‘Bad' Health Habits that are Actually Good for You

Certain 'bad' health habits like lying for very long hours, skipping the gym and scoffing off carbohydrates can actually be considered 'good' health habits, according to a recent study.

The study, which was published in the journal Psychological Science, found that participants who believed they had taken a multivitamin pill walked less than those who did not take any supplement. The latter were also found to more likely choose a high-calorie buffet over a healthy, organic meal. Researchers involved in the study labeled this phenomenon as 'psychological licensing', wherein one healthy act helps people justify indulging in less healthy ones later on throughout the day. The researchers also suggest that putting off morning workout every now and then may actually bring about more health benefits.

Eating breakfast is another thing the researchers looked into. They confirmed that consuming big breakfast meals could actually help reduce risk of heart disease. A study published in the journal Obesity found that women who ate bigger breakfast and lighter supper lost more than twice the weight compared to those who normally consume light breakfast and heavy supper. Professor Daniela Jakubowicz, lead author of the study from Tel Aviv University said it's all down to "the fact that the body burns more fuel efficiently in the mornings, so the key is to munch away before nine in the morning."

Habitual coffee drinking is also found to be beneficial to the health. In fact, women who drink four or more cups of coffee daily are less likely to suffer from depression, according to Harvard School of Public Health. Likely, gorging on carbohydrates from pasta and potatoes can also actively boost gut health as long as they are served at a right temperature, according to Daily Mail.