[Repost] 14 foods that are overpriced and a waste of money – don’t fall for it anymore!

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1. Grape seed antioxidants: Merchants misrepresent the facts. The grape seeds that are usually discarded are heavily promoted by merchants as having anti-cancer properties, antioxidant effects, and the ability to slow down aging; various products such as \"grape seed oil\" and \"grape seed powder\" are also selling very well. In fact: there are many experimental data showing that grape seed extract can inhibit cancer cells, but the conclusions clearly state that \"in vitro experiments demonstrate its ability to inhibit cancer cells.\" ““In vitro experiments” can only indicate that further research can be conducted on specific cancer cells; at present, there is no evidence to show that grape seed extract can inhibit cancer cells in vivo. 2 Protein powder: Healthy people really don’t need it. These days, there are more and more overweight people, while at the same time, those who are already thin can never gain weight. Skin and bones, with no trace of color in the cheeks at all. Thus, some merchants said that protein should be supplemented. Then, protein powder started to be bought. In fact: a 400-gram can of protein powder costs two to three hundred yuan. Healthy adults require 50 to 70 grams of protein per day, which is approximately 10 grams per kilogram of body weight; these amounts of protein can be fully met through a normal diet. Therefore, healthy people with a normal diet do not need to take additional protein powder. 3 Organic food: It’s just psychological comfort. Whenever you go to a supermarket, there are always people trying to sell you various \"organic vegetables\" and \"organic rice\" – terms that sound premium and healthy. Coupled with the label claiming \"natural and pesticide-free\", it’s extremely attractive. But in fact, “expensive” doesn’t necessarily mean “good”. In fact: Earlier on, consumer associations conducted sample tests on organic foods and green vegetables available on the market, testing for pesticide residues, limits of heavy metal contaminants, as well as physical and chemical parameters. The test results were surprising: these so-called \"organic foods\" and \"green vegetables\", although much more expensive than ordinary vegetables, still had test results that exceeded the **standards**. 4. High-calcium milk: It’s pointless to drink it. When buying milk, people often come across high-calcium milk, which also costs significantly more than regular milk. According to nutritionists, so-called high-calcium milk simply has an additional amount of calcium added artificially during production, which increases the calcium content in the milk. In fact, the calcium in regular milk is in the form of calcium lactate, which has a higher absorption rate, whereas the calcium in high-calcium milk is artificially added as calcium carbonate, and its absorption rate is lower. Drinking high-calcium milk is pointless... regular milk is enough! 5. Fish oil: Eating fish is enough. When Cai Cai was still a girl, she was forced to take fish oil every day; it almost earned her the reputation of being a top student thanks to it. To this day, in all major health supplement counters, fish oil remains the star product. Is it really that good? In fact: since fish oil comes from fish and its purification is not stable, isn’t eating fish a more direct and effective way? The answer is yes. In addition to fish oil, fish also provides high-quality protein as well as trace elements such as vitamins and minerals. The saturated fatty acids in fish are low, which is also excellent for cardiovascular health. 6. Sea cucumbers: Not any better than eggs. As long as you sit in a restaurant, the menu will always have an option featuring sea cucumbers, with various cooking methods that tempt you. More importantly, the boss said that this product has an extremely high protein content~ Since one wants to eat well while also staying healthy, I couldn’t help but place an order for it. But it’s so expensive! In fact, the value of sea cucumbers lies in their protein content; however, although their protein level is high, the quality of that protein isn’t good. Proteins can be classified as high-quality or low-quality, with their quality primarily determined by the rate at which the human body can absorb the amino acids contained in them. Eggs are the food that best matches the body’s amino acid profile, so they are an ideal source of protein. It is better for people to eat two eggs a day, along with some soy products and vegetables, than to consume sea cucumbers; the protein obtained from these latter foods is far superior in both quality and quantity to that from sea cucumbers. Are you blind?~ 7 drinks to cure hangovers: they don’t reduce the harm caused by drunkenness. China has always had a tradition of encouraging people to drink, especially among businesspeople who are constantly engaged in social gatherings and consume plenty of alcohol. As a result, various hangover remedies in pharmacies are selling like hotcakes, with claims that they can prevent one from getting drunk even after drinking a thousand drinks. In fact: hangover remedies are just a gimmick. Their batch numbers indicate that they are not drugs but health supplements; their ingredients are merely those that help protect the liver, and they cannot reduce the effects of drunkenness. The most fundamental way to counteract the effects of alcohol is to drink in moderation. Do not consume more than 100 grams of baijiu per day, and no more than two bottles of beer. Enzyme 8: It becomes inactive as soon as it enters the mouth. Enzymes have become extremely popular in recent years; many manufacturers claim that these products can help with detoxification, beautification, and weight loss, and they have quickly made their way onto the list of health supplements. In fact, “enzyme weight loss” is a complete scam. “\"Enzyme\" is actually a Japanese name, which is what we are familiar with as \"enzyme\". However, the acidity in the stomach is very high, and generally speaking, enzymes find it difficult to survive in such an environment. Additionally, the stomach contains pepsin, which is designed to function in an acidic environment and can break down other enzymes. In the small intestine, proteases are even more aggressive; they tear food proteins as well as enzymes to pieces, rendering them inactive, so eating such food is essentially pointless. 9 Children’s soy sauce: Harmful rather than beneficial. Ads for children’s soy sauce claim that it is a low-salt, mild-flavored soy sauce developed specifically for children’s health; it is suitable for mixing with rice or steaming foods, as it helps to stimulate appetite and provide nutritional benefits. Taking into account the taste preferences of children who are still developing, this soy sauce is rich in 18 types of amino acids, organic acids, carbohydrates, and other nutrients needed by children. In fact: Experts advise that there is no need to use soy sauce as an additional seasoning in children’s diets. The sodium contained in a normal diet is sufficient to meet a child’s physiological needs, and any additional salt is unnecessary. Moreover, the more \"spicy\" one’s diet was during childhood, the harder it is to control salt intake as an adult, increasing the risk of high blood pressure. 10 Stomach-Nourishing Biscuits: Not as good as soda crackers. As the claim that \"mushroom biscuits help nourish the stomach\" becomes more popular, there are increasingly more foods related to mushrooms on the market. When Cai Cai was at the supermarket, she also spent money to buy a large box of them – it’s really expensive! Eat it then; it’s not that tasty, but after all, TV shows say it’s good for the stomach. In reality, from a pharmaceutical perspective, there are regulations regarding its effective dose, main effects, side effects, potential adverse reactions, appropriate users, contraindications, and various forms in which it can be administered. Only when used in accordance with these guidelines can it achieve its therapeutic purpose. The so-called \"stomach-nourishing biscuits\" hardly achieve the stomach-nourishing effects claimed for them. Moreover, soda crackers themselves are great for soothing the stomach. Instead of spending a lot of money on so-called stomach-soothing cookies, it’s better to opt for soda crackers that cost just a few yuan per pack. 11 First-lay eggs: Premium does not equal more nutritious. Known as “first-lay eggs” (i.e., eggs laid within the first month after a chicken starts laying), they are considered to contain the essence of eggs, and people are willing to pay a high price to acquire them. Some manufacturers also claim that eggs laid in the first laying period can promote brain development and strengthen the body, and have high nutritional value, making them particularly suitable for pregnant women, students, and the elderly. In fact, “first eggs” refer to the first batch of eggs laid by a hen within 110 to 130 days; although they are considered valuable, their nutritional value is not much higher than that of ordinary eggs. Moreover, the claim that eggs laid for the first time are good for brain health is not credible either; the nutrients beneficial to brain health are mainly N-3 fatty acids, lecithin, etc., and there is no evidence showing that these substances are present in higher amounts in eggs laid for the first time compared to regular eggs. 12. Black sugar: It’s just dark in color. Menstrual problems have always been a major issue for women, especially in recent years as young women lead increasingly irregular lifestyles. Therefore, brown sugar-based foods are snacks favored by many people, and they have always been promoted as natural and healthy foods with beauty and health benefits. Of course, the price is also higher than that of brown sugar. In fact, Yang Li, a professor at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, said, “Actually, dark sugar is what we call brown sugar, and its effects are no different from those of ordinary brown sugar.” Many people believe that brown sugar has better benefits than other types of sugar. In fact, both brown sugar and red sugar are forms of sucrose; there is no essential difference between them, and their nutritional value and health benefits are the same. 13. Black goji berries: They’re not even as good as eggplants. Last year, during a trip, I was recommended black goji berries. Black goji berries were once referred to as \"soft gold.\" According to manufacturers, they possess universal therapeutic properties, and their price could reach several thousand yuan per kilogram; this even led to thousands of people in Qinghai stealing wild black goji berries... In fact, Wang Yumei, head of the Nutrition Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Tsinghua University, explains that black goji berries simply have a higher content of anthocyanins compared to red goji berries. In fact, everyday purple-black foods such as grapes, eggplants, purple sweet potatoes, and mulberries all contain anthocyanins; using black goji berries to supplement these nutrients is not cost-effective. 14 Propolis: There is no scientific evidence to support its use. Propolis is a gel-like substance produced by bees, which they create by collecting resin from plant buds and adding their own secretions to it. Propolis can also block external invasions by bacteria and other organisms. The ancient peoples of Greece, Rome, Egypt, and other places used it to heal wounds, reduce inflammation, and create mummies. That amazing? It’s effective for the human body too, right? In fact: Merchants saw potential in propolis as a marketing tool – since it can prevent the invasion of bacteria, then properties such as \"antibacterial,\" \"antiviral,\" \"immune-regulating,\" and \"anti-tumor\" effects must also be possible. But in fact, most studies on the effects of propolis have been conducted on animals or cells, with experiments on humans being on a small scale; therefore, it is not considered medically sufficient to draw any conclusions.