Eggs, potatoes, coffee: These kitchen staples, among others, have gotten a bad reputation, say nutrition experts, but they don’t necessarily deserve it. In fact, registered dietitians, doctors and nutrition professors are increasingly advising people to eat them.
Dietary advice is constantly changing, which can leave consumers unsure about which foods are actually hearty. NBC News asked nine health experts about foods they believe have been unfairly denigrated. Here are some of the items they mentioned and the benefits that people may lose if they give them up completely.
Eggs are wealthy in protein
Eggs have been demonized because of their high dietary cholesterol content, which health experts once believed could contribute to heart disease, says Dr. Maya Vadivoloo, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island.
But updated science debunked this theory by showing that cholesterol in food and cholesterol in the blood affect heart health in different ways.
Eating foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, fried foods and fatty dairy products, can enhance blood cholesterol levels, which enhance the risk of heart problems, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, eating foods containing cholesterol, such as eggs and shellfish, little correlation for high cholesterol in the blood or risk of heart disease.
Despite this change, many people still have a negative view of eggs. Vadivooo said it could also be due to other breakfast foods they are often paired with.
“When people think of eggs, they think of bacon and French fries,” she said — foods that are high in salt and saturated fat. But eggs are nutritious on their own, she added.
Eggs are also a source of vitamin D and cholinea nutrient that plays a role in metabolism, memory and muscle control.
Eggs even have the WeightWatchers stamp of approval, which uses a points system to assign values to each type of food and drink based on its nutrient profile. Fruits, vegetables and lean meats are worth zero points, meaning dieters don’t have to measure their portions. Eggs are on the ZeroPoint list since 2017.
Just don’t fry potatoes
It’s no secret that how you cook and season your food affects its health. Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said potatoes have been demonized because of the unhealthy way they’re prepared.
“Potatoes are simply fantastic. Unfortunately, we often screw them up by not eating the skin, frying them, or mixing them with everything under the sun, like sour cream, butter, and bacon,” Susie said. These additives are added saturated fat, which should be narrow to 13 grams per day, according to Art. American Heart Association.
AND 2021 study It was found that eating larger amounts of French fries was associated with increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. However, in this study, boiled, baked, and mashed potatoes were not associated with a higher risk of hypertension and were only weakly associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Potato skins are wealthy in fiber, which aids digestion. Potatoes also contain vitamin C and potassium, Susie added.
She recommended baking, frying, mashing or boiling potatoes, seasoning them with olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs.
Frozen doesn’t always mean less hearty
Seven nutrition experts lamented the common belief that frozen fruits and vegetables are less hearty than their fresh counterparts.
“Frozen vegetables and frozen foods are harvested at their highest nutrient density and then flash-frozen. So in many cases, they retain higher nutrient content than their fresh counterparts,” Vadivveloo said, “especially if you live in a place that has more seasonal variability and availability.”
Susie said that in addition to retaining its nutrientsFrozen vegetables are sometimes cheaper than fresh and can support people prevent food waste.
“Sometimes when I buy fresh produce, it basically ends up, just kidding, in the vegetable bin graveyard. They go there to die,” she said. “But canned and frozen last longer.”
A few cups of coffee is not a cause for concern
Coffee’s bad reputation is due to the caffeine it contains, which is addictive and can cause anxiety or fear in some people in case of excessive consumption.
However, the Food and Drug Administration says people can drink four to five cups a day. Studies show that coffee can contribute to: reduced risk of cancer, heart failure, Type 2 diabetes AND even death.
Vadiveloo said she drinks three to five cups of coffee with milk every day. Research suggests it can to correct cognitive function, so he believes that the benefits of consuming coffee outweigh the potential disadvantages of consuming caffeine.
“This is a myth that I regularly debunk. Because a lot of people will say, “Oh, I’m trying to cut down on coffee and caffeine.” And the research simply doesn’t support that coffee, especially if you don’t add a ton of sugar and cream and the like, can pose any health risk at reasonable consumption amounts,” Vadiveloo said.
Alicia Henson, an education specialist in the master’s program in nutrition science and dietetics at UC Berkeley, says that the health value of coffee — like potatoes — depends on what’s added to it.
“If you go to Starbucks and have a Frappuccino or you have a coffee with a lot of added sugar and cream, that’s not necessarily a hearty addition,” Henson said.
The type of carbohydrate matters
Experts say carbohydrates as a whole are often considered unhealthy, in part due to the popularity of low-carb and ketogenic diets. However, it is wrong to think that all carbohydrates are the same.
“It has to do with the quality of the carbohydrates — refined versus whole grains,” said Dr. Linda Shiue, an internist and director of culinary and lifestyle medicines at Kaiser Permanente.
Refined grains, such as those used to make processed foods like white bread, crackers and cookies, lack the fiber and nutrients that make whole grains hearty, Shiue said. That includes iron and B vitamins. But quinoa, farro and brown rice, for example, offer protein, magnesium, iron and fiber, which can support you feel full.
Dr. Melina Jampolis, a nutritionist in private practice in Los Angeles, said she often recommends one particular type of whole grain to patients as a snack, much to their surprise: popcorn.
Many people associate popcorn with the movie version, which is full of salt, butter, and sometimes sugar — and is often sold with a gigantic soda. But when you prepare popcorn at home using only olive oil and spices, Jampolis said, the snack is fibrous and can be part of a balanced diet. Studies also show that popcorn contains phenolic acidsa type of antioxidant.
“That’s what real experts do,” she said. “We don’t necessarily look at individual foods in isolation.”
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