Foods That Are Okay to Eat Despite What You've Heard

Over the years, red meat, salt, eggs, bread, potatoes, peanut butter, coffee and dairy have all been on the ‘don’t eat’ list when it comes to a healthy diet. But has science got it wrong? The answer is yes … and no. Research is increasingly pointing to the benefits of these and other ‘unhealthy’ foods demonized over decades as bad for us due to the increased risk of chronic disease when overindulged. 

Yes, they carry some health concerns. Too much sugar in processed peanut butter; the saturated fat in red meat, eggs and dairy; the simple carbs in bread and potatoes; the added sugar in coffee shop drinks.

At 620 calories, there’s nothing healthy about a venti Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks. But coffee alone – without the creamers and high-sugar flavorings is okay. In fact, it may be good for you.

Other foods and ingredients on this list are actually necessary to our functioning and survival, and their bad rap should be taken with a pinch of salt (figuratively and literally – we need salt to survive. More on that later).

Longitudinal studies are now finding that categories of foods including dairy and red meat, typically deemed no-nos, do not indicate the negative impact previously reported. 

Take dairy, for example, which contains saturated fat. A 16-year study of more than 4,000 60-year-olds found those who consumed the highest amounts of dairy actually had lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Another review of evidence found that dairy can facilitate weight loss — it can make us feel fuller sooner than other foods. It also reduces or has no effect on the risks of a slew of chronic conditions, including stroke, type 2 diabetes and several cancers. (Like other foods, though, the proof is in the pudding — many store-bought yogurts contain enough added sugar to counter the positive effects their dairy content may have.)

But doesn’t the saturated fat in dairy still make it bad for us? In theory the fatty acids in dairy, called odd-chain fatty acids, are metabolized in a different, more beneficial way than other saturated fats. It comes down to the type of dairy: hard cheeses are healthier than soft; Greek or plain yogurt with no added sugars are better than flavored sweetened yogurts. 

Similarly, we don’t have to ostracize eggs. They support the idiom “good things come in small packages,” packing a nutritional punch. They’re a great source of protein, vitamins B12, B2 and B5, iron, phosphorus and selenium.

Yes, eggs are high in cholesterol. A large egg contains just over half the recommended daily intake of cholesterol for healthy people with no risk for CVD. But as Mayo Clinical trial studies show, eggs don’t effectively raise cholesterol levels in the body, and it’s how they’re cooked – fried and often with butter – that’s the culprit.  

Many people also cut back or completely cut out two foods with the reputation of being the enemies of weight loss: bread and potatoes. They’re starchy carbohydrates. However, our body needs carbohydrates. They supports brain function, the gastrointestinal system, gut health and our microbiome, help the liver perform its detoxification function and is our body’s main source of energy, supplying glucose to fuel cell function.

Some breads – especially white – contain little to no additional nutrition beyond their simple carbs. They’re low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. But other breads contain fiberous whole grains, vitamins and antioxidants – and even fermented (the sour in sour dough!) ingredients that can help with gut microbiome.

These are just a few of bad-rap foods that are okay to incorporate into a varied and balanced diet.