Good food bad food

Nutrition expert Larry Krug debunks some myths on food.

Nutrition might be a science, but what and how we eat is subject to all the fashions and temperamental mood swings of the arts. Take the case of spinach: a mistake made donkeys years ago (thanks to a misplaced decimal) gave the green stuff far more fame and acclaim than it was worth and doctors and dieticians were advocating a Popeye diet as a sure source of iron. Ha! How much more we know now. More recently, in the ’90s, when cholesterol was dubbed as the big killer and research showed a yolk contains 210 milligrams of it, the hallowed chicken egg got it in the neck. Even today, when we know there are far greater threats to our well-being than a few eggs, we’re still eating less than we should because they’re high in cholesterol, and stuffing spinach down our throats because mom said it’s good for you.

No Bad Eggs

Eggs aren’t bad for you. They’re a perfect source of protein. Even if you have a cholesterol problem, don’t cut them out completely. Any type of animal fat contains cholesterol. You can happily eat two eggs a day as part of a balanced diet, but then skip the sausage, bacon and other delicacies of a breakfast fry-up.

Fruit or fruit juice

Fruit juice is better than no fruit at all but remember it’s like drinking fruit concentrate. You lose the healthy fibre and the big danger with juice is the sugar charge to the bloodstream. It’s best to dilute 65 per cent juice with 35 per cent water.

Spinach

In spite of the Popeye cartoon, spinach is not going to boost your muscles with a protein rush. But it is high in the vitamin Bs, essential for metabolism – and without a healthy metabolism you can’t build muscle. Spinach contains a small quantity of iron, but the best source for that is red meat, liver in particular.

Water

Two litres a day… or is it eight glasses a day? The truth is every body is different: some people need lots, others don’t. Water is an essential part of the metabolic process, so if you’re not getting enough, you can slow down your metabolism. And that’s not good for maintaining a lean, healthy body. Incidentally, Rooibos and herbal teas are just as good as long as they’re not loaded with sugar. Coffee and Ceylon have caffeine which tends to dehydrate you.

Marg or butter

The more organic, the better it is for you. Margarine has to undergo a process called hydrogenation so it stays firm at room temperature. This changes the nature of the fat, which then becomes more difficult for the body to recognise and break down. Butter on the other hand is more readily processed by the body because it’s more natural.

Sugar versus sweeteners

Again, sugar is more natural so it’s the better bet. Sweetener contains inorganic compounds which the body can’t recognise and so struggles to break down – if you have more aspartame than the average lab rat, not even the scientists can tell what will happen.

Low fat or fat free

Approach both with caution: often chemicals or carbohydrates are added so there’s no loss of taste. The best is to compare the nutritional information on the labels.

What about wheat?

Some people can cope with wheat, others less so and some are quite allergic.

It all depends whether you have a sufficient quantity of the enzymes required to digest wheat and refined flour. Look out for signs of intolerance one minute to one hour after eating: slight to significant indigestion, bloating, glassy eyes, itchy skin, runny nose, diarrhoea, nausea or lethargy.

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