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Ice cream is oozing with calcium. (dapan: Flickr)
No, it’s not too good to be true—it’s actually healthy to cheat when dieting! “It’s a fact that chronic dieters have slower metabolisms,” states Paul Rivas, M.D., obesity specialist and author of The Cheater’s Diet: Lose Weight by Taking Weekends Off. “Allowing yourself to cheat once or maybe twice a week will rev up your metabolism and make your body burn extra calories!”
Here are Dr. Rivas’ top picks for most nutritious comfort foods:
Pizza!: Researchers in Milan, Italy discovered that people who eat pizza at least once a week were less likely to develop cancer of the mouth by a third, colon cancer by a fourth, and esophageal cancer by nearly 60%! In a separate study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, experts proved that pizza also lowered the risk for cancer of the stomach, pancreas and rectum!
Why it works: “Pizza sauce contains the highest concentration of the powerful antioxidant lycopene, even more than tomato sauce,” states Dr. Rivas. “And lycopene—the pigment that gives tomatoes their color—must be mixed with a fat in order to be activated, and that’s where the cheese comes in!”
Peanut butter!: “What many people fail to realize is that peanut butter is one of the best all-around nutrition foods!” states Dr. Rivas. In a test conducted over 20 years on 83,000 women by the Nurses' Health Study, experts observed that women who eat least one ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter each week have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones! “Just make sure to limit yourself to two level tablespoons,” he adds.
Why it works: Peanuts contain an abundance of fiber, which can improve insulin sensitivity and decrease recirculation of bile acids, ultimately reducing gallstones. And peanut butter is rich in magnesium, which, like fiber, allows insulin levels to rise at a slower rate, minimizing the risk of gallstones.
Ice cream!: We all know that milk can do a body good by reducing the risk of osteoporosis—but now you can also head to the freezer aisle for a good dose of calcium!
Why it works: “One cup of ice cream offers about 300 mg of calcium, which is equal to one eight-ounce glass of whole milk!” says Dr. Rivas. Researchers in the Netherlands agree, since a recent study found that calcium is absorbed in the body with calcium-fortified ice cream just as easily as it is with milk. “And low-fat ice cream contains inulin, a high soluble fiber that gives ice cream its smooth consistency and also allows the body to increase calcium absorption,” adds Dr. Rivas.
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