There are numerous misconceptions, myths and false health claims made for many of the beverages we consume. On the other hand, some are actually true. Here is part two – eight claims clarified, verified or debunked.
1) Most fruit juices contain almost the same amount of
sugar as Coca Cola. FACT
“When it
comes to choosing between sodas and juices in the beverage aisle, the juice
industry has long benefited from a health halo. We know that juice comes from
fruit, while soda is artificial. In particular, the sugars in juice seem more
‘natural’ than high fructose corn syrup — the main sweetener in so many sodas.
After all, we've gotten rid of most of the soda we used to offer kids at
school, but we still serve them lots of juice.
“But a study published online in June in the journal Nutrition shows that on average, fruit juice has a fructose concentration of about 45.5 grams per liter, only a bit less than the average of 50 grams per liter for sodas. The sneakiest — and sweetest — juice is Minute Maid 100 percent apple, with nearly 66 grams of fructose per liter. That's more than the 62.5 grams per liter in Coca-Cola and the 61 grams per liter in Dr Pepper.”
2) Drink milk for stronger bones. MYTH
“Clinical
research shows that dairy products have little or no benefit for bones. A 2005
review published in Pediatrics showed
that milk consumption does not improve bone integrity in children. In a more
recent study, researchers tracked the diets, physical activity, and stress
fracture incidences of adolescent girls for seven years, and concluded that
dairy products and calcium do not prevent stress fractures in adolescent girls.
Similarly, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which followed more than 72,000
women for 18 years, showed no protective effect of increased milk consumption
on fracture risk.”
3) Breast cancer patients should avoid soy milk. FACT
“Don't shy
away from including soy milk in your diet out of a fear of soy -- the
University of Maryland Medical Center notes that soy foods are safe for most
people. The exceptions are those who have soy allergies and recent breast
cancer patients. Because soy products, including soy milk, contain chemicals
similar in structure to estrogen, a diet rich in soy might pose a health risk
if you've recently had breast cancer, which is sometimes sensitive to estrogen.
As a result, further research is needed to determine soy's safety after breast
cancer.”
4) Green tea
reduces the risk of certain cancers. PENDING
“More than
50 epidemiologic studies of the association between tea consumption and cancer
risk have been published since 2006. The results of these studies have often
been inconsistent, but some have linked tea consumption to reduced risks of
cancers of the colon, breast, ovary, prostate, and lung. The inconsistent
results may be due to variables such as differences in tea preparation and
consumption, the types of tea studied (green, black, or both), the methods of
tea production, the bioavailability of tea compounds, genetic variation in how
people respond to tea consumption, the concomitant use of tobacco and alcohol,
and other lifestyle factors that may influence a person’s risk of developing
cancer, such as physical activity or weight status.”
5) Green tea is an effective mouthwash. FACT
“An
increasing number of people all around the world are turning to the nature by
using the natural herbal products in both prophylaxes and treatment of
different diseases. Green tea with active chemical ingredients posses diverse
pharmacological properties that include anti-inflammatory, anticariogenic,
antioxidant and antibacterial effects ….. This study supports the effectiveness
of local application of green tea as antibacterial and anticariogenic material
as it decreases the acidity of the saliva and plaque, so it is a cost-effective
prevention measure, especially in developing countries.”
6) Coconut water
is the cool new exciting super-drink. MYTH
7) Wheatgrass drinks contain proven anti-cancer
properties. PENDING
“A wide
range of health benefits have been attributed to wheatgrass, the young grass of
the common wheat plant Triticum aestivum. Its components include chlorophyll,
flavonoids, and vitamins C and E. Forms of wheatgrass include fresh juice,
frozen juice, tablets, and powders, with compositions varying according to
their production processes, as well as to the growing conditions of the
wheatgrass. Laboratory in vitro studies, mostly using the fermented wheat germ
extract, have demonstrated anti-cancer potential and have identified apoptosis
as a possible mechanism ….. However, all the trials were small and a number of
methodological problems arose. No adverse events of wheatgrass have been
reported, although some forms pose problems of tolerability. The popularity of
wheatgrass continues to grow. Nevertheless, the advantages seen in the clinical
trials need to be proved in larger studies before clinical recommendations for
the public can be given.”
8) The antioxidant resveratrol in red wine helps to
reduce the chances of getting heart disease and certain cancers. MYTH
“Resveratrol
is a polyphenol, part of the good-for-you family of antioxidants that fight
cellular aging and tamp down inflammation. Antioxidants have been touted as
critical allies in the body’s battle against aging and disease, and
replenishing our supply of them with antioxidant-rich foods like wine,
chocolate, nuts and berries has become standard nutritional advice. But can you
really get these benefits from simply drinking red wine now and again?
Researchers studying a group of 768 men and women in the Chianti region of
Italy shows that wine as a source of resveratrol may not be such a help when it
comes to avoiding heart disease, cancer and early death.
“Because few
people in the Chianti region take supplements, the study’s lead author, Dr.
Richard Semba of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine says the
population provided a good way to study exactly what effect average amounts of
resveratrol, found in a typical western diet, could have on health. ‘We
expected to find at least something. But in regard to every single outcome, the
results were negative,’ he says of the findings published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Regardless of
how much resveratrol, measured by its breakdown product in the urine the
participants had, their rates of heart disease, cancer, and early death were
the same.”
Related Posts
Adulterated
& Misbranded: Shameless Fruit Juice Fraud
http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2017/01/adulterated-misbranded-shameless-fruit.html
Assessing 8
Beverage Myths, Truths & Fibs http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2017/03/assessing-8-beverage-myths-truths-fibs.html
Confronting The Global Soda Marketing Machine http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2016/01/confronting-global-soda-marketing.html
Detox Diets & Cleanses: Murky Claims That Need A
Scrubbing http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2015/04/detox-cleanses..html
Bottled Water Rip
Offs: 4 Misleading Water Additives Your Body Doesn’t Use http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2014/06/bottled-water-rip-offs.html
Energy Drinks:
Dangers & Hyper-Caffeinated Comparison Chart http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2013/05/energy-drinks-risks-hyper-caffeinated.html
Photo: https://media.mnn.com/assets/images/2014/05/coconut%20water%202.jpg.653x0_q80_crop-smart.jpg
Jerry De Luca is a Christian freelance writer who loves perusing dozens of interesting and informative publications. When he finds any useful info he summarizes it, taking the main points, and creates a (hopefully) helpful blog post.
We all need to consume fluids several times per day. Thanks for the important research that detangles health benefits of available beverages.
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