If you spend any time online reading about health and nutrition, you’re probably aware of the various health claims, pseudoscience, misinformation, and myths circulating on our screens every day. It can be hard to know exactly what to trust, what has supporting evidence, what's misleading, or just plainly untrue! Well, our team of qualified nutritionists is here to help investigate some of the most common nutritional myths and put your mind at ease.
Can I have too many eggs?
Decades ago, eggs got a bad rap, thanks to naughty, old cholesterol. At the time, experts advised that we consume no more than 300mg of dietary cholesterol per day, and egg yolks contain 200mg of cholesterol. Hence the recommendation of no more than two whole eggs per week.
We now know that the cholesterol found in eggs has a minimal effect on our blood cholesterol and heart health. Eggs are also a fantastic source of protein, vitamins A, E and B12, iron, good cholesterol, and selenium choline.
So does that mean there’s no such thing as too many eggs? Well, the Heart Foundation recommends limiting your whole egg consumption to 7 eggs per week if you have high LDL cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease. If this doesn’t include you, feel free to eat as many eggs as you please! Here at Dineamic, we particularly love scrambled eggs with mushrooms, boiled egg on top of smashed avo, or eggs baked into a cake.
Hana Robinson
White potatoes are bad for you!
It’s a myth—white potatoes are not bad for you. But wait! Before you go out to order some hot chips (with extra chicken salt, obviously!), let’s investigate why white potatoes shouldn’t be feared.
The regular ol’ white potato is a highly nutritious vegetable that can be part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. It’s an incredible source of carbohydrates (hello long-lasting energy!) and dietary fibre, as well as vitamins and minerals, such as potassium and vitamin C.
But wait, if it’s so good for you then why is it shunned? Well, it all depends on how the humble potato is prepared and cooked. When deep-fried or smothered in butter (we’re talking hot chips and creamy mash), it leans more into the “discretionary” territory. This is when white potatoes, or any vegetable, should be kept to a minimum.
Feel like you’re ready to get white potatoes back into your diet? There are tonnes of healthy recipes out there. Try making fish and chips at home. Cut a raw potato into wedges, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle on your favourite herbs and spices (we love garlic and smokey paprika), then bake in the oven until nice and crispy. Serve with a fillet of fish, fresh salad and enjoy.
Kobe Ferteis
Supplements can make up for a poor diet!
You may have heard the saying “you can’t outrun a bad diet”. Well, think of supplements as a new pair of shiny shoes in this race. They might look great, but they’re not going to get you across that finish line!
So simply the answer is no, supplements like vitamins and minerals will not make up for a poor diet. Supplements may compensate for certain dietary inadequacies, but will not reverse the effects of a poor diet.
Yes, your vitamin C tablet may have higher levels of vitamin C than a fresh orange but it doesn't have fibre, water, carbohydrates, or other nutrients that are readily available for our body. You can meet your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals through a well-balanced diet that contains a wide variety of fresh produce and limits processed food.
However, supplementation can still have a purpose in some of our diets. Many people can’t sufficiently absorb nutrients from the food they eat, like iron, for example! Also, if a diet is unusually restrictive or has exclusions of certain food groups, like animal products, you may need to supplement your B vitamins and iron.
Long story short, eat your fruits and vegetables to give your body the fuel that it needs.
Alicia McIntyre
Fresh vs Cooked vegetables… who wins?
The debate on the nutritional value of raw vegetables compared to cooked vegetables can be confusing!
The common understanding is that raw vegetables are better for you than cooked vegetables. During cooking processes, such as boiling your veggies, some water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C may be lost.
So raw veggies win? Well, not quite.
It's not as commonly known that the nutrients in cooked vegetables are easier for our bodies to digest than those in raw vegetables. An example of this is lycopene, which is found in tomatoes.
How about other cooking methods? Well, steamed veggies, like those found in many Dineamic meals, allows for vegetables to retain sufficient vitamins and minerals, while softening the texture.
So, wait, who wins?
To get the most nutritional value, try to include a wide variety of cooked and raw veggies in your meals. We’re calling this one a draw!
Sophie Kane
If you have topics or questions that you would like answered in our weekly newsletter, please feel free to get in touch with us via team@dineamic.com.au.
