In our constant quest for good health, we often avoid certain foods because they are known to contribute to weight gain, high blood sugar, and other undesirable health effects. However, some of the “facts” that we may believe could already be outdated information or even just myths that just won’t die.
Here are just a few of such foods that get a bad rap but are actually quite good for you and don’t have to eliminate completely from your diet.
Nuts (in General)
Nuts like almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and cashews are often misunderstood because most of them are high in calories and fat. However, nuts are primarily composed of unsaturated fats which are healthier for the heart. A study also found that people who include nuts in their diet are thinner and lose about 1.4 pounds more when trying to lose weight. Most varieties also contain plant sterols, which help lower cholesterol levels in the body. Add this to the fact that most nuts contain a host of vitamins and minerals, like B vitamins (including folic acid), vitamin E, calcium, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc, and you have a rather healthy snack. Nuts are also chock-full of dietary fiber and phytochemicals.
If you are not fond of eating almonds and its cousins on their own, then including high-quality nut milks might just be the key to include more nuts in your diet and enjoy some of their health benefits.
Coffee
Coffee contains flavonoids, plant chemicals that contribute to many plants and vegetables’ vivid coloring. However, apart from giving coffee beans their distinct, rich hue, flavonoids are also known to protect cells from the effects of aging and also improve heart health. Studies have also shown that coffee may help reduce the risk of some diseases like diabetes, and even lower the risk of mortality. Just don’t go beyond four cups (or five, depending on your physique) a day, and go easy on the cream and sugar. If you want, you can also give the above-mentioned nut milks a try to give your cup of joe a new flavor.
Chocolate
Before you consume a whole bar of chocolate on your own, you should remember that the health benefits of chocolates depend on the type you eat. You want to go for dark chocolates with cacao levels of 60 or higher as these contain more antioxidants and less added sugars. Cacao has also been proven to decrease LDL or “bad” cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and improve the health of blood vessels. Take note that chocolates, even dark varieties, are still high in calories. Limit your daily intake to 1 to 3 ounces unless you want to gain weight that much more quickly.
Butter
Butter is known be the great flavor enhancer that can turn a bland meal into a culinary piece de resistance. However, it also has the unfortunate reputation of being bad for one’s health because it’s filled with fats. To clear things up, butter is indeed full of fats but they are mostly of the healthy kind that help protect the heart and digestive systems. What’s more butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows also contain vitamin K2, which helps the body metabolize calcium, leading to better bone health. As long as you consume it with moderation, butter won’t do your body any harm.
Potatoes
It’s not actually the potatoes that are making you gain weight, it’s the form that you eat them in. Stick to baked, roasted, or grilled preparations instead of deep-fried. A hundred grams of potatoes contains only 77 calories. These humble tubers are also high in dietary fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Potatoes are also a good source of resistant starch, an indigestible carbohydrate, which helps regulate blood glucose and also makes you feel full, thereby helping you lose weight as well.
Frozen Vegetables
Some people believe that frozen vegetables contain fewer nutrients than fresh ones, but numerous studies have proven otherwise. In fact, the freezing process actually locks in the nutrients, so frozen veggies may actually contain more healthful substances than fresh produce. This is because the latter tend to lose their nutrients the longer they are not eaten. Frozen vegetables also come with added convenience, since most of them are already pre-cut, making it easier to add healthy ingredients to your daily meals.
Eggs
Whether or not eggs are good for the body has always been the subject of debate, so let us end it once and for all: eggs are good for you. They are high in protein, vitamin D, phosphorus, and riboflavin, among other essential nutrients. Studies also show that people who eat high-protein breakfasts instead of high-carbohydrate ones have better appetite control over the course of a whole day. Similar to potatoes, eggs are often accused of being unhealthy because of preparation (e.g., fried versus boiled or poached) as well as the food they are often served with, like bacon or sausages.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is as much about keeping yourself armed with the latest information, as following a diet plan and an exercise regimen. When you’re well-informed, you can always make the right decisions for your health.
