Buzz
Food is a perennial favorite topic on Mytour, with facts and myths drawing even greater attention. This list delves into ten captivating truths or widespread misunderstandings about food, many of which will likely be eye-opening for most readers. While some points may stir debate, the aim is to foster respectful and insightful discussions. If you know of any other intriguing food-related myths, don’t hesitate to share them. The acclaimed book “Modernist Cuisine” Book 1 History and Fundamentals served as a key reference for much of the research behind this list. It’s a must-read for anyone passionate about the science behind cooking and eating.
10. Diet Trends
Misconception: Being overweight means you must shed pounds
There’s no magical food combination, avoidance of specific foods, increased intake of certain items, or special diet plan (no matter how unusual) that will lead to weight loss. The only effective way to shed pounds is by consuming fewer calories than you burn through daily activities. For instance, if you burn 7,000 kilojoules daily, you need to match that intake to maintain your weight. To lose weight, reduce your intake by about a thousand kilojoules daily. The source of your calories—whether chocolate, salad, fat, sugar, or beans—doesn’t matter. Fad diets succeed because they motivate people to eat fewer calories than they burn. Diets like Atkins, which focus on high-protein intake, work similarly—rich foods like cream and fatty meats limit how much you can eat. The ideal diet, one you can sustain for life, involves moderation. It’s not about what you eat but how much.
Fun fact: Robert Atkins, the creator of the Atkins Diet, passed away at 72 after slipping on ice during a snowstorm in New York, resulting in head injuries.
9. Alcohol Evaporation in Cooking
Misconception: Cooking or flambéing eliminates most alcohol
Occasionally, special events or family gatherings call for elaborate cooking. For most home cooks, this is the perfect opportunity to prepare extravagant dishes that often include generous amounts of alcohol. This is generally considered safe for everyone, including children and those avoiding alcohol, as cooking is believed to remove the alcohol. However, this common belief is misleading. In truth, eliminating alcohol through cooking is far more challenging than most realize. Even flambéing, which involves igniting alcohol in the pan, only reduces the alcohol content by about 25%. For example, if you add a cup of brandy and set it aflame, once the fire subsides, roughly 3/4 of a cup of brandy remains, alcohol included. To completely eliminate alcohol, you’d need to cook it for 2.5 hours with other ingredients, and even then, 5% of the alcohol persists. This might explain some of the more memorable moments on Julia Child’s cooking show.
Fun fact: High doses of alcohol have been linked to an increase in “regrettable” romantic decisions among humans.
8. The Myth of Salt’s Lethality
Misconception: Salt is deadly
Salt is a natural substance that enhances and enriches the flavor of low-salt foods. The human body contains approximately 1% salt, which is continuously lost through processes like urination and sweating. Since salt is vital for our health, we must replenish it through our diet. Consuming excess salt doesn’t lead to dangerously high levels in the body, as our systems efficiently regulate it. Any surplus is simply excreted. While excessive salt intake may pose risks for individuals with certain heart or blood conditions, the average healthy person can consume it liberally without harm. To fatally overdose on salt, one would need to ingest about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. For a 130-pound person, that’s roughly 5 tablespoons—an amount so large that vomiting would likely occur before it could be fully consumed, as salt acts as an emetic.
Fun fact: In ancient Biblical Judaism, salt was mixed with animal sacrifices. This practice originated from Moses in Leviticus 2:13, which states: “Every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.” Salt symbolized wisdom and discretion. [Adapted from one of my earlier lists.]
7. The Myth of Grilled Meat’s Harm
Misconception: Grilled meat is unhealthy
Studies show that rats fed large amounts of well-browned grilled meat have a higher likelihood of developing cancer. However, these findings apply only to rats, as no human studies have confirmed the same outcome. Despite this, the US National Toxicology Program classifies the chemicals (heterocyclic amines) found in grilled meat as “reasonably anticipated” human carcinogens, though the reasoning remains unclear. For example, Tripterygium wilfordii is lethal to rats but is used by humans as an oral contraceptive without adverse effects. Recent research on humans consuming grilled meat found no link to cancer. Humans have been cooking meat for thousands of years and have likely evolved a tolerance to it. After all, when was the last time you saw a rat hosting a barbecue? Humans and rats are different—what harms rats doesn’t necessarily harm humans.
Fun fact: The crispiness of potato chips, breakfast cereals, and crusty bread comes from the same chemicals responsible for the browning effect on grilled meat. Interestingly, these chemicals also act as antioxidants, helping to suppress the bacteria that cause peptic ulcers. And let’s not forget that mouthwatering crust on a perfectly cooked steak…
6. The Truth About Raw Pork
Misconception: Pork and poultry must be cooked at high temperatures to be safe for consumption
The roundworm Trichinella spiralis is the primary reason behind the global push to cook pork to 71°C (160°F), well beyond the well-done stage. For decades, governments worldwide have insisted this is the only safe way to consume pork. However, this is another example of science and policy failing to correct outdated guidelines. Between 1997 and 2001, only eight cases of roundworm infection linked to pork were reported in the US, despite the consumption of 32 billion kilograms (70 billion pounds) of pork. Trichinella spiralis infections are among the rarest diseases in modern medicine, and when they do occur, they are neither fatal nor severe and are easily treatable. To prevent such an extremely rare condition, pork is often overcooked, destroying its quality. In reality, pork can be safely eaten at temperatures as low as 55°C (135.5°F), resulting in a juicy, pink cut of meat. Similarly, chicken can be safely consumed rare at 58°C (136°F), as both Trichinella spiralis and salmonella are destroyed at these temperatures. The image above showcases a perfectly cooked medium-rare pork dish.
Fun fact: In Japan, raw chicken sashimi (toriwasa) is a popular dish, often served with a dipping sauce made of mirin, soy, and ginger. Alongside the raw chicken meat, diners also enjoy raw chicken gizzards and hearts.
5. The Vegetarian Myth
Misconception: Humans are naturally vegetarian
This is a common claim often repeated by extreme vegans and some vegetarians, despite its lack of logic. The efforts these individuals make to deny humanity’s natural inclination toward meat-eating can be absurd. Examples include posters depicting Jesus condemning meat consumption (ignoring that his Last Supper, a pivotal Biblical event, featured roasted lamb) and quoting Gandhi’s criticisms of meat-eating (while conveniently overlooking other aspects of his life that might undermine his moral authority). In reality, evidence shows that our ancestors began eating cooked foods at least two million years ago. A Berkeley anthropologist specializing in diet even argues that human evolution depended on meat consumption. According to Katharine Milton, an evolutionary dietician, early humans in Africa couldn’t have obtained enough energy or nutrients from plants alone to develop into the active, social, and intelligent beings we are today. Shrinking forests would have limited access to the nutritious leaves and fruits that forest primates rely on. This theory aligns with recent findings by UC Berkeley professor Tim White, who discovered that early humans were butchering and consuming meat as far back as 2.5 million years ago.
Fun fact: Veganism, which involves abstaining from all animal products, not just meat, was coined in the 1940s by Englishman Donald Watson. A committed vegetarian, he took his dietary principles to an extreme, applying them to every aspect of his life.
4. The Truth About Organic Produce
Fact: Organic foods may carry higher toxicity risks than non-organic options
Wild plants naturally develop sophisticated defenses against pests, often producing mild toxins that deter insects but can harm humans in large quantities. In organic farming, many plants are left untreated, allowing these toxins to accumulate more than in conventionally grown produce. Additionally, organic farming sometimes uses natural pesticides like nicotine infusions, which are toxic to humans even in small doses. In contrast, most synthetic pesticides undergo rigorous safety testing. Loopholes in organic regulations also permit the use of harmful substances like pyrethrum and rotenone, both linked to Parkinson’s disease. Furthermore, many “organic” products, such as organic muffins, contain non-organic ingredients like baking soda, which is chemically processed. Table salt, another common ingredient, is also heavily refined. High-quality organic products often owe their superiority not to being organic but to the care taken by small-scale farmers. Unfortunately, much of today’s organic produce is mass-produced by large corporations, resulting in quality that is often no better—and sometimes more harmful—than non-organic options.
Fun fact: No scientific study has proven that synthetic agricultural chemicals cause harm to consumers of non-organic fruits, vegetables, or meats.
3. The Myth of Forbidden Fats
Misconception: Fat is deadly
This misconception largely stems from misunderstandings about cholesterol’s role in heart disease. HDL (“good” cholesterol) and LDL (“bad” cholesterol) are lipoproteins that carry the same cholesterol; HDL transports cholesterol from tissues to the liver, reducing its presence in the bloodstream, while LDL delivers cholesterol to areas of the body that require it. Confusion between these lipoproteins has led to flawed studies on dietary cholesterol and fat. Research shows that high-fat diets increase overall cholesterol levels, leading many to assume that high fat equals high cholesterol and, consequently, a higher risk of heart disease. However, more detailed studies reveal that high-fat diets significantly boost the ratio of “good” cholesterol to “bad,” which, according to scientific consensus, should lower heart disease risk—though this is rarely acknowledged. Recent randomized controlled trials found that reducing total or saturated fat intake over several years does not decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, or other cardiovascular issues. In short, high-fat diets, like those common in France, likely have no adverse health effects.
Fun fact: Government guidelines and widespread anti-fat campaigns from the 1970s onward have reduced average fat consumption by over 10% per person annually. Interestingly, obesity rates have risen by approximately 10% during the same period. This suggests that low-fat diets may leave people feeling less satisfied, leading to overconsumption of low-fat but calorie-dense foods.
2. The Truth About Chinese Restaurant Syndrome
Fact: MSG is a daily part of your diet
Reflect on what you’ve eaten today. Did any of these items make it onto your plate?
* Packaged snacks (like chips, Doritos, or Cheetos) * Meat * Plant-based proteins (such as beans) * Mushrooms * Tomatoes * Soy sauce * Cheese (particularly hard varieties) * Wheat-based products (for instance, bread)
All the foods listed above, along with countless others, contain significant amounts of MSG. While processed foods have MSG added, the rest naturally contain it. By now, most Mytour readers should be aware that Chinese Restaurant Syndrome is a myth, possibly perpetuated unintentionally by well-meaning individuals. Yet, millions still blame MSG for their ailments, with entire websites dedicated to helping “MSG-sensitive” people avoid it. Let’s set the record straight: MSG is naturally present in many foods, and no study has ever provided even the slightest evidence that it’s harmful, whether naturally occurring or extracted. Parmesan cheese, for example, has the second-highest MSG concentration, followed by sun-dried tomatoes and tomato paste. As food critic Jeffrey Steingarten famously asked, why have we never heard of “Parmesan headaches” or “Tomato-Paste Syndrome”? Fun fact: KFC’s chicken coating isn’t made of 11 secret herbs and spices—it’s just flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and MSG. Now you know the secret behind its irresistible flavor.
Fun fact: On average, Europeans and Americans consume about 1 gram of naturally occurring MSG daily from their diets.
1. The Truth About Fiber Benefits
Misconception: A high-fiber diet lowers cancer risk
Dr. Denis Burkitt, who spent years in Kenya and Uganda studying local diets, led much of the Western world to believe that high fiber intake prevents cancer. Unfortunately, this belief is based on a logical fallacy—post hoc ergo propter hoc (coincidental correlation). Dr. Burkitt observed low rates of colorectal cancer in these regions and linked it to their high-fiber diets. However, his groundbreaking research, which inspired companies like Kellogg’s and Sanitarium (owned by the Seventh-Day-Adventists), was flawed. These companies capitalized on the financial potential of promoting high-fiber diets. Scientific studies, often funded by such organizations, have largely remained silent or inconclusive. However, independent research, like the Women’s Health Initiative, found that low-fat, high-fiber diets actually increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 8%. This raises serious questions about the validity of high-fiber health claims.
Fun fact: When studies began debunking Burkitt’s fiber-cancer link, new claims emerged—this time suggesting high fiber reduces heart disease and diabetes risks. These assertions, largely promoted by Seventh-Day-Adventist companies, lack credible scientific support but continue to drive their lucrative health food business.
