Health myths #1
It can be difficult to find your way around all the myths about health. You often hear about what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat it, how much and what kind of exercise is better than another kind of exercise, and much more. Get to the bottom of some of the many health myths in this and the next articles! Many of the myths below are presented in the book "100 myths about exercise and weight loss", where health researchers Bente Klarlund Pedersen and Morten Zacho explain what is true and false about health myths.
Sweating a lot is a sign of poor fitness?
If you start sweating a lot while exercising, you might think that it's because you're out of shape. But in fact, fit people sweat more than unfit people. Exercise improves many things in the body: we form more blood vessels in our muscles, we have a lower resting heart rate and a higher oxygen uptake. And your body also gets better at sweating! More sweat glands are formed, which means that the body is better able to get rid of heat by sweating. In this way, the body cools down and we can keep exercising for longer.
One drink of alcohol a day is healthy?
A glass of wine or a beer a day is healthy - or so many people have heard. Some studies have found a link between drinking one glass a day and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. What is not known is whether this is due to the alcohol itself or the antioxidants consumed. On the other hand, the WHO estimates that alcohol is definitely carcinogenic. So don't drink alcohol for your health, but enjoy it in small quantities! The Danish Health Authority also recommends that men should not consume more than a maximum of 14 units per week and women a maximum of 7 units per week.
Carbohydrates make you fat?
To gain weight, you need a calorie surplus. This means that you need to take in more calories with food than you burn - whether it's carbohydrates or something else. However, if we consume more carbohydrates than we burn, the body can convert them into fat and store them in fat cells. However, it is important to include carbohydrates in the diet as they are used as fuel for the brain and muscles and also contain important dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. But as with everything else, the same rule applies here: Everything in moderation! It is important to distinguish between simple carbohydrates, such as white pasta, white bread and white rice, and complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes and vegetables.
Simple carbohydrates are easily digestible and contain very little fiber. They are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, which will cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly and then drop dramatically. This is why you feel tired and your energy levels drop. The drop in your blood sugar will also trigger a feeling of hunger, which will make you eat again and you will quickly consume too many calories during the day. Complex carbohydrates contain fiber and fill you up for longer. They break down more slowly and your blood sugar and energy levels are therefore more stable.
So with carbohydrates, it's all about eating the right ones and eating in moderation!
Eggs are bad for your cholesterol?
The egg yolk is high in cholesterol. Many people therefore believe that eating too many eggs raises blood cholesterol levels and is harmful to your health. However, foods high in cholesterol have only a very small effect on the blood. The body can produce and regulate cholesterol itself. On the other hand, saturated fat, which we consume in foods such as butter, bacon and cream, has a much greater impact on our cholesterol levels than cholesterol in eggs.
By Josefine Huusom
