As humans, we are always concern about the food we eat. We take the best effort to eat foods which are as healthy as possible. To make our efforts easier, scientist and medical doctors are continuously conducting researches and studies on the food we eat. They also concluded that, certain foods are harmful to human health.
However, sometimes scientists get it wrong in their conclusion, and have to withdraw or modify their statements may be months or even years later.
We have made a case study on such scientific mishaps, about certain foods they said actually bad for our health. But the truth is, they are not that unhealthy, but they can yield plenty of health benefits. Let’s see few of such accused unhealthy foods that are actually good for you.
10 Unhealthy Foods That Are Actually Good For You
We are constantly being advised not eat some healthy foods, like bananas or whole eggs. The reason they got to say range from a number of reasons like the amount of sugar to their fat content.
The truth we should know is that, many of these foods are not that unhealthy as they are accused of. So here are 10 examples of so accused unhealthy foods that are actually good for you:
1. Salt
Many people were adviced not to eat salt or salt concentrated foods. For long they were led to believe that salt was really bad for their health. The reason our medical science says, for not to have salt rang from consequences such as high blood pressure, heart and kidney problems. But the truth is, having salt in moderation is not only good for your health, but if not taken, can lead to various health disorders.
A study was conducted at the beginning of the 2000s. The study proved that there is no direct connection between lowering salt intake and suffering from hypertension or heart disease. On the contrary, what they found was surprising. When we stop consuming sodium (salt), our bodies release hormones and enzymes that increase our blood pressure.
2. Eggs
Eating eggs are long being in controversy for causing various health issues. It is particularly accused of causing high cholesterol and clog arteries. Also, it is said that eggs increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. Hence, many peoples were adviced not to eat eggs to stay safe from these health concerns. Later, scientists had to admit that, they made a mistake in accusing eggs as unhealthy.
There are actually 2 types of cholesterol, the good one and bad one. The eggs contain the good one. In addition, eggs are high in iron and protein. Also, they carry antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect us against age-related eye disorders like macular degeneration and cataracts.
3. Popcorn
Since many years, popcorn was considered to be junk food. And it was far accused of leading to many serious health issues including cancer. However, later it was discovered that popcorn contains more antioxidants called polyphenols, than any fruits and vegetables. And studies show that polyphenols can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancers.
One thing you need to keep in mind before eating popcorn is that, ensure it doesn’t contain any artificial added flavorings. And we highly recommend that you prepare it at home using non-GMO popcorn kernels.
4. Pizza
The case of pizza is same as with popcorn. It is widely accused of being an unhealthy food, since it represents one of the best examples of an industrialized and heavily processed food chain. Something in my opinion, everyone should avoid.
Well, there is nothing unhealthy in pizza if you make it at home. In fact, pizza is an excellent source and mixture of various nutrients, carbs, and proteins, which you get from ingredients like veggies, whole-wheat crust, and fresh or dried herbs.
5. Coffee
Caffeine, a key element in coffee, was accused of causing all kinds of disease, like hypertension, heart problems, nervous system damage, and so on.
However, recent studies conducted later revealed that, drinking coffee actually leads to lower rates of heart disease and early death. Also, coffee drinkers were found less prone to diseases like liver cirrhosis, type 2 diabetes, and even neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
6. Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is not unhealthy as long they are not packed with artificial flavoring and chemical ingredients.
It is found that people who eat peanut butter every day are healthier than those who stay away from peanut butter. A key blame on peanut butter was that it is high in fat. But 80 percent of the fat it contains comes from healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils. In addition, peanut butter is a high-protein food with lots of vitamin E, niacin, folic acid, magnesium, and antioxidants.
We recommend that you buy natural peanut butter made from nothing other than ground peanuts, or buy commercial peanut butter which doesn’t have trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, or much sodium.
7. Bananas
Many a time we are said to avoid eating bananas, just because they are high in carbohydrates and calories when compared to other fruits. However, bananas are supposed to have a low glycemic load, which is a rate at which food is able to raise blood glucose level after a meal.
Bananas contain low fat and sodium. But they are packed with potassium, vitamin A, folic acid, and fiber. Calories are not excessive when eating half a banana, the equivalent of one serving.
8. Beer
Drinking beer was considered as a healthy diet since early time. It contains no fat, cholesterol, or nitrates. And it is loaded with significant amounts of carbohydrates, magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, biotin, folic acid, niacin, B-vitamins, and antioxidants. Also, drinking beer in moderation can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Don’t get misled by the nutritional value beer gives. Note that excessive beer drinking is not a healthy habit. Moderate drinking means, for women one drink per day, and for men up to two drinks.
9. Chocolates
Are chocolates an enemy of our health as many keep saying? An issue which is accused unhealthy when eating chocolate is that, “it causes tooth decay.” Well, it not the problem with the chocolate, but improper teeth hygiene.
Many reliable sources state that, good chocolate can boost your health. Good chocolates is that which is dark and contains 70% or more cocoa. Eating such good chocolates have the following benefits:
- Good for your heart, and enhance blood circulation by restoring the flexibility of the arteries.
- Reduce bad cholesterol level.
- Help the brains to stay active, especially for old age peoples.
- Reduce the risk of stroke.
10. Whole Milk
Since years, we are told to stick to skimmed milk instead of whole milk, to reduce the amount of fats we consume. However, studies prove that whole fats in milk bring a lot of essential nutrients to our bodies and even make blood more resilient to certain types of cancer. Besides, whole milk helps you stay leaner and reduces the risk of diabetes.
Also, 1 cup whole milk taken daily provides about 1/3 of the daily requirement for vitamin D and calcium, which are two nutrients that can be difficult to get from elsewhere.
So, now that you know about few of such accused unhealthy foods that are actually good for you. Do include them in your diet without worries.
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