Health Myths: Exposed
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: Money/Health
Sit-ups or crunches will burn fat off your abs
Myth. "I see a lot people come in here and say they want to lose their stomach," Jeremy Koerber, lead exercise specialist at Barnes-Jewish WellAware Center, said. "I say, 'Modify your diet and start working on a treadmill,' and they look at me like I'm crazy. You could have abs like Schwarzenegger, but if you have a layer of body fat over them, you will never see them." Don't get us wrong, abdominal exercises are great for strengthening your abs and core, but they're not going to take the fat off.
Foods boasting "0 trans fat" contain "good" fats.
Myth. Sometimes the substitution is a saturated fat, which signals no health improvement. Turn the product over and check the nutrition facts label. Front-of-the-package claims are marketing facts, back-of-the-package claims contain nutrition facts, explained dietitian and American Dietetic Association president-elect Connie Diekman. Don't assume that "trans-fat free" is a healthful choice, she said. When a product says "0 g trans fat," by law it can contain up to half a gram per serving. So if you eat a jumbo portion, you may be getting more trans than you bargained for.
Workouts must be intense to burn fat
Myth. The body burns fat as efficiently when you do low- to moderate-intensity workouts. Unfortunately, though, it takes longer to burn calories in a low-intensity workout as compared with a high-intensity.
Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
Fact. Honey seems to have a more "natural" appeal and some people claim it's less fattening. But as far as your body is concerned, there is no difference if you dip into your sugar bowl or squirt from your honey bear bottle. Honey and sugar are both broken down into glucose and fructose. Honey is a bit sweeter than sugar so you might use less, but that's the only benefit. Raw sugar, turbinado sugar, brown sugar and evaporated cane juice are all basically the same, too.
By the way, sugar does not cause diabetes, another popular nutrition myth.
-Source: Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Health Myths Exposed!, compiled by Money/Health editor TaraBannow, highlights common health and fitness misconceptions.
Myth. "I see a lot people come in here and say they want to lose their stomach," Jeremy Koerber, lead exercise specialist at Barnes-Jewish WellAware Center, said. "I say, 'Modify your diet and start working on a treadmill,' and they look at me like I'm crazy. You could have abs like Schwarzenegger, but if you have a layer of body fat over them, you will never see them." Don't get us wrong, abdominal exercises are great for strengthening your abs and core, but they're not going to take the fat off.
Foods boasting "0 trans fat" contain "good" fats.
Myth. Sometimes the substitution is a saturated fat, which signals no health improvement. Turn the product over and check the nutrition facts label. Front-of-the-package claims are marketing facts, back-of-the-package claims contain nutrition facts, explained dietitian and American Dietetic Association president-elect Connie Diekman. Don't assume that "trans-fat free" is a healthful choice, she said. When a product says "0 g trans fat," by law it can contain up to half a gram per serving. So if you eat a jumbo portion, you may be getting more trans than you bargained for.
Workouts must be intense to burn fat
Myth. The body burns fat as efficiently when you do low- to moderate-intensity workouts. Unfortunately, though, it takes longer to burn calories in a low-intensity workout as compared with a high-intensity.
Your body can't tell the difference between honey and sugar.
Fact. Honey seems to have a more "natural" appeal and some people claim it's less fattening. But as far as your body is concerned, there is no difference if you dip into your sugar bowl or squirt from your honey bear bottle. Honey and sugar are both broken down into glucose and fructose. Honey is a bit sweeter than sugar so you might use less, but that's the only benefit. Raw sugar, turbinado sugar, brown sugar and evaporated cane juice are all basically the same, too.
By the way, sugar does not cause diabetes, another popular nutrition myth.
-Source: Chicago Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Health Myths Exposed!, compiled by Money/Health editor TaraBannow, highlights common health and fitness misconceptions.
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