10 Foods You Thought Were Bad For You But Aren't

After hearing about the no-sugar diet and the no-fruit diet and every possible crazy diet under the sun, I thought it was time for a reality check. My eating plan does not forbid any food or food category for any length of time (except for trans fats, which have no place in anyone's diet). I do have suggestions on how much and how often to eat certain foods, but I will never tell you that you can't have them if you want to lose weight. That's a surefire formula for failure because you will always crave the very thing you know you can't have.

That said, I'm providing you with a list of 10 Foods You Thought Were Bad For You But Aren't. Watch the amounts you eat of most of these foods--unlike most fruits and vegetables, which you can eat to your heart's content. The following are healthful foods that should be eaten in moderation. That is, don't overdo them, watch portion sizes, and savor whatever you do eat.

1. Peanut butter. What's your poison, creamy or chunky? Natural-style or not? It's fine to indulge in a tablespoon or so per day of peanut butter. It's a high-protein food with staying power and the many health benefits that nuts and nut butters offer. (And it's one of my absolute favorite foods in the world!)

2. Chocolate. Now I do mean dark chocolate, in 1-oz. portions, to be eaten slowly and enjoyed. Heart-healthy and rich, chocolate eaten this way will not make you fat.

3. High-calorie cereal. By this I mean fiber-dense cereals such as Kashi Go Lean Crunch (my cereal of choice), Fiber One or any cereal with at least 6 grams of fiber per serving. These do tend to be a bit higher in calories than Special K or corn flakes, but they pack more of a punch and will stay with you a lot longer, preventing you from eating that donut at 10:30 a.m. Stay under a cup per day if possible.

4. Avocados. Love, love, love these little Vitamin E-packed gems. Their flesh has a buttery mouthfeel that is very satisfying, wonderful on sandwiches, in salads, mashed into guac. Just watch portion sizes because it is high in (albeit healthful mono-unsaturated) fat--try for no more than 1/4 of an avocado per day.

5. Salmon. So good for you. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and so versatile. It's one of the best fish choices out there. But do stay under a 6-oz. serving per day because its high fat content makes it high in calories, too.

6. Eggs. Once shunned as high in saturated fats and cholesterol, eggs are once again welcome into the American diet. Apparently their positives (high protein, low calorie) far outweigh their negatives, and as long as your cholesterol isn't whoppingly high, you can enjoy an occasional egg (with yolk). No more than two per day.

7. Oils and butter. I know, I know. They're high in fat and calories, and butter is high in saturated fat. But a SMALL amount of these makes food satisfying and tasty. Use them sparingly, but don't avoid them completely unless you wanted to be tempted by foods far worse for your weight-loss goals. A tablespoon per day is fine.

8. Roast beef. The lean stuff that's thinly sliced and on a sandwich is one of the best choices at the deli (with a side salad, of course). About 4 oz. per day should keep the scale on track.

9. Sweeteners. Sugar, honey, agave nectar, etc.--all are acceptable within reason. Don't go crazy, but don't go crazy avoiding them either--they make foods you wouldn't otherwise touch (think oatmeal, maybe green tea) appealing. I'll let you decide how much.

10. Potatoes and corn. Yes, they're starchy carbs, but they're not refined. And eaten in whole form with little embellishment, they're low in calories, high in fiber and vitamins. So ease up--but again, don't overdo. A fist-sized portion of one or the other won't hurt.