Don’t Shun These 8 Foods: Their Bad Reputations Are out of Date

3. Popcorn

People often assume that popcorn belongs in the same category as pretzels and crackers, which are rarely made from whole grains, Blatner says. But popcorn “actually is this fun food that people already enjoy that happens to naturally be a whole grain,” she says.

Beal says popcorn “has wonderful fiber in it.” The healthiest popcorn is a batch you pop at home with an air popper or a little vegetable oil, Beal and Blatner say. A tub of heavily buttered stuff from a movie theater is a completely different matter. That movie theater tub can contain up to 1,090 calories and 2,650 milligrams of sodium, according to the heart association.

Beal adds that it’s important to read labels when buying bags of grocery store popcorn: Some types are too high in sugar or salt for people with health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, she says.

4. Coffee

A few decades ago, coffee was listed as a “possible carcinogen” by the World Health Organization. That changed when newer studies showed coffee actually reduced certain cancer risks and was probably wrongly maligned because so many coffee drinkers also smoked, according to Harvard’s public health website. Today, there’s a “flow of pro-coffee research,” suggesting the brew lowers risks of diabetes and heart disease, as well as cancer, Blatner says. Coffee might also lower risks of depression and suicide, Harvard says.

One big reason coffee might boost health is that it contains high levels of antioxidants, substances that prevent or delay cell damage.

Of course, caffeinated coffee also is a stimulant, known for increasing alertness, attention and mood — as long as you don’t overdo it or drink it too late in the day when it can interfere with sleep, Blatner says.

At least one large 2025 study, published in the European Heart Journal, has found that people who tend to drink coffee all day, instead of mostly in the morning, don’t get the same health benefits, possibly because of effects on sleep.

Too much coffee also can raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety and heart palpitations, the heart association says. Coffee is healthiest with “zero or minimal” add-ons such as cream and sugar, Blatner adds.

5. Frozen veggies

Decades of reminders that “fresh is best” have steered too many consumers away from minimally processed frozen fruits and vegetables “picked at the peak of freshness” and full of nutrients, Planells says. “You can have multiple servings of veggies with a microwave in a matter of minutes,” he says. 

Blatner says that frozen fruits and veggies are ideal backups for days when you run out of fresh produce: “The frozen spinach can be in your omelet. The frozen cauliflower rice can be in your lunch bowl. The broccoli can be your side dish, the frozen berries can go in your smoothies.”

6. Nuts

Like avocados, nuts are fatty foods. But most nuts, including walnuts, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts and pecans, are highest in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are good for your heart, Beal says. They also provide lots of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber, she says. Macadamias and cashews are higher in saturated fat, she says, so should be more occasional treats. Just watch your portions: An ounce of nuts has 160 to 200 calories, Beal says.

The FDA says plain nuts and seeds could be labeled healthy, regardless of saturated fat level, under its new rules. Some products containing nuts – like certain trail mixes or granola bars – might not make the grade because of high levels of sugar, salt, or saturated fat from other ingredients.

7. Full-fat salad dressing

If you are still squeezing lemon juice on a bowl of greens and other veggies, you may not have heard the news: The nutrients in raw vegetables are better absorbed when your meal includes some fat. Avocados, nuts and seeds on a salad can help, Blatner says, but so can a dressing made with a healthy olive or avocado oil. “You don’t need to use fat-free salad dressing anymore,” she says.

In fact, Beal says, bottled dressings with reduced fat often have extra sugar or salt to add flavor, making them less healthy choices.  

8. Whole milk

Milk and other dairy foods are rich sources of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other nutrients. Fermented versions, like yogurt, may have even more health benefits.  For the lactose intolerant, lactose-free versions offer pretty much the same nutrients. While current dietary guidelines suggest getting your dairy in nonfat or low-fat forms, a growing body of research suggests it’s just fine to mix in some whole milk, along with some full-fat yogurt and cheese.

For example, researchers who looked at more than 1,400 people enrolled in 19 studies found no link between eating dairy foods, with any fat level, and problems with weight, cholesterol, or blood pressure. They found a possible link between high-fat dairy foods and better levels of so-called good cholesterol (HDL).

Enjoying a creamy full-fat yogurt or cheese cube might even help control your weight by filling you up and curbing your appetite, say the authors of The Whole Body Reset, AARP’s diet plan for people at mid-life and beyond.

Still, nutrition experts worry about the saturated fat in whole-fat dairy. So, the Mayo Clinic recommends keeping your total saturated fat intake in mind when you indulge in it. The dietary guidelines say no more than 10 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fat. The heart association recommends less than 6 percent.

"Full-fat dairy foods like whole milk, yogurt, cheeses, etc., can certainly be part of your mix, as long as you are keeping overall saturated fat in mind," Blatner says.

So go ahead and have that whole milk latte – but maybe not on the same day you have a steak.