7 MYTH: Red meat is bad for you

 

TRUTH: Red meat is rich in protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals.

 

But you still shouldn't each too much as studies show that eating large amounts increases the risk of bowel¹ cancer.

 

The Department of Health recommends a maximum of 70g of red or processed meat each day, with the emphasis on eating more fresh meat. Swap² to fish and chicken.

 

8 MYTH: The three-second rule

 

TRUTH: Sorry, but that strawberry you just dropped on the kitchen floor becomes contaminated with bacteria within milliseconds so that three-second rule is useless.

 

Just give it a good wash under the tap.

 

9 MYTH: Sugar causes kids to be giddy

 

TRUTH: There's no evidence that sugar causes children to become hyperactive.

 

But regularly eating sugary foods and drinks is proven to increase the risk of tooth decay and large amounts have been linked to obesity³ in both children and adults.

 

Sugary drinks in particular are thought to result in bigger weight gains and make us more prone⁴ to getting type 2 diabetes⁵.

 

Children aged⁶ four to six should have no more than 5tsp free sugars a day, and six to 10 year old, a maximum of 6tsp.

 

10 MYTH: Cheese gives you nightmares

 

TRUTH: There's no science to support the idea that cheese - or any other food - gives us nightmares.

 

Cheese is however, high in saturated⁷ fat and that may affect your cholesterol⁸ levels!

 

11 MYTH: Mixing drinks gives you a worse hangover

 

TRUTH: Your head's pounding, your mouth is dry and you can't remember how you got home. And then you recall that vodka shot, followed by a bottle of beer... and a red wine nightcap.

 

But mixing drinks doesn't actually make you more drunk, or give you a worse hangover. It's all down to the total amount of ethanol (the proper name for alcohol) you have consumed.

 

And don't fall for the 'hair of the dog' either - it's a myth that will simply prolong the agony as your body has to process yet more booze!

 

12 MYTH: Don't reheat rice

 

TRUTH: Uncooked rice can contain spores⁹ of a bacterium¹⁰ called Bacillus cereus. The bacteria themselves are killed by heat, but the spores can survive the cooking proves, and so if left at room temperature after cooking can grow into bacteria, which multiply and cause toxins¹¹ that lead to sickness and diarrhoea.

 

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy leftover¹² rice. Once it's cooked, cool it within an hour, then pop in a sealed container in the fridge for a maximum of one day.

 

When reheating, make sure it's steaming hot throughout – and do not reheat more than once.

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