Some of
our favourite food and drinks have received a bad press over the years. But the
latest evidence suggests that they’re a lot healthier than we think. Here’s a
look at five so-called ‘bad’ foods that may actually be good for our health.
Chocolate
Once
considered an unhealthy treat, chocolate is now gaining a reputation as a
superfood with heart-healthy properties. Numer-ous studies suggest that eating
chocolate—just one small square a day—can lower blood pressure, cut
cholesterol, and slash your risk of heart attack and stroke.
In one of
the latest studies, German researchers followed more than 19,000 people for at
least 10 years and found that those who ate the
most chocolate—an average of 7.5 g/day—had lower blood pressure and a
39-per-cent lower risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke compared with
those who ate the least chocolate—an average of only 1.7 g/day.
The
difference between the two groups amounts to just 5.8 g of chocolate: less than
one small square of a 100-g bar. According to lead researcher Dr Brian Buijsse, if the
group eating the least amount of chocolate increased their chocolate intake by
6 g/day, then 85 fewer heart attacks and strokes per 10,000 people could be
expected to occur over a period of around 10 years (Eur Heart J, 2010; 31:
1616–23).
But not
all chocolate is created equal: only the dark kind appears to be good for the
heart. That’s because dark chocolate contains the most cocoa, and it’s the
cocoa—brimming with heart-healthy antioxidant ‘flavonoids’—that provides the
health benefits. Indeed, in a study comparing white and dark chocolate in
patients with mild hypertension, only the dark type had beneficial effects,
dramatically reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (Hypertension,
2005; 46: 398–405).
Other
health effects linked to dark chocolate include increased insulin sensitivity
in healthy people (suggesting a role for chocolate in diabetes prevention) and
improved symptoms in people who have chronic fatigue syndrome (Am j Clin Nutr,
2005; 81: 611–4; Endocrine Abstracts, 2006; 12: 68).
Although
dark chocolate may be high in sugar, the cocoa packs such a healthy punch that
it counteracts any negative effects. As for fat content, much of it is present
in the form of stearic triglycerides, which increase good HDL cholesterol and
are readily cleared from the body via the gut (Crit Care Nurse, 2007; 27:
11–5). Also, the fat slows the rate of sugar release into the bloodstream,
making dark chocolate a low glycaemic-index (GI) food.
These
benefits should not be seen as an excuse to overindulge, however. Stick to just
one small square of dark chocolate (with at least 70-per-cent cocoa solids)
every day, and you can reap the rewards without piling on the pounds.
Eggs
Eggs have
long been frowned upon for their high cholesterol content, but the current
evidence suggests no direct link between egg consumption and blood choles-terol
levels (Food Chem, 2011; 129: 155–61). In fact, eating eggs might actually be
good for the heart. A recent laboratory study identified several different
peptides in boiled and fried eggs that act like the popular
blood-pressure-lowering drugs, ACE inhibitors. These findings “may have
implications for cardiovascular disease preven-tion, including hypertension”,
the researchers said (J Agric Food Chem, 2009; 57: 471–7).
Eggs are
also a good source of
disease-fighting antioxidants, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin,
known for their protective effects against macular degeneration and cataract
forma-tion (Food Funct, 2010; 1: 156–60). One study found that eating one egg a
day for five weeks significantly raised blood levels of lutein and zeaxanthin
without increasing cholesterol levels (J Nutr, 2006; 136: 2519–24).
Other research
shows that eggs may help you to lose weight. A study published in the
International Journal of Obesity found that eating two eggs for breakfast for
eight weeks, as part of a reduced-calorie diet, helped over-weight adults lose
more weight and body fat than those eating a bagel breakfast of equivalent
calories. What’s more, and yet again, cholesterol levels did not differ
between the two groups (Int J Obes [Lond], 2008; 32: 1545–51).
Some
people may not benefit from eating eggs, however. One study found a link
between higher egg consumption and an increased risk of coronary artery
disease among diabetics. It could be that eggs have a detrimental effect on
glycaemic control, the researchers said (Med Sci Monit, 2007; 13: CR1–8).
Still,
there seems to be no reason why healthy people can’t enjoy an egg a day.
Peanut
butter
Although
peanut butter is high in fat, including the saturated kind, studies suggest
that including it in your diet may actually be good for your health.
A recent
study by Harvard researchers found that frequent nut and peanut-butter
consump-tion was linked to a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease (CVD) among women with type 2 diabetes. Compared with
women who almost never ate nuts and peanut butter, those who ate at least five
servings of these foods per week
(one serving = one tablespoon of peanut butter or 28 g of nuts) had a
44-per-cent lower risk of CVD and heart attack.
Part of
the reason for the slashed risk may be that, for every one serving per day
increase in nut/peanut-butter consumption, there was a 0.17-mL decrease in bad
LDL cholesterol.
Other
possible mechanisms through which nuts/peanut butter may have cardioprotective
effects include inhibiting inflammation, decreasing insulin resistance and
improving the function of endo-thelium, which lines the inner walls of arteries
(J Nutr, 2009; 139: 1333–8).
These
findings support those of the Iowa Women’s Healthy Study, involving more than
40,000 postmenopausal women, which found that peanut-butter and nut consumption
was associated with a reduced risk of death due to CVD and and coronary heart
disease (Br J Nutr, 2006; 96 Suppl 2: S52–60). Other research suggests that
eating peanut butter can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and gallstone
disease (JAMA, 2002; 288: 2554–60; Am J Clin Nutr, 2004; 80: 76–81), and could
help to curb appetite in normal-weight individuals (Int J Obes Relat Metab
Disord, 2002; 26: 1129–37).
According
to nutrition expert Dr Walter C. Willett, peanut butter has a good ratio of
unsaturated to
saturated fat, with two table-spoons containing 3.3 g of saturated fat and 12.3
g of unsaturated fat (which equates to around 80-per-cent unsaturated fat). It
also contains fibre, vitamins and minerals (including 200 mg of
potassium), as well as other nutrients.
Some
brands, however, add sugar, salt and other additives to the mix, so look for
products that are 100-per-cent made from peanuts.
Coffee
Coffee has
also had its fair share of bad
press, but the latest studies
suggest that it may have important
health-promoting properties.
In a study
of nearly 35,000 women, drinking more than one cup of coffee a day was
associated with a significantly lower risk of stroke. Women who reported
drinking 1–2 cups/day, 3–4 cups/day and 5 or more cups/day had a reduced stroke
risk of 22, 25 and 23
per cent, respectively, compared with those who reported drinking less than one
cup of coffee a day, the researchers found (Stroke, 2011; 42: 908–12).
Other
evidence indicates that coffee drinking might help protect against cancer. A
Swedish study found a link between coffee consumption and a reduced risk of
breast cancer in postmenopausal women, while a US study reported an association
between coffee drinking and a lowered risk of lethal prostate cancer (Breast
Cancer Res, 2011; 13: R49; J Natl Cancer Inst, 2011; 103: 876–84).
There is
even research suggesting that coffee might also help to guard against dementia/
Alzheimer’s disease, and reduce the risk of death due to heart disease and
other causes—at least in women (J Alzheimers Dis, 2010; 20 Suppl 1: S167–74; J
Nutr, 2010; 140: 1007–13).
The
mechanism behind these health benefits is still unknown, but it’s thought that
antioxidant polyphenols in coffee might play a key role by inhibiting
inflammation (Nutr, 2010; 140: 1007–13).
Pizza
You won’t
often find pizza on healthy-food lists, but some research indicates that it
could cut your risk of cancer.
A study
carried out in Italy—involving 22,000 people—found that regular pizza-eaters
had a significantly reduced risk of digestive-tract cancers. Eating one portion
or more of pizza a week was associated with a 59-per-cent reduced risk of
oesophageal cancer, and a 34-per-cent lower risk of oral and pharyngeal
(throat) cancer. The risk of developing colon and rectal cancer also fell—by 26
and 7 per cent, respectively (Eur J Cancer Prev, 2004; 13: 447–52).
The
healthy dose of tomatoes and olive oil provided by Italian pizza could be
responsible for these findings, the researchers said. Indeed, both ingredients
have been independently linked to a reduced risk of cancer. In one such study,
Harvard researchers found that men who ate lots of tomatoes and tomato products
(such as tomato sauce and pizza) reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 35
per cent (J Natl Cancer Inst, 1995; 87: 1767–76). In yet another study, higher
olive-oil consumption was associated with lower odds of having any type of
cancer (Lipids Health Dis, 2011; 10: 127).
But before
you start dialling for a pizza takeaway, bear in mind that eating pizza outside
of Italy may not be so healthy. Traditional Italian pizza is typically
20-per-cent tomato sauce, 20-per-cent mozzarella cheese, 4-per-cent olive oil
and less than 50-per-cent crust. The UK and US varieties, on the other
hand, generally contain more refined carbohydrates, and are often loaded with
salt, preser-vatives and processed meat.
For a
healthier option, try making your own pizza with whole-wheat pizza dough,
plenty of tomato sauce, a dash of olive oil and just a sprinkling of cheese.
You could also add some antioxidant-rich oregano for some functional flavour.
Joanna
Evans
WDDTY, VOL 22, ISSUE 6