Eat Drink and Be Healthy: Foods You Thought Were Bad

Trying to navigate the myriad of of conflicting info on nutrition can be a bit daunting. Well, this article may be just as confusing for you but it helps to know that just about too much of anything is not good for you.  Some foods have been given a bad rap over the years and are not only fine in moderation but can be good for you as well. I've also outlined some benefits that are not only nutritional but also cosmetic. So live a little and indulge in some of your favorite "guiltless" pleasures.

Chocolate

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Who doesn't love chocolate?  Well, I do know one person who is allergic to it- poor thing.  In any case, the main ingredient, cacao, has a significant amount of antioxidants which help fight free radical damage.  Not only are the antioxidants useful when taken internally, but when applied on the skin as well.  Medicinally, Mexicans have used it for insect bites and bronchitis. Chocolate - especially the dark variety - can also help with the following:

•     Reduce blood pressure
•     May decrease risk of stroke
•     Softens and exfoliates skin
•     Promotes relaxations
•     Helps ease menstrual cramps
•     The mono-unsaturated fats raise good cholesterol

Create a spa in your bathroom with this bath concoction that I found on www.coastalchocolates.com.au

Chocolate Milk Bath Sachet

1 cup baking soda

1 cup instant non-fat dry milk

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tablespoons cinnamon

2 Tablespoons cream of tartar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Method:

Mix all ingredients together.

Place about 3 tablespoons in the center of a nice handkerchief or a small square of muslin cloth. Tie with ribbon, leaving a loop to hang over the faucet.

Use one sachet per bath, hanging the sachet on the faucet so that warm water passes through it.

Store in an airtight jar. Will keep up to 6 months.

Coffee

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If the omnipresent lines at Starbucks are any indication, a large chunk of the US population will be happy to hear that coffee actually has some health benefits.  Like the mighty cacao, coffee has a high content of antioxidants - so much that it has more than some berries and oranges. Caffeine has been used for years in hospitals to treat asthma. As an alternative health therapy, coffee enemas have been administered to detoxify the colon.  For a practical use, placing used coffee grounds in the fridge also acts as a deodorizer. According to Web MD and The New York Times, coffee and it's caffeine content can help with the following:

•    Reducing risk of type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver & development of gallstones
•    Regular drinkers are less likely to develop Parkinson's disease
•    Preventing heart disease

Coffee grounds can also be used in beauty treatments. Again, the antioxidants are responsible for its benefits to the skin acting as an anti-aging component. The caffeine also constricts blood vessels, tightening the skin and reducing cellulite.

Scrub

Use the grounds as an exfoliate by mixing your favorite oil - like olive or sesame - with the grounds to make a paste. 

   

Wine

I think it's pretty much common knowledge that wine, especially red, reduces heart disease.  Once again, the word of the day, antioxidants are the reason for it's healthy goodness. According to Mayoclinic.com, it also contains the ingredient resveratol which helps prevent damage to blood vessels, reduces "bad" cholesterol and prevents blood clots. Red wine also lowers the risk of cancers such as colon, type 2 diabetes and stroke.  

I've also seen a number of beauty products touting the antioxidant benefits of red wine including scrubs and bath soaks.  Here is a mask you can make your Self that helps with acne.

Facemask

Mix one 1 small cup of red wine with 2 tablespoons of honey.

Slather on your face and let set for 10 to 20 mins. 
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So the next time you are out for dinner, don't feel bad about drinking that glass of wine with your meal, having the chocolate mousse for dessert and the after-dinner coffee.  

Eat Drink and Be Healthy: Foods You Thought Were Bad