Charlyn Fargo, Copley News Service

While the emphasis on low-carb diets has waned, some of the myths surrounding carbohydrates continue. Prevention magazine recently dispelled a few of the myths, such as white potatoes don't make you fat and carrots are not full of sugar. Here's why:

1. Myth: White potatoes make you fat. The fact is one medium baked potato has only 161 calories and 4 grams of fibre. Prevention magazine says that a chilled, cooked potato is packed with resistant starch, a fibrous substance that can help you lose weight. They also fight disease and help maintain healthy blood pressure.

2. Myth: Iceberg lettuce has no nutrients. Just one cup of shredded iceberg lettuce gives nearly 20 per cent of the daily dose of vitamin K, a nutrient many women don't get enough. Iceberg lettuce also is a good source of vitamin A, needed to keep vision sharp.

3. Myth: Carrots are loaded with sugar. In reality, a cup of chopped raw carrots has 52 calories and 12 grams of carbohydrates. Only half the carbs are from natural sugar - the rest are heart-healthy fibre and complex carbohydrates. That's fewer than you get in a cup of milk or a medium-size piece of fruit. And the sugar in carrots comes packaged with vitamins, minerals and fibre.

4. Myth: Celery is just water. Actually, the crunchy vegetable contains pthalides, rare compounds that lower blood pressure by relaxing artery walls and apigenin, a potent phytochemical that protects against cancer.

5. Myth: : Corn is nothing more than carbs. It's true that corn has carbohydrates, but they are the best kind - high quality complex carbs. Corn does double duty as a veggie and a whole grain, and is loaded with fibre (one ear has 15 per cent of the fibre needed in a day). Corn kernels also have heart-healthy folate, a B-vitamin that keeps blood levels of homocysteine in check.