Because contemporary nutritional science is barely a century old, it’s no surprise that we’re continuously befuddled by emerging and competing ideas about what we should eat – or that we occasionally adhere to reassuringly simple food myths that may or may not be accurate.
Here are some answers to food and drink myths that address the following issues and tell it like it is in a culture where official nutritional advice appears change all the time and internet opinions are loud and frequently unfounded.
The truth about coffee
We’re looking at more than 1,000 components in coffee, so it’s not just about caffeine. It makes us more aware while also relaxing us. It concentrates and improves attention, but it keeps you awake at night, especially if you consume too much or too late.
Is red wine a socially acceptable form of booze?
There is no empirical proof that red wine is beneficial to your health. The original suggestion that it might be is based in part on resveratrol, a polyphenol found in wine that has been linked to positive health outcomes, notably cardiovascular results — but in far larger doses than those seen in a glass or two of rioja.
Resveratrol in therapeutic amounts can only be detected in pints of red wine.