Back In Our Good Graces
Self, May 2001

Ten foods, once considered forbidden, are back on the good-for-you list.

1.
Eggs. The American Heart Association says you can have as much as an egg a day, up from a limit of three eggs a week. Eggs also have omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. And yolks, once forbidden, are actually naturally rich in lutein, which may protect the eyes from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
2.
Tub margarine. Butter? Margarine? Which is better or worse? While olive oil is best, try tub margarines before butter. A USDA study found that using trans fat-free tub margarines resulted in the smallest rise in cholesterol, compared with both butter and stick margarine.
3.
Chocolate. Yes, it's true. Even though it's high in calories and fat, chocolate also contains stearic acid that doesn't boost cholesterol the way other saturated fats do. Cocoa beans also contain polyphenols--potent antioxidants. And be sure to choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate for more of them.
4.
Beef. These days, beef is 27 percent leaner than it was 20 years ago. it also has zinc and iron. For even less fat, avoid short ribs, spareribs, regular ground beef, and rib-eye roasts.
5.
Shrimp. The cholesterol in shrimp doesn't raise dietary cholesterol, and it decreases triglycerides (fats in blood linked to heart disease). Shrimp is also low in calories and fat, and high in protein. 6. Pork. Some lean cuts
6.
Pork. Some lean cuts of pork have less fat than a chicken thigh. Eat tenderloin, boneless sirloin chop, and boneless loin roast.
7.
Nuts. Never mind the high fat content--it's the healthy, cholesterol-lowering unsaturated kind. And nuts also have nutrients like sterols, which help stop the body's absorption of cholesterol during digestion.
8.
Coffee. Despite previous warnings, recent studies have found no link between drinking coffee and changes in bone density, fibrocystic breasts, or heart disease. Naturally you shouldn't be drinking coffee nonstop all day, but one or two cups a day won't put you at risk.
9.
Cheese. A fat that fights body fat? It exists--in cheese. It's conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that might help fight body fat and protect against some cancers. And don't forget the calcium cheese provides.
10.
Avocados. It's a good fat that avocados have--monounsaturated fat, which our bodies need--so go ahead and eat them.
 
Still Bad
1.
Butter and most margarines. Butter has saturated fat and stick margarine has trans fats; they both raise LDL cholesterol levels.
2.
Bacon. Cured meats like bacon are high in sodium and fat, and they have been linked to pancreatic, stomach, and colon cancers--possibly because of the nitrites they contain
3.
Processed snack foods. If your snack foods have the words "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredients, run away. Those are loaded with trans fats.