When it comes to food, we think that we know which to eat and which to avoid. We have grown up knowing to eat vegetables and avoid fats, sweets and salt. For the most part, these rules are great ones to live by. However, it’s possible that you may be missing out on all the benefits now being discovered in food you wouldn’t think is healthful.
CHOCOLATE
Rejoice, ladies! Chocolate is actually very healthful. Studies show that a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can actually protect your heart. Firstly, it has been seen to reduce Low-Density Lipids (or bad cholesterol) by as much as 10%.
Know that incredible feeling after biting into a bar of chocolate? That’s seratonin at its finest. Seratonin is the same compound that the brain produces when one is in love. Thus, it also acts a an anti-depressant.
LAMB
A nice rack of lamb can actually be as healthful as a seafood dish. This is because, lamb has been found to contain high levels of omega-3 fats. These are usually thought of to be found in fish, nuts and seeds. Lamb contains, on average, around 40 milligrams of omega-3 per ounce.
Omega-3 oils help to clean up the arteries. They break-up fat and plaque that have built up during the course of our lifetime. This lowers blood pressure and relieves the heart of blockages. Omega-3 also facilitates the brain development of a baby while in their mother’s womb. That’s why pregnant women are always told to ingest omega-3.
CHILI PEPPERS
Another thing most people don’t associate with a healthy lifestyle is the chili pepper. The spice actually benefits the body because of its capsaicin content, the compound in peppers which makes it spicy. Studies have proven that it can be an effective treatment for relieving pain caused by arthritis, diabetic neuropathy and psoriasis. Red chili peppers have also been seen to reduce blood cholesterol, platelet aggregation and triglycerides.
If you’re trying to lose weight, an addition of pepper to your diet can help you shed unwanted fat. That’s because capsaicin can curb your appetite, boost metabolism and break down fat.