Food advice flips overnight—what's hailed as healthy today can turn villainous tomorrow. Classics like bread, coffee, and milk spark endless debate: healthy or harmful? Drawing from Santé's expert insights and research, we unpack the top 5 food dilemmas to help you eat smarter.
As the world's biggest coffee drinkers, the Dutch know their brew. Forget the myth that coffee dehydrates—a glass of water quenches thirst no better than a cup of joe, per studies. Emerging research, including meta-analyses, even links moderate coffee intake to longer lifespans. The catch? Its energizing buzz can trigger jitters or stress. Limit to 2-3 cups daily if it suits you; otherwise, pass.
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Skipping the restaurant bread basket or opting for carb-free lunches sounds smart—but not always. Research reveals that chronically avoiding carbs can slow thyroid function, disrupt hormones, and paradoxically promote weight gain. Balance is key; don't demonize bread entirely.
Fruit packs sugars we often overlook—a mango matches a Twix bar's calories. While superior to candy for its vitamins and fiber, unlimited fruit isn't ideal. Apples, specifically, offer little beyond water, fiber, fructose, and vitamin C. For more nutrition, choose tomatoes or avocados instead.
We grew up believing milk builds unbreakable bones via calcium. But science challenges this: studies show people drinking little milk fracture bones just as often as heavy dairy consumers. It's time to rethink dairy's role.
Old advice capped eggs at one per week for cholesterol fears—now debunked. Eggs brim with vital nutrients, stay low-calorie, and satisfy thanks to high-quality protein. Boiled is healthiest; for fried, use coconut or olive oil.
Source: Santé January 2015. Text: Leonora Reijn
