We’d like to share some nutrition and cooking secrets that are bound to have an influence on your eating habits.

From the time we are young, we hear a lot of information about food and its properties, which has an influence on the way we think. Today we will disprove some beliefs and share some interesting facts that you may not know about food:

1. Kiwis contain more vitamin C than oranges

While an orange contains around 53 mg of this substance per 100 mg, kiwis contain around 93 mg, meaning that kiwis contain 75% more vitamin C than oranges. Remember that vitamin C strengthens the body’s defences, prevents cardiovascular disease and fights free radicals (which are responsible for degenerative diseases like cancer and diabetes).

2. Sardines contain more calcium than milk

A can of sardines contains more calcium than a glass of milk, and that includes sardines in tomato sauce or oil. Canned sardines contain 344 mg of calcium per 100 grams, while a glass of milk contains 124 mg (less than half). Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and its main function is to build bones and teeth. Don’t forget to include sardines in your menu from now on.

3. The highest-protein food is gelatin

There are 84 grams of protein in 100 grams of gelatin. However, not all gelatins are equal. The highest protein type is of animal origin and tends to be used in the kitchen as a thickening agent. However, the most economical and popular type of gelatin comes from sugars, 80% of its content is water and it contains less protein, so it is not something we must have in our diets.

4. The liquid in yoghurt isn’t bad

The liquid on top of the yoghurt that we tend to pour away is not a sign that the product has gone bad, nor is it something we should not ingest. It has almost the same composition as the rest of the dairy product and contains calcium and phosphorus. It forms when the yoghurt rests in the refrigerator and releases fluid and nutrients onto the surface. Next time, don’t pour it away. Just drink it or mix it into the rest of the contents.

5. Vitamins don’t evaporate from juice

Rumour has it that freshly squeezed fruit juice should be drunk quickly because, if not, the vitamins will disappear. However, it isn’t true that vitamins will evaporate and, what’s more, they’ll still be there for up to 12 hours after the oranges have been squeezed. However, it is also true that at extreme temperatures (if we heat them a lot), the nutrients may be lost.

A lot of popular beliefs and falsehoods about food have given us a mistaken idea of things.

This post is also available in: Italian