5 healthy foods that are thought to be unhealthy

When classifying a food as healthy or unhealthy, many factors must be taken into account, such as the calories they provide, the nutrients they contain or the type of fat they contain. Although there are some foods that are obviously healthy, some can be more surprising.

1. Popcorn

Although they are often considered an avoidable snack, they actually offer several nutritional benefits. They are low in fat and high in fiber, and contain small amounts of vitamins and minerals, including zinc, magnesium and B vitamins. As with any food, the aim here is not to exceed the quantities to be ingested, in particular the salt and sugars that are added when they are processed and sold in supermarkets.

2. Cheese

Cheese has a bad reputation because of its high calorie and fat content, but it is actually a good source of calcium, protein and vitamin D. Some cheeses are healthier than others are, generally the drier they are, the more fats they provide. However, fresh cheeses, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese or goat cheese are good choices for snacks.

3. Butter

It is a fairly diabolized food because of its high content of saturated fats and calories. However, the truth is that if we use it in moderation can provide us with CLA, a type of fat that can reduce the occurrence of certain cancers and can decrease the percentage of body fat. It also contains butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that can reduce inflammation and promote good digestion.

4. Hamburgers

Hamburgers that do not contain a lot of fat, such as lean beef, turkey or vegetarian hamburgers, for example, contain iron, vitamin B12 and protein that have health benefits. Again, the problem comes from fast food restaurants that do not use high quality meat and add many seasonings that can quickly turn a hamburger into an unhealthy option. As always, homemade food is always the best.

5. Ketchup

It undoubtedly contains a high content of salt and sugars, but it also offers surprising health benefits. Due to the processing of tomatoes, ketchup contains lycopene, an antioxidant that reduces cholesterol and increases sperm count.