2024-04-18 09:36:31
Some foods, such as eggs, potatoes, and coffee, have gained a “bad reputation” as being unhealthy, but they do not necessarily deserve this reputation, as nutrition experts tell NBC News.
Nutritionists and doctors are increasingly advised to eat those foods whose benefits a person may lose when abstaining from them completely, but they have given advice on how to optimally prepare for them.
potato
Nutrition expert Caroline Suzy said that potatoes were distorted due to unhealthy preparation methods.
She added: “Potatoes are great, but we tend to spoil them by not eating the skin, frying them or mixing them with anything like butter and bacon.”
A 2021 study found that consuming larger amounts of French fries is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
But boiled, baked and mashed potatoes were not associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure in that study, and were only slightly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
eggs
Maya Vadivelu, assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island, said eggs have been misrepresented because they are high in dietary cholesterol, which health experts previously believed could contribute to heart disease.
But modern science has refuted this idea, according to Vadivelu, who explained that dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol affect heart health differently.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eating foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, fried foods, and fatty dairy products, can increase the type of cholesterol in the blood that increases the risk of heart disease.
But consuming things that contain cholesterol, such as eggs and shellfish, has little to do with high blood cholesterol or the risk of heart disease, according to NBC.
Frozen fruits and vegetables
Seven nutrition experts expressed their regret over the prevailing perception that frozen fruits and vegetables are less healthy than their fresh counterparts.
“Frozen vegetables and foods are picked at the highest levels of nutrient density and then flash-frozen,” Vadivelu said. “So, in many cases, they retain a higher nutritional content than their fresh counterparts, especially when you live in a place with greater seasonal diversity and availability.”
For her part, Susie said that in addition to retaining nutrients, frozen vegetables are sometimes cheaper than fresh and can help people prevent food waste.
Coffee
Coffee’s bad reputation comes from the caffeine it contains, which is addictive and can cause stress or anxiety in some people when consumed in excess.
However, the US Food and Drug Administration says people can drink up to 4 or 5 cups per day. Research shows that coffee can contribute to reducing the risk of cancer, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and even death.
Vadivelu said that she drinks 3 to 5 cups of coffee with milk daily, adding that studies indicate that it can improve cognitive function, so she believes that the benefits of coffee outweigh the potential disadvantages of caffeine consumption.
Last updated: April 16, 2024 – 23:17
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2024-04-18 09:36:31