Is milk really good for your bones? Are all salty snacks unhealthy? Do you need to drink two litres of water per day? These are just some scientific food "facts" that aren't as concrete as you might think. We talked to a group of nutritionists and asked them to share the food myths they find most irritating and explain why people cling to them. Here's what they said.

Sleep is a mysterious process, and that means it's the subject of many untruths and much ill-informed wishful thinking. If you're trying to improve your quality or quantity of sleep, don't fall for these myths and you'll be well on the way.

There's a lot of bad advice, bad science, and bad logic out there — and I'm sorry to report that some of it is probably coming from people you trust. Sharpen your pencils and take a seat — Bullshit Resistance School is in session.

Apple cider vinegar has been a multipurpose folk remedy for decades, touted as a disinfectant, a natural way to replenish skin and hair, and a superfood with all kinds of benefits. Science has backed a few of these purposes, for vinegar in general, but the observable results are pretty meh.

Food contains energy. Exercise requires energy. We feel great when we're full of energy. But are we talking about the same thing in all three sentences? We aren't, so let's clear up the confusion.

Finding clear, definitive facts about healthy exercise can be difficult. The exercise industry is a multi-billion dollar business, built partially on selling gadgets and supplements to people desperate to lose weight or look attractive. Meanwhile, good workout plans and simple truths lurk in the background waiting for their time to shine. All of this results in lots of misinformation about exercise. We're taking some of those commonly-held exercise myths to task, and we have science to back us up. Let's get started.

You're standing on a beach fully clothed, enjoying a nice barbecue when you see someone in the nearby lake flailing. Naturally you spring into action. If you jumped into the water fully clothed, though, you're about to make it a lot harder to save that drowning person - or even yourself.

Somebody once said you shouldn't order fish on Mondays because there are no seafood deliveries on weekends. That person was none other than renowned US chef Anthony Bourdain. He's now back to explain why that isn't something you need to worry about anymore.

American cheese has a bad reputation, especially among foodies and health-conscious folks. (Think the bright yellow stuff at McDonald's.) You might hear claims that it's made of "plastic" or "chemicals," but it turns out the truth is nothing scary. American-style cheese is just cheese mixed with melting salts and ordinary ingredients like milk.

Feeling sick and unhealthy? It's because you eat too many acidic foods that make your body equally acidic and harm your health. Eat more alkaline (opposite of acidic) foods to heal your body! But if our blood pH fluctuated that easily, we'd all be in serious trouble.

Cooking a chicken until its "juices run clear when pricked" is pretty standard poultry advice. However, according to Cook's Illustrated, it's not a very dependable way to tell if your chicken is properly cooked.

Let's start with a quiz: How many senses do you have? Which of the following are magnetic: a tomato, you, paperclips? What are the primary colours of pigments and paints? What region of the tongue is responsible for sensing bitter tastes? What are the states of matter?

You crave it in the morning, you wait in long lines for it and I'm drinking it while I write this: Coffee is everywhere. But that means misinformation about it is everywhere too. Coffee doesn't rob you of water, sober you up or keep your children short, so let's grind up these myths and brew a hot pot of truth.

It turns out that, despite the noise, it's perfectly fine to yank up on your handbrake without pushing the button. Here's why.

My high school sport teacher used to tell me to stretch before my workouts to prevent injury. You've probably heard the same and other fitness advice: "Be sure to change your running shoes every six months." "No pain, no gain." "You sweat out toxins." But is there truth to them? Eh, it's a stretch.

You've probably heard that it's not a good idea to cook acidic foods like tomato sauces, wine sauces or chillies in cast iron because the iron could leach into the food and add a bitter, metallic taste. Well, America's Test Kitchen put that theory (and some others) to the test, and the bottom line? It's fine.

Misinformation is everywhere online, and it's easy to accept and fall for if you don't make an effort to challenge your own beliefs from time to time. Playing your own devil's advocate can help.

It's a stereotype, but many of us have made the assumption that scientists are a bit rigid and less artistic than others. Artists, on the other hand, are often seen as being less rational than the rest of us. Sometimes described as the left side of the brain versus the right side — or simply logical thinking versus artistic creativity — the two are often seen as polar opposites.

You may not want to swallow your chewing gum, but if you did, it wouldn't kill you. It wouldn't stay in your stomach for seven years, either. The dangers of swallowing your gum have been greatly exaggerated.