Fruit Juice is Good for You? Demolishing That and Other Food Myths

I wrote yesterday about how food corporations are cynically marketing sugar-sweetened foods as "healthy," a totally bogus claim. Well, the New York Times' Room for Debate blog is taking apart that and other food myths, with commentary from a handful of food writers and experts. First, nutrition epidemiologist Barry M. Popkin demolishes the myth that fruit juice and fruit-flavored antioxidant waters are healthy. Fruit juices, he says, have just as much sugar as soda -- you're much better off eating the fruit itself and drinking some water. And antioxidant waters (like Coca-Cola's Vitamin Water) have shown zero health benefit and are full of sugar. Next, hot dog-maker Larry Bain explains why "kosher" does not necessarily mean higher quality. Cathy Erway of the Not Eating Out in New York blog defends pale-colored veggies like cabbage and cauliflower from the "color equals vitamins" maxim. >Brian Wansink of Cornell's Food and Brands Lab explains that we can't really tell when we're full as long as our eyes are receiving food-related stimuli. Josh Ozersky, author of "The Hamburger: A History" makes us think twice about the idea that grass-fed beef is automatically good. David Kamp, Vanity Fair food writer, explains how arugula, often used as a stand-in for "fancy-schmancy" is actually a humble weed from the Mediterranean. [Via New York Times]