The 9 biggest nutritional mistakes

There are many myths and misconceptions about nutrition: Is margarine healthier than butter? And does a schnapps really get your digestion going after a hearty meal? What is the truth about these widespread views? We have compiled the 9 biggest nutritional mistakes for you.

1. Pasta and potatoes make you fat

Not correct! Potatoes  have just over 70 calories per 100 grams – so the vegetables themselves are quite low in calories and are guaranteed not to make you fat. However, the important thing is the preparation: while boiled, boiled or baked potatoes are extremely healthy, the situation is somewhat different with fries and the like: the high-fat preparation increases the calorie content to over 350 calories.

Pasta, like potatoes, is often suspected of making you fat. But even that is wrong. With around 150 calories per 100 grams, pasta is a bit higher in calories, but it also fills you up for a long time. In general, carbohydrate-rich foods are   always recommended, since carbohydrates have only half as many calories as fat.

2. Margarine is much healthier than butter

Not correct! Margarine has long been considered healthier because it   contains less cholesterol due to its vegetable fats. Margarine also has fewer calories than butter. However, unlike butter, margarine is not a purely natural product. How healthy the spread fat is depends largely on the oil used and the proportion of trans fatty acids  .

Butter is often criticized for its high cholesterol content. Today, however, scientists suspect that cholesterol from milk fats is harmless to healthy people. On the positive side, butter provides a lot of healthy fatty acids in addition to saturated fatty acids. In general, if you look for high-quality products when it comes to butter and margarine  and only consume the spread in moderation, you won’t go wrong.

3. Light products have no calories

Not correct! Light products are mostly low-calorie products, but not calorie-free foods. In principle, light products are highly recommended, since you can save a lot of fat and calories with them. However, to be on the safe side, always check the nutritional information!

It is also important that you do not use light products as an excuse to eat foods that you would otherwise not have allowed yourself. Some products still contain a relatively large amount of fat and calories, even in the light version.

4. Stone fruit does not mix well with water

Not correct!  You can also drink a glass of water after eating cherries,  apricots ,  plums and the like – provided you have washed the fruit carefully beforehand. This will ensure that you are not ingesting any bacteria with the fruit. These are responsible for the stomach problems that plague many people after eating stone fruit.

Normally, ingested bacteria are fought by the stomach acid. However, if a lot of water gets into the stomach at the same time as the fruit and the bacteria, the acid is diluted so much that the bacteria can survive.

5. Fat is unhealthy

Not correct! Fat is the most energy-dense food component at nine calories per gram, but as is often the case,  quantity and quality are crucial . Basically, fat is a fundamentally important substance that we cannot live without. Therefore, about 30 percent of the daily calorie intake should come from fats. However, if you eat large amounts of high-fat foods every day, you will be forced to gain weight over time. So be careful not to eat too much fat and, above all, use high-quality fats.

6. Spinach is particularly rich in iron

Not correct! The claim that  spinach contains  a particularly large amount  of iron  is probably one of the biggest nutritional errors.  Although dried spinach contains 35 milligrams per 100 grams of iron, the iron content is reduced from 100 grams to a tenth when cooked . In addition, iron from plant-based foods can be better utilized than from animal products. Because of this, spinach shouldn’t be considered a major source of iron, even though it’s relatively high in iron compared to other vegetables.

7. Coffee is a liquid thief

Not correct! Coffee  has a diuretic effect due to the caffeine it contains  ,  so we have to go to the toilet more often after a cup of coffee. However, it does not remove water from the body. After drinking coffee, no more liquid is excreted than was absorbed through the drink. That is why, unlike in the past, coffee is now also included in the daily fluid intake.

8. Schnapps is good for digestion

Not correct! Although the saying goes that a schnapps after a hearty meal boosts digestion, in fact exactly the opposite is the case. Because alcohol inhibits the burning of fat, the food stays heavy in our stomachs for longer than before. Nevertheless, the feeling of fullness subsides for a short time due to the schnapps. This is because the alcohol relaxes the stomach muscles  , giving us temporary relief.

9. An apple covers the vitamin requirement

Not correct! Apples  are healthy, but one apple cannot cover the vitamin requirement for a whole day. Apples contain, among other things, provitamin A,  vitamin C  and  vitamin E  as well as the  B vitamins  B1, B2 and B6. However, the amount of vitamins it contains is not large enough to cover all of a day’s needs.

Eat five servings of fruit and vegetables every day  , choosing different types. So you can be sure that your vitamin needs are optimally covered.