Must-Read: Bad Habits That Are Good For You

Reading news can be a frustrating exercise, especially when it comes to figuring out what kinds of things you should be eating. One day, they’re saying stay away from wine and chocolate and beer. The next day, they’re saying that things like that are a-okay for you as long as you do it in moderation. And actually, they’re even BETTER than a-okay, they’re actually good for you and you’re an idiot for not doing it. Meaning, that news when it comes to health is always changing and confusing. But there are plenty of things that you THINK are bad for you, when really they have some benefits attached to them.

Which is why today we take a stroll over to Men’s Fitness where they have a listing of a bunch of “bad” habits that are actually pretty good for you. For instance, among the pieces of perfection that they are highlighting:

1. The Vice: Snacking on Chocolate

The Benefit: Protects Your Ticker

Study after study shows that chocolate is good for more than satisfying a sweet tooth?it also prevents heart disease. Most of the credit for this benefit goes to the flavonoids found in cacao, the bean from which chocolate is made. These antioxidant compounds increase the flexibility of veins and arteries and lower blood pressure, says Jim White, R.D., owner of Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios. In fact, one review of 114,000 people published in the British Medical Journal found those who consumed the most chocolate had a 37% lower risk for developing heart disease and a 29% lower risk for suffering a stroke than those who consumed less of the sweet stuff.

But don?t reach for any old chocolate bar. White recommends picking dark chocolate blends with at least 70% cacao, which will pack the biggest heart-healthy benefits with the least amount of sugar, and limiting yourself to seven ounces (that?s about four dark chocolate bars) a week.

So head on over to check out the rest of the tips on what exactly isn’t as terrible for you as you thought.