Blueberries are known as a superfood, due to their high level of
anti-oxidants (molecules thought to help protect us from cancer-
causing free radicals). But that does not mean they are superior to
other fruits.
Angela says: 'Blueberries score highly on the oxygen radical
absorbance capacity (ORAC) scale, but scientists are finding foods
that are even higher - including dark chocolate.
'Even if blueberries top the scale, they are only rich in one family
of anti-oxidants, anthocyanin, which is found in other fruits, like
grapes.'
And the far cheaper red grape is actually higher up the ORAC scale.
Low-fat foods help you lose weight
Whether it be cereal bars, yoghurts or ready meals, low-fat options
are always tempting if you are desperate to lose weight. But not only
are they likely to be stuffed full of sugar, carbs and synthetic
sweeteners, they could also have just as many calories as the
'high-fat' alternative.
'Particularly with sweeter low-fat foods, the extra sugar used means
it might have a similar calorie content to the regular option,' says
Angela. 'It might be better to just have a smaller serving of the
standard dish, with more fat but less sugar.'
Eating at night makes you fat
Calories are calories, whether eaten during the morning, noon or
night. Studies using monkeys found the animals stayed the same weight
whether they had six per cent of their food at night or 65 per cent -
the body burns them off at the same rate during sleep.
But avoiding food in the evenings may still help you lose weight.
Angela says: 'People tend to snack all evening in front of the TV,
especially if they have eaten very little all day.'
Boiled egg
Good for you: A boiled egg has only 75 calories
Eggs raise cholesterol levels
First we were told to 'go to work on an egg', then we were warned eggs
are bad for the heart. Now, it seems the first advice was better.
Although eggs contain cholesterol, our body varies the amount it
produces, so simply makes less if we eat an egg.
Research by the University of Surrey found that, after eating a
two-egg-a-day diet for 12 weeks, none of the test subjects had raised
cholesterol levels.
And as well as being low in calories (75 in a boiled egg), they
contain vitamin D, vitamin B-12 and other nutrients.
Coffee dehydrates your body
We all know that coffee can make us dehydrated, right? Wrong.
A whopping 50 per cent of Britons limit their intake, believing it's a
diuretic (a substance which causes the body to lose fluid by making
the kidneys produce more urine).
But, in fact, it has no such effect on regular drinkers. Nutritionist
Angela Dowden says: 'New converts could be taking more trips to the
loo. But your body gets used to it and coffee counts towards your
daily fluid intake.'
Eating margarine is bad for your heart
This used to be true, as marge was previously packed with trans fats -
hydrogenated fats that raise bad cholesterol and reduce good
cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
But after a consumer backlash the spreads on our shelves have been
reformulated with healthy poly and mono-unsaturated fats.
Angela says: 'Margarine is a healthier option than butter.'
Espresso with Heart Shape in Foam
Daily fluid intake: Coffee counts
Decaf coffee won't affect your energy levels
It may come as a shock, but decaffeinated coffee does contain caffeine
- although only a tiny 5mg compared with the normal 90mg or more in a
filter coffee.
But rather than having no effect on you, research has shown it may
make you sleepier than no coffee.
Dr Crystal Haskell, of Northumbria University, found levels of
caffeine less than 10mg actually made people feel more tired, with
weaker memory skills.
She puts this down to the body countering the effect of the expected
caffeine high.
Always keep fruit and veg in the fridge
You probably don't give a second thought before sticking fruit and veg
in the fridge. But by keeping things cool, you may be losing out.
Scientists in Oklahoma in the U.S discovered that a watermelon left at
room temperature had double the levels of beta-carotene and 20 per
cent more lycopene - both antioxidants - after two weeks than one
stored in the fridge.
Bananas and peaches are also more nutritious at 20 degrees.
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