In some families, recipes are passed down through the generations like heirlooms. Likewise, old food myths about cooking have been handed down, too. While they may not be cherished, exactly, these age-old beliefs, possibly held by descendants from the distant past, still have the power to perplex and shape our culinary habits. We turned to nutrition experts to demystify some of the most common ones.
Meet Our Expert
Shannon O’Meara, MS, RD, LDN, registered dietitian at Orlando Health, a private, not-for-profit healthcare organization
Related: 8 Old-School Cooking Tricks That Chefs Still Swear By
It Can Be Deadly to Consume Bay Leaves
The bay leaf or bay laurel (botanical name, Laurus nobilis) is a culinary herb derived from the perennial evergreen shrub that belongs to the family laurel (Lauraceae). The whole dry leaves flavor soups, stews, and sauces.
The verdict: “Bay leaves have suffered from a case of mistaken identity due to their striking resemblance to toxic mountain laurel and cherry laurel leaves,” explains Stacey Woodson, MS, RD. While they aren’t poisonous, she says, they do earn their “remove before serving” reputation because they remain rigid during cooking. Stiff, sharp, and pointy, the leaves can scratch, poke, and irritate the digestive tract when eaten and can be a choking hazard.
It’s Dangerous to Eat Watermelon and Drink Alcohol Together
This tale likely stems from ancient dietary theories, including Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which discourages mixing “cold” and “hot” foods, suggesting that the combination can shock the digestive system, causing cramps or even death. Watermelon, which has a high water content (and electrolytes), is considered “cold,” while alcohol is “warming” or “hot” because it increases blood circulation.
The verdict: “Eating watermelon with alcohol is not harmful. On the other hand, the electrolyte benefits from the watermelon need some context,” says Meaghan Ormsby, MS, RDN. Two average watermelon slices deliver roughly 340 mg of potassium and 30 mg of magnesium, comparable to a standard electrolyte packet, she says. “As a natural source, that’s pretty good.” According to the FDA, the daily recommended intake for potassium is 4,700 mg and 420 mg for magnesium. “Heat, humidity, and alcohol all accelerate fluid and electrolyte loss—especially since alcohol suppresses ADH, the hormone that signals your kidneys to retain water,” she says. Watermelon contributes a fraction of the electrolytes needed under such conditions.
Female Bell Peppers Are Sweeter than Male Peppers
According to the myth, male bell peppers have three lobes (or bumps) on their bottom, while female peppers have four or five, more seeds, and a sweeter taste.
The verdict: “Bell peppers don’t have a gender as flowering plants—they contain both male and female parts,” Woodson says. The flowers of peppers, along with tomatoes, eggplants, and many common fruits, are called “perfect,” a botanical term meaning that they have both male (pollen-producing) and female (ovary) parts within the same flower. The number of lobes and seeds is dictated by the variety and growing conditions. “If sweetness is what you’re after, reach for a red, yellow, or orange pepper, as they’ve ripened longer on the vine,” Woodson says.
Salting Beans While Cooking Makes Them Tough
This myth suggests that adding salt to the cooking water prevents dry beans from softening. Its origins likely stem from cooks mistakenly blaming the effects of calcium and magnesium in hard tap water on salted water.
The verdict: “When cooking dry beans, you have to consider a variety of factors like elevation, temperature, bean type, and age,” O’Meara says. Research shows that a baking soda solution has a leg up on salt, resulting in softer beans, since it improves the soaking effect, she says, while a table salt solution helps prevent the beans from bursting open while cooking. For softer, creamier beans, she suggests adding one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water.
Tips
Aromatics, including onions, carrots, garlic, celery, rosemary, sage, and thyme, impart more flavor than salt, while adding acidic foods to the bean pot toughens the skin, she says.
Eating Carrots Improves Eyesight in the Dark
This myth was a ruse spread by the British government during WWII. When the ministry needed to explain how the Royal Air Force (RAF) shot down the enemy in low visibility—without revealing secret advancements in radar technology—it claimed that carrots boosted night vision.
The verdict: Carrots support vision, but they won’t improve vision beyond your baseline—or transmit night-time superpowers. “The beta-carotene in carrots gets converted to vitamin A, a nutrient essential for producing rhodopsin, which is a pigment that supports low-light vision,” Ormsby says. “If your vitamin A levels are already adequate, eating more carrots won’t sharpen your night vision; it simply corrects a deficiency,” Woodson adds.
Chicken Soup Cures the Common Cold
Chicken soup has been championed for its healing properties across continents and centuries. In the 12th century, Maimonides, the Egyptian-Jewish philosopher and physician, prescribed it as a cure for respiratory ailments.
The verdict: “Chicken soup won’t cure your cold, but it’s one of those rare folk remedies where there is a lot of truth to the claim,” Ormsby says. “Chicken soup checks some relevant boxes: the broth contributes to hydration, the steam helps relieve congestion, and the combination of protein from the chicken and vitamins and minerals from the vegetables supports immune function,” she says. O’Meara adds that the vegetables also make it a good source of antioxidants. “Another thing that is common in chicken soup is turmeric, ginger, or garlic, which help reduce inflammation in the body.”
Read the original article on Martha Stewart