Weight Loss – Low Carb Diets
It’s unfortunate that the phrase ‘low carb’ (like many diets) is sometimes associated with diet fads. Sensible people may dismiss them because of that. But far from being based on junk science, a low carbohydrate diet can be healthy and just the right choice for some.
No single dieting method is perfect for everyone. But low carbohydrate diets help lower the one thing that all good diets aim at: reduced calories. There’s no getting around the fact that more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Reducing carbs the right way can ‘cut to the chase’, nutritionally speaking.
A carbohydrate is just some combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They’re consumed in the form of sugars or starches. A sugar is a relatively simple carbohydrate. Starches are considered complex carbohydrates.
Far from being harmful, carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source. That makes them essential. But in modern society, some people get too much potential energy, which turns into real body fat. Any excess calories the body acquires are stored mostly in the chemical bonds in fat cells.
But low carb does not mean no carb. Even the most extreme low carb diets recommend that no less than 40% of calories should come from carbohydrates. Most are in the range of 45-65% depending on the individual. Some people simply process carbs more efficiently than others. At the high end of the range, about 10% should be sugars, 55% complex carbs.
Those considering a low carb diet also sometimes believe it necessarily recommends no fruit or vegetables. Fruits like apples and oranges, it’s true, are often high in sugars. Many vegetables are very starchy. But here again low carb does not mean no carb. A healthy, balanced diet, even while focusing on reducing carbohydrates, will include some fruits and vegetables.
One of the big advantages of a low carb diet is that it doesn’t spend too much time counting calories. The focus, instead, is on adjusting the percentage of certain types of foods eaten. In particular, things like pasta and bread are reduced, sometimes considerably.
But that can lead to a problem, because the bottom line is calories consumed vs calories used. Reducing carbohydrates doesn’t just reduce calories from that source. It alters the way the body uses them, tipping the scales. As with any diet, it’s necessary to observe the results. A healthy diet, even one that aims chiefly at weight loss, should not leave you feeling low on energy all the time.
The way out is simply to adjust according your specific body’s responses. It may mean abandoning the low carb diet approach entirely. It isn’t the perfect choice for everyone.
Some who consider this approach worry about not getting enough fiber. Since fiber contains carbohydrates (technically, it is a carbohydrate), it may need to be reduced. But no responsible low carb diet recommends eliminating fiber entirely.
More importantly, fiber – because of its unique properties – is not digested, at least not fully. That’s part of its usefulness in the diet. So, since it isn’t digested it doesn’t contribute to the body’s amount of calories consumed. It aids digestion and health in many ways, but not by adding to the ‘energy store’. No need to forego fiber.
Investigate the different types of low carb diet and find out if one of them is right for you. My approach is to use good Nutrition and at least initially a low carb diet. This seems to be the healthiest approach and eliminates most simple sugars, which are an addictive substance for many.
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Weight Loss – Spot Reducing, Myth or Miracle?
There are no miracles in weight loss, though there are lots of myths. You may have heard a new one making the rounds: cortisol will ‘dissolve’ fat around the waist. Not so.
Whenever you take in more calories than you use, the remaining energy is stored in chemical bonds between adipose tissue (fatty deposits). In adult men those fat deposits are preferentially stored around the waist and abdomen, in women around the hips, thighs and abdomen.
As you take actions that place a demand for energy on your body that is greater than can be supplied by available glucose (its preferred source), it turns to fat to supply the deficit. Fat molecules are broken down and severing those chemical bonds releases the energy needed for maintaining internal temperature, muscle movement, etc.
But, here’s the kicker: you have no control over where the body takes that fat from. Cortisol may aid in releasing those fat deposits and breaking down those bonds, but it isn’t targeted. There is, currently, no technology that will remove local fat deposits from any part of the body except mechanical removal, such as in liposuction.
It’s true that doing abdominal exercises, though, helps reduce fat around the waist, and in two ways.
First, since abdominal exercises typically involve large-scale movement that requires high effort, it naturally requires lots of energy. Once the available free energy is consumed, the body turns to those fat deposits to get more. The result is less fat and weight loss.
But it does that in an overall way, with no narrow location getting most of the benefit. Most of the fat may indeed come from the waist, but that’s because that’s where most of it is, as a percentage. But the exercise doesn’t target that fat in any way.
Second, during a vigorous abdominal workout those muscles are being worked harder than others. That’s the whole point of abdominal exercises. As a result, those muscles (along with the back muscles, typically) are being strengthened. Toning and strengthening those muscles helps restore their youthful ability to hold in the internal organs, primarily the stomach.
At the same time there will be a (largely temporary) loss of fluid that contributes to both weight loss and slimming. The net effect is that the waist looks slimmer, the bulge is reduced. That’s definitely a good thing, both for general health and weight loss or fat reduction.
But it’s not the same thing as targeting specific fatty deposits, as the makers of cortisol pills (and other) ‘miracle cures’ would like to sell you. The only effective program for reducing fat deposits – around the waist, on the thighs and buttocks, or anywhere else – is the old-fashioned, high effort, high willpower one.
A program of adequate daily exercise and proper diet is the key to long-term health, safe weight loss and fat reduction. You’ll feel better and your health will be optimized. And, not coincidentally, you’ll reduce those unattractive fat deposits around the middle.
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Weight Loss – Is Weight Loss Surgery For You?
Diet and exercise are the preferred twin partner methods for losing weight and excess body fat. A proper diet and age-appropriate, regular exercise will help almost anyone stay fit and in the correct weight range.
But, unfortunately for some, other methods are sometimes needed. Whether through long-term poor development of willpower, genetic disposition, disease or other factors, maintaining the proper weight for the obese sometimes requires outside assistance.
Fad diets rarely work, and almost never for very long. Some nutritional supplements and other compounds can help to a degree. But for many in this situation, weight loss surgery is the only hope.
There are many forms of surgery these days and all have pros and cons. The most important criteria are effectiveness, risk and side effects.
Surgical techniques have evolved over the past few decades, and most are effective, in the sense that they do typically lead to substantial weight loss. That loss comes about usually as the result of restricted caloric intake by eating less or by absorbing less of the food that is eaten.
One of the earliest forms was gastric bypass surgery. All or part of the stomach was removed and the digestive system reconnected. Originally extremely dangerous, it has evolved but still carries substantial risks. It is no longer the preferred method. Patients who undergo the procedure have to take supplements forever after and the risk of disease and nutritional deficiencies remains high.
Stomach stapling is one technique that has been around for many years now. Initially highly dangerous, it has become much safer in the past 10 years. There are still substantial risks, however, as with any major surgery.
The procedure consists of opening the patient and clamping portions of the stomach with specialized surgical staples. Newer methods sometimes make possible laparoscopy, in which a small hole is created through which the surgeon works, but the patient isn’t opened up.
There are risks of bleeding, though small. Patients can become ill if they attempt to eat more than the recommended amount. They may also suffer from nutritional deficiencies that can be lifelong, requiring supplements.
The net effect is to create a smaller stomach, leading to a more rapid feeling of fullness. The patient simply eats less and therefore takes in fewer calories. The body turns to stored fat for energy and the result is less fat and lower weight.
A newer form involves installing an adjustable Lap Band around the stomach. This eliminates the need to puncture the stomach and makes it possible for the physician to adjust the effect as the patient loses weight.
Generally safe, the procedure can be done on an outpatient basis. Most consider it a minor inconvenience, though like any medical procedure it’s expensive and insurance companies increasingly won’t pay for it. The band itself is not painful.
Patients typically experience rapid weight loss, but at the same time (as fat comes out of adipose tissue) many hormonal changes take place. Close, regular medical observation is important for the success of the procedure and the health of the patient.
There are dozens of names for the various procedures, Biliopancreatic Diversion, Vertical Banded Gastroplasty, Adjustable gastric band, sleeve gastrectomy (with or without Duodenal Switch), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and others. All are termed bariatric surgery.
But whichever procedure an individual considers, careful thought should be given to weighing the risks and benefits. For many, a commitment to long-term dietary and lifestyle changes is a better option. For those who believe surgery is the best option, consulting with an experienced physician is essential.
Another option to explore is virtual gastric bypass. In this hypnotic series of sessions the client is taken through virtual bariatric surgery during hypnosis. For many this can make a significant impact on their weight just as the surgical intervention does without the physical health issues.
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Weight Loss – Fad Diets, Bad Idea
It seems almost as if there is a new fad diet every week. Many of these contain elements of truth, but on the whole they contain much more good marketing than good science.
There is the 3-day diet, which touts eating little more than fruits for three days, followed by vegetables or meat or grains the other days. There are lots of variations.
While it’s certainly true that eating fruit regularly is a key element to good health – most contain needed carbohydrates, vitamins and fiber – eating almost exclusively fruit for three days leads to imbalance – in carbohydrates, fiber and additional otherwise healthy components. To an extent the body will equalize and store what it needs for later, but there are limits.
Similarly, the ‘low carb, high protein’ diets, such as Atkins, recommend cutting way down on carbohydrates and eating substantial amounts of food high in protein. Here again protein is vital to proper Nutrition, but so are carbohydrates. Putting too much emphasis on the first over the second leads to rapid, temporary weight loss, but at a high cost.
Carbohydrates are essential for supplying energy for all biochemical processes. Though the body, when needed, will use other sources, such as fat and protein. Too great an emphasis on protein reduces the ability of the body to store and regulate the appropriate amount of water, whereas carbohydrates help that.
There are very attractive sounding ‘chocolate diets’. Nearly everyone loves chocolate and, contrary to some reports of a few years ago, it is healthy – in moderation. Chocolate contains anti-oxidants and other compounds that are helpful. But, as with anything, too much of a good thing is just that – too much. Also, since many will seek chocolate in forms that come with high fat, high sugar amounts it’s possible to get some not-so-helpful elements along with the good.
There are ultra-low fat diets. Once again, the problem isn’t with reduced fat, but going to extremes. A certain amount of fat in the diet is a healthy thing.
Any diet which makes promises of radical, rapid or quick weight loss – or any other extreme claim – is almost guaranteed to be more harmful than helpful. The human body has evolved over millions of years and decades of good nutritional research still confirms the common sense truth: balance is good, moderation is healthy.
Eat moderate portions at regular intervals of fruits and vegetables (for vitamins, carbohydrates and fiber), grains (for carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fiber), protein (for amino acids) and dairy products (for calcium, unless you’re lactose intolerant). For the average person, between 2000-2500 calories per day is appropriate. Less for women, on average, and for those seeking rapid weight loss.
A balanced diet, coupled with age-appropriate, moderate and regular exercise, will lead to a healthy percentage of body fat, good muscle tone and a well-tuned system. You’ll find you feel better and look good.
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Weight Loss – The South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet is a phased approach to weight loss and Nutrition. In the three major phases dieters will eat selected foods and avoid others, in order to balance the glycemic index to lose weight and achieve optimal metabolism.
The Glycemic Index
The GI is a measure of the relative amount of blood sugar created in response to consuming carbohydrates. Different carbs metabolize at different rates and slowing the absorption of sugars is one way to shift insulin levels, which play a role in storing excess calories as fat, according to South Beach Diet inventor Dr. Agatston, a Florida cardiologist.
The basic equation – more calories used than consumed leads to weight loss – still holds. But this approach to dieting and weight loss attempts to shift how those calories are used.
Phase 1
In Phase 1 of the South Beach diet, which lasts exactly two weeks, the focus is on shifting from high fat carbs to low fat carbs, such as from fatty cuts of beef to boiled ham. It also attempts to reduce starches such as bread and potatoes, moving instead to foods such as pinto beans and black eyed peas. Sugary soft drinks are eliminated completely. No beer or wine is allowed during this period.
The idea is to adjust the body’s cravings away from high sugar-content, high-fat content foods. This, according to the theory, helps flip the body’s ’switch’ that causes us to store fat. When the switch is on we may crave certain foods, but after ‘retraining’ those cravings disappear gradually.
Portions remain at normal sizes however, and there’s no concentration on counting calories. That makes it simple to develop lists of allowed and forbidden foods to eat during these two weeks.
Phase 2
In Phase 2 some of the rules are relaxed a little. Certain formerly forbidden foods may be consumed. Pasta and bread, in moderate quantities, are back on the ‘Allowed’ list. Dieters can choose from a wide range of foods, such as rice, cereal, fruit and more. The allowed foods to emphasize should be those with a low-GI index. Red wine is re-introduced, again in moderation.
This period lasts as long as needed to achieve the individual dieter’s weight loss goal. For some that may be only a few weeks. For others, it may require several months or more.
Phase 3
Once the weight loss goal is achieved, it’s important to be able to keep those pounds off. Many dieters become frustrated because they see hard-to-lose pounds come sliding back on over time. Phase 3 represents a lifelong commitment to a change in eating habits that will help retain that hard-won goal.
The emphasis is on ‘good’ carbs versus ‘bad’ carbs, as well as choosing ‘good’ over ‘bad’ fats. Good, here, means low GI, bad is high-GI. High fat meats are still discouraged, except as an occasional indulgence. Refined sugars are a no-no. Fiber, to slow digestion of carbs, is considered good, as is eating foods with ample Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.
Summary
The South Beach Diet can be put in the category of ‘low carb’ but the emphasis is more on the type of carbohydrates than the amount contained. As with any major diet change considered, consulting your physician before starting is always wise.
Working with a hypnotherapist or weight loss coach can help anyone who wishes to modify their diet maintain the motivation necessary. Motivation is the key to making the changes that you desire.
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Weight Loss – Fluid Intake and Nutrition
Diets, especially those that focus on weight loss, often concentrate on what to eat. But fluids are a major part of any healthy, balanced diet as well. Runners know this well, but the same guidelines apply to anyone interested in optimal health.
About 60% of the human body is water, muscle tissue almost 70%. An enormous range of biochemical reactions inside cells and out require water. Add these facts together and it’s clear that water is a must. No surprise, there. But what might be is how easy it is to have a deficit.
Effects of Dehydration
Lack of proper hydration can have far worse effects than merely feeling thirsty. Headache, fatigue and dizziness are common signs. Heat stroke is serious, potentially fatal – and dehydration is one of the major factors that lead to it.
Nor is it quite good enough to merely wait until you are thirsty to address your fluid need. Elevated internal body temperature, high heart rate and poor motor performance set in when your body has experienced only a 3% weight loss from water deprivation.
In a cool environment, even when you are at rest, your body will lose about 2-3 liters in a day. If you’re active, the number rises to between 3-6 liters. On a warm day, during vigorous activity, the number can be as high as 10 liters. That’s about 3 gallons of water in one day.
How Much Should You Consume and When?
It’s preferable to hydrate in advance. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, that amounts to about 17 ounces (500 ml) every 2 hours for 24 hours prior to any vigorous workout. Another 7-10 ounces (about 200-300 ml) every 20 minutes during exercise is also recommended.
What About Sports Drinks?
Some sports drinks are the perfect form of fluid intake. Just drinking water can lead to harmful dilution of the concentrations of sodium, potassium and other minerals in the body. Among other things, those help regulate the heart and nerve signals. A properly balanced sports drink helps maintain the proper concentration.
But many so-called sports drinks are chock full of sugar. A little bit of simple sugar isn’t bad. It can even be beneficial. But a bottle of sports drink that is really just soda without the bubbles isn’t helpful. Keep that type to a minimum.
Fruit juices can be an effective way of getting needed fluid. But keep in mind that drinks with carbs slow the body’s rate of absorption of water. Here too, the amount of sugar needs to be monitored.
Caffeine and Alcohol
Caffeine drinks aren’t necessarily unhealthy. In fact, in moderation, caffeine has been shown to have definite health benefits. But it’s also a diuretic, a substance that increases urine output. Drinking lots of coffee can actually encourage dehydration. Studies in which participants drank about 6 cups per day (642 mg/day) experienced a 3% loss of body water.
Similarly, alcohol in moderate amounts is beneficial. Red wine has antioxidants. Even beer is healthy, since some of the health effects are due to alcohol alone and hops are good for you. But they do tend also to dehydrate. They’re not a substitute for the total water needed daily.
Summary
The body needs several types of nutrients every day, throughout the day: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals – and water. Don’t forget the liquid nutrient.
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Weight Loss – Fiber and Why It’s Good
In Nutrition circles, one often hears “eat fiber, it’s good for you”. But fiber is a carbohydrate and those are supposed to be bad, or at least severely limited. What gives?
The resolution to this dilemma lies in examining more closely just what fiber is and what it does for you.
What Is Fiber?
Fiber is, it’s true, a type of carbohydrate. That is, fiber compounds are composed of molecules whose chief elements are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in combination. But there is a key difference between fiber and other types of carbohydrate: it doesn’t break down during digestion.
Both simple sugars (simple carbs) and starches (complex carbs) are broken down by digestive enzymes, releasing energy the body uses for an infinite variety of vital processes. Fiber is not, at least not much. That simple difference leads to a number of beneficial effects.
Why Is Fiber Good?
Insoluble fiber, by definition, does not dissolve in water. As such, it moves through the digestive system where it helps increase the bulk of stools. That helps prevent constipation. It also moves through the intestines relatively fast, which generates signals to the brain that you’re full. In that way, it discourages overeating and the accompanying excess consumption of calories.
Insoluble fiber is contained in whole-wheat flour and wheat bran, many types of nut and several vegetables that contribute ‘roughage’ to the diet.
Soluble fiber, by contrast, does dissolve in water and so forms a type of gel that makes its way through the digestive system. As a result it helps regulate blood glucose levels. On route it helps cleanse the tract of bacteria.
Soluble fiber is part of a wide variety of foods, including oats and barley, carrots and peas, apples and citrus fruit, and beans.
A high fiber diet helps decrease the odds of heart disease by lowering LDL cholesterol (the undesirable type).
It slows the absorption of sugar contained in food consumed, which helps smooth out any spikes. That helps improve a number called the Glycemic Index, one key to a healthy diet according to some diet programs such as the South Beach Diet.
Controlling blood glucose levels has another beneficial effect, according to many studies. Insulin levels are related to blood glucose levels. Excess glucose over long periods increases the odds of acquiring Type 2 diabetes. A high fiber diet can help decrease those odds.
Since fiber is not broken down, it adds bulk without calories. That contributes to a feeling of fullness and satiation without the accompanying potential for storing excess calories as fat. Thus, it contributes mightily to any weight loss program.
How Much Daily Fiber Is Good?
There is no official RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for fiber as there is for many other nutritional components. But official sources put the desirable amount at roughly 25 grams per day. The average consumption is often much lower, around 15 grams per day.
One study of over 500 subjects conducted at the University of Massachusetts Medical School over one year showed that those who consumed 22 grams or more were 63% less likely to have high CRP levels. High CRP (C-reactive protein) is linked with higher risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Summary
Like any aspect of diet and Nutrition, the value of fiber can be (and sometimes is) overstated. But numerous studies agree that a high fiber diet has definite benefits. As with any proposed change in diet, consulting your physician first is wise.
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Weight Loss – Selecting The Right Weight Loss Program
For some people a formal weight loss program isn’t necessary. They can summon the willpower, do the research and carry out the needed actions independently. Others will benefit from support, guidance and a helping hand.
When seeking out that weight loss program there are a number of important questions the second type will want answered.
The most essential, and therefore the first question is: What are the facts about diet, exercise and weight loss? There are dozens of fad diets, special exercise regimens and all manner of junk science surrounding the subject.
It won’t be easy for those not trained in science to sort the wheat from the chaff, to sort fact from fiction. But anyone with common sense and some persistence can fairly quickly find one or more sources of reliable information. Scientific studies don’t stand in isolation, they either support or contradict others. When you find a number, from serious sources, that agree there’s good reason to give them some credence.
Similarly, it will be important to find knowledgeable and experienced people that can help you along. Most people can distinguish between people who are trying to give wise counsel and those who just want to sell you something that may or may not have any value. People deserve to be paid for their services, but offering something worthwhile is fundamental.
Once you find a program that can offer you good guidance and moral support, you’ll get added benefits. Such people can help remind you, when the going gets tough, why you chose to make the effort in the first place. It’s difficult to adhere to a long term program when the progress is slow. A program like the Atlanta Weight Loss Group combines the best of both worlds by offering conscious and subconscious support to the client.
Any wise diet and exercise program needs to be oriented toward lifestyle changes that will help you lose the weight and keep it off, permanently. The Atlanta Weight Loss Group can help you do that. Hypnosis combined with behavior modification gets results and helps you unlearn bad habits, learn better ones, and then help you to stick with them.
You’ll need to monitor your progress, so you need to ask where and what are the tests and tools to do that. You’ll need food charts for measuring calories and types of nutrients. You’ll need a BMI calculator and other tools.
Some of those tools are as simple and inexpensive as a scale, a flexible tape measure and a mirror. Others may be a heart rate or pulse monitor, a device that measures body fat percentage and other things that often accompany a treadmill.
You’ll want to judge any program by how many people have actually found success using it, of course. But beware the hype. A few unsolicited opinions from people you don’t know won’t tell the whole story. Find out how many finished, and how much they lost, and whether there were any downsides or side effects.
It’s your health. That’s worth doing some homework to find the right weight loss program for you.
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Weight Loss – Organic Foods, Pros and Cons
Much of the writing on diet and Nutrition is more than just informational. It often veers into the realm of values and ethics, recommendations about what you should (or should not) do. Nowhere is this more evident than in discussions of organic food. But, while advocates can reasonably debate the pros and cons of an organic food lifestyle, it’s beneficial not to lose sight of the objective science that can support either view.
What Is Organic Food?
In one sense, the phrase ‘organic food’ is redundant. If it isn’t organic (in the sense that science uses that term: a compound based on carbon) it isn’t food. Clearly, something else is meant by ‘organic’, in this case.
The generally agreed-on definition is: food grown and marketed without man-made chemicals, such as certain types of pesticides, or ones that don’t contain artificial preservatives.
But given how pesticides and preservatives are made today – from a wide range of substances often found in raw nature – the line is a little fuzzy. Many pesticides, for example, are extracts of plants that contain chemicals that naturally fight insect invasion. Nevertheless, it’s reasonable to regard organic food as that grown substantially without a wide range of inorganic pesticides and preservatives used in mass-scale food production.
Is It Better?
Organic food is generally more expensive, anywhere from 50-100% more in most cases. For those who place a high value on the purity and healthfulness of what they consume, it may well be worth the difference. But is organic food actually purer or healthier?
Unfortunately, there is no single correct answer that applies to all organic (or non-organic) food available on the market today.
Some organic farms take great care to ensure that their food is grown to maximize nutrients, minimize harmful compounds and is delivered fresh. Others may use manure as fertilizer that can introduce E. Coli bacteria into the food that can only be destroyed by cooking.
Organic food producers often tout the lack of pesticides used as proof that their food is healthier than that produced by large industrial farms. And, indeed, that can be true. Thousands of reliable studies done over decades show that high levels of inorganic compounds found in some pesticides increase the risk of a variety of cancers.
But it’s also true that the USDA has set levels for allowable concentrations of pesticide residue in food sold to the public. There is no evidence that, at the concentrations allowed (and frequently measured for compliance), there are harmful health effects. All food sold, ‘inorganic’ and ‘organic’, must meet stringent criteria before it can be legally sold to the public.
Apart from potential toxin levels, are there differences in the Nutrition levels of inorganic versus organic food? There, the jury is even more mixed.
A French study that analyzed 12 different foods showed that organic foods contained higher quantities of Vitamins A, B-complex, C, E and essential minerals such as zinc and calcium. Another recent study published in the Journal of Applied Nutrition had similar results. Mineral content of organic apples, pears and others had lower levels of heavy metals than those grown by non-organic methods.
Yet processed food is often fortified with vitamins that the ‘natural’ food may lack to some degree. Cereals are a case in point. Commercially produced orange juice is another.
If the level of nutrients in both types is high enough that any excess is discarded by the body, and the level of toxins low enough to cause no harm, does it matter? All foods that aren’t spoiled carry some benefit and some risk. It’s simply a matter of degree.
Trade-offs are inevitable when deciding whether the extra time and cost to buy organic are worthwhile. Those decisions can only be made by each individual, according to their own circumstances and views.
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Weight Loss – Phytonutrients, An Introduction
Phytonutrients are the new hot item in diet and Nutrition. But what are they and why are they believed to be so healthful?
Phytochemicals are a class of compounds found in the highly colored skins of some fruits and vegetables. Since their nutritional properties are still under investigation no FDA guidelines are available about their health benefits. As a result, some avoid labeling them phytonutrients.
Still, numerous studies suggest that these compounds are very likely to have beneficial effects. Further, no one doubts that the foods that contain them are good Nutrition. They are recommended by all experts. The chief area needing clarification is the degree to which they aid in combating certain diseases, such as colon cancer, or how effectively they aid the immune system.
What Foods Contain Phytonutrients, and How Do They Help?
Any strongly colored fruit or vegetable will contain some phytochemicals.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene. While research is ongoing, many large scale studies have already shown a link between consumption and reduction of prostate cancer. In one, men who consumed more than 10 servings per week had a 35% lower risk, compared to those who only consumed 1.5 servings or fewer.
‘Eat your spinach’ is a familiar phrase from childhood. Phytochemicals called carotenoids may be the reason that it is good advice. Those who consumed it regularly had a 46% lower risk of macular degeneration, compared to study participants who only ate it once per month or less.
Another category called flavonoids are well-known to be beneficial, based on thousands of studies. That’s because they act as antioxidants. Roaming oxygen atoms called free radicals carry enough energy to damage cells. Antioxidants combine with them and render them harmless. Flavonoids are a rich source of antioxidants.
According to a European study published in Lancet, a leading British medical journal, Dutch men who consumed more than 30 mg of flavonoids daily had a 58% lower risk of heart disease than those who consumed only 19 mg or less per day.
Flavonoids are part of a larger class called polyphenols that have similar properties. They are in such foods as strawberries, blueberries, apples and more. Red wine, long known to be a boon to health in moderate quantities, contains polyphenols.
A study in the Journal of the AMA (American Medical Association) linked fruit and vegetable consumption to a decrease in the odds of stroke. For each additional consumption of three daily servings subjects had a 22% decrease in the chances for hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke.
How Much Do We Get?
The average American gets 3.3 servings of vegetables per day. But those containing phytochemicals are consumed in much smaller quantities, only about 0.2 servings. About 10% of the population eats less than one serving per day of vegetables.
Less than a third of the population (29%) eats the minimum number of daily fruit servings. Nearly half eat less than one serving of fruit per day. Even for those on a restricted carb diet that is very low.
Summary
Like many areas of nutritional science, research on phytochemicals continues at a rapid pace. But even at the present level of knowledge it’s clear that certain fruits and vegetables should be part of a healthy, balanced diet.
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