Fill up on facts

Is it better to drink orange juice or eat an orange? Are fortified cereals better than regular cereals? How far is too far when it comes to chasing food myths? Sangeetha Swaroop tells you why you should give up on food ghosts

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

If the key to good health were as simple as this age-old nursery rhyme makes us believe, then surely life would have been one easy joyride. Unfortunately, it is not so, and what you eat, how you eat and when you eat makes all the difference to the way you look, feel and live.

Eating is one of the most basic necessities of all creatures. But in the case of humans, this fundamental need has become so complicated, eating habits have become like fashion trends - what's good today might be passe tomorrow. So, the benefits of soy may be yesterday's headlines and dark chocolate today's.

Adding fuel to this food forest fire are celebrity food fads and diet plans. According to a recent report in the Guardian, a new research in the UK involving 250 general practitioners revealed that an increasing number of Britons are excluding key foods from their diet because of fears of allergy and intolerance.

Celebrity food fads were to blame for many people self-diagnosing these problems, said the study, and at least 73 per cent of the GPs believed their patients' reactions were psychological and not physical.

Doctors also warned that cutting out important foods without medical advice could do more harm than good, the report added.

So, are you one of those who blindly follow popular food myths without questioning their veracity? Would you know where to draw the line when it comes to eating what's right and what's not?

Nutritionists, dieticians and health experts agree on the fact that listening to your body's needs is crucial in maintaining good health.

By eating when you are hungry, saying no when you are full, and enjoying most foods in moderation, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a simple code to crack.

Helping those who need to crack this code, however, is Dr Carol Sadler, nutritionist at the Dubai Physiotherapy Clinic, who separates the grain from the chaff - food myths from food facts that is.

Good health comes in the form of a glass of fruit juice.

There is no denying that fresh in any form is the best, says Dr Sadler. "However, eating an orange is far better than sipping a glass of its juice, for fruit juice is certainly not the same as a fruit portion."

Fresh fruit juices may contain as many healthy nutrients and enzymes as the fruit itself - that is, if you are drinking unsweetened, freshly squeezed juice. On the other hand, the widely available commercial ?fruit drinks' are actually very high in sugar and calories.

Additionally, pasteurisation of juices also destroys some vitamins and minerals. In the end, it is the fresh fruit that has an edge in terms of nutrients and fibre.

A glass of fresh orange juice yields 100 calories while a similar amount of fruit cocktail gives 130 calories, she says.

"One glass a day of fresh juice is sufficient for an adult. Drinking a glass of juice is fine so long as sugar is not added to it. While buying from supermarkets, therefore, the healthier choice is to go for 100 per cent unsweetened, fresh juices. But bear in mind that even a freshly squeezed juice loses some nutrient value after only 24 hours."

n Health foods vs junk food: is it all good vs all bad?
For long, we've been flooded with reports on junk food's unhealthy nature, its poor nutritional value and an overwhelming presence of nutritional additives in such products.

Opponents of fast-food industries and environmentalists have given the term a rather derogatory tone while subtly hinting that health foods are the answer to wiping out the detrimental effects of the fatty foods we've consumed over the years.

"Any food that's high in fat and calories and is lacking in fibre, vitamins and minerals could be termed as junk food," says Dr Sadler.

"But not all fast food can be termed as junk food. Of course, anything deep-fried is obviously an unhealthy choice.

"It is important to know that some so-called healthy foods, such as crunchy toasted muesli, can sometimes have just as much fat and calories as cookies. There is also a danger in low-fat products such as biscuits which may still be high both in calories and sugar content."

What we need is more awareness of healthy eating, she says. "Organic food can be expensive and it would be unrealistic for most people to feed themselves solely on that. We also need not eliminate all foods containing fats. As usual, they need to be taken in moderation. It is best to avoid too much of processed food and stick to regular freshly prepared foods."

A health food diet insures you against disease.

Studies looking at people in their sixties have revealed that the people who tend to live the longest are those who keep fit, do not smoke and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, says Dr Sadler.

"It is a known fact that people who consciously tend to eat a healthy diet also steer clear of smoking and do regular exercises to keep fit. This is perhaps what keeps them healthier in the long run, though there is no absolute guarantee of being disease-free," she says.

One cannot overlook the influence of genetics on health, she adds. "But while your heredity may tilt you towards an illness, rarely is it enough alone to condemn you.

"Other factors like nutrition, exercise, healthy habits and reducing toxin intake have the greatest impact on health. It goes without saying that a healthy lifestyle improves the length of life as well as the quality of life."

Foods fortified with enhanced vitamins, minerals, Omega-3 fatty acids, etc. are a healthy choice.

Is fortified food a healthy choice? "This would depend," says Dr Sadler, "on the state of health of the person concerned. If he/she is on a restricted diet, foods fortified with vitamins will be extremely beneficial.

"Those diagnosed with high cholesterol can take advantage of the milk, yoghurts and margarines which are fortified with plant stanols that are proven to reduce cholesterol levels."

Fortification means adding something to the food that was not originally in the food, she explains. "Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties and products containing these are also recommended for those with high blood pressure."

However, fortified foods can be misleading at times as not all locally produced foods specify how much of a particular nutrient has been added, she says. "One could then end up having double doses of some vitamins."

Claims about specific fortification are good for marketing purposes, she adds. "Many cereals and breakfast products are fortified with vitamin D while others have added iron, extra vitamin C, etc in them. But these do not address the overall healthiness of food products.

"For example, yoghurts aimed at children may be marked ?added calcium' but it may also contain high levels of sugar or fat."

Some are quite ambiguous as well, says Dr Sadler. "Vegetable oils advertised as cholesterol-free confuse the consumer as no part of any vegetable can generate cholesterol."

Wheat is unhealthy. Gluten-free is the way to go.

Long praised for its natural source of nutrition and fibre, wheat took an ?unhealthy' overtone with the onslaught of the Atkins and South Beach anti-carb diets.

As a consequence, many ?health-conscious' people inappropriately termed it junk food and chose to minimise starches altogether.

While these higher-protein, higher-vegetable diets have enabled followers to lose weight, nutritionists warn they may be missing out on important nutrients such as vitamin B found in whole grain wheat.

Along this time also came the trend of resorting to a gluten-free diet. Gluten is the elastic, water-insoluble protein found in wheat and other grains such as rye, barley, oats, and a number of products on supermarket shelves.

It is used as a thickener and binder in products such as soups, sauces (including soy sauce), candy, artificial cheese, pharmaceuticals and even envelope glue.

According to Dr Sadler, for those suffering from celiac disease, any form of gluten is toxic to the digestive system. This means that they should avoid gluten in any form as it could otherwise lead to potentially severe health problems.

"It is wrong for a non-celiac sufferer to partake of a wheat/gluten-free diet," she says. "Wheat forms a staple part of the diet and even a generous chunk of whole grain bread could be the cornerstone of a nutritious meal.

"In the absence of any strong symptoms of intolerance, a gluten-free diet is unnecessary. It has been found that around 1 in 100 people are gluten-intolerant. For the others, wheat can form part of a healthy diet."

All fat is bad. But fat-free is calorie-free and hence, equivalent to eat-all-you-want.

It is fat and its related compounds that generally give many foods their flavour, especially dairy products, chocolate, ice cream, etc. Knowing full well that these delectable ranges of products could turn flavourless without fat, manufacturers resort to the liberal use of sugar or sweeteners to enhance the taste.

So, some fat-free products are still high in calories and these treats could contain nearly as many calories as the original full-fat models. Hence, a fat-free product in no way indicates that we can eat to our heart's content.

In the case of low-fat foods, portion size plays a significant role in determining how much fat we actually consume. For instance, the serving size may be listed as one ounce but if we normally eat five ounces, the fat and calorie intake too could be quite high.

However, the obsession with fat-free or low-fat products could mean that we are losing out on the essential fatty acids that our body requires and cannot make on its own, Dr Sadler points out.

"We need to ensure that we get the right kind of fats. Monounsaturated fats such as canola and olive oil and those found in avocados are heart-saving fats. Also, omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseed oil and in fatty fish such as mackerel and salmon can actually help lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride blood levels."

These essential fatty acids are '?good fats' and as the body cannot manufacture them, we must get it from our daily diet. It is the saturated and hydrogenated fats found commonly in processed foods that need to be shunned, she says.

As both good and bad fats contain the same amount of calories, it would be ideal, therefore, to limit total fat consumption to 20 or 25 per cent or less of all the calories we eat.

Wheat-free, sugar-free, additive-free, dairy-free, salt-free ... are these wonder foods for good health?

In the multibillion industry that is food marketing, consumers are bombarded with products that are supposed to enhance our health and nutrition.

The specific ingredients in these health products often enhance flavours, change the texture or nutritional value of a product.

Many of these products are not aimed at the general public but target those with a particular condition, says Dr Sadler. "For instance, sugar-free products are clearly for diabetics, dairy-free would suit the lactose-intolerant groups and wheat-free products are aimed at those afflicted with intolerance to gluten."

Labelling products in this manner is certainly useful for consumers who have a specific health condition, she says. "For example, sugar-free jam allows diabetics to eat a food that they would otherwise have to deprive themselves of. But, it is not appropriate for a normal healthy person to consume these products."

A diet of foods low in taste and low in fun - read 'healthy' - leads to bingeing.

Any diet that calls for restriction of certain types of food cannot be kept up for too long, believes Dr Sadler. "Depriving oneself of a meal or particular food could lead to bingeing or poor eating later in the day. Our body needs a variety of nutrients that can be acquired from a wide range of foods.

"To limit ourselves to only certain food groups or deprive ourselves of other foods groups could lead to irrational food choices and ultimately affect the health of the person."

It is wrong to assume that healthy foods are low in taste or not a fun way to eat, she adds. "Even while choosing foods with less fat and sugar, it is important to eat a variety of foods every day. The taste and texture of different foods makes them more satisfying and visually appealing.

"Unfortunately, the buffet culture in the UAE provides so much stimulating food that in this situation overeating is hard to avoid."

Good nutrition practices not only provide immediate benefits but are also an investment in a person's future health. Balancing good nutrition with regular physical activity is extremely important, she advises.

"Being an active person is just as valuable as eating healthy foods. You cannot take diet in isolation. It has to be supplemented with good habits like non-smoking and exercising to keep fit."