Just because certain foods are high in calories, doesn’t mean they can’t be eaten as part of a healthy diet. In fact, here are some of our favourite high in calorie foods which are jam packed with health benefits:
Dark Chocolate
546 calories per 100g
All you chocolate lovers will be happy to hear this. Although dark chocolate is undeniably high in calories, it also contains flavonoids which could help lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. Aim to fill your shopping baskets with chocolate that contains 70-85% cocoa.
Studies have shown that as well as decreasing your levels of bad cholesterol, indulging in the odd cube of dark chocolate can increase your levels good HDL cholesterol by 4%.
Chia Seeds
486 calories per 100g
If you’re looking for a new food that’s rich in fibre then chia seeds are exactly what you need. Not only can chia seeds give your digestive system the boost it needs, these tiny little seeds are also a great source of plant protein.
If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet then it’s worth researching chia seed recipes. If you’re lacking in energy and you want to find foods that will give you more of a boost, the combination of fat, protein and fibre in chia seeds is perfect for you. The combination of the three means that the seeds are digested quite slowly and therefore release energy slowly.
What’s more chia seeds can be sprinkled on pretty much anything, meaning that they’re really easy to add to your diet.
Coconut Milk
188 calories per 100ml
In case you didn’t know, coconuts contain a different kind of fat to other nuts. One of the fatty acids found in coconuts is lauric acid, which helps to destroy disease causing organisms. Because of this, a lot of people believe that drinking coconut milk could help protect the body from infections and viruses.
Dates
282 calories per 100g
If you’re in need of a quick, energy-boosting snack then it might be worth you giving dates a try. They’re really high in natural sugar which releases an immediate burst of energy.
Try taking a handful to work so you don’t feel too fatigued between your breaks. If you fancy something sweet, make your own mix of dates, raisins and dark chocolate. You could even add some nuts and you’ve made yourself an energy-filled trail mix.
Dates are actually incredibly healthy and are rich in various vitamins and minerals such as calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium. As if all that wasn’t enticing enough dates are also high in fibre and are known to help maintain good eye health.
Raisins
299 calories per 100g
Although a portion of raisins may only look like a small snack, they’re actually a really good source of energy. Also, when grapes are dried out to make raisins, all of the nutrients inside them become more concentrated. This means that just a handful of raisins are packed with B vitamins, iron and potassium. Because of their high iron content, research has shown that raisins can also help to treat iron-deficiency anemia.
Cheese
Feta 264 calories per 100g | Parmesan 431 calories per 100g
It’s no secret that cheese is high in calories but not a lot of people talk about the health benefits of eating perhaps an ounce at a time. If you’re trying to cut down on your meat intake, try adding small amounts of cheese to your diet to make sure you’re getting enough protein. Cheese also contains other nutrients such as Calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamins B12.
If you are tailoring your diet for weight loss it is always advisable to your homework and find out which cheeses have fewer calories. Feta cheese for example is significantly lower in calories than Parmesan – it also takes a lot better in salads too.
