Is a cooked breakfast always unhealthy?

Is 'low fat' always a good thing? And is a cooked breakfast always unhealthy?

There is so much food confusion around that the Food Standard Agency (FSA) has decided to debunk the myths and test the consumers.

Sam Church, nutritionist at the FSA, encouraged people to take the food challenge.

"There have always been myths and old wives' tales about food and healthy eating, but these really shouldn't be taken at face value.

"Information about 'food myths' on the Food Standards Agency's website, challenges some of these popularly held beliefs - you may well be surprised with what you discover."

Here are just some of the myths exploded by the FHSA.

Myth: Having a traditional cooked breakfast in the morning is always unhealthy.

Not so says the FSA. If you grill lean bacon, poach the eggs and include some baked beans, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms cooked without fat and serve it up with thick and crusty bread, then the breakfast can be both healthy and balanced.

Myth: If the label says 'low' or 'reduced' fat the food will always be healthy.

False. Because the fat is replaced by other ingredients the product can end up with either the same or sometimes and even higher calorific content.

Myth: Dried food is not as healthy as fresh fruit.

Wrong again. The daily recommended levels are at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day and it doesn't matter whether these are fresh, frozen, canned dried or juiced (although fruit juice can only be used as a maximum of one portion a day).

Dried fruits like sultanas, currants and raisins, dates and figs provide energy in the form of sugar and are a good source of fibre.

Myth: Vegetarian foods are the healthier option.

False. Some vegetarian dishes contain a lot of fat, whereas red meat can be low in fat if it is lean and all the visible fat has been removed.

Other low-fat options include chicken without the skin and fish if they have been cooked without using too much fat.

Myth: Avocados are not a healthy choice.

Wrong. Avocados contain monounsaturated fat, which has a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels. As part of a healthy diet it is important to reduce the amount of saturated fat eaten and replace it with unsaturated fat, as well as reducing the total amount of fat eaten.

Half an avocado will also count as one of the five fruit and vegetable portions needed each day.

Myth: Most of the salt in our diet is added at the table.

False. Just 10-15% of the salt in our diet is added at the table or when we are cooking. 75% comes from processed food.