Chow Down! 19 Junk Foods With Health Benefits

The more cocoa that chocolate contains, the lower it is in sugar and the higher it is in polyphenol antioxidants that have been shown to reduce blood pressure.

Dark chocolate

A healthy wholemeal loaf has 2.8g fiber per slice, but that doesn’t make white bread – with 1g of fiber per slice – bad for you. In fact, two slices of white supply around 17% of the daily requirement of calcium (about the same as in a couple of generous tablespoons of Greek yogurt).

White bread

As well as containing polyphenols linked with a healthier, more diverse gut bacteria population, a 175ml glass of red wine – approximately 2 alcohol units – provides 1.6mg iron, which is just over 10% of the daily recommended intake of this anemia-protective nutrient.

Red wine

Cheerios are fortified with at least 15% of the recommended daily intake of nine vitamins and minerals per small bowl. Add 150ml milk and that goes up to over 40% of the daily recommendation for calcium specifically.

Cheerios

No need to feel guilty about making baked beans on toast for dinner when you can’t be bothered to cook. Half a can of Heinz Beanz counts as one of your five-a-day, provides 10g of protein (more than in a large boiled egg) and 7.7g of fiber – nearly a quarter of the recommended 30g per day.

Baked beans

Ham may be a processed meat but it’s a lean source of protein with less than 5% fat. Look for a nitrite-free version, like Finnebrogue Naked Ham if you’d rather skip these chemicals linked with colon cancer.

Ham

How can a food that tastes so yummy be so good for you? A 30g (golf ball size) serving of peanut butter provides 1.5mg of vitamin E and nearly a quarter of the daily requirement of niacin, vital for energy release, a healthy nervous system and skin.

Peanut butter

Can’t function without your caffeine fix first thing in the morning? Well that’s OK, because drinking the brew dials down the risk of contracting endometrial and liver cancers and is associated with less fat around the middle.

Coffee

The ‘carbs are bad’ message is so widespread you could be forgiven for not realizing that healthy eating guidelines from around the world universally recommend that starchy carbs, especially whole-grains, should be a key part of meals. However, portion size is vital – a serving the size of your balled fist is about right.

Pasta

There are enough currants and sultanas in a classic homemade fruit cake for a slice to count as one of your five-a-day. And those fruits also provide fatigue-fighting iron – about 10% of your recommended intake per slice.

Fruit cake

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