Diet and Nutrition

20 Health Claims That Are Bogus

20 Health Claims That Are Bogus

1. Organic food is more nutritious

Many people assume organic food is healthier than non-organic food.

However, studies have confirmed organic food is no more nutritious than conventionally grown food. Organic foods are better for the environment, but not necessarily better for our bodies.

Organic foods may be slightly safer than non-organic foods, because they contain lower levels of pesticide residue. However, both organic and non-organic foods contain pesticide levels that fall within the acceptable range of what is considered safe. Not all pesticide residue can be removed by washing, but thoroughly scrubbing fruits and vegetables under running water can help remove dirt, bacteria, and chemicals. It's always smart to rinse your produce before eating or cooking.

Organic chicken and pork tends to contain fewer antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, the bacteria that cause food poisoning are equally prevalent in both organic and conventionally raised chicken and pork. 

Although organic food is significantly more expensive than non-organic food, there is little evidence to suggest that it’s actually healthier. Most studies have found little or no difference in the nutritional value of organic versus conventional food. Conventionally produced foods contain just as many vitamins and minerals as their organic counterparts.

If you're choosing between one and the other, organic food could be the cleaner option for your body. But organic food does not necessarily have more nutrients than non-organic food. Look into what the "organic" designation means for each food. For example, if you want to purchase ethically-grown and harvested chicken eggs, organic is your best option, compared to other options like "cage-free". 

2. Chocolate gives you acne

There are a lot of myths when it comes to what causes acne. You’ve likely heard that chocolate causes acne, but the truth is a lot more complicated.

For the most part, eating chocolate or any other food will not necessarily cause you to break out. However, we do know that eating a high-fat, high sugar diet can increase sebum production and inflammation throughout the body, potentially contributing to acne. Therefore, although sugary, fatty foods like chocolate don’t cause acne directly, overindulging in these foods can increase your likelihood of developing acne.

Long story short: eating a bar of chocolate won’t make you break out. However, if you’re already prone to breakouts, you might want to limit your consumption of sugary, fatty foods like chocolate. Although these foods don’t directly cause breakouts, overindulging can make breakouts more likely.

One reason chocolate tends to get blamed for acne is that many women crave chocolate during PMS. Right before your period, changing hormone levels can increase oil production and cause you to break out. If you tend to break out right before your period, your hormones are to blame—not the chocolate you crave while you’re PMS-ing. However, you should be sure that you’re eating a well-balanced diet instead of filling up on fat and sugar; a balanced diet provides the nutrients you need for healthy skin.

3. Honey is better for you than corn syrup

If you think honey is healthier than corn syrup, think again. Honey actually has the same effect on the body as high-fructose corn syrup or cane sugar. All of these sweeteners are basically equal in terms of their effects on health.

People tend to think honey is more “natural” and less processed than sweeteners like corn syrup and white sugar. However, honey, cane sugar, and high-fructose corn syrup all have the same health effects. All three sweeteners have the same effect on blood sugar, insulin, body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Despite the stigma surrounding corn syrup, it’s actually no less healthy than honey or sugar. The fact is, eating too much sugar has the same negative health effects regardless of what form that sugar takes. Whether it’s honey, cane sugar, or corn syrup, excess sugar consumption causes a host of health issues, increasing your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and impairing your cognitive function.

If you’re concerned about your health, focus on reducing your sugar intake. The amount of sugar you consume is what matters.

4. Sugar is as addictive as heroin

You’ve likely seen the sensational newspaper headlines proclaiming sugar is just as addictive as drugs like heroin and cocaine. However, the notion that sugar and heroin are equally addictive is ludicrous, not to mention offensive.

Drugs like heroin cause physical changes in the body that cause intense cravings for more drugs. Users develop physical dependence, characterized by tolerance and withdrawal. Tolerance means users need continually increasing amounts of the drug in order to achieve the same effect. Withdrawal symptoms are the unpleasant effects that occur when the drug is discontinued; in many cases, withdrawal symptoms are so unbearable that an addict will take the drug solely to relieve those symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms for heroin include anxiety, depression, chills, cold sweats, severe bone and muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and uncontrolled limb spasms. Withdrawal from heroin, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can be dangerous and even deadly.

It is impossible to develop a physiological dependence on sugar. Sugar does not cause tolerance or withdrawal. You cannot become addicted to sugar in the same way you can become addicted to a drug like heroin; it’s just not possible.

It’s outrageous and insensitive to compare sugar cravings to heroin addiction. It’s true that we can develop strong cravings for sugar and can struggle to stop consuming sugar even when it’s causing us health issues. However, the suggestion that sugar is just as addictive as heroin is outright absurd.