'Bad' foods that can be good for you

As champagne is revealed to have heart benefits, nutritionist Jenna Hope shares the positive side of other 'unhealthy ingredients'

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In today's world, food often gets classified as “good” or “bad”, and while it’s true some options are notoriously less healthy for us (think cakes and biscuits), there are others, which when consumed in moderation, can actually have a number of health benefits.

In fact, researchers say that drinking champagne is one habit that could help people avoid sudden cardiac arrest. They studied 500,000 people, using data from the UK Biobank, and found that a few of the 56 factors that could help prevent 40-63% of cardiac arrest cases, were a higher consumption of the sparkling wine, increased fruit intake, a positive mood and blood pressure control.

So what are the other foods that are seen as “unhealthy” but, in the right circumstances and eaten in moderation, could be a beneficial addition to your diet?

Let's weigh in on some of these foods and dissect their benefits.

DARK CHOCOLATE

Chocolate is one of the foods that gets classified in the “unhealthy” category but not all chocolate is equal.

Dark chocolate is far more beneficial for your health than milk or white - it's lower in sugar and is richer in bioactive compounds such as flavanols.

These are a type of plant chemical which have been shown to have a number of health benefits. Research shows 30g of 85% dark chocolate a day can help to reduce blood pressure, improve mood and diversify the gut microbiome too.