Unhealthy foods now healthy!

[Living Brian]

Here's a nice little article on MSN, lauding the benefits of certain otherwise regarded as unhealthy foods:

http://www.msn.co.uk/health/goodbadfoods/Default.asp

Here's a few of them:

BUTTER
Perhaps it’s about time we gave butter the credit it deserves. Unlike margarine, butter is almost completely unprocessed and bursting with essential naturally formed nutrients which help keep our system in top shape. On one hand, there’s no shying away from the two cholesterol-raising agents found in the spread but to its credit, butter contains a valuable source of easily absorbed vitamin A and fat-soluble vitamins E, K, and D. Butter is also rich in the powerful antioxidant selenium to protect our cell’s against free radicals which are linked to cancer and heart disease. Organic butter also has especially high levels of conjugated linoleic acid which delivers first-class protection against cancer.

CHEESE
Rest assured – cheese isn’t a complete nutritional nightmare. In fact, like butter, this natural food is a clean and excellent source of vitamins. It’s also a goldmine for calcium which keeps bones and teeth in great condition and protects against osteoporosis, which destroys bone density. Eating cheddar after finishing a meal is believed to help prevent tooth decay. Cheese increases the amount of saliva in the mouth which neutralises acid while its high calcium content may replace minerals in the tooth enamel. Research also suggests a matchbox size portion of organic cheese can provide up to 88% of the recommended daily intake of Omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for good health and to protect against disease.

CHOCOLATE
Blimey, the image upgrade of our ‘anti-health food heroes’ just keeps getting better. Remarkably, evidence says eating the correct amount dark chocolate could help control diabetes and blood pressure. Not only is it choc-a-bloc with nutritional goodies such as magnesium and polyphenols but also contains an antioxidant called flavanol which can help neutralise the cell damaging effects of free radicals. It’s believed the flavanols found in dark chocolate have the capacity to absorb oxygen in the body at 10 times that of spinach, weight for weight. For maximum benefits choose a small portion of dark chocolate for its high cocoa and lower sugar content compared to milk and white varieties.

ICE-CREAM
You can’t beat the lip-smacking taste of a 99 to hit the spot on a sunny day. But ice-cream doesn't just taste good – it could be a factor in maintaining a healthy diet as well. A study involving a panel of European nutritionists found 83% agreed treats such as ice-cream add variety and enjoyment to a diet. As a result, this makes you more likely to stick to a healthy eating plan rather than a strict regime which bans all goodies off the menu. The same study also concluded ice-cream is a good source of protein which is vital for cell’s to function. Its high calcium and phospherous content is also the business for healthy bones and teeth.

[Alexa]

Actually, diets are very restrictive in the first phase only. Once you reached your healty weight, you can eat in moderation and if you don't make a habit of it, any food you want.

[Leto]

Most food are healthy if eaten in variety, I guess. And you could have asked to most women (except those allergic to it), chocolate is HEALTHY. It's life itself.

[tater03]

It seems like everytime you turn around they change their minds on if a food is good or bad for you. I can remember when coffee was a very big no no. Now they say it's good for you in moderation. I never know what's good or bad for you anymore. I tend to eat what I want but in moderation.

[Lyricb]

I've read that about butter before. Dr. Andrew Weil has a great book that talks about avoiding margarine and anything made of margarine. The truth of the matter is, though, that I don't like the taste of butter.

[Alexa]

Originally Posted by tater03

It seems like everytime you turn around they change their minds on if a food is good or bad for you.

It depends who's giving the advice. Not all of them are really specialists.

[vicki2]

That's an appealing list for me. But butter is something I don't do without. A couple of years ago, I tried I Can't Believe It's Not Butter for some baking. When I looked into the oven and saw that a large pat of it hadn't melted in ten minutes, all I could think about what how long it could possibly take to digest. End of that product! LOL.

[Alexa]

Do you use butter for everything ? I don't have it in my kitchen for years. I presently use only olive oil. I know, it's quite expensive. *sigh*

[palefrost]

It is silly how we are yo-yo back and forth with studies. I think its important to really review who is doing these studies and who is funding them. We also need to use common sense and read out labels. Just because a read something is good or bad i dont except it. I use my own judgement on what i eat. As a general rule if its organically based, meaning not alot of processing when its made i will eat it.

[Alexa]

The only problem with the labels is that not all ingredients are written.