You have heard of the old adage, “You are what you eat”, but today we are often blasted on the TV for things that we thought were good to eat and told that those things that have been ridiculed for years as poor to eat are now found better.  Of course, television “facts” are definitely tainted by the ratings that they might get.

This two-article topic will focus on 20 common nutrition tenants that may be true or false as will be explained below.

• 1. Chocolate is bad.  This not entirely false.  Chocolate contains flavonoids--potent antioxidants that can decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke.  A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition showed that chocolate raised levels of the antioxidant epicatechin in plasma.  This reduced signs of free-radical activity, which can decrease the chances of heart disease.  Dark chocolate contains more of these nutrients and also has less fat than milk chocolate.  White chocolate contains none of the flavonoids and even has more fat.  There have not been studies, of course, that prove less mortality from eating large amounts of dark chocolate.  And, of course, we know there are “loads” of calories here!
• 2. Brown bread is superior to white bread.  Brown isn’t always healthier.  Even breads that are labeled as “whole wheat” are most often made with white flour and low fiber products.  The brown may come from caramel coloring, not from the fiber.  If you want to get the full benefits from the fiber, look for “100% Whole Wheat” or a label indicating that each serving contains at least 2 grams of fiber.
• 3. Light olive oil has fewer calories.  One of the shadiest marketing ploys is the use of the word “light” on cooking oil labels which refers to the flavor and not the calorie count.  Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first cold pressing of the olives without the use of any heat or chemicals, so it packs the most flavors.  By opting for this variety, you can get away with using less and ultimately taking less of a calorie hit.  Regardless, olive oil in the kind of oil that you want to ingest, since it contains monounsaturated fats. 
• 4. Frozen vegetables are nutritionally inferior to their fresh cousins.  This is false.  Frozen vegetables are generally processed at their peak and can have more nutrients than fresh produce, especially, if your “fresh” produce has been wilting in the crisper for the past two weeks.  To retain as many micronutrients as possible, be careful not to overlook the frozen variety.
• 5. Peanuts are a good snack.  This is true if you control the amount that you eat.  Experts have found that adding protein and fat to your diet can curb your appetite since fat takes longer to digest.  Scientists at Purdue University found that 500 calories of peanuts held back the hunger for 150 minutes, compared to 30 minutes for 500 calories of rice cakes.  That’s good to know if you are trying to control fat intake. 
• 6. Stay away from breads and pastas if you want to get lean.  This is false.  Your body requires starches to fuel the kind of intense exercise you will need to get that “after” look.  Without adequate starch, you body will start cannibalizing the very muscle tissue you are trying to build up.  The key is moderation.  Also keep in mind that the kinds of starches you choose can make a big difference in your weight-loss efforts.  For example, white bread lacks fiber and it’s fairly dense in calories. 
• 7. Shrimp is dangerously high in cholesterol. This is false. Shrimp, while a good protein source, tends to be higher in cholesterol than other shell fish.  It is also remarkably low in fat.   It’s saturated fat, not the kind found in shrimp, that is most responsible for raising cholesterol levels.  In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, Japanese research has found that shrimp actually lowers serum cholesterol.  Remember that a butter sauce can easily undo the benefits mentioned previously.
• 8. Yogurt-covered raisins are healthier than M & M’s.  This is false.  You might think that yogurt raisins are a less fattening snack than the “melt-in-your-mouth” candy, but they both harbor the same amount of calories.
• 9. Juice is healthier than soda.  Actually the answer here depends on how you define “juice”.  Many juices aren’t juices at all, but rather drinks.  Almost all of which have been watered down and dosed with tons of sugar.  If you want the real thing, look for the label that says “100% juice”.  Also, stick with the pulpy juice which won’t raise you insulin level so quickly thanks to the fiber content, which means your energy levels may remain more stable.
• 10. The best way to lose fat is to skip breakfast.  This is false.  You’ve heard it over and over again that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  How you break your long overnight fast sets you up for either triumph or disaster.  To start replenishing glycogen and blood sugar levels throughout the rest of the morning, eat within two hours of awakening, an approach that will help you avoid the candy machine or snack at 3:00 PM.  To optimize fat loss, Swiss researchers recommend having breakfast after your morning workout, never before.