Some of the foods that we think of as forbidden offer surprising benefits when enjoyed in moderation.

The case for the health benefits of chocolate and red wine has already been made with clinical studies suggesting a connection to heart heath.

Chocolate contains antioxidants that may increase healthy cholesterol levels and phenols that can reduce blood pressure, and research suggests that eating the treat can also have positive effects on mood.

Red wine contains resveratrol from the skin of red grapes, a compound that can improve cholesterol levels and reduce clotting, said Andy Bellatti, a graduate student at New York University’s Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health and the author of Small Bites, a nutrition blog.

But these foods can also provide too much of a good thing, Bellatti said. Studies published in 2003 and 2005 showed that eating dark chocolate had a positive effect on lowering blood pressure, but the participants who saw a 10 per cent drop in blood pressure ate 100g of chocolate a day — 550 calories worth.

They were getting chocolate’s helpful compounds, he said, but it was along with a lot of fat, sugar and calories, all things that could lead to weight gain. Other foods can also help reduce blood pressure, Bellatti said, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

“Nobody ever got high blood pressure from not eating chocolate,” Bellatti pointed out. “It’s not like it’s chocolate or nothing.”

For wine, the recommended intake to enjoy its health benefits is about one glass of red wine a day, Bellatti said. More can be harmful, and less can have no effect. Also of concern, he said, is that wine is a liquid, which doesn’t leave you satiated because it contains nothing filling, and which allows you to consume more calories in a shorter period of time.

But if you don’t like wine or want to avoid its alcohol or calories, you have other options. “You could also just eat grapes and get the same health benefit,” Bellatti said.

Along with wine, a nice dinner out might involve pasta with a bread basket, or grilled meat with a side of potatoes, more foods that shouldn’t necessarily be feared. Whole-grain bread is the preferred option, health-wise, Bellatti said, because of the additional fibre it offers.

“That’s not to say people shouldn’t have white bread.” Especially in restaurants, it’s often less a question of eating the bread itself than it is of what you put on the bread, he said, like butter, salt or cheese.

The same is true of pasta. Whole grain noodles are now available, but that’s not the only way to make the meal healthier. “If you go to Europe, Italians aren’t eating whole grain pasta,” Bellatti pointed out.

What they are doing is eating pasta in small portions, with minimal sauce and nutritious toppings like beans. If we choose whole wheat pasta but cover it in sauce and cheese, he said, the resulting dish will be high in fibre but also high in calories.

Potatoes are another “empty calorie” food that gets a bad wrap nutritionally, Bellatti said. French fries and mashed potatoes are treats more than anything else, he said, but when baked, potatoes offer fibre, vitamin C and potassium.

“It’s actually a very nutritious food.” Again, pay attention to what you add on top; olive oil is good, sour cream and bacon bits are less desirable, and eat the skin.

Like carbs, many people have an unwarranted phobia of fats that leads them to avoid healthy foods, Bellatti said. Nuts have a high fat content, but most also offer vitamin E, magnesium and manganese.

“They’re whole foods,” he said. When eaten raw, an ounce of almonds, which is about 22 nuts, offers fat, fibre and protein with only 140 calories, a good amount for a snack.

Those three components are what helps us feel satiated, he said, which means that we can feel full with fewer calories.

The mixed blessings of these foods illustrate Bellatti’s point that moderation is important, and outright banning a food can set you up for dietary failure. “I think that when you forbid a food, you give a food too much power,” Bellatti said, explaining that it places the food at the forefront of your mind when it otherwise might not be. Instead of eliminating the foods we think of as nutritionally empty, we should pay attention to how often we eat them, he said.