6 Summer Food Myths…Busted

If you pass on mayonnaise-heavy salads at the backyard barbecue and worry about leaving your plastic water bottle in the sun, relax. Here’s the straight scoop on staying healthy when it’s hot out.

I found this article in EveryDay with Rachael Ray (written by Adam Bible) and  I have to admit:

I believed several of these “myths” were actually true….

Myth: MAYO-BASED SALADS LEFT UNREFRIGERATED CAN MAKE YOU SICK.

BUSTED….Much-maligned mayo is very safe for two reasons: It’s pasteurized at the factory and it’s full of acid, which creates an environment that stops harmful bacteria from growing. Queasy from the potato salad? Blame the spuds: Like any other non-acidic food, they’re more attractive to bacteria growth when left out, says Robert Buchanan, Ph.D., director of the Center for Food Safety and Security Systems at the University of Maryland.

Tammy’s Tip

To help keep potato salad safer when taking it to an outdoor event, make sure you use commercial mayo instead of making it from scratch, make sure your eggs (if using) are fully cooked, let the potatoes cool down before mixing with other ingredients, chill for about 4 hours prior to leaving, keep it covered and out of direct sun light till it’s served and take a larger bowl that you can put ice in and then place the bowl of potato salad in that.

Myth: GRILLED FOODS UP YOUR CANCER RISK.

BUSTED….Grilled food is safe; it’s charring you should avoid-that black, ashy layer may contain risk-increasing chemicals, says the National Cancer Institute. To nix charring, cook at a lower temp to stop fare-ups, and marinate with antioxidant-rich herbs-research suggests that taking these steps can help fend off the concerning compounds. By the way, the chemicals form only on animal proteins. If you like grilled veggies with dark, crispy bits, have at ‘ em!

Myth: ALL VEGGIE BURGERS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.

BUSTED….You may feel virtuous grilling up a veggie burger instead of a thick beef patty, but not all meatless burgers are created equal. Some are highly processed and packed with salt. Just one patty can have up to 400mg of sodium, which is 25 percent of your daily allowance, says Cynthia Sass, RD. Before you buy, read the label. You wanna see veggies high up in the ingredient list.

Tammy’s Tip

Boca Original Vegan Meatless Burgers only have 70 calories, 13 grams of protein, 280 milligrams of sodium and 0.5 grams of fat and can be found in most grocery stores. Or you can make your own https://www.719woman.com/2012/04/veggie-burgers-with-apple-onion-salad-10-or-less-meal/

Myth: DRINKING HOT TEA ON A BLAZING DAY COOLS YOU OFF BETTER THAN CHUGGING ICE WATER.

BUSTED….This old wives’ tale comes from the theory that hot drinks will help make you sweat, which helps you cool down faster. But ultimately, any physiological changes caused by sipping a hot drink are too small to affect your overall body temperature.

Myth: YOU SHOULD NEVER COOK DIRECTLY ON GERMY PUBLIC GRILLS.

BUSTED….All it takes to protect your precious patties is to build a fire first. Let it burn for about 10 minutes to incinerate any funky bits left by previous grillers. (A charcoal fire reaches about 500 degrees. Most bacteria die at around 165 degrees, says Jenna Anding, Ph.D., nutrition specialist at Texas AgriLife Extension Service.) Then grab a wad of crumpled-up foil with tongs, scrub off the ashes and bring on the burgers!

Tammy’s Tip

You can buy your own portable grill to take with you on outdoor events for as low as  $15.99 at Home Depot.

Myth: WHEN YOU LEAVE PLASTIC  BOTTLES IN THE SUN, CHEMICALS SEEP INTO THE WATER.

BUSTED….The water you buy at most grocery or convenience stores is packaged in bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). According to the FDA, this thin, crinkly plastic won’t leach chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), even if the bottle bakes in the sun. To make sure you’re sipping safely, flip the bottle over. See a 1 in the recycling logo? Drink on. Spy a 7? Pitch it.

Tammy’s Tip

Save money and be green by buying your own travel bottles and filling with water. Make sure they are BPA free and contain the code numbers 1, 2, 4 or 5. Stay away from the numbers 3, 6 or 7.