Busted Food Myths

It would certainly be better if eating was simple. There are so many messages about food and nutrition out there that it's almost impossible to keep up. Here's a rundown of some food myths that have been proven to be untrue by scientific studies:

1. Raw Foods are More Nutritious than Cooked Foods. While raw-food fanatics claim that eating uncooked food preserves all of the nutrients, research shows that it's NOT quite true. Heat does destroy certain vitamins, like Vitamin C, but cooking actually BOOSTS levels of other nutrients!

2. Skipping a Meal Slows Metabolism. Missing a single meal does NOT put your body into 'starvation mode.' Instead, scientists have found that it actually takes about two to three weeks of consistently low-calorie intake before there's any real change in your metabolic rate.

3. High-Fructose Corn Syrup is Worse Than Sugar. The idea that high-fructose corn syrup is horrible for you sounds right, but is BASICALLY WRONG! In reality, table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are almost identical. The REAL problem isn't the TYPE of sweetener we eat, but the fact that we just EAT TOO MUCH of it.

4. You Need a High-Protein Diet to Build Muscle Mass. While protein is a big part of building body tissue, a VERY high-protein diet causes TROUBLE with the heart, kidneys, and bones. In the typical diet these days, most people eat at least DOUBLE the amount of protein needed for good health.

(Yahoo Health)