Busting widely repeated nutrition myths

By Matthew Kadey

Nutrition is a hotly contested topic. Scrolling through social media, reading your favorite food blogs, and listening to podcasts exposes you to endless information about nutrition and health — much of which is a little suspect, to say the least.

Myths that were previously passed through word-of-mouth now spread like wildfire through these channels, making it difficult to tell what’s truly evidence-based.

You’ve likely heard these three myths repeated at one time or another. Let’s set the record straight.

Myth No. 1: Fresh is best. From strawberries to broccoli, fresh produce has a natural appeal to many people. “Fresh” just sounds healthier than “frozen,” doesn’t it?

But just because something is sold as fresh doesn’t necessarily mean it’s more nutritious. While there can be some differences between fresh and frozen veggies and fruits for select nutrients, overall, the nutritional content is similar.

Since frozen produce is flash frozen in its ripened state, it may have higher levels of some nutrients and antioxidants than fresh options that have been in storage for several days. Plus, there can be considerable cost savings when using out-of-season frozen items like berries and cauliflower.

The fact: Strive to eat more of all fruits and veggies — fresh, frozen or canned.

Myth No. 2: Fasting is the best for weight loss. Intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, whatever you call it, this eating pattern is promoted as a better way to drop pounds than simply cutting back on calories. But the differences are more minor than you would think.

Studies have shown that intermittent calorie restriction — where you only eat your calories during a narrow time frame each day — doesn’t necessarily lead to bet-

Sense of smell

From page 4 cules, the stronger the smell, and different combinations of molecules result in different sensations.

Smell is processed in the brain’s olfactory bulb, which is believed to interact closely with the amygdala, hippocampus and other brain structures that regulate and enable memory, decision-making and emotional responses.

The Hopkins researchers say their study suggests that olfaction and depression may be linked through both biological (e.g., altered serotonin levels, brain volume changes) and behavioral (e.g., reduced social function and appetite) mechanisms.

The researchers plan to replicate their findings from this study in more groups of older adults, and examine changes to individuals’ olfactory bulbs to determine if this system is, in fact, altered in those diag- ter weight loss success than a diet where you eat more regularly during the day but make sure that calorie intake is controlled. Overall, calories are calories no matter when you eat them.

The fact: There is more than one way to

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They also plan to examine if smell can be used in intervention strategies to mitigate the risk of late-life depression.

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health: National Institute on Aging.

The Journals of Gerontology, Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences is a peer-reviewed publication of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging.

The principal mission of the society — and its 5,500+ members — is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers, and the general public. GSA’s structure also includes a policy institute, the National Academy on an Aging Society.