Celery has negative calories:
As much as we’d like to believe that certain foods contain “negative calories,” it’s simply not logical. The idea stems from the thought that it takes your body more energy to chew and digest celery than the celery itself contains (calories = energy). Sure, celery is low-cal and a great snack option, but if it has “negative calories,” than so does a Big Mac eaten while sprinting on a treadmill.
Gum takes seven years
to pass through your digestive system:
Your mom probably told you this because she was sick of you finishing pack after pack of her Trident after chewing each piece for less than five minutes. Gum is not digested, however it does pass through your system fully intact.
Crust makes your hair curly:
This myth originated from the melding of two historic ideas: 1) rich people have long, curly hair and 2) rich people can afford to eat bread. Eventually the two were combined into this falsity. The crust is the healthiest part of bread due to its high levels of antioxidants, but if you’re looking to channel Shirley Temple, you’ll have to skip down to Joseph Anthony for a perm.
Consuming calories after
7 p.m. promotes weight gain:
Although we tend to snack on unhealthy foods at night (think Wawa, Greek Lady, Allegro…), there is nothing scientifically different about calories consumed in the evening. Cutting out eating after this time can be beneficial for weight loss, but is not necessary if good choices are made at night.
Caffeine is dehydrating: Have you ever turned down the cup of coffee your hung-over body craved because you heard it would dehydrate you? Next time, indulge. Although caffeine can be a mild diuretic, no studies support the idea that it depletes a body’s fluid levels. In fact, it can help promote hydration for those who wouldn’t get their eight servings of water otherwise. While setting the story straight about caffeine, it might be a good time to mention that coffee does not stunt growth, nor is decaffeinated coffee totally caffeine-free.
Cravings mean you are deficient
in certain vitamins and minerals:
It would be really great if this were true. However, if craving chocolate meant that your body needed the nutrients it contained, then ingesting these nutrients would hypothetically curb the desire and you wouldn’t keep reaching for the Hershey’s. Cravings are largely emotional and psychological.
Putting the avocado pit
in guacamole keeps it from browning:
The only truth in this is that the pit keeps the guacamole directly under it from being exposed to air, thus keeping it from browning. A rock, a baseball, your foot or plastic wrap would be equally as successful.
