You can't believe everything you read on the Internet, particularly when you’re seeking out science. That's the premise of a new book that attempts to separate the fact from fiction in our daily lives.

Dr. Joe Schwarcz, the director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society, tackles various commonly-held beliefs in his latest book "Monkeys, Myths and Molecules."

Beliefs like why some people might recommend eating kiwis as sleep aid and the truth behind waterproof sunscreen.

Taking aim at the pitfalls of "celebrity science," Schwarz said he wrote the book to help people make better decisions – a process that has been complicated by the proliferation of information online, both accurate and inaccurate.

"My philosophy is that science is the thread of life, and if you understand science you can make better decisions," he told CTV's Canada AM.

"With the advent of the Internet, this is becoming more and more of a problem because people graduate from the ‘University of Google’ these days … they think they have the right information about everything, but unfortunately there's a lot of nonsense."

Here are three common myths Schwarcz takes a critical look at in his book:

Kiwis for better sleep

Kiwi fruit is commonly recommended as a potential sleep aid for those who have trouble going to bed, as the fruit contains serotonin – a compound that regulates the sleep cycle.

Schwarcz said that while there is some truth to this fact, it’s usefulness has been blown out of proportion.

"Yes, there is something to the fact that kiwis can help you sleep, but it's not going to be competition for significant sleeping pills," he said.

Waterproof, sweatproof sunscreen

Despite what the labels say, there is no such thing as waterproof or sweatproof sunscreen, Schwarcz said, adding that users should reapply sunscreen every time they come out of the water.

He also noted that the correct amount of sunscreen a user must use to get the full protection is usually enough to "fill your hands," meaning most people are not using enough.

"Numbers matter in science, and that's one of the things I really emphasize when it comes to things like putting on sunscreen," he said.

'Celebrity science'

Much of the misinformation that's out there has been propagated by so-called "celebrity scientists" like Dr. Mehmet Oz and Vani Hari, commonly known as the "Food Babe," Schwarcz said.

He noted that both have become huge media personalities with a tremendous amount of influence on their fans.

This is particularly problematic for Hari, who doles out nutritional advice despite having no scientific background, Schwarcz said.

As for Oz, Schwarcz said TV's most famous doctor initially gave very good advice when he was invited to do short segments on the Oprah Winfrey show.

However, once he was given his own show he started to become an "actor" playing the role of "Dr. Oz," he said.

In his book, Schwarcz takes issue with one of Oz's segments in which he deems red palm oil as a "miracle."

"This is something that doesn't sit well in science," he said. "You don't label things as miracles, they don't exist."