The omega 3 are good for the heart, the soybeans are beneficial for women, we must enrich their diet with iodine and avoid the bad sugars … Many health claims circulating on the content of our plate. How to distinguish true-false?

Obviously, what we eat has an impact on our health. But how do we know precisely what is “good”? To get a clearer picture on the health claims of some manufacturers claims, here are some details from the book of the French Agency for Food Safety “Nutrition and food safety risks.

We need to increase consumption of omega 3?
“True”

Products enriched with Omega 3 have invaded the shelves of supermarkets. And they seem to suddenly become essential to our health. But what is it really? For scientists, the Omega 3 have undeniable virtues against cardiovascular disease. They help to lower blood pressure in hypertensive and triglycerides in people who are in excess. But they have no effect on bad cholesterol. Only flat, all these profits were essentially proven in people with a history of cardiovascular disorders. The benefits among healthy individuals are mainly extrapolations. However, AFSSA said that we consume too little omega 3. Then they should represent 0.8% of our total energy intake, investigations show that they reach 0.1 to 0.4%. Focus on fish oils from rapeseed or fortified foods actually seems inevitable.

We lack iodine
“True”

Iodine is a mineral necessary for the production of thyroid hormones. These are essential during pregnancy (for fetal brain development), in children and adolescents but also adults. Studies have shown that 17% of pregnant women had a deficit in thyroid hormones during late pregnancy and 11% goiter. The risk of default would also be stronger among adolescents and adults. However, the needs of children before 10 years would be largely covered, there is even a risk of excess for children 3 years!

To avoid the shortcomings, we must know that iodine is not in the earth, but in the sea and there are not many food sources of iodine, unless we turn to open sea: fish, seafood … However, eggs and dairy products are good sources, and of course that fortified foods. But for now it is mainly the salt is supplemented with iodine, gold should not abuse the salt … Health officials also plan to change the vector, and systematically enrich breads, crackers and pastries

It must reduce its consumption of sugar
“Wrong”

Paradoxical as it may seem, to fight against the epidemic of obesity, do not eat less sugar instead! We must rebalance our energy intake by replacing fat in our diet with complex carbohydrates (starches). By cons, it is true that we must reduce consumption of simple sugars. For example, soft drinks and other sugary beverages are real enemies of the line: the body does not take into account the contribution of calories in liquid form, which are necessarily too … And we must identify hidden sugars:

* A fruit yogurt = 3 sugars
* One can of soda = 6 sugars
* A chocolate bar = 5 sugar and a teaspoon of oil
* A packet of chocolate biscuits (300g) = 15 to 20 Maple sugar and 3 to 4 tablespoons oil

Soy is good for menopausal women
“Wrong”

Nutrition food risk foods soy and other dietary supplements are booming, especially in postmenopausal women. The reason? This plant contains substances similar to female hormones: the phytoestrogens. What offset the loss of these substances produced by the ovaries? In view of the scientific literature, we can not advise women these soy phytoestrogens. The effect on hot flashes is not conclusively proven. The phytoestrogens had no conclusive effect against osteoporosis either (no decrease in fracture), although they seem to promote bone mineralization. Protection against cancer is also difficult to say .. Only seems proven benefit: improvement of cognitive functions.
And be careful not to mislead you into eating soya shoots white found everywhere, including in a salad or spring rolls … are not! These are mung beans! However, it is much soy in tofu, fermented soy beverage, dessert creams, etc..