Foods that are better than you think
Here are some “unhealthy” foods that actually have so many more benefits than consequences to offer.
White rice: White rice often gets a bad rap for being devoid of nutrients – especially compared to brown rice. Yet, all white rice sold within the US has nutrients it lost during processing added back to it. Brown rice may technically have more nutrients, but those in white rice are better absorbed by the body.
Farmed salmon: Wild salmon certainly is healthier than the processed fishmeal-fed variety, but eating a couple helpings of farmed salmon every so often is better than not eating any at all.
Eggs: Particularly the yolks, have long been criticised for being high in fat and cholesterol. That may be true, but they’re also one of the richest sources of nutrients you can get, packed with choline, lutein and zeaxanthin. As long as you’re not eating a dozen or more eggs with the yolks every single day, you can enjoy them often.
Popcorn: Plain, air-popped popcorn on its own has only 31 calories per cup and makes a nice light snack when you crave something crunchy. What makes it unhealthy, however, is all the butter, oil, sugar, syrup, glazed coatings, etc.
Potatoes: As long as you’re not eating them in French fry form, potatoes are a top source of healthy starches. They are better baked or roasted.
Full fat dairy: There are a ton of concerns and valid scientific studies that say dairy products like milk and yoghurt are non-essential for human consumption and may even do more harm than good. Does that mean you should stop eating it immediately? That doesn’t mean it can never be a good source of protein and other nutrients like calcium and vitamin D when you’re lacking it in other areas of your diet.
Coffee: Coffee can either leave you wired, anxious and crashing, or it can be a helpful tool to increase alertness and even works as an effective pre-workout formula. As long as you’re not taking excessive amounts, you’ll probably be able to get at least a little bit of improved cognitive function and antioxidant power.
Bread: Similar to the situation with dairy, many argue that humans simply aren’t designed to eat bread, nor do we really need it. But again, if you look at the bigger picture of your diet, bread -especially nutrient-rich, high-fibre whole wheat varieties – may be bringing your body more benefits than unhealthy side effects.
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