1. 

   Chocolate gives you acne

Cocoa is not the culprit, but sugar or dairy might be (source: Very Well Health). The concern of breaking out from sugar in chocolate only applies if you eat chocolate without moderation. Dairy products are more likely to cause acne as they can create inflammation and oiliness, which clogs pores.

2. Organic food is pesticide free

According to the blog Pacific Foods, organic doesn’t necessarily mean pesticide free. Many “organic” fruits are sprayed with pesticides that have organic ingredients. They’re less common, but labels like “pesticide free” or “never been sprayed” are what you should be on the lookout for.

3. Coffee stunts growth

I can say that I was influenced by this myth when my parents told me about it. This popular beverage does not stunt, stop, or decrease your growth. So, why do people believe this? Harvard Health Publishing mentioned in an online article called “Can Coffee Really Stunt Your Growth?” that “This idea may have come from the misconception that coffee causes osteoporosis (a condition that may be associated with loss of height).”

4. Goldfish can’t remember anything longer than a couple of seconds

Ted Lasso said, “You know what the happiest animal in the world is? It’s a goldfish. It’s got a 10 second memory.” Ted is very wise, but this is not true. This misconception comes from the lack of entertainment a goldfish is provided. They are known to swim around in a small, boring bowl day after day. Culum Brown, an expert who studies at Macquarie University, states that the fact that goldfish have good memory has been known since the 1950’s-1960’s. He said, “Their memory spans for weeks, months, and even years.”

5. Your hair and fingernails continue to grow after death

Yes, your hair and fingernails look longer after death, but not because they are growing, according to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS Health. It may seem longer because the skin around the hair and nails has retracted. The dehydration of the body causes skin and soft tissue to shrink.