Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [nutrition]

Use this tag for claims regarding the way we eat, and the effects eating has on our bodies.

Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary (in the form of food) to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthful diet.

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Does one out of every hundred peanuts produced end up in Peanut M&Ms?

This morning at 8:30 AM on the Power 96.1 radio station in Atlanta, Georgia, I heard a radio ad for M&M in which it was claimed that one out of every one hundred (1/100) peanuts ends up in Peanut M&Ms. Is there any data behind this assertion or was…
called2voyage
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Does storing ground coffee in the fridge preserve its flavor better?

I'm Italian and, as you know, we make a big deal out of coffee. I found some people to be very much convinced that ground coffee preserves its taste better when stored in the fridge. On the other hand, there's a whole lot of other people claiming…
Gabriele Petronella
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Is drinking a soda as bad or more harmful than smoking a cigarette?

The claim is easy to find on google, but here are a few specific examples (emphasis added): Soda, which is loaded with sugar primarily in the form of high fructose corn syrup, is a leading contributor to the rising rates of obesity, diabetes, heart…
Flimzy
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Does honey with warm water and lemon reduce tummy fat?

There is a common belief that one can reduce tummy fat by drinking honey and lemon juice mixed in warm water the first thing in the morning. This questionable website, for example, makes this claim without citing research: Fasting on honey and…
Dheeraj Vepakomma
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Does eating greasy foods 'help soak up alcohol'?

I've heard that eating greasy foods while drinking or while hungover is good because it helps 'soak up the alcohol'. This is common advice it seems while drinking. Is there any truth to it?
GBa
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Does eating too much candy make your teeth rot?

This is something I remember hearing pretty often as a kid. Specifically, that you shouldn't eat too much candy or it will give you tooth decay. Is this the case? Does eating a lot of candy make your teeth decay? Or is it a lack of proper dental…
TheEnigmaMachine
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Does the digestion of some foods burn more calories than it supplies?

Calories in food is a measurement of the amount of energy it will provide to the body. I've heard that eating some foods actually make you USE more calories than you consume. Do any foods actually contain less calories than it takes to chew and…
n0pe
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Is food becoming less nutritious because of depletion of soil minerals and nutrients?

Over and over, I have heard and read claims that the soil growing much of the planet's crops is "depleted" and thus our foods do not have sufficient minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. Five examples of such…
RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket
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Does taking whey protein make you gain muscle?

See the following claim, for example: What are the reasons I should supplement with whey protein? To build muscle mass To speed recovery time Reduce injuries related to working out Maintain a healthy and fit body Feel better during your workouts …
GBa
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Are small and frequent meals better for health?

I have heard this argument time and again. Human race started off as hunters. At that time, finding food by hunting was not an easy task, and was not always successful. Couple this with the absence of refrigeration and other preservation…
CMR
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Insects as food: Is it feasible for humans to replace traditional "livestock" meat with insects?

I have heard of some benefits of insects as food, but are there any drawbacks? I've never heard of a human culture whose primary protein intake came exclusively from insects. Would someone converting to an insect-only diet need to supplement their…
Dogmafrog
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Does cows' milk contain blood?

Someone in my Twitter feed said today: TIL starbucks put ground up insects in stuff, and milk has blood in it. The ground up insects part is true for now, but I'm not sure about the blood-in-milk one. It sounds half-way plausible, considering…
Andrew Grimm
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Is it okay to eat food that has been through airport x-ray scanners

I took 4 flights last week, and my chocolate was scanned 4 times in the baggage scanner. Is it safe to eat that?
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Is drinking milk after ingesting persimmon dangerous?

I've heard growing up that you should not ingest persimmon and milk at the same time or ingest one right after the other. Is this true? See Quora Is it true after eating persimmon you should avoid drinking yogurt or eating papaya otherwise you will…
user289602
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Will eating a lot of junk food shorten your life expectancy?

I just ate an entire medium pepperoni pizza for dinner and my roommate started lecturing me on how I'm gonna die in my 30s. Does eating fatty and sugary foods make your life any shorter?
user1844
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