Sometimes good foods have a bad reputation. And that’s usually because of misinformation, misunderstanding or sometimes even poorly conducted scientific research. There are a number of foods that are favorites for many of us but we hesitate to indulge because we’ve been told we shouldn’t. Here I share with you ten choices can you feel good about having in your diet.

Number 1: Chocolate

Did you know that chocolate has more than 710 compounds in it? It literally is one of the healthiest things you can put into your mouth. You always want to make sure you’re eating dark chocolate. I like to eat it every single day and it’s been shown to improve your blood sugar levels. It can also improve your cardiovascular health, your energy, and it gives you a sense of falling in love. That’s what it’s doing biochemically to your brain. It’s an unbelievably healthy treat.

Number 2: Coffee

Many of us think that caffeine is bad, that it hurts us by dehydrating us and over-stimulating our systems because of the caffeine. But studies show that you can drink up to four cups of coffee and it won’t dehydrate you. Any dehydration affect is offset by the amount of water you take in when you drink it.

Coffee is also filled with antioxidants that are protective and can fight off free radical damage, and it gives you a sense of well-being. Coffee works as a vasodilator. If you have a headache, if you’re feeling like a little bit foggy, it can really help boost your mood and improve your energy level.

Healthy coffee comes from the best coffee beans that come from a great source and are processed in the right way. Organic is the better choice. And when you have your coffee, do it naturally without any added sugars, sweeteners, or artificial sweeteners. I’m really looking for the full antioxidant benefit of coffee.

Number 3: Red Wine

Growing up French and having a Mother who made the most amazing French cuisine, I’m here to tell you that the French paradox is alive and well. The French are able to eat so many delicious foods, drink red wine, and have the healthiest cardiovascular health in all of the westernized world. Red wine is filled with all sorts of amazing molecules, antioxidants, and nutrients. Resveratrol comes from red wine and resveratrol has been shown in thousands of studies to literally help our bodies at a genetic and cellular level- De-age.

Number 4: Butter

How many of you have grown up on margarine because you were told that it was better for your health? Well, studies show that butter is better for preventing a heart attack than margarine. Butter has so many amazing benefits. It can provide you with tons of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin E, vitamin A, and the precious K2. It also is a saturated fat, which helps us to be healthier and have more energy.

What I love about butter that most people don’t even know is it contains 3-4% butyrate. Butyrate is produced in the gut and usually comes from fiber. It helps maintain a healthy gut function and helps prevent leaky gut syndrome.

Butter helps to boost our entire immune system, it helps us to lose weight, and have more energy. As always, I want you to eat the healthiest types of butter. Make sure it’s grass-fed butter, which contains higher levels of vitamins and minerals and a higher proportion of healthy, unsaturated fatty acids than other butters.

Number five: Bacon.

Bacon is so good for you and in my house, we eat it all the time. It’s filled with all of these good fats that nourish your body and every single cell. Bacon has also been shown in studies to be good for our heart health because it’s filled with omega 3s.

I love bacon because it affects my mood and gives me a sense of well-being. Studies show us that it reduces stress by positively affecting our neurotransmitters. So, when you’re eating bacon make sure that you’re eating the nitrate-free, most natural organic form that you can buy, because we know that fats hold toxins, and so you want to get the most clean and delicious bacon possible.

Number 6: Egg yolks.

Do you eat egg white omelets because you’ve been told those are healthier? But I want you to eat the yolk. Egg yolks are filled with vitamin B12, which gives us tons of energy, all sorts of fat-soluble vitamins. In fact, egg yolks have been shown not to negatively affect cholesterol levels, but instead support our overall health. Egg yolks are filled with autophagy-activating nutrients which we know are the nutrients that really help make our cells more youthful.

Number 7: Chicken skin.

Did you know that you should be eating the chicken skin? In fact, you should be eating your chicken on the bone and nibbling away at the white joints, the ligaments, the parts of the chicken that you normally discard. It provides so many of the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that our bodies long for. And it adds a collagen boost to your diet as well.

Number 8: Salt.

You’ve probably tried to eat less salt throughout your life, but now we’re learning more and more about the power of eating salt. I’m talking about certain types of salt. Himalayan salt and Celtic salts are the kind of salts that nourish our body and give us the amount of sodium that we need. There are so many benefits to it, so salt your food and make sure you’re using the right type of salt. If you’re on a keto diet, it’s important to make sure you are getting enough salt in your diet.

Number 9: Peanut butter.

Do you love peanut butter? Well guess what? It’s so good for you! It’s filled with so many of the good mono-saturated fats. It’s fine to enjoy a tablespoon every day.  But make sure you get your peanut butter from a natural and organic source.

Number 10: Fat.

I want you to eat as much fat you feel comfortable eating. Don’t be afraid of it. Full-fat milk, full-fat cheeses, full-fat yogurts, full-fat meats are so good for you, as long as they’re coming from a natural and clean source. I want you to be eating them and enjoying them as part of a healthy diet.

So feel free to indulge in these delicious and nutritious mood, mind and health boosters. They feel like guilty pleasures but they come without the guilt.