Whether it’s an influencer telling you to drink lemon water lose weight or avoiding microwaves due to claims they strip away essential vitamins, nutritional myths plague social media.
While there’s an endless stream of healthy eating advice on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, not all of it is true, nutritionists warn.
But with hundreds of conflicting opinions, it’s almost impossible to know what we should and shouldn’t eat.
That’s why MailOnline asked experts what they think are the most worrying myths about food made on social media…
The belief that microwaves kill the nutrients in food is not true, according to nutritionists who say it can actually help retain nutrients
Microwaves destroy nutrients
Social media is awash with claims that microwaves strip nutrients from food.
One TikTok from @cleanseclub, which has 258,000 followers, claims that putting your food in the microwave kills “94 percent” of the “nutrients your food contains.”
Another video on the platform from @cooperhealth, which has 3,000 followers, says you’re “better off using a stove or oven” because microwaves remove antioxidants.
But in reality, all cooking methods – such as steaming, roasting or microwaving – break down some nutrients because heat can change their chemical structure.
This is especially true if food is cooked for too long or at a very high temperature.
A TikTok from @cooperhealth, pictured left, says you’re “better off using a stove or oven” and that microwaves cause antioxidants to decrease. Another TikTok from @cleanseclub, pictured right, who has 258.1k followers, claims that microwaving your food kills ’94 percent’ of the ‘nutrients your food contains’
Because they cook food faster, microwaves can preserve vitamins better than other cooking methods, according to Dr. Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian at Aston University in Birmingham.
It means that in theory vitamin C, potassium and magnesium are better preserved in microwaved meals, he said. All three are essential for maintaining heart health, kidney function, and bone and muscle health.
According to a., microwaving is also better at retaining fiber, which is vital for gut health, compared to pressure cooking vegetables study published in Food Chemistry in 2002.
Nightshade vegetables are dangerous
If you’re scrolling through TikTok, you might think tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes are bad for you.
That’s because some wellness bloggers have spread the theory that nightshade vegetables — a family of about 2,500 plants — can cause inflammation and worsen arthritis.
The theory is based on the fact that these vegetables contain lectins – a protein that binds cells together – which are linked to irritable bowel syndrome and arthritis when consumed in large quantities.
One TikTok video from @iamkellytang, a nutrition coach with 11.6K followers, suggests “limiting” or “avoiding” nightshade vegetables if you have arthritis.
She claims that nightshades are “known to cause inflammation in people with joint pain, arthritis and chronic diseases.”
Wellness bloggers say nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes cause inflammation, but they may even support joint health, experts say
Dr. However, Mellor says that nightshade vegetables that are often eaten raw, such as tomatoes and peppers, contain only low levels of lectins.
And many high-protein foods – such as kidney beans – are cooked before consuming, which breaks down lectin.
Meanwhile, nightshade vegetables are also high in vitamin C, which can maintain healthy joints and not worsen arthritis, he says.
Fresh is better than frozen
Although frozen and canned fruits and vegetables last longer and are usually cheaper, many people avoid them because they believe fresh is always best.
One video from self-proclaimed “fat loss expert” @alejandrofts, who has 55.5k followers, suggests that frozen food is “bad” and “terrible for your body.”
But just because something is frozen doesn’t make it any worse than fresh, experts say.
A video from self-proclaimed “fat loss expert” @alejandrofts, who has 55.5k followers, is an example of this belief, as he suggests that frozen foods are “bad” and “terrible for your body.”
Research has shown that frozen vegetables, such as frozen peas, actually lose less vitamin C than vegetables stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
‘Actually, frozen fruit and vegetables can contain higher levels of nutrients,’ says London nutritionist Kim Pearson.
That’s because they are frozen at their peak – right after they are picked – and undergo minimal processing before being frozen, meaning they retain many of their nutrients, Ms Pearson explains.
In contrast, fresh produce can sit in the grocery store for days or weeks after being picked, meaning they may have lost more nutrients by the time they are consumed.
For example, vitamin C levels – considered vital for maintaining healthy skin and bones – can drop by half in just a few days.
Research has shown that frozen vegetables, such as frozen peas, lose less vitamin C than peas stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
‘One study found that after seven days, fresh peas lost 15 percent of their vitamin C when stored in the refrigerator, and 60 percent when stored at room temperature.
‘However, when they were frozen they only lost 10 per cent after 12 months,’ says Ms Pearson.