Myth: All fat is bad and causes obesity. Fact: The big concern isn't how much fat, but what type. Good fats are omega-3s (fish, nuts) and monounsaturated (olive oil, canola oil, avocado, nuts). The Mediterranean diet, with up to 40% of calories from such fat, saves lives. Avoid saturated fats (animal products) and trans fats (the "partially hydrogenated vegetable oils" and shortenings in fast food, baked goods and some margarines). And get this: People who eat less fat tend to be more obese than those who eat more fat, says Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett. The real cause of obesity: excess calories and little exercise.
Myth: Avoid coconut and palm oil because they bring on heart disease. Fact: Tropical oils are rich in lauric acid, which new research shows raises good-type HDL cholesterol, lowering heart disease risk. Lauric acid is also anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antiviral, says lipid researcher Mary Enig, Ph.D., which also may help fight heart disease.
Myth: Carrots are taboo on low-carb diets because they spike blood sugar and insulin, increasing appetite and body fat. Fact: Carrots have weak ability to spike blood sugar, making them perfectly OK for low-carb diets, says Jennie Brand-Miller, Ph.D., an Australian glycemic index expert who has tried to kill this myth for years.
Myth: Avoid coffee (and caffeine) because it contributes to illness, including cancer. Fact: For most people who drink coffee in moderation, it's benign, even beneficial, says Harvard's Willett. True, too much coffee can cause insomnia, anxiety, irritability and headache, but coffee drinkers have fewer kidney stones and gallstones and a 50% lower suicide rate than non-coffee drinkers. And coffee isn't linked to cancer.
Myth: Eggs are bad because of cholesterol. Fact: Egg yolks are rich in cholesterol - 200mg each - but no studies show that egg eaters have more heart disease, and eating cholesterol generally has little impact on blood cholesterol. One egg a day (rich in choline for the brain and B vitamins for the heart) is OK, most experts say. Exception: Diabetics can have only two or three per week.
Myth: Farmed salmon has less good fat than wild salmon. Fact: The two types have equal amounts of healthy omega-3s, the USDA says. But there are other concerns: Farmed salmon is fed artificial color, may pollute the ocean and may contain more environmental toxins called PCBs. All salmon appears low in potentially toxic mercury. I prefer fresh wild salmon, but I also eat farmed salmon to get the healthful oils. Almost all canned salmon is wild.
Myth: Vitamin supplements are worthless. Fact: Evidence continues to show that multivitamins and antioxidants cut risk of chronic diseases and infections. At a recent meeting of the American Aging Association, 175 prestigious researchers were asked who among them took supplements. Virtually every hand was raised.
Copyright 2004 Jean Carper. Printed first in USA Weekend. All rights reserved.
For more information from Jean Carper, go to www.Jeancarper.com
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