7 foods that are healthier than they seem

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

There are so many myths around healthy eating that you can't immediately figure out what kind of food is actually useful, and from what kind of harm. Many products turned out to be guilty without fault: adherents of a healthy lifestyle ignore them, but in vain. Understanding why ketchup, pasta and chocolate are better than many people are used to thinking.

Potato

Potatoes are often mentioned in lists of foods that need to be excluded from the diet for the glory of proper nutrition and weight loss. Of course, if you wrap up a large plate of fried potatoes every day, it's naive to expect that you will be able to lose weight. And yet potatoes are not as bad as we are told.

It is a source of potassium, which is important for maintaining water balance and improving oxygen supply to the brain. A medium-sized potato contains up to 20% of the required daily value of potassium. To get the maximum amount of this element, eat baked potatoes with the skins. Of course, the tubers must be thoroughly washed beforehand.

The fiber contained in potatoes, together with vitamins C and B6, helps to lower cholesterol levels, so that lovers of jacket potatoes can be calm about their blood vessels and heart.

Chocolate

Nutrition lovers are partly right here. If you regularly replace a normal lunch with a chocolate bar or eat a bar of milk chocolate every day, your body is unlikely to thank you. Replace milk chocolate with bitter chocolate. Maybe it is not so tasty (although someone like it), but definitely healthy.

First, the consumption of chocolate reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases: Theobromine and catechin have a positive effect on vascular health. The more grated cocoa in the chocolate, the better. In this regard, dark chocolate is preferable to milk chocolate, but white chocolate should not be taken seriously at all.

Secondly, chocolate with a high content of flavonoids protects Eating chocolate can significantly protect the skin from UV light. our skin from exposure to ultraviolet rays. Of course, this does not mean that now you can wallow on the beach all day long, forgetting about sunscreen, but there is a good reason to return chocolate to your diet without remorse.

Coffee

“Give up caffeine,” healthy lifestyle gurus tell us. “Drink not coffee, but tea,” - echoed online publications about proper nutrition. Do not rush to listen to the amicable chorus of opponents of this drink.

Studies link Increased caffeine intake is associated with reduced risk of basal cell carcinoma of the skin. coffee consumption with a reduced risk of basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. Coffee is also good for the liver: already two cups a day will help Coffee, alcohol and other beverages in relation to cirrhosis mortality: the Singapore Chinese Health Study to protect against cirrhosis.

Coffee helps fight depression by increasing the production of dopamine, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes … Well, are there enough arguments? Just remember that everything is fine in moderation, so it's better not to overdo it with coffee.

Butter

It would seem that here it is - the embodiment of the most unhealthy food. Solid fat, what's useful there? But do not rush to give up butter, it is better than you think about it.

Butter contains vitamin A, which is important for vision, normal metabolism and the synthesis of sex hormones. This vitamin is fat soluble, so oil is ideal as a source.

Butter is rich in vitamins E (helps to strengthen the immune system), K (participates in the absorption of calcium and helps the normal functioning of the kidneys) and D (important for the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular diseases). And yes, all of these vitamins are fat soluble. Guess what this means? That's right, you need to eat butter.

Paste

And another nightmare for those who care about their food. A plate of steaming pasta - well, horror, solid calories. Or is it not so scary?

It depends on which pasta to choose. Durum wheat pasta is rich in fiber, which we need for good digestion. Fiber even helps you lose weight: it provides a feeling of fullness for a long time, so a plate of pasta for lunch - and you will last until dinner without snacks. Plus, quality whole grain pasta doesn't cause blood sugar spikes.

Whole grain paste contains folic acid (aka vitamin B9), which pregnant women need for normal fetal development. For men, this vitamin is also useful: it helps the production of sperm.

Finally, selenium. It participates in the regulation of metabolism, supports the activity of the thyroid gland and the immune system. Whole wheat pasta is a good source of selenium that is easy to incorporate into your regular diet.

If you are still afraid of gaining weight, give up fatty and hearty sauces. Instead, add some quality ketchup to the pasta.

Nuts

Adherents of proper nutrition have two main arguments against the regular use of nuts: they say, they are too high in calories and fatty. Let it be so, but you should not exclude nuts from the menu once and for all.

Nuts are fiber and protein. Fiber is needed for good digestion, and protein is a building material, without which the normal functioning of the body is simply impossible. Almonds and hazelnuts contain a lot of vitamin E, which strengthens the immune system and saves the brain from oxygen starvation. In addition, almonds are beneficial for Prebiotic effects of almonds and almond skins on intestinal microbiota in healthy adult humans. for intestinal microflora.

Walnuts are good for Effects of walnut consumption on cognitive performance in young adults. for the brain, and peanuts will help Peanut consumption improves indices of cardiovascular disease risk in healthy adults. prevent problems with the cardiovascular system.

Ketchup

Tomato sauce from healthy lifestyle fanatics gets a lot in vain. It's all the fault of the tricks of unscrupulous manufacturers who believe that a mixture of starch, dyes and flavors is a completely adequate substitute for real tomatoes. Let's leave such fantasies on their conscience.

To produce real and healthy ketchup, you need not so many ingredients: tomato paste, water, sugar, salt and spices. There are few such ketchups, but they are worthy of the title of natural.

Mr. Ricco - natural ketchup, which is prepared on the basis of quality tomato paste from selected Portuguese and Spanish tomatoes. No additional thickeners such as the same starch are needed: the pectin contained in tomatoes is responsible for the consistency. We can do without dyes - here lycopene will help us, which makes tomatoes red. The result is a delicious and healthy product that is no worse than homemade sauces.

What else are pectin and lycopene good for? Pectin is a natural enterosorbent that lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Lycopene prevents the development of atherosclerosis and protects us from cancer with Tomato Lycopene and Lung Cancer Prevention: From Experimental to Human Studies. Good ketchup, made from tomatoes rather than applesauce and flavorings, is even more concentrated than fresh tomatoes.

Add sauce to your favorite dishes and don't worry: the health benefits of natural ketchup are undeniable. The main thing is that the composition does not contain starch, which is added to cheap ketchup as an additional thickener.