Often myth becomes intertwined with truth, making it impossible to know what is true and what is just fabrication or urban myth. This holds true with just about every element of society, including food. Food myths run rampant throughout the health industry, frightening people into thinking they are not able to eat a particular food type or that other foods might prove useful in ways that are simply untrue. Due to this, it is important to know what food myths are just that: myths. Here are seven of the most common food myths you are likely to hear and are completely bogus.
Coca-Coca Melts the Lining of Your Stomach
You've probably heard the rumors that dark colas, such as Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper and others are all able to melt away the lining of
your stomach. After all, you can use Coke to clean off the connector plates on yourÂ
car's battery, and, according to the rumour, the active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid, which can dissolve a nail in around four days time. Due to this, the acid leaches and absorbs calcium, which can cause other health risks down the road. While this is the rumor, individuals have loved spreading false gossip about Coke, almost every since the company started up over 100 years ago. Fact is that yes, Coke does have an acid inside of it, but most juice has more acidity to it than Coke (orange juiceÂ
contains far more acid than Coke). There is no truth behind the "Coke melts your Stomach" rumor.
Red Bull Gives Will Give You a Brain Tumor
People sure love picking on beverages. There are emails making their way around the Internet that products inside of Red Bull were designed for use in the Vietnam War in order to improve the morale of GIs who were suffering from fatigue, but eventually was panned due to hundreds of individuals suffering from brain tumors due to the stimulants found in the product. However, there is no truth to that at all. First of all, Red Bull isn't an American company, so it did not start with experiments on American troops. Secondly, every single element of the story is a complete lie. For the most part, the real reason it gives you energy (for a short period of time) is the amount of sugar found in the product.
MSG Kills Your Brain
MSG is designed to make food taste better and for you to crave it more. MSG is commonly found in Chinese food, but it is not exclusive. One of the more recent rumors claim that MSG actually causes the cells in your brain to turn to mush. Of course, the FDA most likely wouldn't approve a product that directly turns a consumer's brain to liquid pulp. MGS has no long-term negative side effect, outside of increasing your food cravings and possibly helping you gain some weight. Â
Twinkies Last Forever so They Aren't Food
You've probably heard that Twinkies are able to last forever, and any food that lasts forever is not going to be good for you. That is not accurate. In fact, Twinkies are able to last an entire month in the package. That's it. After a month the food is hard, stale and just no good.
Margarine is Plastic
People just stretch these along as far as they can. Described as a product originally designed to fatten up turkeys, the product is actually just a plastic compound that gives you the risk of a coronary heart attack. The truth is, margarine is made frup vegetable oil and has been used as a butter substitute (you know, for people who are lactose intolerant) since the 19th century in France.
Rapeseed Oil is Toxic
The claim isÂ
canola oil is made in Canada from Rapeseed, which is toxic to humans. Because, after all, the Canadians are always trying to take over the world. The produce is made from rapeseed, but you're not going to call it Rape Oil, so they simply changed the name to Canola oil, simply because it sounded better.