- Vegetarian diets are healthier
Myth
Vegetarian diets can be very healthy, but if your vegetarian diet means chips and cheese sandwiches, then that's a different matter!
If you want to stop eating meat and fish, it's really important you make sure you include other foods that will give you the protein and vitamins and minerals, such as iron and zinc, that you would normally get from meat. - Dairy products make you fat
Myth
Eating more than our bodies need means we put on weight. So to keep a healthy weight its important to follow a balanced diet and keep physically active. The fat content of dairy products varies a lot, and much of this fat is saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol and is linked to heart disease.
So although eating dairy products won't make you fat, some are high in saturated fat and so you should only eat small amounts, or eat them less often. Or you could choose reduced-fat versions instead.
Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are a really important part of a healthy balanced diet because they are great sources of protein and vitamins A, B12 and D. They're also an important source of calcium, which helps to keep our bones strong. The calcium in dairy foods is easy for the body to absorb. Cutting out dairy products can be bad for your health because you could be missing out on these nutrients.
Go for semi-skimmed or skimmed milk and low-fat yoghurts. These contain at least the same amount of protein, B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc as full-fat versions. They just contain less saturated fat. - Fat is bad for you
Myth
The body needs fat for energy, tissue repair and to transport vitamins around the body. It’s the type of fat that we eat that matters. Saturated fat and trans fats are the worst; they increase our blood cholesterol level, which can lead to heart disease. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats tend to be good for our health. This is because they lower blood cholesterol levels. You can find monounsaturated fats in yummy foods such as avocado and olives. - Skipping breakfast or other meals is a good way to lose weight
Myth
Skipping meals is not a good way to lose weight.
Breakfast is a very important meal. When we're sleeping, we are also 'fasting' for an average of about eight hours, so it's essential to 'break' this fast. Although people who skip breakfast catch up on their energy requirements later in the day, they're unlikely to get all the vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast can provide. And, if we've missed breakfast, this tends to make us snack by mid-morning on foods that are high in sugar or fat.
Eating three small meals a day and a couple of healthy snacks (such as a piece of fruit, a low-fat yoghurt or a bowl of cereal) in between, is a much better way to control your calories. And getting active is the best way to make sure you burn off as much as you take in. - The experts are always changing their minds about what healthy eating really is
Myth
It might seem as though nutrition experts regularly change their minds and don't agree with each other. But, in fact, the main messages about healthy eating have stayed the same for some time.
For example, the message to reduce the amount of fat we eat has been the same for more than 15 years, and we were being told about the importance of fruit and veg as long ago as the Second World War. Then the advice was to 'dig for victory' and grow our own.
When we do hear contradictory messages about healthy eating, this is often because new scientific findings tend to be reported in the media before they have been fully researched, and without the findings being put into context. - Healthier foods are always far more expensive than other foods
Myth
Although it's true that some healthier ingredients can be more expensive, often you only need to use them in very small amounts. And sometimes choosing the healthier alternative can actually save you money.
You can make meat go further by cooking it in casseroles or stir-fries with cheaper ingredients such as beans, pulses or seasonal vegetables. Basing your meals on starchy foods such as rice, pasta or bread is not only a good idea for a healthy balanced diet, but these foods are also good value and can make a meal go further.
A good way to save money is to cook batches of dishes such as chilli, curry or stew, and freeze them in handy portion sizes. When you cook a batch or save leftovers, it's important to cool the food quickly (in one to two hours), then freeze it in sealed containers. And always make sure you reheat food until it's steaming hot all the way through. - A cooked breakfast in the morning is an unhealthy choice
Myth
If you grill lean bacon, poach the eggs and include baked beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms cooked without fat, and serve it all up with crusty bread, you'll have yourself a delicious cooked breakfast that is also healthy and balanced. - If the label says 'low fat' or 'reduced fat' then the product will always be a healthy choice
Myth
To claim that a product is 'reduced fat' the amount of fat must be at least 30% lower than standard products. But these types of foods tend to be high in fat and energy in the first place, so the 'reduced fat' version can still have quite high amounts of both.
Foods labelled 'low fat' or 'reduced fat' aren't necessarily low in energy. The fat is replaced by other ingredients, so the product can end up with the same or an even higher energy (calorie) content.
Also, if you're tempted to use more of a reduced-fat product than you would of the full-fat version, you might end up having the same, or even more, fat and energy. - Dried fruit doesn’t count towards your 5-a-day
Myth
As part of a healthy balanced diet we should be eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day, whether they are dried, fresh, frozen, canned or juiced. Dried fruit such as currants, sultanas, raisins, dates and figs provide energy in the form of sugar and are a good source of fibre. They also contain vitamins and minerals, but not vitamin C, which is found in fresh fruit. A portion of dried fruit is one heaped tablespoon. This is less than a portion of fresh fruit because it's based on the equivalent weight of fresh fruit. So dried fruit does count towards your 5-a-day, but remember, it's better for your teeth to have it at mealtimes rather than between meals. - Most of the salt in our diet is added at the table
Myth
75% of the salt in our diet comes from processed foods. Just 10 to 15% comes from the salt we add when we're cooking or at the table.
On average we're eating about 8.6g of salt a day but we should try to cut this down to no more than 6g of salt a day for adults and young people over 11 years old.
Adapted from www.eatwell.gov.uk
