it's from men's health, so take it with a grain of salt: http://tinyurl.com/yobry6

Quote :

"Did you know there are more than 15 types of saturated fat? And despite the fact that they've been damned as a whole by nutrition experts for decades, some of them are actually heart healthy. That's good news, since high-fat foods are often the tastiest. But a bad reputation is hard to shake. And though saturated fat is the most obvious example of a bad food gone good, it's not the only one. I've run the numbers and scoured the research to determine which vilified foods have been unjustly convicted. The result: six snacks and drinks that deserve an immediate pardon. PORK RINDS Why you think they're bad: These puffy snacks are literally cut from pigskin. Then they're deep-fried. Why they're not: A 1-ounce serving contains zero carbohydrates, 17 grams (g) of protein, and 9 g fat. That's nine times the protein and less fat than you'll find in a serving of carb-packed potato chips. Even better, 43 percent of a pork rind's fat is unsaturated, and most of that is oleic acid -- the same healthy fat found in olive oil. Another 13 percent of its fat content is stearic acid, a type of saturated fat that's considered harmless, because it doesn't raise cholesterol levels. Eat this: J&J Critters Microwave Pork Rinds ($6.50 for a 10-ounce container; http://www.micro waveporkrinds.com). Because the rinds are cooked and puffed in a microwave instead of deep-fried, each serving contains only 4 g fat -- meaning they're lower in calories and less greasy than regular pork rinds. ALCOHOL Why you think it's bad: It has little nutritional value and is the reason we need the term "beer belly." Why it's not: In a study of more than 18,000 men, Harvard scientists discovered that those who had an average of two drinks every day, 5 to 7 days a week, had the lowest risk of heart attack. And researchers at the University of Buffalo found that men who consume that same daily amount have lower levels of abdominal fat than those who drink only once or twice every 2 weeks but down more than four drinks each time. Drink this: Pinot noir. It contains more disease-fighting antioxidants than any other type of alcoholic beverage. Look for a Santa Barbara County pinot noir that's a 2002 to 2004 vintage; those are generally recognized as the top wine-producing years for this finicky grape. We like the 2003 Foley, best in show at the San Francisco International Wine Festival (foleywines.com). BEEF JERKY Why you think it's bad: It's unhealthy meat that's loaded with preservatives. Why it's not: Beef jerky is high in protein and doesn't raise your level of insulin -- a hormone that signals your body to store fat. That makes it an ideal between-meals snack, especially when you're trying to lose weight. And while some beef-jerky brands are packed with high-sodium ingredients, such as MSG and sodium nitrate, chemical-free products are available. If you have high blood pressure, check the label for brands that are made from all-natural ingredients, which reduce the total sodium content. Eat this: Gourmet Natural Beef Jerky (available at americangrassfedbeef.com). It has no preservatives and is made from lean, grass-fed beef. Research shows that, unlike grain-fed products, grass-fed beef contains the same healthy omega-3 fats found in fish. SOUR CREAM Why you think it's bad: You know 90 percent of its calories are derived from fat, at least half of which is saturated. Why it's not: The percentage of fat is high, but the total amount isn't. Consider that a serving of sour cream is 2 tablespoons. That provides just 52 calories -- half the amount that's in a single tablespoon of mayonnaise -- and less saturated fat than you'd get from drinking a 12-ounce glass of 2 percent reduced-fat milk. Eat this: Full-fat sour cream. Unless you actually prefer the taste of light or fat-free products (and who does?), opt for the classic version; it tastes richer, and the fat will help keep you full longer. COCONUT Why you think it's bad: Ounce for ounce, coconut contains more saturated fat than butter does. As a result, health experts have warned that it will clog your arteries. Why it's not: Even though coconut is packed with saturated fat, it appears to have a beneficial effect on heart-disease risk factors. One reason: More than 50 percent of its saturated-fat content is lauric acid. A recent analysis of 60 studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that even though lauric acid raises LDL (bad) cholesterol, it boosts HDL (good) cholesterol even more. Overall, this means it decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease. The rest of the saturated fat is almost entirely composed of "medium-chain" fatty acids, which have little or no effect on cholesterol levels. Eat this: Shredded, unsweetened coconut.Have a handful as an anytime snack, straight from the bag. (Don't gorge; it's still high in calories.) It'll be filling, and won't spike your blood sugar. CHOCOLATE BARS Why you think they're bad: They're high in both sugar and fat. Why they're not: Cocoa is rich in flavonoids -- the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea. Its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found that consuming dark chocolate containing 100 milligrams (mg) of flavonoids relaxes your blood vessels, improving bloodflow to your heart. What about the fat? It's mostly stearic and oleic acids. Eat this: CocoaVia chocolate bars. Each 100-calorie bar is guaranteed to contain 100 mg flavonoids. As an added benefit, the chocolate has been beefed up with phytosterols, compounds that have been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Find the bars at many Wal-Mart stores, or online at cocoavia.com."

7/22/2008 8:40:00 AM

Almost anything has some good qualities. It really depends on the person who is eating it and their personal goals.

If you want to lose weight, most of these things should be off your radar. If you're a healthy person you can derive some benefits from them, but you can get the same benefits from other sources. For example, you don't need to drink wine when you can drink pomegranate juice, eat blueberries/blackberries, etc.

If you're out hiking all day and burning 5,000-10,000 calories you might need some foods that are calorie and fat dense. If you're sitting in an office all day you might want to rethink that.

[Edited on July 22, 2008 at 8:49 AM. Reason : l]

7/22/2008 8:47:03 AM

pinot noir is the only wine i like hah... awesome!

7/22/2008 8:49:36 AM

I usually drink reds. I'll pick up the Merlot with the most vicious animal on the front to satisfy my masculinity.

7/22/2008 8:52:02 AM

Yeah...this article needs to be kept out of the hands of fat people. Misleading as shit.

7/22/2008 8:53:06 AM

^ which are pretty much what the comments on the huffington post say

7/22/2008 9:06:28 AM

^^^ Raging Cock Wine?

7/22/2008 9:12:07 AM

basically its saying you can eat this stuff if.. you're not a retard.

7/22/2008 9:13:31 AM

^ which is what you can do anyway...most food isn't inherently bad for you, not like smoking cigarettes or something...so if you can be a responsible adult, you can eat the food you like

7/22/2008 9:19:59 AM

there's nothing misleading about this article other than they refer to dark chocolate simply as "chocolate bars".

7/22/2008 9:39:22 AM

haahah i just looked in our vending machine... and the pork rinds do have less calories per bag than anything in there ANDDD more protein...
hahhaa

7/24/2008 4:10:28 PM

hell yeah i knew beef jerky was good for you

7/24/2008 4:12:43 PM

pork rinds are an incomplete protein source, so you would have to eat them with something else in order to make a functional protein source out of them. However, they do stave off hunger better than most snacks do.

7/24/2008 4:13:28 PM

I thought animal protein was complete?

7/24/2008 4:15:35 PM

what about the taco bell menu? any thing good for you on there......thats my downfall

7/24/2008 4:17:09 PM

pork rinds have hydrolyzed protein (i think?), and that's not the complete stuff

the bag should say that it's not a significant source of protein on it (but then, i don't have a bag with me to check)

7/24/2008 4:17:43 PM

^ it does say that... i wish foods told you what other foods complete their protein

7/24/2008 4:19:04 PM

God, beef jerky is so good.

7/24/2008 4:21:30 PM

Quote :

"CHOCOLATE BARS Why you think they're bad: They're high in both sugar and fat. Why they're not: Cocoa is rich in flavonoids -- the same heart-healthy compounds found in red wine and green tea. Its most potent form is dark chocolate. In a recent study, Greek researchers found that consuming dark chocolate containing 100 milligrams (mg) of flavonoids relaxes your blood vessels, improving bloodflow to your heart. What about the fat? It's mostly stearic and oleic acids. Eat this: CocoaVia chocolate bars. Each 100-calorie bar is guaranteed to contain 100 mg flavonoids. As an added benefit, the chocolate has been beefed up with phytosterols, compounds that have been shown to help reduce cholesterol. Find the bars at many Wal-Mart stores, or online at cocoavia.com.""

You only get the 'good stuff' from Dark chocolate AND if it hasn't been cooked too much, if I'm not mistaken. So go ahead and load up on dark cooking chocolate

7/24/2008 4:26:22 PM

7/24/2008 4:28:41 PM

Quote :

"If you want to lose weight, most of these things should be off your radar. If you're a healthy person you can derive some benefits from them, but you can get the same benefits from other sources. For example, you don't need to drink wine when you can drink pomegranate juice, eat blueberries/blackberries, etc. "

This is incorrect, only the chocolate and pork rinds I'd really stay away from.

7/24/2008 4:29:54 PM

You can go ahead and stock up on dat 190% sour cream the article suggests to eat.

7/24/2008 4:31:14 PM

^^ pork rinds in the vending machine are only 80 cal and stuffed me... thats awesome.... will eat again

p.s. i only eat about 1800 calories per day.

7/24/2008 4:32:33 PM

my dark chocolate dick is healthy for you hoes

7/24/2008 4:34:18 PM

Quote :

"This is incorrect, only the chocolate and pork rinds I'd really stay away from."

Care to suggest what part of my statement was incorrect?

7/24/2008 4:34:36 PM

you don't need to stay away from them.... just eat them in their proper portions...

the best way to lose weight is not to cut a certain group out or to eat some weird ass un balanced diet that messes with your body's ability to process food. Its simply just to eat smaller portions.

4oz meat servings really have all the protein you need
Salads are good if you don't drown them in oil based dressing
you need carbs if you're doing exercise and whole grains even keep food from sitting in your intestines forever.

7/24/2008 4:40:59 PM

my rule of thumb is to eat no more than what fits in the palm of your hand at a time...any type of food

then you wait ten minutes after youre finished if you are still feelin hungry eat half of what fits in your palm

7/24/2008 4:42:54 PM

yeah...but aren't your palms the size of dinner plates?

7/24/2008 4:47:00 PM

more like a rule of palm, amirite

7/24/2008 4:48:15 PM

all i got is a coffee saucer

7/24/2008 4:48:16 PM

^^^ask your mommas butt
















OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Edited on July 24, 2008 at 4:48 PM. Reason : s]

7/24/2008 4:48:30 PM

Quote :

"4oz meat servings really have all the protein you need "

don't speak out of your ass w/ projections and over generalizations

7/24/2008 4:52:29 PM

Actually thats not out of my ass fucktard... thats what i was told by MY NUTRITIONIST!!

I used to eat 18oz porterhouse steaks all the freaking time.

7/24/2008 4:53:50 PM

Once again, not all nutritionists are worth a damn. Many in that feild and the medical feild still choose to follow dated bad miss applied studies on protein.

7/24/2008 4:57:42 PM

haha your feeding method makes sense

running around in the jungle and shit doesn't leave a lot of time to sit down with the fine china

so it is probably a more "natural" diet

7/24/2008 4:58:04 PM

Who is Miss Applied?









(i agree with you though)

7/24/2008 4:58:31 PM

she's a bitch

7/24/2008 4:59:00 PM

pork rinds are bad because they will chip yer teef if you get a bad batch

7/24/2008 5:00:01 PM

Ok... but what would your credentials be? internet food guru?
(seriously i don't know)

7/24/2008 5:00:17 PM

tests ...none

following research, books, articles....yes



The subject at hand is a point of contention w/in the feild, at this time, actually.

[Edited on July 24, 2008 at 5:03 PM. Reason : ]

7/24/2008 5:02:00 PM

I mean i don't follow that 4oz thing (that's just what i was told was 4 4oz servings per day) cause i like meat too much i just pay attention to calories and all of my extra get thrown into meat.

Like i said i used to eat more than that in one sitting.

7/24/2008 5:04:18 PM