Beorn
12-03-2010, 11:35 AM
Healthy eating isn't confined to just fruit and vegetables - it's important to follow a varied, balanced diet and, thankfully, this includes the odd treat now and again. It is also important to remember that some -so-called 'unhealthy' foods have a bad reputation they don't deserve.
In fact, there are some oft-maligned foods that, while we may not exactly recommend eating them every day, can have a beneficial effect on your body.
Join us while we take a look at some of the surprising foods you might want to re-introduce to your diet (http://style.uk.msn.com/diet-plans.aspx). Just don't eat them all at once...
Ice-cream
Full-fat, triple-chocolate, cookie-dough ice-cream is certainly not on anyone's list of healthy foods, but low-fat or even regular vanilla (or a similarly plain flavour) is not nearly as bad for your waistline as you might think. Some research even suggests it could help you to shed body weight, when consumed in small amounts.
Key is ice-cream's high calcium content. A survey by researchers at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville found that calcium-rich foods help to slow down or even stop lost weight from creeping back onto your body. Just remember to limit the number of scoops...
Full English breakfast
Seriously. No jokes. We kid you not. While conventional thinking suggests a fry-up would be the unhealthiest breakfast option, research suggests that it could in fact be the best way to start the day. A University of Alabama study found that a breakfast of bacon and eggs, though high in fat, appears to programme the metabolism for the rest of the day.
The scientists discovered that mice fed on a meal high in fat after waking had normal metabolic profiles, while those fed on carbohydrates in the morning showed increased weight gain because their bodies were less able to deal with different types of food consumed later in the day.
Cheese
Cheese is a prime example of why few foods should be classed as 'off-limits'. Yes, it's high in fat, but cheese is a fantastic source of calcium and also contains conjugated linoleic acid, a good type of fat which is thought to help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Experts also say the acid can stop your body from storing fat. Hooray for fromage!
Eggs
Few foods have been slandered as much as eggs in recent years, with some people claiming they are high in cholesterol and therefore a threat to your heart. But recent research suggests that it is saturated fat - not cholesterol - that poses the biggest risk to heart health.
Eggs can actually aid weight loss; they are high in protein and therefore make you feel fuller than, for example, carbohydrate-rich foods, so you are less likely to crave unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
Butter
It's no surprise that our list is mostly made up of foods that are high in fat. Fat is, after all, itself a largely misunderstood food group. Not all fats are bad, and not all fats will actually make you fat (so long as you eat them in moderation, something which applies to almost everything).
Butter, for example, though high in saturated fat, is an animal fat, like beef and bacon. It's perfectly natural, and it helps your body to absorb vital nutrients found in fruit and vegetables, which means you shouldn't feel quite so guilty about choosing butter over margarine in future.
Steak
A rare treat for most of us for financial reasons more than anything, red meat is also viewed as an unhealthy meat when compared with leaner choices such as chicken, turkey or fish. You shouldn't be so quick to shun it, however, and you don't even have to go out of your way to choose less fatty cuts such as fillet or tenderloin.
Beef is full of the monounsaturated fat oleic acid, which is the same fat found in olive oil. It's also a fantastic source of protein, which promotes lean muscle growth when combined with regular exercise.
Nuts
Sure, they are high in fat but a handful of nuts as a snack will help you to keep weight off, rather than pile on the pounds. Nuts contain good, natural fats and are packed with protein, so just a few will satisfy your mid-morning and afternoon cravings and keep you away from treats that really will make you put on weight. Almonds, Brazils, walnuts and hazelnuts are among the best, and you should stay away from salted or roasted nuts if you can resist over the festive season...
Pasta
The popularity of low-carb, high-protein diets in recent years means that pasta has become one of the most vilified foods on supermarket shelves.
Too much of it can, of course, lead to weight gain (refined carbohydrates like white pasta can cause a spike in your blood sugar, leading to an inevitable crash that makes you feel hungry soon after you've eaten), but the key is to combine carbohydrates with exercise (they are are great source of energy) and, if you can, buy whole-grain versions which contain more protein and fibre.
Kebabs
Most commonly associated with late-night consumption by students on their way home after a night on the cheap-vodkas, kebabs have had a terrible press in recent years. But the truth is, with a few adjustments, kebabs are one of the healthiest fast-food choices.
The meat, though quite often of dubious origin, is a source of protein, while the rest is mostly made up of salad and pitta bread. Avoid the rich, calorific sources, and your typical lamb kebab offers as little as 250 calories and 6g of fat. Swap the lamb for chicken, and it's even better for you.
White bread
Did you know that, while brown bread has a higher fibre content, much-criticised white bread contains more healthy minerals? Ever since the second world war, the flour used in the production of white bread has been fortified with calcium, iron and B vitamins.
And because white bread has less fibre (it is thought that fibre prohibits the absorption of calcium in the body), your body is able to reap the benefits. So don't feel too bad next time you make a sausage sandwich using doorstop, white bread. Well, don't feel bad about the bread anyway...
Source (http://style.uk.msn.com/health/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=155403941)
In fact, there are some oft-maligned foods that, while we may not exactly recommend eating them every day, can have a beneficial effect on your body.
Join us while we take a look at some of the surprising foods you might want to re-introduce to your diet (http://style.uk.msn.com/diet-plans.aspx). Just don't eat them all at once...
Ice-cream
Full-fat, triple-chocolate, cookie-dough ice-cream is certainly not on anyone's list of healthy foods, but low-fat or even regular vanilla (or a similarly plain flavour) is not nearly as bad for your waistline as you might think. Some research even suggests it could help you to shed body weight, when consumed in small amounts.
Key is ice-cream's high calcium content. A survey by researchers at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville found that calcium-rich foods help to slow down or even stop lost weight from creeping back onto your body. Just remember to limit the number of scoops...
Full English breakfast
Seriously. No jokes. We kid you not. While conventional thinking suggests a fry-up would be the unhealthiest breakfast option, research suggests that it could in fact be the best way to start the day. A University of Alabama study found that a breakfast of bacon and eggs, though high in fat, appears to programme the metabolism for the rest of the day.
The scientists discovered that mice fed on a meal high in fat after waking had normal metabolic profiles, while those fed on carbohydrates in the morning showed increased weight gain because their bodies were less able to deal with different types of food consumed later in the day.
Cheese
Cheese is a prime example of why few foods should be classed as 'off-limits'. Yes, it's high in fat, but cheese is a fantastic source of calcium and also contains conjugated linoleic acid, a good type of fat which is thought to help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Experts also say the acid can stop your body from storing fat. Hooray for fromage!
Eggs
Few foods have been slandered as much as eggs in recent years, with some people claiming they are high in cholesterol and therefore a threat to your heart. But recent research suggests that it is saturated fat - not cholesterol - that poses the biggest risk to heart health.
Eggs can actually aid weight loss; they are high in protein and therefore make you feel fuller than, for example, carbohydrate-rich foods, so you are less likely to crave unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
Butter
It's no surprise that our list is mostly made up of foods that are high in fat. Fat is, after all, itself a largely misunderstood food group. Not all fats are bad, and not all fats will actually make you fat (so long as you eat them in moderation, something which applies to almost everything).
Butter, for example, though high in saturated fat, is an animal fat, like beef and bacon. It's perfectly natural, and it helps your body to absorb vital nutrients found in fruit and vegetables, which means you shouldn't feel quite so guilty about choosing butter over margarine in future.
Steak
A rare treat for most of us for financial reasons more than anything, red meat is also viewed as an unhealthy meat when compared with leaner choices such as chicken, turkey or fish. You shouldn't be so quick to shun it, however, and you don't even have to go out of your way to choose less fatty cuts such as fillet or tenderloin.
Beef is full of the monounsaturated fat oleic acid, which is the same fat found in olive oil. It's also a fantastic source of protein, which promotes lean muscle growth when combined with regular exercise.
Nuts
Sure, they are high in fat but a handful of nuts as a snack will help you to keep weight off, rather than pile on the pounds. Nuts contain good, natural fats and are packed with protein, so just a few will satisfy your mid-morning and afternoon cravings and keep you away from treats that really will make you put on weight. Almonds, Brazils, walnuts and hazelnuts are among the best, and you should stay away from salted or roasted nuts if you can resist over the festive season...
Pasta
The popularity of low-carb, high-protein diets in recent years means that pasta has become one of the most vilified foods on supermarket shelves.
Too much of it can, of course, lead to weight gain (refined carbohydrates like white pasta can cause a spike in your blood sugar, leading to an inevitable crash that makes you feel hungry soon after you've eaten), but the key is to combine carbohydrates with exercise (they are are great source of energy) and, if you can, buy whole-grain versions which contain more protein and fibre.
Kebabs
Most commonly associated with late-night consumption by students on their way home after a night on the cheap-vodkas, kebabs have had a terrible press in recent years. But the truth is, with a few adjustments, kebabs are one of the healthiest fast-food choices.
The meat, though quite often of dubious origin, is a source of protein, while the rest is mostly made up of salad and pitta bread. Avoid the rich, calorific sources, and your typical lamb kebab offers as little as 250 calories and 6g of fat. Swap the lamb for chicken, and it's even better for you.
White bread
Did you know that, while brown bread has a higher fibre content, much-criticised white bread contains more healthy minerals? Ever since the second world war, the flour used in the production of white bread has been fortified with calcium, iron and B vitamins.
And because white bread has less fibre (it is thought that fibre prohibits the absorption of calcium in the body), your body is able to reap the benefits. So don't feel too bad next time you make a sausage sandwich using doorstop, white bread. Well, don't feel bad about the bread anyway...
Source (http://style.uk.msn.com/health/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=155403941)