6 common diet anxieties
Eating
habits that you suspect may not be right but still carry on with anyway.
1. Can I
drink diet soda every day?
A can or
two isn't likely to hurt you. There's no credible evidence that the artificial
sweeteners and chemicals in these cause cancer. But diet soda is not a health
drink, although it saves you calories. One soda a day-regular or diet-increases
your risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Go for fruit juice or skimmed milk.
Or sip water through the day, with a squirt of lemon added for variety.
2. Are
chicken eggs good or bad for cholesterol?
If you are
healthy, the recommended dietary cholesterol limit is about 300 mg a day (200
mg if you have heart disease, diabetes or high blood cholesterol). One large
egg has about 213 mg of cholesterol-all in the yolk. So it's perfectly fine if
you eat an egg on a given day and limit other sources of cholesterol for the
rest of the day. If you like eggs but don't want the extra cholesterol, use
only the whites. They contain no cholesterol.
3. Is
coffee good or bad for me?
Coffee
doesn't seem to hurt and actually may help. No, it doesn't raise cancer or
heart attack risk if consumed in moderation (no more than two cups a day). Four
to seven cups a day, however, can cause restlessness, anxiety, irritability,
sleeplessness and headaches. Coffee is believed to protect against Parkinson's
disease, type 2 diabetes and liver cancer.
4. Is
microwaving food in plastic containers harmful?
Although
stories have circulated for years that microwaving plastic food containers or
wraps causes them to release cancer-causing dioxins, this isn't thought to be
true. Still, it's important to follow general safety guidelines: use containers
or wraps labelled as "microwave-safe"; don't use carryout tubs, or
paper or plastic grocery bags.
5. Does drinking
water during or after a meal disturb digestion?
No. Water
doesn't dilute the digestive juices or interfere with digestion. In fact,
drinking water during or after a meal can actually improve digestion. It helps
break down the food in your stomach and keeps your digestive system on track.
6. How
long can I safely keep leftovers in the fridge?
Eat
refrigerated leftovers within four days to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
For food safety, never allow perishable foods (meat, poultry, fish, dairy products
and eggs) to sit more than two hours at room temperature. Your goal should be
to minimise the time a food item is in the 'danger zone'(between 4 deg C and 60
deg C) when bacteria can multiply. Before eating leftovers, reheat them
thoroughly. Cover foods with a lid or a microwave-safe plastic wrap to hold in
moisture and provide safe, even heating.
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