“Don’t eat this,†“cut back on that.†Knowing what’s off-limits can be crazy-overwhelming. And a lot of the time, the foods on people’s do-not-eat lists can actually be pretty healthy. Case in point: these wrongly-repped foods.
1. Cheese
Say “cheese,†and then raid the deli counter! A new study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism shows that putting away more dairy products (including cheese) can lower your blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Meanwhile, another recent study, presented at the 2014 meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, shows that people with the highest consumption of high-fat dairy products (that’s eight or more servings a day—score!) have a 23 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who eat no more than one serving a day. Meanwhile, it turns out that eating low-fat dairy products has no impact on your diabetes risk. Obviously, dairy fat is where it’s at.
2. Frozen Produce
“Packaged†isn’t always a bad word… at least when it’s also frozen. In fact, two recent studies out of Britain found that frozen fruits and veggies actually pack more health-boosting vitamins and antioxidants than their so-called fresh versions. For example, frozen broccoli contains four times more beta-carotene than the “fresh†stuff.) What gives? Frozen veggies are picked and sealed at their peak, while others can spend weeks or months in limbo between the farm and your fridge.
3. White Potatoes
When it comes to eating the rainbow, it’s important to get your whites, too, according to a recent supplement published in Advances in Nutrition that points out that a medium white spud is teaming with slimming fiber and over a quarter of your RDA of muscle-supporting potassium.
4. Red Meat
It packs much-needed protein, iron, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which may slash your body fat percentage by prohibiting your body from storing fat. Plus, one meta-analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that consuming higher levels of saturated fat doesn’t increase the risk of heart disease.
5. Full-Fat Foods
And, no, not just because fat isn’t synonymous with pure evil. See, when food manufacturers remove fat from their products, in order to preserve their taste, they have to replace that fat with something; typically, that’s chemicals, sugars, and salt. No wonder baked chips taste so good. Check out these four times it’s better to go with the full-fat version.
6. Simple Carbs
There’s a difference between simple and refined, and just because a carb is quickly digested doesn’t mean it can’t be nutritious. For instance, fruits, honey, and milk are all sources of natural, simple carbs, and they all contain good-for-you vitamins and antioxidants. Plus, they can give you a jolt of energy when you need it. Check out these seven reasons you need to eat carbs.
More from Women’s Health:
The Top 9 Tips Nutritionists Give Their Clients
How to Organize Your Fridge to Keep Food Fresh Longer
6 Surprising Sources of Refined Carbs