10 popular food myths everyone should stop believing

The myth: You can tell if eggs are bad by putting them in water

The Takeaway: If you want a really fresh egg for poaching, you can try the float test, but don't just toss out eggs because they bob to the top.

The myth: Adding salt to water makes it boil faster

The Takeaway: Adding salt to water has benefits, like adding flavor to pasta water. Just add it after the water is already at a boil, not before.

The myth: Throw spaghetti on the wall (or ceiling) to test for doneness

The Takeaway: Throwing spaghetti at a wall might be fun — but it's not a meaningful test of anything. You'll need to actually taste-test the pasta to know if it's ready to drain and eat.

The myth: Hanging bananas keeps them from ripening too fast

The Takeaway: A banana hanger is great for storage if you like how it looks, but if you're simply looking to keep them from going brown, a bowl is fine.

The myth: Espresso has the most caffeine

The Takeaway: Espresso actually has the least caffeine of most common coffee drinks, but don't change your coffee order if it's working fine for you.

The myth: MSG causes headaches (and will make you hungrier sooner)

The Takeaway: MSG is already in many of the foods you eat, and considered "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA when used as an additive.

The myth: White wine goes with white meat, red wine goes with red meat

The Takeaway: Drink what you like, and, when in doubt, grab a bottle of Prosecco for a cheap, bubbly bottle that pairs with nearly everything.

The myth: Spoiled food in the fridge can make you sick

The Takeaway: You can rely on smell and sight generally to determine if refrigerated food is safe to eat. But be extra careful with raw meat, and be sure to keep foods that can grow salmonella (raw meat, eggs) cold since it grows at room temperature.

The myth: Green potatoes are poisonous
The green that sometimes appears under potato skin is indeed a natural toxin called solanine. However, its not in any amount that will actually harm you (unless you plan on eating 4 lbs of potatoes in one sitting).

The Takeaway: Your spuds aren't trying to kill you.

The myth: You can tell if chicken is done by the color

The Takeaway : Hacking into your chicken is an unreliable way to determine doneness. Consider investing in an affordable digital thermometer instead.