CONTENTS

CONTENTS

1:: THE ORIGIN OF IDEAS, MYTHS AND MISINFORMATION ABOUT FOOD

Food availability

Efforts to explain food preparation and its effects on people

2:: NUTRITION FOR THE FAMILY

When should we eat?

We eat too much

We need not worry about nutrition if we have a balanced diet

We should choose food according to food groups

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

Protein-supplemented foods are better for you

Extra salt is needed during hot weather

Fast food is junk food

Chocolate gives you pimples

Chocolate causes migraine

Pregnant women must eat for two

Athletic performance can be improved by eating special foods

Vegetarian diets are often nutritionally inadequate

Vegetarians are often anaemic

Fish is brain food

Honey is better for you than sugar

Sugars are necessary in our diet

Sugar or glucose consumed just before a sporting event will provide quick energy

Brown eggs are more nutritious than white eggs

Fruit and vegetables have no cholesterol

White bread is not nutritious

Stone-ground bread is better than wholemeal bread

Carrots help you see better in the dark

Unpasteurised milk is healthier

Goats' milk is better than cows' milk

Yoghurt increases longevity

Butter is better than margarine

Beans cause wind

Ginger prevents travel sickness

Garlic is good for you

White-flecked fingernails indicate a calcium deficiency

Sea salt is better than ordinary salt

3:: FOOD, SICKNESS AND DISEASE

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FOOD AND CANCER

Cancer should be treated by special diets and not just drugs

Some foods prevent cancer and others cause cancer

Bacon can cause cancer

Artificial sweeteners cause cancer

Peanuts can cause cancer

Smoked and burnt foods can cause cancer

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FATS AND OILS IN FOOD

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT CHOLESTEROL

Eating eggs will raise your cholesterol level

Some foods protect against heart disease

Obesity increases the risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT DIETARY FIBRE

Dietary fibre keeps you regular

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT FOOD ALLERGY

Food allergy is common

Foods high in sugar cause diabetes

Foods high in sugar cause heart disease

Sugar causes behavioural problems

Sugars cause tooth decay

A hot lemon and honey drink is good for colds

Eating yeast will make you healthy

Gout is caused by heavy drinking

Milk produces mucous

Arthritis can be affected by diet

Copper has a beneficial effect on arthritis

Some trace elements are essential but can also be hazardous

It is safe to make tea or coffee using water from the hot tap

Herbal teas are good for you

Green potatoes are poisonous

Discarding the spoiled or mouldy part of food makes it safe

4:: ON BEING OVERWEIGHT

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT DIETS

Mineral water is not fattening

Eating meat with less visible fat will assist in reducing weight

Crash diets are usually deficient in some nutrients

Liquid diets are most effective for weight reduction

Periods affect appetite and weight

There is too much fat in a Western-style diet

Some diet aids allow you to eat all you want and still lose weight

Kelp is a useful aid for weight reduction

High-protein diets are useful for weight reduction

Muscles will turn to fat if they are not used continually

When you stop smoking you gain weight

I am not fat, just big-boned

Only eating fat makes you fat

Drinking with meals makes you fat

Being very fat is unhealthy

Sugars are fattening

Raw sugar is less fattening than white sugar

Fat-soluble vitamins have more kilojoules than water-soluble vitamins

Potatoes are fattening

Bread is fattening

Toast is more fattening than bread

Bananas are fattening

The first nutrient to cut back on when trying to lose weight is fat

Kilojoules are more fattening than kilocalories

5:: VITAMINS AND MINERALS

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT VITAMINS

Vitamin deficiencies in our diet will affect our health within a few days

Many common mental disorders are caused by vitamin deficiencies

Women taking oral contraceptives need vitamin supplements

Heavy drinkers need vitamin supplements

Women need more iron than men

Women need more calcium than men

With today's lifestyle we cannot get all the vitamins and minerals we need from food

If you feel tired and run-down you probably need more vitamins and minerals

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) helps prevent colds

Large doses of vitamin C can cause diarrhoea

Large doses of vitamin A can cure cancer

Vitamin E can prevent ageing

Vitamin E can improve fertility and virility

Vitamin E can prevent heart attacks

Natural vitamins are better than synthetic ones

Bioflavonoids and para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) are essential in our diet for good health

The minerals in our hair reflect our nutritional status

6:: PROCESSED FOOD, ADDITIVES AND CONTAMINANTS

Natural foods do not contain chemicals

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FOOD ADDITIVES

Are food additives safe!

Food additives cause cancer

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT NUTRIENTS AND FOOD PROCESSING

All processed foods contain food additives

All processed foods contain preservatives

Artificial colourings can cause behavioural problems in children

Caffeine can be harmful

Organically grown food is more nutritious than chemically fertilised food

Frozen vegetables are less nutritious than fresh vegetables

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD

Pesticide, antibiotic and hormone residues in food are harmful

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE SAFETY OF FOOD IRRADIATION

Irradiated food is radioactive

Waxed fruit and vegetables are safe to eat

What happens after the use-by-date has parsed!

Aluminium cooking utensils are safe

The way vegetables are cooked affects their nutrient content

Sulphur-free dried fruits are healthier

7:: FAD NUTRITION

Is vitamin B-15 (pangamic acid) a real vitamin!

Eating enzymes cures cancer

Lecithen is a special health food

Oysters can turn you on

Apricot kernels can cure cancer

Ginseng is healthful

Fasting cleans out your system

Cider vinegar aids weight loss

Raw foods are more nutritious

Tryptophan supplements may be dangerous

APPENDICES

FURTHER READING

Books by Mark Wahlqvist and David Briggs