Nut Butter
If made with nuts, salt, and nothing else, nut butters are a superfood that serves up a potent dose of minerals, healthy fats, and satiating proteins. And even if you manage to stick to a reasonable serving size (which is a tablespoon or two, by the way) that won’t matter much if you’ve purchased an icky container that’s filled with added sugar and hydrogenated oils, a type of man-made trans fat that can raise bad cholesterol levels and promote inflammation that builds belly fat and induces weight gain.
Dark Chocolate
Snacking on dark chocolate isn’t just a good way to curb your sugar cravings, it’s a great way to improve your health—if you stick to a reasonable serving size, at least. The superfood is rich in nutrients like healthy fats, iron, magnesium, and flavanols, which are antioxidants that work with the caffeine found in cocoa solids to boost blood flow to the brain and enhance cognitive function. And since chocolate is made from fermented cocoa beans, it’s also a good source of probiotics and prebiotics, the fuel and bacteria that work together to restore gut balance.
Avocado
Avocados are overflowing with good fats, fiber, antioxidants and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals that contribute to weight loss and improved health. But you’ve still got to keep portion sizes in perspective. Nutritionists consider one serving of avocado to be about a quarter of a whole fruit (which contains 81 calories and 7 grams of fat). Take in any more than that and you may wind up packing on belly fat.
Red Wine
people who consume the red wine may be at reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and seasonal colds. But wine glasses these days are oversized, making it particularly difficult to stick to the 5-ounce serving, which packs about 130 calories. To make sure you don’t overdo it—a habit that can lead to weight gain—pour a glass of good red wine into a measuring cup and then transfer it into your wine glass.