Does Coffee Really Stunt Your Growth? Examining Common Medical Myths

The effects of coffee on your growth and the health hazard of swallowing chewing gum are just two common medical beliefs that have dogged the minds of many for years, but do they hold water?

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Dr. Roshini Raj has joined Inside Edition in helping to debunk those myths.

"People used to think that coffee or caffeine may affect your risk of osteoporosis or decrease your bone growth, but that's just not true," Dr. Raj said." Coffee should not affect your growth in any way."

The doctor also takes issue with the statement that swallowed gum could linger in your digestive track for seven years.

"It’s not true that gum stays in your system for seven years. It's actually digested much like the rest of the food we eat," she said.

A lot of people think that eating chocolate can cause acne, but that's simply not true. Dr. Raj said chocolate actually has antioxidants that are good for your skin, which should come as great news for candy lovers.

There once was the belief that cracking your knuckles could lead to arthritis. However, it happens to be just that.

"Cracking your knuckles, cracking your joints is perfectly fine,” Dr. Raj told Inside Edition. "That actually doesn't cause any permanent or short term damage."

If you burn yourself while cooking, you should never look to the freezer. 

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“You should not put ice on a burn because that can actually damage the skin or slow down the healing process,” Dr. Raj said. “What you wanna do is run that burned hand under cold water for about 10 to 15 minutes.”

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