How bad foods can be good

By Emma Robertson, MSN Health Columnist

Last updated August 4 2006
http://!msn!"o!u#/health/good$ad%oods/
It sounds hard to swallow, but not all naughty-but-nice foods have the reputation they really
deserve.
Chocolate, red meat and nuts are just a few forbidden treats which, in moderation, can actually help rather
than hinder our health as part of a balanced diet.
We expose some of the snacks which are worth slipping off the wagon for once in a while.
NUTS
Okay, we cant deny the sky-high calorie count found in a small handful of nuts.
owe!er, it is "#$ calories wisely spent if you want to lower the risk of heart
disease and support the bodys circulation system. %ronically, e!idence also
suggests regular nut-eaters are a little thinner than those who dont indulge
because a small amount of nuts satisfies hunger and sends snacking packing.
&uts are jam-packed with healthy monounsaturated fats which dont raise blood
cholesterol. 'lmonds, macadamias and cashews are especially dense in
nutrients such as magnesium and potassium, but keep them unroasted and
unsalted to tap into their raw potency. (xperts ad!ise eating a !ariety of nuts for a
di!erse selection of nutritious goodies.
BUTTE
)erhaps its about time we ga!e butter the credit it deser!es. *nlike margarine, butter is almost completely
unprocessed and bursting with essential naturally formed nutrients which help keep our system in top
shape. On one hand, theres no shying away from the two cholesterol-raising agents found in the spread
but to its credit, butter contains a !aluable source of easily absorbed !itamin ' and fat-soluble !itamins (,
+, and ,. -utter is also rich in the powerful antioxidant selenium to protect our cells against free radicals
which are linked to cancer and heart disease. Organic butter also has especially high le!els of conjugated
linoleic acid which deli!ers first-class protection against cancer.
!"#$%$"
%t sounds almost too good to be true but last week boffins re!ealed more e!idence which suggests a drink
a day helps lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and can e!en help you li!e longer. .oderate
drinking of red wine /one to two units per day0 can stop people from de!eloping colds and also lowers the
risk of heart disease. Whats more, a pint of 1uinness a day might work as well as an aspirin to pre!ent
heart clots. 2he black stuffs high antioxidant compounds are belie!ed to slow down the deposit of bad
cholesterol on the artery walls. %n the not so distant past, post-op patients and blood donors in (ngland
were gi!en the drink as replenishment because of its high iron content
#%EESE
3est assured 4 cheese isnt a complete nutritional nightmare.
%n fact, like butter, this natural food is a clean and excellent
source of !itamins. %ts also a goldmine for calcium which
keeps bones and teeth in great condition and protects
against osteoporosis, which destroys bone density. (ating
cheddar after finishing a meal is belie!ed to help pre!ent
tooth decay. Cheese increases the amount of sali!a in the
mouth which neutralises acid while its high calcium content
may replace minerals in the tooth enamel. 3esearch also
suggests a matchbox si5e portion of organic cheese can
pro!ide up to 667 of the recommended daily intake of
Omega-8 fatty acids which are essential for good health and
to protect against disease.
#%$#$"!TE
-limey, the image upgrade of our 9anti-health food heroes just keeps getting better. 3emarkably, e!idence
says eating the correct amount dark chocolate could help control diabetes and blood pressure. &ot only
is it choc-a-bloc with nutritional goodies such as magnesium and polyphenols but also contains an
antioxidant called fla!anol which can help neutralise the cell damaging effects of free radicals. %ts belie!ed
the fla!anols found in dark chocolate ha!e the capacity to absorb oxygen in the body at "$ times that of
spinach, weight for weight. :or maximum benefits choose a small portion of dark chocolate for its high
cocoa and lower sugar content compared to milk and white !arieties.
I#E-#E!&
;ou cant beat the lip-smacking taste of a << to hit the spot on a sunny day. -ut ice-cream doesn=t just
taste good 4 it could be a factor in maintaining a healthy diet as well. ' study in!ol!ing a panel of
(uropean nutritionists found 687 agreed treats such as ice-cream add !ariety and enjoyment to a diet. 's
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. 2he same study also concluded ice-cream is a good source of protein which is
!ital for cells to function. %ts high calcium and phospherous content is also the business for healthy bones
and teeth.
E' &E!T
)oor old read meat has had a bad rap in recent years, being linked to weight-gain, high cholesterol and
other health related problems. owe!er, theres two sides to e!ery story and red meat does ha!e a good
side to it. 2o start with, its a top source of protein, micronutrients and energy, plus o!er the last >$ years,
its fat content has been cut by a third. &ot only can red meat help increase the absorption of iron from
!egetables and cereals when eaten in the same meal but it pays for itself in the nutrition stakes as well.
!nae(ia is the most common nutritional deficiency in the *+, but meat is a treasure of easily absorbed
iron which can help a!oid this condition. 2he key is to get shop smart and opt for low-fat cuts which are
grilled or dry-fried to keep saturated fat le!els to a minimum.
Food with a smile
By &' Ma'eeni (aymond, MSN Health "olumnist
Last updated )uly 2* 2006
Bananas
?tudies ha!e shown that people who suffer from stress-related diseases commonly ha!e a lack of
magnesium in their diet - something which can combatted by eating bananas, which are rich in the
substance. .agnesium is in fact often referred to as the =anti-stress mineral=, and other excellent sources
include beans, broccoli, spinach, oats, mangoes, nuts /especially almonds0 and tuna.
$ranges
(!eryone knows oranges contain !itamin C, but the way it affects our body is not as well understood.
@itamin C increases the production of noradrenaline, a hormone essential for acti!ity and alertness.
)eople with low !itamin C in their diet are more at risk of de!eloping symptoms of depression.
)asta
(!er had that post-pasta binge, =% feel like going for a run=, feelingA %t might be because pasta and other
carbohydrates, like potatoes, rice and bread, are broken down by the body into sugars which gi!e you an
almost instant release of energy. ' balanced carbohydrate and protein rich diet will supply you with a
steady release of energy throughout the day.
*alnuts
Walnuts contain selenium, an anti-oxidant rich mineral which is widely belie!ed to impro!e mood and
energy le!els. )sychologists from the *ni!ersity of ?wansea recently found that people with low le!els of
selenium in their diet are more likely to be anxious, depressed and tired. Walnuts and -ra5il nuts are
grown in selenium rich soil, but other excellent sources of the substance include seafood, chicken, beef,
bran, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, wheat germ and whole-grain products.
#hocolate
2hat feeling of elation after a piece of chocolate is well known. 2here are many reasons why chocolate can
make us feel better. :irstly, it is sweet and contains carbohydrates, which break down into sugar. 2he more
sugar we get the faster it reaches the brain and other organs, meaning an e!en bigger =high=. ' recent
study showed that after eating ice-cream, the parts of the brain associated with pleasure are =lit-up= on
brain scans, showing that it isnt just a psychological effect 4 sugar really does go straight to the head.
Chocolate also contains caffeine, a stimulant which makes us feel energised, if only temporarily. Chocolate
is packed with other bonus materials tooB iron, 5inc, calcium, pottasium and magnesium, all of which ha!e
been shown to boost our mood. 2he downside is that sugary foods soon cause us to feel hungry again,
possibly leading to weight-gain and other medical problems such as diabetes.
Tur+ey
2urkey is full of tyrosine, an amino acid which helps increase the bodys le!els of adrenaline, the Cenergy
hormoneD, which acts on many different organs to increase their function. When we need energy for
physical acti!ity, we reEuire adrenaline, and turkey helps to increase this hormone, increasing moti!ation,
and decreasing stress. Chicken also contains lots of tyrosine.
ed (eat
%ron is a mineral found in red meat and, more famously, spinach, and is effecti!e at increasing energy
le!els. %ron is needed for many different types of cells to work, and its absence can leads to signs of
depression.
#hilli
While we=d ne!er argue that beer and a curry is good for you, one ingredient does at least appear to ha!e
beneficial properties. Capsicin is found in chilli peppers, the brain=s response to which is to produce
endorphins, otherwise known as Chappy hormonesD.
*ater
:eeling tired at work may be due to not taking on enough fluids. ,rinking water pre!ents dehydration, a
cause of low mood and an all too common phenomenon in a stressful workplace. ;ou should aim for
around nine glasses of liEuid a day, preferably water or juice rather than endless cups of tea and coffee,
which can actually worsen dehydration.
#offee
't the same time, coffee is another one of those things that can gi!e you an instant high, but it should be
treated with caution. Caffeine is well known to increase energy Euickly, but it can also cause ner!ousness.
$ily fish
3esearch has shown that eating oily fish and other foods rich in omega-8 fatty acids, which work closely
with the ner!ous system, can reduce depressi!e symptoms.
*hy do we get cravings,
Cra!ings for particular foods are a common side-effect of feeling low. 2his can be psychological or due to
chemical changes in the body such as low le!els of serotonin, a hormone that makes us feel happy.
%n recent studies, obese people were found to ha!e consistently low le!els of serotonin. When serotonin is
lacking, our body tries to compensate by making us eat more to satisfy our serotonin receptors. 2his is
why going on a diet can often make us feel depressed.
The i(portance of brea+fast
:ed up of hearing how breakfast is the most important meal of the dayA Well too bad - it=s all true. ?tudies
show that people who eat breakfast are more alert during the day, achie!e better grades at school, and
can manage more complex tasks at work. -asically, those who dont eat breakfast dont perform to their
full potential. (ating breakfast sets a pattern for the rest of the day, and often means you won=t resort to
snacking.
-ita(ins and (inerals
2here are a number of !itamins and minerals we reEuire to maintain a healthy diet, and which can make
us feel more energised and happier. 2hese areB
.agnesium - found in spinach and other greens and nuts
%ron - found in red meat, greens, eggs and certain fruits
Finc - found in pulses, meat and milk
- !itamins - found in wholegrains, yeast and dairy products
?elenium - found in nuts, li!er and shellfish
@itamin ' - found in li!er, milk, cheese and oily fish
@itamin C - found in citrus fruits and berries
@itamin ( - found in !egetable oils, meat, !egetables, fruit, nuts and cereals.
Tips on how to be food happy
3emember, comfort food is not the answer. (ating regular meals at particular times rather then
snacking impro!es the way your energy is released during the day.
:ood is a great way to impro!e your mood, but it is easy to become dependant on things like coffee or
chocolate. 2ry to find alternati!e sources of serotonin, like socialising, playing sport, or reading a book.
,rink plenty of fluid to pre!ent dehydration, a common cause of low mood and energy.
(at breakfast e!ery day.
While all these foods can make you feel happy, they are by no means a cure for depressi!e
symptoms. ;es, some foods can help lift your mood, but if there is an underlying medical cause for the
symptoms it is important that this is dealt with properly. 'lways seek medical ad!ice if you are suffering
from signs of depression and before starting any new diet.