6 So-Called ‘Bad’ Foods That Will Help You Lose Weight

At about 100 calories and 5 g of fat per ounce, cheese usually tops the no-no list, but its calcium improves your ability to burn calories and fat, according to a recent research review. Not getting enough of this mineral may trigger the release of calcitriol, a hormone that causes the body to store fat. Scientists at the University of Tennessee found that people on a reduced-calorie diet who included an extra 300 to 400 mg of calcium a day lost significantly more weight than those who ate the same number of calories but with less calcium. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why, but eating calcium-rich foods is more effective than taking calcium supplements–and cheese has about 200 mg per ounce.

Just stick to 2-ounce portions, and choose light varieties to get health benefits for half the calories.