Three ‘bad’ foods that are actually good for you
Chocolate
Now we’re not suggesting you reach for a giant bar of dairy milk, but dark chocolate can have many health benefits. Full of flavanols which have antioxidant properties and linked to improving vascular function and lowering blood pressure among other health boosters, eating dark chocolate with over 70% cocoa solids is a perfect sweet treat.
Pasta
Don’t recoil in horror the next time someone suggests a bowl of bolognaise for tea, believe it or not pasta can be good for you! In 2016 in Nutrition and Diabetes, the diets of 14,000 people were examined and the research found that those who ate pasta more regularly also had lower BMI’s and smaller waistlines than their carb-fearing counterparts.
Having a Mediterranean style diet which includes eating pasta and even heart-healthy olive oil is commonly reported to be one of the healthiest you can have and has been linked to reduced risks of heart-disease and cognitive decline, but try and stick to healthier pasta sauce options and avoid the heavy cream based ones!
Wine
This one may be something you have heard of before but wine, particularly red wine can be good for you in moderation. The grapes red wine is made from are packed with beneficial antioxidants including resveratrol and proanthocyanidins which are believed to be responsible for helping to reduce inflammation and preventing heart disease and cancer.
Just like with most foods though, how much you consume plays the most critical factor in aiding your health, as having too much wine can actually increase your chances of heart disease. It is recommended that women should drink no more than a glass a day while men can have two.