Food myths can be confusing, here’s some clarity on what and what NOT to eat for a healthy body.

Confused with all the information in the media, newspapers and magazines? Unsure of what you really need to do to get that fabulous figure? Here are 4 foods myths debunked.





1) Drinking water with food is bad
There are many schools of thought which state that drinking water along with your meal can slow down the metabolic rate, hence slowing down digestion. This is FALSE! Sipping warm water or green tea during a meal can be extremely beneficial for the body. Warm water with lemon is not only good for the system early in the morning, but even during meals, especially if the meal is oily or high in fat.

Drinking water at any time of the day is good and there is no correlation to water and slowing digestion. Chinese or herbal teas are also excellent. The best example for this is the tea drinking culture in countries like Singapore, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. Notice how slim they all are? Well, they all sip tea throughout, even more so during meals. So don’t stop yourself from drinking water, especially if its warm, go ahead and drink up!

2) Fruit should be taken after meals
This is one myth that is completely false. The ideal way to consume fruit is before the meal, and not after. Eating fruit slows down the digestion process after meals. Hence, all fruit should be had half and hour prior to meals. Another important point to note is about fruit juices. Examples of fruits that one can eat before meals are watermelon, pearsand apples, all types of berries, melon, bananas, oranges and grapefruit.

There is a myth which says that fruit juices shouldn’t be consumed and only raw fruit is good for the system. This again, is NOT true! Fruit in any form is excellent for the body and fruit juices have their own benefits for the cleansing of your system. Juices like carrot, pineapple, amla, beetroot and wheatgrass are all excellent to remove toxins from your body and clean your body from within, giving you that glow we all want!

The best juice combinations for cleansing are as follows : Carrot and beetroot, celery +ginger + beetroot, Pears + apples, amla + carrot, Pineapple + mosambi and wheatgrass. So what are you waiting for? Don’t be afraid to have fruit in any form. Try out these juices for glowing skin and strong, healthy hair and a fit body.


3) Rice is bad for you
It is a common myth that the white foods are bad, mainly rice. Many celebrities are known to avoid rice in their diets. This is false. Rice as a whole may be harmful, but rice forms may be consumed without any worry. Foods like idli,appam, idiappam, rice noodles and sushi are all good ways of gaining the nutrition from rice without the harmful calories of the same. Eating rice based products and foods will lead to lesser consumption of actual rice, and add more balance to your diet.

South Indian steamed foods are the best for health and contain rice. It is the oily dosas and pesarattus that are a cause for concern. So you don’t need to deprive yourself of these rice delicacies that are kind to your waistline! While eating sushi, the actual quantity of rice isn’t as much as it would be if you were having rice with rasam and sambar. Sushi contains raw vegetables like avocado, mushroom, cucumber, carrot and radish, all of which is necessary dietary fiber for the body.


4) Junk food is bad
This myth is only partly true, as junk food in general should be avoided. However, your favourite mouth watering delicacies can be enjoyed if made at home. The problems with junk food are usually not the ingredients but in the manner in which it is prepared. The oil it is made in as well as the conditions under which it is prepared are source for extra calories and/or indigestion after consuming these products. If made at home with organic oils and carefully cleaned ingredients, even the most dangerous of junk foods can actually be that much needed treat you need!

Examples of this are bhel puri, samosas, French fries and chole batura. Bhel puri, when made at home, can be one of the most nutritious meals as it contains coriander and tomatoes. Potatoes can be replaced with channa, sprouts, and other healthy alternatives. So you can enjoy your chaat without having to starve yourself the next day to keep in shape. Spring rolls made at home with organic oils and fresh vegetables are not as unhealthy as one would think.

Additionally, one has to keep in mind that foods like cheese, butter and ghee are in fact, quite heavy on the waistline and can be harmful, whether made at home or outside! Be careful to work out twice as hard when consuming these extra fatty foods.