We all know what are and aren’t healthy foods. You should have chicken
instead of beef; beef’s too fatty. Whole milk should always be skipped because
it can make you gain weight. Chocolate is bad for you because it makes you break
out, is too sugary, and causes weight gain. Full-fat cheese is unhealthy because
dairy is bad and it’s too fatty. Bacon is just terrible. On and on—we think we
know what we’re talking about when it comes to healthy and unhealthy foods, but
the facts may surprise you. Read on to find out about fifteen surprisingly
healthy foods. Your favorites might actually be good for you.
15) Whole Milk
Whole milk is most familiar to people as having a rich flavor, since it is milk
without the cream skimmed off. More specifically, in whole milk, no nutrients
have been removed, including vitamins. Because whole milk hasn’t had the cream
removed and is fattier, it’s often associated with weight gain and ill health
effects, such as increased cholesterol. This is a false connection, however.
Studies have shown that whole milk actually
improves cholesterol levels. One study did show an increase in LDL (bad)
cholesterol—along with a decrease in triglycerides, which some say is a much
better indicator of heart health than cholesterol—but that study involved men
drinking six eight-ounce glasses of whole milk a day, far more than the average
person would drink.
The same Men’s Health article discussed findings that whole milk results in
increased muscle building after weightlifting as opposed to skim milk. Whole
milk has beneficial fats, including omega 3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic
acid. Research has shown that people with high levels of one of the good fats in
whole milk, trans-palmitoleic acid, have lower rates of diabetes and obesity. An
article in the European Journal of Nutrition found there is no strong evidence
that drinking whole milk correlates to weight increases, let alone diabetes and
heart disease.
Health Tip: Unpasturized milk is
generally healthier if you can find it at a local dairy farm.
14) Spices
Everyone knows that spices add flavor and interest to food. What fewer people
know is that spices have health benefits. Spices, which usually come from the
roots, bark, berries, seeds of plants, and herbs, often have some of the highest
levels of antioxidant activity. Those in cinnamon, for instance, are linked to
lower blood glucose levels in people with diabetes and decreases in
inflammation, as well as lowering cholesterol and helping heart health.
Capsaicin, found in chili peppers, helps with pain relief, heart health, ulcers,
and prostate cancer. Turmeric is well-known for its anti-inflammatory
properties. Garlic acts against viruses, fungi, and bacteria, as well as helping
to prevent blood clots that can lead to stroke. The best part is that, for most
spices, a little carries a lot of health benefits. There’s no need to stuff
yourself with cinnamon; a teaspoon and a half a day may make a measurable
difference.
13) Pork Chops
People might think pork chops are high in fat, but they’re actually about as
lean as chicken breasts. One three-ounce serving of pork chop has 52% of women’s
daily recommended protein and 43% of men’s, and that comes with less cholesterol
and calories than a chicken breast (if a little more overall fat and the same
saturated fat). Pork chops are also high in B vitamins (except folate),
particularly in niacin, B6, and B12. Niacin lowers cholesterol and
triglycerides, while B6 and B12 remove a substance, homocysteine, which can
contribute to cardiovascular disease if it builds up in your blood. Zinc is
another good component of pork chops; it’s necessary for the formation of new
cells, in the creation of proteins, and supports the immune system. Not enough
zinc causes problems with white blood cells and the ability to fight off
infection, and, when taken within twenty-four hours of the appearance of cold
symptoms, zinc can reduce the length and strength of your cold. And—you guessed
it—you can find it in pork chops.
Health Tip: If you can, buy pork chops
that do not have added growth hormones or antibiotics added to them. Buy
organic if you can.
12) Eggs
Egg yolks are known for their high cholesterol content. Dietary cholesterol is not the
same as blood cholesterol, and when it comes to eggs, this has been backed up in
at least one study. That same study showed that eating whole eggs increases HDL,
or good cholesterol, which helps protect your heart. Eggs are also high in
choline, a B-complex vitamin that has ties to reductions in inflammation and
better neurological function and may help fetal brain development when pregnant
women eat it. Interestingly, choline also breaks down into a component used in
the cycle of making brain chemicals serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
They also contain carotenoids that help protect vision health and are high in
sulfur, which helps with things from hair and nail health to liver function to B
vitamin absorption. Eggs are a complete protein and considered to have the most
digestible amino acids of any food. Stick to four or fewer a week (the number
the Mayo Clinic found healthy for adults), and you’re set.
Health Tip: Do not cook the yolks, eat them runny or raw for maximum
health benefits. Eating them cooked will leave plaque in the artery walls.
11) Potatoes
Potatoes are one of those foods people think are high in calories and have so
many carbohydrates that they must cause weight gain, diabetes, and probably
global warming. This is yet another food those people are wrong about, though.
In fact, potatoes are nutrient-rich foods. A nutrient-rich food is high in,
well, nutrients compared to the number of calories in it. And yes, we are
talking about plain white potatoes, not orange sweet potatoes. They’re high in
fiber, soluble and insoluble in about equal amounts, and contain B vitamins,
potassium, iron, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus. Potassium is essential to
healthy heart function, and it and magnesium are used in all muscle
contractions. Typing this very article has relied on those two elements. The B
complex vitamins regulate blood cell formation and digestion of the calories you
eat. They’re particularly strong in B6, thiamin, and niacin. A single large
potato, boiled in its skin, has about half the vitamin C you need for a day.
Baked potatoes are even higher in nutrients than boiled ones, since they weren’t
soaked in water that can leach away the vitamins and minerals it carries. The
real area of concern with potatoes comes from the toppings they’re usually
loaded with. Look at the nutrition facts behind those instead of passing on
potatoes as being unhealthy.
10) Peanut Butter
Kids love peanut butter, and so do more adults than are probably willing to
admit it. Peanut butter is a lunch staple for more than just the reasons that
it’s easy to spread on bread and goes well with milk. As plenty of people who
had to survive an early lunch period know, eating peanut butter helps you feel
full longer. It might have a lot of calories per serving, but those calories go
a long way. It’s high in fiber and protein, both of which help you keep from
getting hungry as fast as other options. It’s also nutrient-dense; one serving
of peanut butter is full of the mentioned protein and fiber, as well as vitamin
E, magnesium, potassium, and B6. All that protein is great for exercise, not
just getting through the afternoon. The fat it has—and there is some—is mostly
monounsaturated, which is the good stuff, and its fats ratio is about the same
as olive oil. One serving five times or more a week can lower your chances of
developing diabetes by nearly a third, and the unsalted stuff has enough
potassium to help counter sodium overloads from other foods.
Health Tip: When choosing peanut butter, go for the natural variety and stay away
from peanut butter that has added sugar and hydrogenated oils.
9) Grass-Fed Beef
Sure, grass-fed beef isn’t raised on a glut of corn, but it’s still beef. How
healthy can it be, you ask?
Pretty healthy, as it turns out. Half the fat in even corn-fed beef is oleic
acid, which is the same fat you can find in olive oil. It also helps your
cholesterol ratios by either lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol or your ratio of
total cholesterol to HDL (good) cholesterol. All beef is also high in nutrients
like iron, zinc, and B vitamins. So why are we singling out grass-fed beef?
Grass-fed beef may be lower in fat while having more omega-3 fatty acids,
conjugated linoleic acid, and antioxidant vitamins. Grass-based diets seem to give cattle a higher ratio of conjugated linoleic acid, trans vaccenic acid (which is a precursor to conjugated linoleic
acid), and omega-3 fatty acids. The saturated fatty acids between conventional
beef and grass-fed beef tend to be similar, but grass-fed beef tend to have
higher ratios of cholesterol-neutral and cholesterol-lowering fatty acids. Grass
diets tend to increase precursors to vitamins A and E, plus antioxidants, like
glutathione and superoxide dismutase, that fight cancer. Grass-fed beef even has
lower overall fat. Why wouldn’t we list it?
Health Tip: When shopping for grass-fed beef in a store, look for beef patties that
are brighter red, rather than turning brownish. Brownish beef is an indication
of oxidation.
8) Avocado
Avocados get their rich, creamy texture from fat. It’s kind of like how ice
cream—or whole milk—feels smooth and rich in your mouth. Unlike ice cream,
though, avocados’ fats are mostly unsaturated, the good kind of fat that’s in
things like olive oil and peanut butter. They help your cholesterol and overall
heart health while keeping down weight gain, especially compared to dietary
sources of saturated fats. You might have already known that, but did you know
that avocados have compounds that might fight cancer?
That’s right. In lab tests, one compound found in avocado inhibited the
growth of prostate cancer cells. That same study found that avocados are chock
full of cancer-fighting antioxidants, including vitamin E, beta carotene, and
luteine. They can also help the body absorb other phytochemicals, which are
plant-based compounds that aren’t essential, but may help the body fight heart
disease, stroke, cancer, and more. In particular, Ohio State researchers found
that avocados matched up with salad and salsa helped absorption of their
antioxidants. This is probably because of the healthy fats in avocados, and who
could turn one down?
7) Cheese
Cheese has the same bad rap as whole milk: its rich, creamy taste comes from
being full of fat, so that means it’s bad, right? We hope you’re getting the
idea about how wrong that is by now.
Danish researchers had men eat ten one-ounce
pieces of full-fat cheese a day. That’s a lot of cheese! They had the men keep
it up for three weeks. Their cholesterol was tested at the beginning and end of
the study. At the end, they found that the participants’ LDL (bad) cholesterol
hadn’t changed a bit. Men’s Health’s weight-loss consultant, a nutritionist,
actually said he tells his clients to snack on full-fat cheese because of how
filling it is, thanks to its protein and fat. Because it’s dairy, cheese is also
high in calcium, and since it doesn’t have the water of milk, its calcium is
much more concentrated. Cheese also has phosphorus, which is good for your
bones, and good-sized servings of B12, zinc, selenium, iron, and riboflavin. Researchers found that it had high amounts of conjugated linoleic acid, so it can help prevent or suppress diabetes, reduce fat, inhibit
skin, stomach, and breast tumors, and preserve muscle tissue. It’s also good to
prevent macular degeneration and improve the immune system.
Health Tip: Opting for organic cheese
ensures you that the cheese is not filled with growth hormones, antibiotics and
pesticides. Also, choosing grass fed cheese is a healthier option.
6) Bacon
Nearly half the bacon in fat is monounsaturated, so it helps lower LDL (bad)
cholesterol. Specifically, the monounsaturated fat is oleic, the same kind as in
olive oil. A rich breakfast,
including bacon (and eggs!) may help prevent metabolic syndrome. Metabolic
syndrome involves high triglycerides, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, and
more cardiovascular risk signs. The study discussed is from an article in the
International Journal of Obesity, looking specifically at the influence of
specific types of food and timing of meals on how it impacted metabolic
syndrome. Mice fed a fat-rich breakfast had normal metabolic panels, which is
what people should ideally aim for. Eating a fatty meal, including bacon, at the
beginning of the day may cue the body to start metabolizing fat efficiently,
whereas eating it at night cues the body to store it. A fatty breakfast also
made mice’s bodies more responsive to different kinds of food throughout the
day, whereas a breakfast high in carbohydrates cued the body to respond only to carbs throughout the day. Study authors repeated the experiment four times; they
say ending the day with a low-calorie meal also seems key in preventing
metabolic syndrome. If you do start the day with bacon, try to get a type low in
sodium and other preservatives. It helps that bacon is high in protein. It also
has a lot of B12, which is used to manufacture hemoglobin, metabolize fat and
protein, prevent B12 nerve damage, and helps in brain function. The iron in it
is also used in hemoglobin.
Health Tip: Eating lots of
carbohydrates with your eggs and bacon is actually an unwise thing to do, as the
carbs will release insulin thus causing health problems overtime. It is
better to eat your eggs and bacon by themselves.
5) Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are the small, sweet, buttery seeds of the pine tree. They’re not
technically nuts, but, like peanuts, they’re often referred to as such. Pine
nuts are nutrient-dense and rich in vitamins A, C, and D. They’re high in
monounsaturated fat, specifically oleic acid, which helps the cardiovascular
system. As you know by now, oleic acid helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption (which is why milk is generally
fortified with it). Vitamin C, as you probably know, gives a boost to the immune
system. Vitamin A, which is also found in things like carrots, is good for the
eyes, as is the lutein found in pine nuts. Pinoleic acid in pine nuts helps you
feel full faster and so helps you eat less, which means they aid in weight loss,
and helps reduce LDL cholesterol; it’s also an essential fatty acid, and you may
have a hard time getting enough of it without a food, like pine nuts, that’s
rich in it. They’re rich in iron, which is good for anemia and general health,
and help fight free radicals, which can damage cells and potentially cause
diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart disease, and more. Pine nuts are also full of
protein, which in combination with the pinoleic acid helps you stay full longer,
and magnesium, both of which give you energy. They’re also high in fiber, which
not only keeps you regular but also prevents cardiovascular disease, diabetes,
and cancer. Other nutrients include manganese, calcium, zinc, selenium, and
B-complex vitamins. Try some on your salad, make a pesto, add them to soup, or
just snack on them on their own.
4) Duck Breast
Duck is perceived as a fatty bird, and that doesn’t help its reputation; people
usually see it as a treat. That doesn’t mean duck breast is automatically
unhealthy, however. Duck breast, like chicken breast, is one of the lower-fat
cuts of the bird. Duck isn’t often cooked at home in the US, perhaps because
some people see it as difficult, but given its health benefits, maybe that
should change. Duck breast is high in protein at twenty-eight grams. It’s also
high in niacin; it in fact has half the daily recommended value of the vitamin,
which means it helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and metabolize fat. The iron in
the bird also helps with energy, anemia, and increasing blood oxygen. The high
B6 content helps break down proteins and create antibodies to help your immune
system. It’s also high in phosphorus, which is good for bones and teeth, and
selenium. It’s lower in vitamin C, but even a little can help your immune
system. Unlike many commercially-raised animals, duck may not be raised with the
use of hormones in the US, which may be of concern to some. Bon Appétit even
lists it as one of ten surprisingly healthy foods.
3) Anchovies
Anchovies, that deeply flavored, salty pizza topping. Anchovies are more than
that, though. The small fish are rich in protein, essential fatty acids,
magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Specifically, in twenty grams (or five) of
anchovy fillets, there are just twenty-six calories, and a whopping four grams
of that serving size is protein. That means women can get nine percent of their
daily recommended protein and men can get seven. That’s a lot from such a small
serving! Omega-3 fatty acids are heart-healthy unsaturated fats that help lower
inflammation. Our bodies don’t make them, so we must get them from our diets or
supplements. If you can, it’s always healthier to get a nutrient from food,
since other nutrients may help you process it correctly. Just one three-ounce
serving of oily fish, like anchovies, every week can help lower your risk of
dying from heart disease by 36%. Each twenty-gram serving of anchovies has 27%
of women’s daily recommended omega-3 fatty acids and 19% of men’s. Their calcium
and phosphorus contribute to healthy bones and teeth, and magnesium helps
support that. Magnesium and calcium both help your cardiovascular system, as
does B12 and B6. Specifically, the B vitamins remove a substance from blood that
can lead to heart disease. Niacin in the little fish helps lower cholesterol and
triglycerides and potentially helps reduce the chances of dying from a heart
attack. They’re high in iron, too. Just be aware of the high sodium content that
comes with canned or jarred anchovies. If you can, rinse them before use, or
soak them in cold water for twenty minutes. That can help bring them back toward
a serving’s normal twenty-one milligrams of sodium, rather than the seven
hundred or more it has fresh out of the jar or can.
2) Coffee
Coffee in moderate amounts may have incredible health benefits. People who drink
four or more cups a day have a ten percent lower risk of depression, and that’s
not the caffeine; the same result doesn’t show up in other caffeinated drinks.
(For instance, cola is actually linked to a higher risk of depression.) It’s
more likely that antioxidants in coffee contribute to its mood-lifting effects.
Taking that result even further, adults who drink coffee are half as likely to
commit suicide. It only takes two to four cups to see that result. In this case,
researchers do believe the caffeine is at the heart of the result. A Finnish
study does say people who drink eight to nine cups a day are at a higher risk of
suicide, but that’s more coffee than a lot of people drink in an entire week,
let alone a single day. Coffee may also help lower the risk of Parkinson’s and
Alzheimer’s; the chances for developing Alzheimer’s may be as much as sixty
percent lower if a person drinks coffee, and for Parkinson’s, it’s thirty-two to
sixty percent. Researchers think this is because coffee inhibits beta-amyloid
production. Beta-amyloid is a protein that builds up in the brains of people
with Alzheimer’s. According to a Harvard study, regular caffeinated coffee
reduces the chances of a person developing skin cancer. It may even help your
liver perform better; people in one study were twenty percent less likely to
develop alcoholic cirrhosis if they also drank coffee. On a lesser note, coffee
is also a performance booster; caffeine from coffee increases the fatty acids in
the bloodstream, which increases physical abilities. And, as regular drinkers
know, coffee temporarily boosts intelligence, awareness, and reaction times.
Health Tip: Coffee is one of those
items that benefits more if you choose the organic variety.
1) Chocolate
Chocolate lovers, rejoice. The stuff we love is actually good for us. More
specifically, dark chocolate shows measurable health benefits. According to a
Swedish study published in 2011, women who ate forty-five grams or more of
chocolate per week had a 1/5th lower stroke risk than women who ate nine grams
or less. Chocolate confers lower blood pressure, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol,
and a lowered heart disease risk. Dark chocolate in particular has
anti-inflammatory properties, which helps lower the risk of cardiovascular
disease. Surprisingly, dark chocolate is also high in fiber, which means it can
help keep you full. Regular chocolate has something of a similar effect, but
dark chocolate really shines here. It can even reduce cravings of fatty, sweet,
or salty foods, and it works better than milk to control hunger. Surprisingly,
given chocolate has added sugar, it actually increases insulin sensitivity.
That’s basically the opposite of diabetes, so it lowers the risk of developing
the disease. Dark chocolate can also help protect your skin from UV radiation
(though you should still use sunscreen). Even though you might not feel like
eating chocolate when you have a bad cough, consider it; the theobromine in dark
chocolate can calm down your vagus nerve, which is the nerve that causes
coughing. The health benefits go on and on, from reducing stress to decreasing
blood clotting to improving vision. With all that, pick up a bar of the good
stuff and indulge yourself.
So chocolate is good for you, and so is coffee; maybe try a full-fat mocha
sweetened with a zero-calorie sweetener like stevia to get you going in the
morning. Have it with your breakfast of bacon and eggs to really have a good
start to your day. Follow up with a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and pork,
duck, or even beef for dinner.
Final Thoughts
You might have thought before that the above advice is terrible, but now you
know the health benefits of all those foods. Try your favorites today, and don’t
feel guilty for a second.
