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If you’ve spent enough time browsing the Internet, chances are you've encountered many frequently mentioned health “facts” that are far from true. From the infamous five-second rule for dropped food to the so-called sugar high, these myths have been thoroughly debunked. Because of these false claims, we’ve all become more cautious about believing anything we can’t instantly verify online, which is probably how it should be.
However, some of these myths have more truth behind them than we originally thought, as recent research has shown. These are the health myths that we often share with others to appear knowledgeable, but with a little investigation, we’d realize that they aren’t myths at all.
10. Carrots Actually Do Help Your Eyesight
It’s been a while since the myth that “carrots are good for your eyes” was debunked, as anyone who’s spent time online in the past decade would know. We now understand that the myth was part of a propaganda campaign by the British Ministry of Information during World War II. They spread this idea across German-controlled territories to disguise the use of their newly developed radar technology.
We're not claiming the Brits didn't do this, because they certainly did, but if you’ve decided to completely write off carrots as being worthless based on that, it’s time to rethink. While the popular belief that carrots are linked to better eyesight may have been exaggerated, that doesn’t mean it’s entirely untrue.
Carrots are rich in compounds that do support eye health, including beta-carotene. This helps the body produce Vitamin A, which is essential for our eyes to convert light into signals the brain can interpret. Vitamin A plays a key role in enabling us to see in low light, and a deficiency could lead to corneal degeneration, potentially resulting in permanent blindness.
9. Eating Right Before Bed Can Actually Cause Nightmares
"Eating a late meal causes nightmares" sounds like the kind of advice you'd hear from that one fitness enthusiast who can't stop talking about health trends. The time of your dinner has no real effect on your dreams, since diet doesn’t influence them. However, if you were to look into it, you'd find that it's actually beneficial health advice.
Numerous studies have shown a connection between eating late and having bad dreams, though the exact reasons behind this remain unclear. It could be that our metabolism is too active when we sleep soon after eating, making the brain more restless and leading to heightened activity. What you eat also plays a role, as certain foods, like dairy and spicy dishes, are known to trigger nightmares.
8. Women Are Generally Colder Than Men
The familiar movie scene where a guy offers his coat to a girl because she’s cold is as old as romantic cinema itself. It’s meant to represent the growing closeness between the couple, and while we could ask why women in films always forget to bring the right clothes for the weather, it remains a charming moment.
This isn't just a movie phenomenon either; it happens quite often in real life as well. So, why does it occur? According to science, it’s not that women are more unprepared for the cold than men, it’s simply that their cold tolerance is different.
In a study conducted in the Netherlands, researchers discovered that women’s comfortable temperature is about 2.5°C (4.5°F) warmer than that of men, generally ranging between 24 to 25°C (75–77°F). This difference is due to the hormone estrogen, which reduces blood flow to the fingers and toes during colder months. This is also why women who are ovulating may feel colder than usual.
7. Exercise Actually Enhances Your Intelligence
Exercise is known for its many benefits, such as keeping you in good physical shape, enhancing your immune system, and improving the overall quality of your life. However, if someone suggested that regular physical activity could also make you more intelligent, you might dismiss it as a way for gym-goers to feel superior about their habits.
But a closer look at recent research reveals they may not be entirely wrong. For example, a study published in Nature Medicine uncovered that exercise triggers the release of a protein called irisin, which enhances the neural connections between different parts of the brain, as well as our memory and cognitive abilities. Additionally, it can lower the chances of developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
Another study confirmed that consistent exercise, such as activities like running or cycling, can improve our memory and stimulate the production of a protein that supports the creation of new brain cells.
6. Consuming Spicy Food May Actually Aid in Weight Loss
If you're attempting to shed some pounds, you've probably encountered all kinds of advice. From drinking warm water before bed to bizarre rituals, the validity of these claims often depends on the source—some of them seem too ridiculous to take seriously.
According to scientific studies, one of these ideas actually holds some truth and could work: consuming spicy food. Researchers from the University of Wyoming conducted an experiment in which they isolated capsaicin, a compound found in chilies, and administered it to mice. When the rodents' fat intake increased, they were unable to gain weight as long as the capsaicin was present in their system.
When you eat spicy foods, especially those containing chilies, the capsaicin speeds up your metabolism and induces thermogenesis—essentially the process of generating heat in the body. In a way, it follows the logic of old folk remedies, which claim that spicy foods can burn fat, but now this concept is backed by credible scientific research instead of mere word-of-mouth.
5. Garlic Can Relieve Toothaches (And Offer Many Other Benefits)
A toothache can be incredibly frustrating—not only because of the pain, but also because it might mean a dreaded visit to the dentist, which could bring even more discomfort. If you’ve experienced a toothache in the presence of older individuals, you may have heard the suggestion to “bite a garlic clove” to ease the pain. Although this might seem strange, those who took the advice seriously would have realized that the older generations weren’t just passing on a wild idea.
Research has proven that garlic is indeed effective at alleviating toothaches thanks to its antibacterial properties. Beyond that, garlic offers various other health benefits, such as combating infections, lowering blood glucose levels, and even showing potential anti-tumor effects.
4. You Can Make Up For Lost Sleep on Weekends
When you're in college, you’re bound to hear some odd claims, like, "Wine is alcohol-free," or, "You can stay up all week and recover your sleep on weekends." While we can easily debunk the first statement, the second one does have some truth to it, supported by science, even though it sounds far-fetched.
A study that examined the sleep habits of over 38,000 adults in Sweden found that people who didn’t get enough sleep during the week had a higher risk of mortality, which isn’t exactly surprising. However, the interesting part is that those who made up for lost sleep on weekends had the same mortality risk as those with a regular sleep routine.
That said, it doesn’t mean you can forgo sleep during the week entirely and then try to catch up by sleeping for a full 48 hours on the weekend. Still, it does suggest that college students have a sliver of truth to their late-night habits.
3. The Cold Can Actually Make You Sick
It's a myth we’ve already busted: The cold itself doesn’t make you sick. The phrase 'catching a cold' is misleading; it's actually viruses that cause illness, not low temperatures. That said, we’ve got some news for those who tend to catch the cold and flu more often during winter: The chilly weather does play a role, even though viruses are the primary culprits. In simple terms, it’s more complicated than we thought.
While cold weather doesn’t directly make you sick, flu viruses actually thrive in cooler conditions and low humidity. They also survive longer outside the human body in these conditions, which makes winter the perfect environment for a flu outbreak.
Additionally, our bodies respond differently to freezing temperatures, which can make the common cold even worse. A study found that the immune response in our nasal cavities isn’t as effective in colder temperatures, though we still don’t know the exact reasons for this.
2. Eating a Heavier Dinner Can Make You Gain Weight
If you’re on a weight loss journey, one piece of advice you’ll constantly hear is to eat a light dinner and avoid eating too late at night. At first, it might seem like just another one of those untrustworthy weight loss tips floating around the internet. But, according to science, there’s actually a clear link between when and how much you eat for dinner and the stubborn belly fat.
In a recent study, it was found that individuals who consume over 33 percent of their daily calories in the evening have a significantly higher risk of becoming overweight compared to those who eat their largest meals earlier in the day. Additionally, research indicates that eating a substantial breakfast—or just having breakfast at all, since many people tend to skip it—can help reduce the likelihood of obesity.
1. Monsoons Can Worsen Joint Pain
If you speak to older individuals with arthritis, they will often tell you that their pain intensifies during the monsoon season. Some even claim to predict the shift in seasons solely based on the pain they experience, though doctors have yet to fully explain why. How could weather possibly affect joint pain?
Thanks to scientific advancements, we now understand that it’s not just a matter of aging. Weather conditions indeed have a tangible effect on joint pain, particularly for those suffering from arthritis.
A study revealed that fluctuations in barometric pressure, temperature, and humidity noticeably influence arthritis pain. The more dramatic these changes are, the more intense the pain becomes. These weather conditions are most variable during the monsoon season, which is why there is a spike in arthritis-related medical visits during this period compared to the rest of the year.
