Surprising Food Facts

Candy causes cavities, right? Well, chocolate is candy and it has been proven to reduce tooth decay. Any bad done to your teeth by chocolate is offset and chocolate may protect the enamel on your teeth. The reason for this is chocolate is loaded with calcium and protein. Cocoa bean, which is the primary ingredient in chocolate, has been shown to be able to kill bacteria and plaque. Scientists are even tossing around the idea of it being added to toothpaste and mouthwash.

Protecting teeth isn't chocolates only perk. Thanks to research from universities such as Yale and Tufts, we now know that eating a small portion of dark chocolate daily can assist in normalizing insulin levels. This is great for people who are at high risk for diabetes as it provides extra protection.

Chocolate is not alone in preventing tooth decay. Want to protect your child's teeth. Feed them cheese. Kids who eat cheese regularly have almost 33% less tooth decay than kids who eat little or none at all. The reason for this is that cheese neutralizes acid in the mouth. The acid is what the bacteria that cause cavities live on and without it, the bacteria cannot survive.

If you need to reduce allergy symptoms, try eating a few ounces of nuts every day. Their full of omega-3 fatty acids which help keep your immune system strong. A strong immune system is better able to fight off viruses and bacteria and lessen the likeliness of a reaction to pollen.

Low potassium can increase your risk of kidney stones and brittle bones and this affects an astonishing 80% of women. French fries are great for this. Potatoes are loaded with potassium and fiber. Cook them in olive oil and you will add the benefit of the oil's cancer fighting antioxidants.

Apple pie may be another food you want to add to your diet. Apples improve lung health and decrease the risk of heart disease. And, if that's not enough, it also halts the growth of colon and liver cancer cells. The falconoid in apples seems to be what helps. For extra benefits, add plenty of cinnamon. Cinnamon has been shown to regulate insulin and lower cholesterol levels by up to 26%. You can't beat that.

The risk of cancer, Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease and diabetes can be lowered by drinking coffee. The coffee beans are actually berries and they contain a higher amount of antioxidants than any other berry. Caffeinated coffee has even been shown to reduce headaches.

The sun's ultraviolet rays can damage eye cells. Wear sunglasses and add garlic to your food. Garlic is loaded with antioxidant sulforaphane and has been shown to protect the eyes from the sun.

While I'd never recommend living off French fries and chocolate, isn't it nice to know you can enjoy them while knowing they just might be providing some kind of health benefit? I think so.