1 MYTH: It’s higher to begin the day with sizzling water and lemon than with tea
This so-called wholesome drink, cherished by the wellness set, might be doing extra hurt than good.
“Lemon is especially acidic, and when you drink lemon and water for a few years it could actually put on the enamel down,” says London dentist Vikas Prinja.“This may expose the dentine beneath, giving enamel a yellowish look. Compared, sugar-free tea might stain your enamel, however it may be eliminated – it doesn’t trigger structural harm.”
And as for claims that it could actually assist the physique detox? “The kidneys and liver play an necessary position in eradicating waste merchandise from the physique and consuming lemon water just isn’t going to ‘detox’ the physique,” says registered nutritionist Jenna Hope. “Nonetheless, lemon water is usually a nice caffeine-free approach to rehydrate within the morning.”
Dr Prinja advises: “Simply drink it multi functional go or use a straw to cut back your enamel’s publicity to the acid within the lemon.”
Discover out extra in our article: Is it wholesome to detox?
2 MYTH: Pure sugars similar to agave syrup are more healthy than desk sugar
Many people have swapped to stylish pure sweeteners similar to agave and maple syrup and coconut sugar in a bid to enhance our diets however are these ‘wholesome’ options truly higher for us?
“Desk sugar is sucrose – it’s made up of two sugars certain collectively: glucose and fructose – and so are pure options. They’re biochemically the identical or very comparable,” says registered nutritionist Karen Newby, creator of The Pure Menopause Methodology.
“They’re each damaged down into glucose and fructose. Glucose is transported within the blood, therefore the time period ‘blood sugar’, and fructose is transported on to the liver and transformed to glucose, and when consumed in excessive quantities, into fats.”
Honey might have additional micronutrients in “negligible quantities” however she says that “many pure sugar options are simply as processed as sugar.”
Study extra in our article: How a lot sugar ought to I eat?
3 MYTH: Ingesting cranberry juice will deal with cystitis
Generations of girls have reached for a glass of cranberry juice on the first signal that they’ve the widespread urinary tract an infection (UTI), cystitis, however is there any reality to it?
“It’s an outdated wives’ story,” says Dr Zak Uddin, a GP based mostly in Chorley, Lancashire. “It’s by no means held up in trials, it’s not a part of NICE (the physique that advises the NHS) tips and a GP would by no means advocate it. Cranberry juice may be very candy so that you’re filling your system with sugar. The most effective factor you are able to do, when you’re not unwell, is to double your consumption of clear fluid, similar to water, to clean out any micro organism.”
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Learn for extra weight reduction myths, the actual advantages of cranberries and straightforward hacks for upping your each day vitamin consumption
4 MYTH: An alcoholic ‘nightcap’ will allow you to sleep higher
Many individuals depend on a stiff drink to assist them drop off however it’s making their sleep worse.
“Folks suppose that alcohol is nice for sleep as a result of it could actually allow you to go to sleep rapidly, however truly the alcohol will disrupt the standard of your sleep by way of the night time and also you may end up waking up a number of instances within the latter a part of the night time because of this,” says sleep skilled Dr Lindsay Browning, creator of Navigating Sleeplessness.
“Alcohol particularly reduces the quantity of REM sleep that you simply get,” she says. This implies you’ll really feel extra groggy and drained the subsequent day. Whereas a diverse balanced weight loss program is the perfect strategy for total well being, she notes, “Protein wealthy meals like turkey include tryptophan, which the physique makes use of to make melatonin, our sleep hormone. It’s additionally present in milk, poultry, salmon, oats, tofu and eggs.
“Tart cherries, similar to Montmorency cherries, additionally include quite a lot of melatonin and a few research have discovered that ingesting tart cherry juice earlier than mattress helped with sleep period and high quality.”
Study extra about weight loss program and sleep with our article: Find out how to sleep higher
5 MYTH It’s higher to brush your enamel after breakfast moderately than earlier than
Most individuals benefit from the recent feeling of brushing their enamel after breakfast however this behavior can truly weaken your dentition over time.
“After you’ve had one thing to eat or drink your mouth can be barely acidic as a result of the saliva hasn’t had time to convey the pH again to impartial,” says Dr Prinja.
“If you happen to’re brushing your enamel when there are residual acids within the mouth, the enamel can be extra delicate and you would be inflicting put on on the tooth.
“Official steering is to attend half-hour after consuming to brush. Or if you wish to really feel recent after consuming, use a zero alcohol mouthwash with fluoride. It’ll rinse away meals particles however gained’t scrub the enamel in your enamel.”
However the actual gold customary for the primary brush of the day? “After you get up, floss or brush with interdental brushes, use a tongue scraper, mouthwash after which brush your enamel,” he says.
Learn extra on tips on how to hold kids’s enamel protected
6 MYTH: Taking paracetamol after ingesting to extra will forestall a hangover
Knocking again a glass of water and a few paracetamol on the finish of a giant night time might truly be harming your liver moderately than serving to it.“Paracetamol is metabolised by the liver and when you’re additionally metabolising alcohol, the painkiller will simply sit there,” says Dr Uddin. “You’re basically placing extra pressure in your organ that’s already making an attempt to manage.”
Jenna Hope provides, “Hangovers can happen as a result of build-up of chemical byproducts of ingesting, dehydration, tiredness and low nutrient standing.
“Rehydrating with water and consuming nutrient-dense meals similar to vegatables and fruits, nuts, seeds, good-quality proteins and sophisticated carbohydrates is a more healthy strategy to managing a hangover.”
Learn our article on tips on how to treatment a hangover
