Five Forbidden Foods You Should Eat

These foods at one time or another were all “forbidden” from a healthy diet. However, new research shows that many of these foods have great nutritional value and are great to include in a healthy diet. Check them out and if you had cut them out in the past, enjoy adding a few back to your cart during your next grocery trip!

• Eggs:  Were once banned from healthy diets due to their cholesterol content. However, according to the American Dietetic Association, today's research shows that one egg yolk a day is okay for most healthy people, as long as their total cholesterol intake comes in at 300 milligrams a day or less. (One large yolk has about 185 milligrams of cholesterol; egg whites are cholesterol free.)  Plus, one large egg only has 70 calories and provides a plethora of nutrients: protein, vitamins A and D, B vitamins, and lutein-just to name a few! Adding an egg to your breakfast can help you stay fuller, longer!

• Nuts: Once thought to be too high in fat for a healthy snack, research now shows that the heart healthy fat in nuts can aid in weight-loss by promoting satiety and help lower LDL (bad cholesterol. Not to mention that they are a great source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants. You’d have to be nuts not to include them in your diet-just keep your portion to about ¼ cup per day!

• Beef: Beef was once shunned because it was thought to be too high in fat, but there are 29 cuts of lean beef! We now know beef can be included in a healthy diet, and in fact, it is a very nutrient rich food full of protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins! So feel free to throw a sirloin steak on the grill or pat some burgers out of 90/10 lean ground beef!

• Pasta: Don’t let anyone tell you that you shouldn’t eat pasta because it’s too high in carbs! Pasta is relatively low in calories, and if you choose a whole grain pasta, it’s a good source of filling fiber as well. Cooked pasta’s high water content can also help fill you up, research shows. And when we eat carbs, our body releases a hormone called serotonin, which helps us feel relaxed and satisfied. So scoop out a half cup serving of cooked whole grain pasta on your supper plate tonight and bulk it up with vegetables, tomato-based sauces, and a lean protein like chicken or shrimp.

• Shrimp: Speaking of shrimp, 20 years ago, many well-meaning doctors told heart patients to avoid this delectable seafood due to its cholesterol content. However, now we know that it’s not the cholesterol in food that raises our blood cholesterol the most, it’s saturated fat. It just so happens that shrimp are very low in fat and high in protein and other nutrients like zinc. A few shrimp in a little cocktail sauce is one of my favorite afternoon snacks-keeps me full until supper on very few calories!