Cooking some foods incorrectly can result in you becoming very sick.
New tips appear regularly on how to cook your food and how to know that it is safe to eat. Some families have cooking myths which they swear by and pass down the generations. However not all of them are completely true, reports Birmingham Live.
Wren Kitchens has conducted research in to the most common cooking myths and invited Chef Andrew Dixon, who works at the Cookery School at The Grand, York, to provide his expert knowledge and advice.
Here is what he had to say about five popular myths:
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1. You should drain rice after cooking
According to the research, almost two fifths of Brits (37%) believe that you need to drain rice after cooking it. This myth is popular amongst older Brits, with over half of 65+ believing it.
Chef Dixon agrees with this myth. He said: "Yes definitely, cook your washed rice for 8 minutes on a rolling boil, strain the water, place the dry rice back into the pan off the heat, place a lid on top and leave for 6 minutes."
A third of people (33%) believe that when you can no longer see pink, that chicken is fully cooked. Almost half of 18-24 year olds believed this.
However, Chef Dixon says that a lack of pink does not always mean that the chicken is fully cooked. Instead, people should look for the temperature to ensure that it is fully cooked. He said: "Chicken needs to be cooked to a core temperature of 73 degrees to make sure it is fully cooked."
2. Cooking vegetables removes the nutrients
Another of the most popular myths is that cooking removes nutrients from vegetables, with 32% of Brits believing this to be true. However, Chef Dixon argues that while vegetables do lose some nutrients when cooked, it doesn't mean people should eat them raw.
He said: "Cooking vegetables can actually be beneficial to a healthy diet. When you cook vegetables, it can enhance the absorption of nutrients that are otherwise difficult for your body to process in a raw form."
3. Adding oil to pasta water will prevent pasta sticking
One in three (31%) think that adding oil to pasta water will prevent the pasta from sticking. However, this myth has been debunked by Chef Dixon.
He said: "The secret to cooking perfect pasta is you need a large pan with plenty of salted boiling water. Enough water so the pasta can cook on a rolling boil."
4. Well-done meat is safer to eat
This is one of the most believed myths for Brits aged 35-44 with 29% of them believing that well-done meat is safer to eat. But once again, this myth has been busted by Chef Dixon who says that it all depends on the type and cut of the meat.
He said: "Chicken, turkey, guineafowl, and some game should be eaten well done core temperature of 73 degrees. The core temperature kills dangerous bacteria carried by raw poultry."
He advises that minced burgers and sausages should be eaten well done but you can eat a joint or cut of certain red meats pink. This is because the bacteria is on the outside of the meat and heat kills the bacteria.
5. Milk in scrambled eggs makes them fluffy
A third of people think that adding milk to scrambled eggs will make them fluffier. However, Chef Dixon disagrees with this. He said: "Milk makes scrambled eggs runny and watery."
He suggests that to make eggs fluffy you should actually cook the eggs in a bowl over a bairn marie, rather in a pan. He adds that adding a spoon of crème fraiche will make them light and fluffy.
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