometime kept in the fridge for days and lose their vitamins.

31.    Calcium in yogurt is better assimilated than calcium from milk                
TRUE: The reason why the calcium is best absorbed when it comes from yogurt is because of the acidity of the product. The acidity favours a form of calcium that penetrates more easily the intestinal cells.

32.    Soy steak can substitute a beef steak                    
FALSE: In terms of proteins, the composition of the soy steak is similar to the beef steak. But beef steak contains iron and B12 vitamins, essential nutrients which are absent in soy. Soy can be an alternative to meat, but should not replace it every day.

33.    Dry fruits contain more sugar and fibre than fresh fruits
TRUE: As the quantity of water is lower in dry fruits than in fresh fruits, the proportion of sugar and fibre is higher. For example 100g of grapes contain 13.8g of sugar and 1.4g of fibre while 100g of raisins contain 65g of sugar and 6.4g of fibre.

34.    Canned vegetables are not saltier than fresh or frozen vegetables            
FALSE: As well as its capacity as a flavour enhancer, salt is also used as a preservative. Indeed, it limits the development of bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic organisms in food products. 

35.    1 glass of fizzy drink (or soft drink or soda) contains 4 lumps of sugar
TRUE: Fizzy drinks contain 10 to 12% sugar. It means that 1 glass of soft drink (200 ml) is equivalent to 4 lumps of sugar and drinking a can of soda (330ml) brings this to about 6 lumps of sugar.

36.    There is no limit in eating vegetables and fruit                    
TRUE AND FALSE: Vegetables can be eaten without limit, but the method of conservation is important (canned vegetables are very salty) and also the way they are cooked (vegetables served with a lot of sauce should be limited). Concerning fruit, they should be eaten with moderation as they contain sugar. In a balanced diet, the recommendation is about 2 or 3 portions of fruit a day.

37.    The way of cooking can change a low-fat product into a fatty product         
TRUE: Cooking in a high quantity of fat can change the composition of the product. For example, potatoes do not contain fat when they are cooked in water. But when they are fried (such as French fries) they contain more than 20% fat. Breaded ingredients are also rich in fat. For example, a fish fillet (cod) contains about 1% fat. But breaded and cooked in the fryer (fish fingers) it contains 12% fat.

38.    Any kind of food is necessary to ensure a balanced diet                 
FALSE: Some products are not necessary in a balanced diet and should be eaten with moderation. They are considered as ‘extra’s’ because they are rich in calories and poor in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, proteins. In the food pyramid, this category of products represents the top and includes biscuits, chocolate, crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks.

39.    Eating whole meal food is more expensive            
FALSE: Whole meal products are a bit more expensive but the price reflects a higher quality. Whole meal products such as bread, rice or pasta have a better nutritional quality because they contain more vitamins, minerals and fibre than the refined products. Moreover whole meal products fill you up sooner and for longer so intake is reduced. 

40.    Only fruit contain vitamins                
FALSE: Fruit contain vitamins such as C and B (B1, B2, B6…). But other products are rich in vitamins: vegetables, legumes, cereals, vegetable oils, nuts, dairy products, meat and eggs. A balanced diet provides everything the body needs and that is why it is necessary to diversify one’s diet.

41.    Whole meal bread is richer in vitamins than white bread    
TRUE: Whole meal bread contains more vitamin B and E, but is also richer in minerals and fibre.
                        
42.    Pre- prepared salads (ready-to-eat) contain as many vitamins as non pre-prepared salads
TRUE: These salads have already been cleaned and are sold in a modified atmosphere packaging that preserves the vitamins (if they are conserved in adequate conditions: low temperature and darkness).

43.    Sauces containing little fat exist and are just as tasty 
TRUE: Alternatives exist: béchamel (milk, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg), mayonnaise (egg, mustard, fresh cheese, lemon, salt and pepper), curry (curry powder, low-fat yoghurt, piece of mandarins and pepper), coulis of vegetables, gravy (thickened with cornstarch), etc. 

44.    It is complicated to cook without fat                
FALSE: Many ways of cooking exist that do not use any added fat: boiling, steamed, grilled, baking, microwaved, in foil, poaching or in a non-stick pan.