There are plenty of facts regarding your everyday food and treats you love. Unfortunately, we generally do not consider food facts while eating our favorite meal. Now, when it comes to our favorite foods, it can be a satisfying sinful pleasure or a healthy meal! Whether nutritious or not, some foods have exciting facts that you would never have imagined or considered. Here are five food facts you may have believed to be real but are food myths.
- The five-second rule when you drop food
You might have known about the “Five-second rule!” in which, after picking up a piece of candy that you dropped on the ground, dusting it off, and popping it in your mouth. But the five-second rule is a dirty myth, as is the 10-second rule: Your misplaced snacks can attract germs quite quickly. In some instances, bacteria can spread to dropped food in less than a second, according to a Rutgers University study.
- Honey expires
You might throw away a plastic bear-shaped honey jug that has been hiding in a pantry corner for years when you find it while cleaning out the pantry. But honey has no expiration date! According to the National Honey Board, it can last for generations when properly maintained in airtight containers. However, you might encounter an expiration date because it could crystallize or lose some of its flavor and fragrance over time.
- It takes seven years to digest gum
You might have heard that you should not ingest gum because it could take seven years to digest. But relax. Gum does not stick to your intestinal tract like it does the bottom of your shoes. Instead, according to the Duke University Health System, the body can digest gum like any other food.
- Figs are fruits
Figs include vitamins and give sweet additions to everything from yogurt to pizza to salads. But the fact is they are not fruit. Instead, according to The Atlantic, they are flowers and seeds that tiny wasps pollinate.
- Carrots are best for your eye health
Growing up, you likely heard eating carrots is good for your eyes. Of course, a variety of vegetables are indeed good for your eyes. But according to Harvard health experts, dark, green, leafy vegetables and fresh fruits have more antioxidant vitamins like C and E and are therefore better for your eyes than carrots.