Some ideas are repeated so often, we start believing they’re true – particularly when it comes to food. But there’s a lot of culinary misinformation out there that could potentially spoil your supper. Want to separate the myths from the facts? To set the record straight, we’ve debunked some of the most common foodie misconceptions.
37. Strawberries are berries
… Botanists officially classify strawberries as aggregate fruit because they come from a flower with more than one ovary. The same goes for raspberries. However, pomegranates, kiwis and bananas are berries
36. The five-second rule is a thing
35. Canned food is less nutritious
34. Spinach is the ultimate iron powerhouse
33. Your ‘five a day’ is based on hard science
32. Broccoli contains more protein than steak
31. Keeping the pit in an avocado will prevent it from browning
30. If a soup is too salty, you should add a peeled raw potato
29. Subway uses fake chicken and tuna
28. Beaver secretions are used in all artificial vanilla products
27. The longer you marinate meat, the better
26. American cheese was invented in the USA
25. You shouldn’t cook tomatoes in a cast-iron pan
24. You should always sift your flour for baking
23. Turkey makes you sleepy
22. Fast food fries are vegan
21. Drinking milk prevents bone fractures
20. You shouldn’t cook with extra-virgin olive oil
19. You shouldn’t crowd mushrooms in a pan
18. You shouldn’t wash mushrooms
17. Oranges are the fruit with the most vitamin C
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16. Raw vegetables are healthier than cooked vegetables
15. KFC uses genetically engineered chickens
… In fact, KFC once sued three Chinese companies for spreading misinformation ….
14. The seeds are the spiciest part of a chilli pepper
13. Eating celery burns more calories than you gain
12. You should wait half an hour after eating before swimming
11. If you swallow gum, it’ll stay in your stomach for seven years
10. You should wash your chicken
This one is a real no-no. Washing raw chicken is completely unnecessary, as any bacteria it contains will be destroyed when the chicken is cooked. Furthermore, studies have shown that washing your chicken increases the chances of spreading bacteria ….
9. McDonald’s food never spoils
8. Searing meat keeps the juices in
7. MSG is bad for you
6. Eating carrots improves your eyesight
5. Sharp knives are more likely to cause an injury
4. You should drink eight glasses of water a day
3. Chocolate gives you spots
2. Adding oil to pasta water prevents it from sticking
1. Sugar makes kids hyperactive
[T]he idea that sugar causes hyperactivity was disproven years ago. In a study conducted in the 1990s, mothers who were told their children had been given a large dose of sugar rated them as significantly more hyperactive – though the kids had only been given a placebo.
