We all know coming back to university is a change in more ways than one – especially when it’s food that’s concerned. Whether you’re staying in halls on campus or foraging for yourself off campus, it’s hard not to indulge in ready meals or junk food – especially after a night out! Keeping healthy is hard (particular when there are no parents to push greens at you at the dinner table) but it’s not as bad as you think. To give you a hand, I’ve pulled together a few debunked food myths that might keep in handy when trying to stay in good shape.
Frozen fruit and vegetables are less nutritious than the fresh version
Myth! Fruit and veg are frozen as soon as they are picked, keeping the nutrients sealed and preserved. This is particularly helpful for us students – most of us know from experience how quickly fresh food goes off, but a bag of frozen veg in the freezer will keep for a long time, allowing you to stay healthy without having to worry about the best before date.
Raw carrots are better than cooked carrots
Myth! Cooking carrots actually increases their nutritional content. Studies in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that boiling or steaming carrots better preserves antioxidants as well as increasing the level of beta-carotene (which gives carrots their orange colour). Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A which is great for vision and the immune system among other things.
8 glasses of water a day are needed to keep us hydrated
Myth! No one actually knows where this particular myth came from, but it actually has no basis in fact at all. What many people don’t realise is that you take in a lot of water from your food and it’s not just water that keeps you hydrated. Caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee also hydrate you, debunking another common myth. So don’t force yourself to gulp down water when you don’t need it – listen to your body and drink what you like when you’re feeling thirsty!
Eating celery burns off more calories than you take in
Myth! The dream zero-calorie food that actually helps you lose weight while you eat it? Sigh, although we wish it was, unfortunately this myth is a little too good to be true. However, while celery might not be the miraculous no-calorie food we thought it was, it’s by no means bad! With less than 10 calories per serving, it’s a great snack if you’re trying to cut back
Brown bread is better than white bread.
Myth! Toast is student must-have, but if you’re eating brown bread because you think it’s a healthier alternative to white, you’re unfortunately on the wrong track; just because it’s darker doesn’t mean it’s healthier. What you really need is wholemeal bread – whereas brown bread is made from finely milled wheat, wholemeal is made from flour which still contains all the goodness of wheat grains, meaning it’s richer in fibre, protein and vitamins. If you want to go one better, try seeded bread: it contains even more vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
Edited by Caroline Chan