
8 foods that don’t deserve their bad reputations
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6. NUTS Like avocados, nuts are fatty foods. But most nuts, including walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts and pecans, are highest in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are
good for your heart, Beal says. They also provide lots of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber, she says. Macadamias and cashews are higher in saturated fat, she says, so should be more
occasional treats. Just watch your portions: An ounce of nuts has 160 to 200 calories, Beal says. The FDA says plain nuts and seeds could be labeled healthy, regardless of saturated fat
level, under its new rules. Some products containing nuts – like certain trail mixes or granola bars – might not make the grade because of high levels of sugar, salt, or saturated fat from
other ingredients. 7. FULL-FAT SALAD DRESSING If you are still squeezing lemon juice on a bowl of greens and other veggies, you may not have heard the news: The nutrients in raw vegetables
are better absorbed when your meal includes some fat. Avocados, nuts and seeds on a salad can help, Blatner says, but so can a dressing made with a healthy olive or avocado oil. “You don’t
need to use fat-free salad dressing anymore,” she says. In fact, Beal says, bottled dressings with reduced fat often have extra sugar or salt to add flavor, making them less healthy choices.
8. WHOLE MILK Milk and other dairy foods are rich sources of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other nutrients. Fermented versions, like yogurt, may have even more health benefits. For
the lactose intolerant, lactose-free versions offer pretty much the same nutrients. While current dietary guidelines suggest getting your dairy in nonfat or low-fat forms, a growing body of
research suggests it’s just fine to mix in some whole milk, along with some full-fat yogurt and cheese. For example, researchers who looked at more than 1,400 people enrolled in 19 studies
found no link between eating dairy foods, with any fat level, and problems with weight, cholesterol, or blood pressure. They found a possible link between high-fat dairy foods and better
levels of so-called good cholesterol (HDL). Enjoying a creamy full-fat yogurt or cheese cube might even help control your weight by filling you up and curbing your appetite, say the authors
of The Whole Body Reset, AARP’s diet plan for people at mid-life and beyond. Still, nutrition experts worry about the saturated fat in whole-fat dairy. So, the Mayo Clinic recommends keeping
your total saturated fat intake in mind when you indulge in it. The dietary guidelines say no more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fat. The heart
association recommends less than 6 percent. "Full-fat dairy foods like whole milk, yogurt, cheeses, etc., can certainly be part of your mix, as long as you are keeping overall saturated
fat in mind," Blatner says. So go ahead and have that whole milk latte – but maybe not on the same day you have a steak. WHAT’S OFF THE HEALTHY LIST? The last time the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration ruled on which foods could be labeled “healthy” was 1994 — and, the agency says, a lot of nutrition advice has changed since then. To match current dietary guidelines,
the agency has new rules. On the healthy list: whole foods such as fresh produce and nuts, along with other nutrient-dense foods low in added sugars, saturated fat and sodium. Off the
list: foods low in the recommended food groups like fresh produce or high in added sugar, saturated fat or sodium. Among foods that would no longer make the cut, even if they contain
vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein or other qualities that meet older standards: * HIGHLY SWEETENED YOGURT. The agency says a “healthy” 6-ounce carton could have no more than 2.5 grams of
added sugar. * WHITE BREAD. “Healthy” breads would have to contain certain levels of whole grain. * SUGARY CEREALS. Many cereals have levels of added sugar that exceed proposed limits. *
MANY FROZEN MEALS. High levels of sodium, added sugar or saturated fat could rule them out.