This is good, that is bad, don’t have that after sunset, sleep with your head in that direction – when it comes to health, the list of directives just goes on and on! But what is true and what is not quite? Take this quiz to find out.

There’s so much health information we’re constantly exposed to that it becomes hard to distinguish facts from what are clearly myths. Take this simple quiz to test how well you know your health facts from myths. Ready? Get, set, go!

Fact or myth? All carbs are bad

Myth! No food group is all bad. And carbohydrates have really been unnecessarily vilified over the past few years as the main culprits of weight gain. Furthermore, it’s important to distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbs (like white rice) convert to sugar faster and most nutritionists recommend complex carbohydrates (like whole wheat) instead. But cutting out carbohydrates completely is something no health expert will ever ask you to do.

Fact or myth? Microwave reheating kills nutrients

Myth again! Studies have shown that it’s only when you cook food at a very high temperature for a very long time, or if you use a lot of water to cook it that it loses nutrients. Going by that logic, microwave cooking, in a reasonable amount of water is actually a great way of conserving the nutrients.

Fact or myth? Men can also get osteoporosis

That’s a fact. And an important one at that. According to the World Health Organisation, In India, 1 in 8 males and 1 in 3 females suffer from osteoporosis. Which means that while it’s more prevalent amongst women, men are by no means immune to this disease that’s affecting more and more Indians every year.

Fact or myth? You should starve if you have diarrhoea

This one is a myth. When you have diarrhoea or loose motions, your body is already losing a lot of fluids. This makes it imperative for you to replenish those fluids by drinking a lot of water, juices, buttermilk etc. You may want to eat light but definitely do not starve yourself completely.

Fact or myth? Brushing twice a day is not enough for dental hygiene

Fact. Ask your dentist and he or she will probably ask you to also floss, and use a tongue cleaner along with morning and night brushing. What you can skip on, according to most experts, is the mouthwash. Because while it does have some benefits like giving you fresh breath and protection from plaque, it can never replace teeth brushing.

BDST: 1855 HRS, MAY-20, 2014