There are foods that at some point have been considered harmful to health. But the truth is that eating a varied and balanced diet or cooking them correctly, none of the foods that were bad for a long time have been shown to have negative effects on health.
Foods that used to be bad but are no longer bad
1 egg
Several studies blamed the egg for the increase in fat and cholesterol in the blood and marked it as a harmful food despite being a rich source of protein. However, later studies showed that the egg alone did not significantly modify the amount of cholesterol in the blood and that it was the entire diet as a whole that caused these metabolic alterations . That is, the consumption of eggs is not harmful within a varied and balanced diet.
2. Bread
There are many myths around bread, such as that it does not add anything, that it makes you fat, that the gluten it contains is harmful … But it is not like that. Bread is one of the basic foods that should be part of a healthy diet. It provides fiber, carbohydrates, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, all of them very beneficial for health. Also, fermented foods like bread have been shown to aid digestion.
Although it is true that white bread is not the best option because it is made with refined flours . You can choose whole wheat, rye or oat bread.
3. Pasta
Refined pasta is the most popular, but refined carbohydrates have been associated with an increased risk of heart disease, high blood sugar, and insulin resistance. This has led to believe, as happens with bread, that pasta, in general, is bad and harmful to the body, but it is not. It is advisable to avoid white or processed pasta, but if it is eaten whole, it can be a very good option.
Today wholemeal pasta contains more nutrients than a few years ago. There are also quite a few healthy non-whole pasta varieties, such as those made from semolina flour or durum wheat. These can also be very good options.
4. Potatoes
Potatoes if cooked in a healthy way are not harmful to health and can become a great source of carbohydrates. However, they can be a bad food when fried or contain a large amount of salt or sauce . The ideal is to prepare them in the oven, boiled or in the microwave to get a food rich in vitamin C and B, fiber and potassium.
It is very important to always cook the potato in one way or another because raw it is toxic .
5. Canned vegetables
It is always best to consume fresh, frozen or pickled vegetables, but this does not mean that consuming them in a can is harmful. And the same happens with legumes or other foods that are sold in cans. Canned vegetables have been found to contain the same amount of vitamins and minerals as the fresh option .
6. Salad dressing
Only salads without dressing are mistakenly believed to be healthy. It is true that sauces tend to have enough sugar and salt to give more flavor, so the ideal thing would be to add olive oil, a little salt, spices to taste and vinegar . In this way, in addition to flavor, the salad will also provide the body with fat that will help absorb some nutrients and vitamins from the vegetables.
7. Dried meat
Dried meat, such as ham or jerky, has been in the spotlight continuously. It has been said that it causes cancer, that it increases the amount of cholesterol in the blood, that its digestion is complicated … Although it is true that this type of meat should be eaten in moderation, it is necessary because it is rich in protein, iron and zinc. So it is a food that must be included in the diet but in small portions and accompanied by easily digestible foods, such as puree, rice or vegetables. Eating large amounts of dried meat could trigger health problems, especially cardiovascular ones.
8. Popcorn
Popcorn has been said on numerous occasions to be very unhealthy. This is a half truth. The popcorn that you normally sell at the cinema or microwave contains large amounts of fat and salt. However, the homemade popcorn that is prepared in a frying pan or in a specific machine for it with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt can be consumed without fear.
9. Chocolate
Many studies claimed that chocolate was bad for your health, but they were referring to white. Dark chocolate, unlike white, is good for the heart, lowers blood pressure, and lowers bad cholesterol. And this has also been proven through studies.
With all this we mean that those foods that were bad were not so bad in reality. You just have to know how to cook them, control the quantities or choose the type.
