Is it True? Debunking the Top 10 Rumors

There are countless rumors and misconceptions floating around the internet and sometimes it is hard to separate fact from fiction. With social media being one of the main resources for distributing these stories, it can often be difficult to know what is true and what isn’t. In this article, we will be debunking the top 10 rumors that have circulated around the internet.

The Top 10 Rumors:

1. Eating before bed causes weight gain

Many people believe that if you eat before bed, you automatically gain weight. However, this is not entirely true. It is all about the type of food you consume before going to sleep. If you are consuming a lot of sugary or high-calorie foods, then yes, you will probably gain weight. But, if you eat a healthy snack, such as fruit or a small amount of vegetables, then you will not gain weight.

2. You only use 10% of your brain

This rumor has been around for a while and movies like “Lucy” have only added fuel to this fire. But, in truth, you actually use 100% of your brain. Different parts of the brain are active at different times, depending on what task you are performing, but that does not mean that only 10% of your brain is being used.

3. Vaccines cause autism

This myth has been debunked time and time again, but there are still some people who believe it. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to suggest that vaccines cause autism. This belief stems from a study that has since been retracted and discredited for unscientific practices.

4. Carrots improve your eyesight

Although carrots are a great source of beta-carotene which gets converted by the body into Vitamin A, they do not necessarily improve your eyesight. However, a Vitamin-A deficiency can cause blindness and carrots help prevent that. But, lutein and zeaxanthin are the nutrients that are recommended for better eyesight as they are found in high quantities in our eyes.

5. Drinking cranberry juice cures a UTI

This rumor has been circulating for years and although cranberry juice can help prevent UTIs from happening in the first place, it is not an effective treatment for an already existing infection. If you think you have a UTI, it is crucial you see a doctor to get the proper medication to cure it. They will also use antibiotics that might reduce the possibility of having UTIs in the future.

6. The five-second rule

The five-second rule is a commonly held belief that states that it is okay to eat food that has been dropped on the floor as long as it has been there for five seconds or less. This could not be further from the truth, as food becomes contaminated the moment it touches the floor. While it might not hurt sometimes, it is better not to risk it.

7. We swallow eight spiders a year while we sleep

This rumor is just absurd, and it is hard to understand how it acquired the notoriety that it has. Spiders have no interest in entering your mouth, In fact, this fear stems more from nightmares by arachnophobics. Since spider sizes cannot be decisive, but the likelihood of us swallowing them is close to zero.

8. Sugar makes you hyperactive

Contrary to popular belief, sugar does not make you hyperactive. This rumor has been around for a while, with many people pushing it from anecdotal experiences. Many studies have shown that sugar does not cause hyperactivity disturbance or ADHD . It is often believed that there’s a connection between junk food that has several ingredients and when consumed more, it can cause an increase in human body recovery time, rather than sugar alone creating hyperactivity issues.

9. Contact lenses can get lost behind your eye

This one seems like something from a horror film, but it is not possible. The conjunctiva (loose protective membrane of the eyeballs) prevents this from occurring. If it accidentally goes out of place, it can be easily removed by an eye specialist. Plus, due to the curvature of the eye, contact lenses would not slip inside.

10. Drinking alcohol kills brain cells

This has been a popular belief for a long time but it is not entirely true. Alcohol is not good for you but when consumed in moderation, it is not going to kill brain cells either. High levels of alcohol consumption can lead to alcohol-related illness such as nerve damage but not having an adverse effect on brain cells unless a person drinks to the point of causing significant harm long before they risk doing so due to brain worries.

Conclusion

While it is so important that we are informed and educated, there is no doubt that some rumors can be entertaining even while being entirely inaccurate. It is essential, as responsible media users, that we follow good information ethics and fact-check information before absolutely calling it a truth. Now, with these top 10 rumors finally debunked, we hope that you would begin to take any story-based assumptions, especially viral stories, with more rational reluctance in the days to come.