Myths you learned in health class
541,586 Views
20,312 Questions Answered
Best of Web
Let’s Begin…
Remember learning about the food pyramid in health class? As it turns out, it was based on a lot of misinformation about nutrition. The Atlantic explores the source of some of the lasting myths about healthy foods and fitness and the new science shaping health class today.
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Watch these recommended TED-Ed Lessons
How the food you eat affects your brain
When it comes to what you bite, chew and swallow, your choices have a direct and long-lasting effect on the most powerful organ in your body: your brain. So which foods cause you to feel so tired after lunch? Or so restless at night? Mia Nacamulli takes you into the brain to find out.
Sugar: Hiding in plain sight
While sugar is easy to spot in candy, soft drinks and ice cream, it also hides out in foods you might not expect -- including peanut butter, pasta sauce and even bologna! Robert Lustig decodes confusing labels and sugar's many aliases to help determine just how much of that sweet carbohydrate makes its way into our diets.
Additional references
These 3 food myths could be hurting your health, according to a Stanford nutrition professor - Fortune
Christopher Gardner, a nutrition professor at Stanford University and a long-time vegetarian, debunks common misconceptions about healthy eating.
12 food and nutrition myths challenged - HuffPost
Bone broth is the ultimate soup du jour! Lemon water can help you detoxify and lose weight! Herbal teas help rid our bodies of toxins naturally! There's no shortage of exaggerated health claims and healthy eating advice on the internet. But can any of these health claims be believed or should they all be taken with a grain of salt?
How the food you eat affects your brain
When it comes to what you bite, chew and swallow, your choices have a direct and long-lasting effect on the most powerful organ in your body: your brain. So which foods cause you to feel so tired after lunch? Or so restless at night? Mia Nacamulli takes you into the brain to find out.
Sugar: Hiding in plain sight
While sugar is easy to spot in candy, soft drinks and ice cream, it also hides out in foods you might not expect -- including peanut butter, pasta sauce and even bologna! Robert Lustig decodes confusing labels and sugar's many aliases to help determine just how much of that sweet carbohydrate makes its way into our diets.
Additional references
These 3 food myths could be hurting your health, according to a Stanford nutrition professor - Fortune
Christopher Gardner, a nutrition professor at Stanford University and a long-time vegetarian, debunks common misconceptions about healthy eating.
12 food and nutrition myths challenged - HuffPost
Bone broth is the ultimate soup du jour! Lemon water can help you detoxify and lose weight! Herbal teas help rid our bodies of toxins naturally! There's no shortage of exaggerated health claims and healthy eating advice on the internet. But can any of these health claims be believed or should they all be taken with a grain of salt?
About TED-Ed Best of Web
TED-Ed Best of Web are exceptional, user-created lessons that are carefully selected by volunteer teachers and TED-Ed staff.
Meet The Creators
- Video created by The Atlantic
- Lesson Plan created by Cynthia Silva
