Confused? Don’t be! You read the title right – we’re talking about the healthiest ‘unhealthy’ food to indulge in if you want to stick to nutritious foods but are craving for a snack. For some light and guilt-free snacking that won’t make you feel bad afterwards, take a look at our top three! 

 

Dark Chocolate

Chocolate is the ultimate sin – but not if it’s dark chocolate. Not only does it contain less sugar, it’s packed with a load of minerals: fiber, iron, potassium, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. It’s also a great source of antioxidants, substances that help prevent or slow damage to cells that are caused by free radicals. It may also help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease, and studies have shown an increase in good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) with the use of cocoa powder. 

 

Of course, since dark chocolate is loaded with calories, eating in moderation is still recommended. Being more mindful of the type of dark chocolate you buy in the market is also vital: choose ones that have at least 70% or higher cocoa content. And then, go ahead – have a small piece of heaven after every meal. 

 

Eggs 

Did you know that the Australian Dietary Guidelines suggests consuming up to 7 eggs per week for a healthy, balanced diet? It’s true! Despite all the not-so-nice things you’ve heard about eating more than one egg in a week, studies have shown that healthy persons can eat one egg a day without any harm. Considering it’s where a baby chicken comes from, it’s no surprise that a single egg offers a lot of health benefits. It contains vitamins A, B5, B12, and B2, as well as folate, selenium, and phosphorus. They also have a bit of vitamins D, E, K, and B6, calcium, and zinc. All in all, we can consider eggs as a perfect source of nutrients since they have a small amount of everything we need for health. 

 

That and eggs can also raise good cholesterol (HDL) which helps reduce the risk of heart disease – so for a quick and filling snack, this is a no-brainer: go cook an egg. 

 

Ice Cream

Looking for a cold treat? Don’t veer away from ice cream – just choose natural ones that don’t have a mile-long list of ingredients that are not only hard to read – you’ve never heard them before in your life either. If you’re limiting your intake of sweets, make sure to choose ice cream brands that have less added sugar. The key is looking at the label. 

 

Since it contains milk, ice cream is a great source of calcium, vitamins A and D, as well as riboflavin and phosphorus. As always, be mindful of your portions: overindulging can cause more harm than good, so eat half a cup – or a cup – of ice cream goodness and add in some fruits and nuts to make it more nutritious. 

 

A spoonful of these amazing treats won’t undo all the great things you do to keep yourself healthy. The point is to not overdo it: anything in excess is always harmful, and besides, you want to live a little, right? So stick with moderate amounts of healthy “unhealthy” snacks. That said, stay healthy!