Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin | in Nanny
Parents tell kids myths about a lot of things. Sometimes it’s because it’s just misinformation that’s been passed down through generations and sometimes parents make things up for convenience sake. Have you ever heard some of these myths about chocolate?
- Eating chocolate can cause spots on your skin or acne – For the longest time this myth has been floating around. Research into the subject has concluded that chocolate is not to blame for flare ups of acne, but several other factors and hormonal imbalances, especially in teens.
- You’ll get a headache – Some parents believe that eating chocolate causes headache pain. So far there is not evidence to substantiate that claim.
- Too much Caffeine – Actually, there is not that much caffeine in chocolate but there is another substance called theobromine which is a close relative of caffeine. Theobromine, also known as xanthose, is not as potent as caffeine and there is no bromine in it.
- Sugar in milk chocolate causes acne – This is a myth as well. Acne is caused by hormones, plugged pores, oily skin and bacteria all working together. Chocolate has nothing to do with it.
- Chocolate makes you fat – Not really. It’s not the chocolate that puts on the fat. However, eat enough candy bars and sit around enough and yes, my child you will gain weight, but it’s not the chocolate that makes you that way.
- Eating chocolate will rot your teeth – The truth is that poor oral hygiene causes tooth decay. Sugars collect on the teeth and in the mouth feeding bacteria which produce acids that weaken tooth enamel. Ironically it seems that there are some ingredients in products made with chocolate that actually slow down the decaying process, but don’t tell the kids!
- Chocolate milk will keep you up – Related to the caffeine myth, some parents believe that chocolate will cause otherwise sleepy children to wake up and become hyper. Such is not the case.
- Chocolate has no nutritional value – Parents who are very concerned about their kid’s nutritional intake may believe this myth to be true. After all something that tastes so good can’t really be all that good for you, right? Well, it turns out that there are some pretty good things in chocolate including magnesium, copper, iron and zinc, all minerals that our bodies need to function well. It also has antioxidants which are important for maintaining healthy blood pressure and improving insulin resistance.
- Eating chocolate will stunt your growth – They said that about coffee and I have a friend who drank coffee as a little girl and grew to be five feet eleven inches and that was before she reached high school. Chocolate won’t stunt your growth any more than coffee.
- Chocolate is really bad for you and only adults can eat it – Parents telling this myth are probably chocoholics and low on supply. I don’t blame them; sometimes there’s only so much to go around. Besides when the kids grow up they can get their own supply!
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