Dieting

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Menstuff® has compiled the following information on diets and dieting.

How many packets of sugar do you eat daily?

What is a Calorie
Insect Cuisine
The Skinny Fat Study: Why a Bit of Belly Is Bad
Should Humans Eat Meat? 7 Ways to Answer
Study Determines Processed Meat Increases the Risk of Polyps
From labeling confusion to sourcing, you may want to think twice about supermarket meat.
The Meat Debate: Carnivores and Colon Cancer

beyondmeat.com (check it out)

Everything You've Been Taught May Be Wrong
Why Cruciferous Vegetables Can Speed Up Weight Loss
Eating Your Carbs Last May Improve Blood Sugar Levels
Lean Protein: The Metabolism Booster
5 Tips to Eat More Protein and Lose Weight
Dietary Fat No Longer a Health Concern, Says US Government
Dietary Fats and the Heart
2015 Dietary Guidelines Sneak Peak: Cholesterol in Diet OK
Ten Worst Diet Offenders
Big belly could carry bigger dementia risk
Belly Fat is Worse Than Other Fat
96 Bodies You Won't See On Billboards -- But Should
What Men Should Eat to Lose Weight
Does fruit make you fat?
Are You Making Heart Healthy Choices?
Healthful Foods You Should Never, Ever Eat
Eight Ways to Jump Start Your Weight Loss
7 Weight Loss Mistakes
Kick this Bad Habit
Are Your Weight Loss Goals Realistic?
Consumer Group Renews Attack On Diet Drug Meridia
5 Foods That Make You Feel Full
Radical Reduction: The benefits of stomach stapling for teenagers.
FDA Changes Labeling Requirement For Olestra
Moderate-Fat Diet Beats Low-Fat Diet
20 Reasons to Drop 20 Pounds
When Your Dining Out but on a Special Diet
Why We're Crazy for Crazy Diets
Zap Your Fat: The Wave of the Future?
USDA Requires Labeling of Mechanically Tenderized Meat
Bacon and other processed meats can cause cancer, experts say
Diet Soda
That Sweet Taste. Are Artificial Sweeteners Safe?
Diet Soda Habit as Bad for Teeth as Meth Addiction, Study Claims
Have you ever wondered if people of certain weights buy certain drinks?
Sucralose - Safety and Information
Aspartame Is a Safe Artificial Sweetener
Energy Drinks
Alcopops
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Want to Los 7-10 Pounds?
Drugs that Mess with Your Weight
Got Kids? Check Your Fat Intake
Gut Check: A Low-Carb, High-Protein Menu
How To Eat Well When Eating Out
Add Fruit to Your Longevity and Anti Aging Diet Plan
More Kids Are Using Alternative Meds
Men Cheat on Family Diets in Fast-Food Quickies
Ten Worst Diet Offenders
Saturated Fats: Good or Bad?
This simple yet brilliant idea is making kids smarter and healthier.
Related issues: Cooking, Food Tips, Books on: Cooking

What Is a Calorie? Why calories matter and why we count them to lose weight

The Definition of Calorie vs. Kilocalorie

When the word "calorie" is used in nutrition settings, by dieters or simply by consumers who are talking about food, they are usually using a casual definition of calorie.

But they are actually referring to kilocalories. This is how the two terms are different.

• The definition of calorie (cal), or small calorie, is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of water by one degree Celcius.
• The definition of kilocalories (kcal), or large calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celcius. A kilocalorie is equivalent to 1000 small calories. Kilocalories are sometimes called "food calories" or simply shortened to "calories" when referring to the energy in food.

Another unit of measurement used to quantify energy is called the "joule." One small calorie is equivalent to just under 4.2 joules. A kilocalorie (kcal) is equivalent to approximately 4.2 kilojoules.

What Is a Calorie?

You may think that calories are only important to dieters. We often hear that people eat fewer calories or burn more calories with exercise to lose weight.

But calories are important for everyone.

A calorie isn't actually a thing, it's a unit of measurement. A calorie measures the amount of energy in the food and beverages that we consume. We all need this energy to live and stay healthy. Everything we do relies on the energy that comes in the form of calories.

The food we eat becomes the fuel that runs our bodies. Healthy food provides calories (energy) and important nutrients to build strong bones and muscles. Drinks also contain calories. But not all calories are healthy. Sodas, for example, are often referred to as "empty calories." That means that they provide calories but have no other nutritional value.

How Calories Create Weight Gain

Calories in food provide essential energy, but if you consume too many you will gain weight. Excess calories are stored as body fat. Your body needs some stored fat to stay healthy. But too much fat can cause health problems.

So how do you make sure that you don't eat too many calories? It's important that you understand your caloric needs. That is the number of calories your body needs to perform basic metabolic functions and daily physical activities. You can calculate your caloric needs using simple formulas or online calculators.

The daily recommended caloric intake for the average American can range from 1,000 to 2,000 calories per day.

But that number is a general estimate and the number can vary based on a number of variables. Men can eat a little more, women should eat less because their bodies are smaller and need less fuel. Your specific, individual calorie needs depend on several factors such as your activity level and metabolism.

Calories in Food

Different types of food provide different levels of energy. That is, the three macronutrients are not all equal in the number of calories they provide. Each gram of protein and carbohydrate provides 4 calories, but each gram of fat provides 9 calories.

Because fat provides more calories per gram, many dieters and healthy eaters try to limit the amount of fat in their diet. But some types of fat are necessary for a healthy body. Polyunsaturated fat, for example, helps you to maintain a healthy heart. And even though carbohydrates provide fewer calories, some carbs are not as healthy as others. Refined carbohydrates, for example, are considered empty calories.

So are all calories the same when it comes to weight loss? Experts generally agree that a calorie is a calorie. It doesn't necessarily matter where your calories come from. To lose weight, you need to consume less and burn more.

However, some calories provide special weight loss benefits. For example, calories from protein are helpful in building and maintaining muscle. When you have more muscle, you are better able to stay active during the day and burn more calories. And calories from foods rich in fiber help you to feel full and satisfied throughout the day so you eat less and slim down.

Learn to Count Calories to Lose Weight

Experts estimate that if you consume approximately 3,500 excess calories you will gain one pound. So to lose one pound, you need to create a calorie deficit. You need to decrease your caloric intake by 3500 calories or burn an extra 3500 calories. You can also combine both methods to reach the correct calorie deficit.

You can reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day to lose one pound each week. A 1-2 pound decrease in weight is considered a healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss. The most important thing to remember is to not cut calories too drastically. Going on a very low-calorie fat diet can put your health at risk and cause health problems.
Source: hwww.verywell.com/what-is-a-calorie-and-why-should-i-care-3496238

The Skinny Fat Study: Why a Bit of Belly Is Bad

A new study that was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association looked at a different number, the waist-to-hip ratio, which specifically measures whether a person is storing excess fat around their middle.

The results? People with a normal BMI but who had "central obesity" (or what most people would term "belly fat") had twice the risk of early death compared to those who had a BMI of "overweight" or "obese."

Abdominal fat, it turns out, could be a much more reliable indicator of mortality than one's weight.
Source: mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/suite

Should Humans Eat Meat? 7 Ways to Answer

Celebrity doctor David Katz, MD is wondering if we should eat meat at all, and thinks there are 7 ways in which to answer the question. One is actually through the lens of your mental performance. The rest?

Of tunnels, lenses, and the elephant in the room

Answers are seldom better or more informative than the antecedent questions. Tunnels make for poor vistas. Echoes of our own opinions are no substitute for dialogue and a willingness to consider opinions we didn’t already own.

Alas, most of our modern discourse about diet and health has devolved into badly constrained or willfully contrived questions for which there are no good answers (e.g., low fat or low carb?); tunnel vision; and echo chambers.

Our understanding is the poorer for it, and that has evolved into the veritable bane of my professional existence. (I am doing something about that.)

This is not because I am any kind of ideologue wanting my view to prevail; it is because I am an epidemiologue (if I may coin such a term), wanting the weight of data to tip to the favor of us all.

It is because I am a Preventive Medicine specialist who knows, these 9 years of post-graduate education, 25 years of research and practice, and multiple editions of various textbooks later- that we have the readily available means to add both years to lives, and life to years, and squander much of that luminous opportunity instead in perpetual din and discord, and attendant cultural dysfunction.

Perhaps no question about diet and health has become more fraught than: should we eat meat? Prosecution, and defense, were both greatly agitated by the recent WHO declaration that processed meats are a carcinogen, and red meat in general likely so.

But no one consideration such as that, however provocative, can answer the general question.

If meat “caused” cancer, but produced some countervailing good, such as enhancing brain or muscle development: well, then, should we, or shouldn’t we eat it? The answers competing for our attention are mostly echoing in tunnels, each isolated from the other. My suggestion is that we exit those tunnels, and take in the view through many lenses, in an effort to see the big picture.

Lens 1: what do we mean by “should”?

Our discussions about diet and health go off the tracks and down the tunnels into dark oblivion almost immediately when the word “should” is involved. That word takes on moral overtones, and evokes an image of me- or someone- wagging a finger, admonishing you. I protest that construct, right along with the libertarians among you.

Health is not a moral imperative.

(Let’s leave out of this discussion the economics of public health insurance, and the fact that our ill health may burden our fellow tax payers; grist for a different mill.) Health is not the prize, either. Living the life each of us wants is the prize. Arguably, if a given individual has a “better” life eating baloney sandwiches at each meal and cotton candy for dessert, whatever the health consequences, then that is what they “should” do, since health is in the service of living, not the other way around.

The reality, however, is that healthy people tend to have more fun. I’ve heard a lot of bravado about personal choice and health-be-damned over my 25 years of patient care, but never from people who have lost their health, and most eventually do. The bravado is inevitably from those who have not yet paid for playing. The conversions come fast and furiously in the aftermath of a first stroke or MI, or the onset of diabetes.

I am not interested in telling anyone what to do; but it is my job to tell people what’s what, based on the aggregation of information. To me, any idea of “should” is subordinate to the principle that you are the boss, and only you can determine your priorities. That said, healthy humans tend to be happier humans.

Healthy people do have more fun. When “should” functions in the service of quality of life, as it should, health does tend to emerge as a nearly universal priority.

Lens 2: Evolutionary Biology

The argument is routinely advanced to defend meat consumption that our species, Homo sapiens, and indeed our primate ancestors going back perhaps 6 million years, are constitutionally omnivorous.

We have physiologic adaptations to meat consumption and even, according to some experts, adaptations specific to the consumption of cooked meat.

But this only invites a series of secondary questions. How is the meat of today like, or unlike, Stone Age meat? How is health and vitality today compared to the Stone Age? Since we are omnivorous, what do we know about net effects on human longevity and vitality with a shifting emphasis between plant and animal calories, given an abundance of both?

We know, in fact, that the meat that prevails today is far removed from the meat to which we are natively adapted. We know that life expectancy today is generally twice that, or more, of the Paleolithic mean. We know that humans can and do thrive on diets that are mostly or even exclusively plant-based, and that adaptations to the consumption of both plants and animals means we have choices. Evolutionary biology clearly allows for meat in the human diet, but does not necessarily require it.

Lens 3: Epidemiology/Health

What we know about diet and health cannot exclude the possibility that a genuine “Paleo” diet would be among the variations on the theme of optimal eating for our species, even in the aftermath of the WHO report on meat and cancer risk. As noted, what we know about the health effects of meat today is based on the meats we eat today, which resemble Stone Age fare very rarely, and even then, rather remotely.

Overwhelmingly, the modern evidence, spanning diverse research methods, populations, geography, cultures, and decades, tips decisively in favor of food, not too much, mostly plants. Free-living populations that adhere, however inadvertently, to this theme monopolize the claim to the longest, most vital lives on the planet. Free-living populations that consume mostly animal products are, in contrast, very rare, and a product of necessity rather than choice. They do exist, however, as illustrated by the Inuit; but are not known for enviable health or longevity. Rather the contrary, unfortunately, for reasons not limited to diet- but clearly not ameliorated by diet either.

Lens 4: Physical Performance

The customary civilities of cyberspace and social media include many insults directed at me for my “plant-leaning” dietary delusions by those who contend, usually on the basis of personal anecdote, that the only way to build lean body mass, fitness, and physical prowess- is with meat.

This simply isn’t true. I am at times tempted to counter such contentions with my own personal anecdote. I am at times tempted to point out the capacity of gorillas, our relatively close cousins, and horses, more distant kin, to build far more formidable mountains of muscle than our own out of plants alone. I am tempted as well to point out the vegetarians and vegans among the world’s athletic elite.

The simple fact is that physiology, not ideology, determines what is required to build muscle. Carnivores do it with meat; herbivores do it with plants. We, as noted, are omnivores. We get to choose.

Lens 5: Cognitive Performance

The focus is above the neck rather than below, but otherwise, the view here is enough like that through lens 4 to say: ditto, more or less.

Lens 6: Planetary Health

Animals eat animals in nature, and it does not imperil the planet. But no other animal has so completely disrupted the natural balance among species. Humans eating meat would not threaten the hospitability of the planet to our children were there billions fewer of us. But here we are, a global horde of more than 7 billion. Having decided not to control our numbers, we now have little choice but to control our appetites. The environmental implications of Homo sapien meat consumption are even clearer, starker, and more urgent than those directed at our personal health.

Lens 7: Ethical Considerations

For our species to declare meat-eating, per se, unethical is rather absurd. Nature has spawned obligate carnivores, and to suggest that Nature is unethical is a blend of arrogance and nonsense. We might contend that it is ethical for animals to eat animals, but not for humans to do so- but that, too, is arrogant nonsense, implying that humans aren’t animals, and are somehow a truly disparate expression of life. We are, rather, part of a continuum of life, and that continuum has long allocated space to animals that eat animals.

That, however, is not the real-world issue. To feed the carnivorous inclinations of a massive, global population invites dubious methods that serve economies, and defile ethical standards. We cannot be 7 billion hunter-gatherers, and thus producing meat for our masses means methods of mass production. Only those who have chosen not to look at such methods are left un-nauseated by them.

For whatever it’s worth, my own decision to renounce the consumption of all mammals many years ago was rather less about farming and more about feelings grown closer to home. At present, four creatures with four legs apiece are among my best friends; three with paws, one with hooves. I couldn’t reconcile making some such fellow mammals members of my family, and others my meal. For reasons of my own, I did what I felt I “should” do.

There could very well be more lenses, views, and considerations. I cannot claim to be comprehensive; I claim only that expanding the view to any degree offers perspective, and clarity. It is perhaps noteworthy that the very same camera with the very same settings will fail for lack of light when attempting a very close shot, but will capture a perfect image when depth of field is expanded. There is, quite simply, more light in a larger frame.

Should human beings eat meat? If we humans were many, many fewer; if our lives were much shorter; if the meat in question were much purer; if our activity levels were much higher; if our methods of acquisition were quick and clean and compassionate; and/or if the resources of the planet were infinite- the answer might well be: sure. But none of those conditions is met in the reality that prevails. In the reality that prevails, the health of both people and the planet, the interests of ethics, epidemiology, and the environment alike- are advanced by humans eating less meat. To the extent that health is our goal, what we replace it with matters, too. I advise against swapping out corned beef for cotton candy.

There is even a case to be made that we “should” eat less meat, in the conventional (and often distasteful) sense of moral obligation. While we are not morally obligated to safeguard our own health, we are, I think we can safely say, morally obligated not to eat our children’s food, or consume our children’s water. We live in a prevailing reality where water is disappearing where it is needed most, and draining glaciers into the sea where we wish it were not. Meat consumption figures in all such mayhem, and thus constitutes a cultural imperative far beyond the limits of our own skin.

In the end, the utility of our questions and answers alike about meat consumption are much related to how we carve up the great beast of our collective uncertainty. Informing our view with only one small part of a larger story will land us in the company of those famously blind men of Indostan. We will be arguing rather pointlessly with one another, oblivious all the while to the havoc being wrought by the elephant in the room, and more importantly, by ourselves.
Source: diseaseprevention.about.com/od/Cancer/fl/Should-Humans-Eat-Meat_2.htm

From labeling confusion to sourcing, you may want to think twice about supermarket meat.

The vast majority of meat purchased at supermarkets comes from livestock that has been raised on what are called Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), also known as “factory farms.”

There are about 257,000 CAFOs in the United States, and the EPA defines them as "a production process that concentrates large numbers of animals in relatively small and confined places, and that substitutes structures and equipment (for feeding, temperature controls, and manure management) for land and labor."

Any animal that’s forced to live in such cramped quarters isn’t going to be especially healthy, so they’re given antibiotics, hormones, de-worming medication, growth-promoting drugs, and other medicines that help them reach their slaughter weight quickly and without getting too sick. According to a recent USDA Inspector General Report, beef sold to the public was found to be contaminated with 211 different drug residues.

Thankfully, several companies are producing high-quality raw meat for purchase at grocery stores these days, so you're not completely out of luck if there are no good butcher shops around. Niman Ranch, Laura’s Lean Beef, and D’Artagnan products, for example, are being made available in an increasing number of grocery stores, and they’re all reputable; the meat we’re discussing here is sold in non-branded, cellophane-wrapped packages and is often far less expensive than the name-brand meat.

So read on to learn surprising things about the industrial meat that’s stocking the shelves at your local supermarket. It’s not going to be pretty, but there are some harsh truths about the massive industry that’s putting cheap, low-quality meat on your dinner table that are important to know, especially because it may be putting your health at risk (all those antibiotics don’t just disappear when the meat is cooked!). It’s smart to be an informed consumer, especially when the facts are as frightening as these.

Expiration Dates on Meat Packaging Are Generally Meaningless

We hate to break it to you, but expiration dates really don’t mean much. Sure, Cheez-Its will go stale and milk will go bad a certain number of weeks after packaging, but supermarket meat departments, where they do their own labeling, are generally left up to their own devices (30 states don’t regulate date labeling at all). This means that if an item is set to expire and it still looks okay, supermarkets are allowed to put a new label on, pushing the expiration date back by days or even more than a week. We suggest checking to see when the food first hit the shelf, if possible, or buying meat from a trusted butcher.

Ground Beef Is Usually From Retired Dairy or Breeding Cows

Most of the beef we eat comes from cows (either steers or cows that are raised for meat rather than milk) that are between two and three years old. Young beef tends to be more tender and marbled, and is used almost exclusively for steaks. Because it doesn’t matter whether ground beef is tender or marbled, most supermarket ground beef is made from retired dairy or breeding cows, which are generally slaughtered at between six and 8 years of age, along with trimmings left over after younger cows are butchered.

You Should Look for a USDA Shield on the Packaging

There are eight grades of meat: prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility, cutter, and canner. The more marbling in the meat, the better the grade. Choice and select are the grades most commonly found in supermarkets, but in order to be graded, the meat needs to be inspected by the USDA. Look for the USDA shield, and you’ll know that it’s been inspected.

Contaminated Chicken and Turkey Sickens 200,000 Americans Yearly with Salmonella

While many countries have protections against salmonella in place at chicken farms and hatcheries, there are no such protections in the U.S., where testing is only carried out on a limited basis at the slaughterhouse. Here, it’s simply accepted that chicken will have potentially fatal bacteria on it; according to federal data, about 25 percent of raw chicken pieces contain salmonella. Because the requirements are so lax, about 200,000 Americans are sickened with salmonella from poultry annually. Thankfully, the USDA has ramped up its testing for salmonella on poultry.

A New Law Makes It Legal for Supermarket Meat to Not Be Labeled with the Country of Origin

Retailers and producers are no longer required to identify where an animal was raised, slaughtered, or processed. Canada and Mexico, two important trade partners, argued that laws mandating country of origin labeling were discouraging Americans from buying meat that comes from outside the U.S., and Congress caved to them, much to the chagrin of those who support transparency in the food industry. Advocates claim this this act has no bearing on food safety.
Source: www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/01/25/reasons-why-might-want-to-stop-buying-supermarket-meat/?icid=maing-fluid%7Camp-bon%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D-1156193656

Eating Your Carbs Last May Improve Blood Sugar Levels

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College gave 11 individuals with type 2 diabetes an identical meal on two separate days, but instructed the participants to eat the foods in two different sequences. At the first visit, participants ate the high-carbohydrate foods first (a roll and orange juice), then waited for 15 minutes before eating the protein (grilled skinless chicken breast) and low-carb vegetables (steamed broccoli with butter and tossed salad with low-fat vinaigrette).

The researchers measured the subjects’ blood glucose levels before the meal, as well as 30 minutes, one hour, and two hours after eating. When individuals ate their protein and vegetables first, their blood sugars were about 29 percent lower after the first half hour, 37 percent lower after one hour, and 17 percent lower after two hours, compared to when they started with the juice and bread. It’s possible that eating protein and fiber-rich vegetables first helps to slow the body’s absorption of the carbohydrates that follow after, leading to a more gradual rise in blood sugar.

This study was small, and larger studies are needed to confirm the results. Hopefully, future research will explore whether eating high-carbohydrate foods at the end of the meal for several weeks or months can maintain a similar drop in blood sugar for longer periods. It would also be interesting to see the results using a wider variety of starchy foods, including beans, lentils, potatoes, pasta, and rice.

Eating Carbs Last May Have Other Health Perks

It’s always great to see research testing simple, practical changes like this one that are easy to implement and may have a big impact on health. What’s more, following this type of eating routine could have additional benefits. Eating vegetables and lean protein at the start of a meal may help to fill you up, so you’re less hungry for starches like rice and potatoes and eat less of these foods as a result. We already know from previous research that beginning a meal with a high-volume, low-cal salad or broth-based vegetable soup causes people to eat less of the main entree and fewer calories at the meal overall.

So, even if you don’t have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes and aren’t monitoring your blood sugar, it can’t hurt to try the “carbs last” approach at some of your meals. While it may not make sense all of the time, when you’re eating a standard three-part meal of protein, veggies, and starch, it’s smart to go for the foods with maximal fill power first and then finish off with a smaller portion of starch, especially if you’re watching your weight. It’s actually a strategy I already use when I’m dining out at restaurants, where portions of grains and bread tend to be larger than I serve at home. For example, when I go out for brunch, I eat my veggie omelet first and save the toast for last. If I’m already getting full, I only eat half or one slice instead of two. (My husband inadvertently follows this approach, too. He always eats his vegetables first at dinner to “get them out of the way”!)

If you’re dining on pasta, a sandwich, or another meal where the starchy carbs are fully integrated into the main dish, it’s not practical to pick apart your meal and eat the protein and veggies first. However, you can always start your meal with a vegetable, such as a leafy green salad with a little dressing or vinegar and olive oil or a cup of sliced peppers, baby carrots, or cucumber wheels. If that doesn’t appeal to you, at least make sure your entree includes lean protein (like chicken, turkey, shrimp, or tofu) and plenty of veggies. For example, if you’re craving spaghetti with marinara at an Italian restarestaurant, you can order it with sliced grilled chicken and/or a side of plain steamed veggies to mix in and dilute the starch.

When it comes to snacks, choosing strategic combos may help you better control your blood sugar. You might have a small handful of almonds first to preload your system with protein and healthy fats, followed by a piece of fruit. Or, have an ounce of cheese and wait a few minutes before enjoying an apple or some whole-grain crackers. All of these changes are small, but they may have a real payoff if you’re willing to be flexible with how you eat.
Source: www.everydayhealth.com/columns/johannah-sakimura-nutrition-sleuth/eating-carbs-last-may-improve-blood-sugar-levels/?xid=aol_eh-endo_1_&icid=maing-fluid%7Camp-bon%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D1961131691

Study Determines Processed Meat Increases the Risk of Polyps

When they compared polyp occurrence in people who consumed the most processed meat vs. people who consumed the least, the results were pretty convincing. People who consumed the most processed meat were twice as likely to develop polyps as those who consumed the least.

What's So Bad About Processed Meat?

The researchers attributed the increased risk of polyps to the presence of nitrates (NaNO3) and nitrites (NaNO2). Both are preservatives that allow processed meat to maintain its redness. They're why SPAM is pink instead of gray. Processed meat that isn't pink, like canned tuna and chicken, doesn't contain nitrates and nitrites.

How Can You Apply This Research to Your Life?

The take-home message from this study is to limit your consumption of processed meat if you're interested in lowering your risk of developing colorectal cancer. If you know someone who practically lives off of processed meat (like my dad), you can add this research to your arsenal of reasons why that person should adhere to colon cancer screening guidelines.

If you're thinking about cutting out processed meat in favor of fresh meat, you might want to take a look at this video created by Jim Hightower. He's a radio commentator with some pretty strong opinions about a processing method some meat packers are using to keep their products looking fresh.

I don't have a strong opinion either way, but you may feel different.

Sources:

1."Nitrate/Nitrite Toxicity Exposure Pathways." Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Accessed 6 Feb. 2007 [http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/nitrate/exposure_pathways.html].

2.Ward, M. and Cross, A. "Processed Meat Intake, CYP2A6 Activity, and Risk of Colorectal Adenoma." Carcinogenesis Published online ahead of print 2 Feb. 2007. Accessed 6 Feb. 2007.

A study published in the journal Carcinogenesis concluded that consuming processed meat (e.g., bacon, pepperoni, and hot dogs) can increase the risk of developing colorectal polyps. (Cancer of the colon and rectum develops from polyps.)

When they compared polyp occurrence in people who consumed the most processed meat vs. people who consumed the least, the results were pretty convincing. People who consumed the most processed meat were twice as likely to develop polyps as those who consumed the least.

What's So Bad About Processed Meat?

The researchers attributed the increased risk of polyps to the presence of nitrates (NaNO3) and nitrites (NaNO2). Both are preservatives that allow processed meat to maintain its redness. They're why SPAM is pink instead of gray. Processed meat that isn't pink, like canned tuna and chicken, doesn't contain nitrates and nitrites.

How Can You Apply This Research to Your Life?

The take-home message from this study is to limit your consumption of processed meat if you're interested in lowering your risk of developing colorectal cancer. If you know someone who practically lives off of processed meat (like my dad), you can add this research to your arsenal of reasons why that person should adhere to colon cancer screening guidelines.

If you're thinking about cutting out processed meat in favor of fresh meat, you might want to take a look at this video created by Jim Hightower. He's a radio commentator with some pretty strong opinions about a processing method some meat packers are using to keep their products looking fresh. I don't have a strong opinion either way, but you may feel different.

Sources:

•"Nitrate/Nitrite Toxicity Exposure Pathways." Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Accessed 6 Feb. 2007 [http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/nitrate/exposure_pathways.html].

•Ward, M. and Cross, A. "Processed Meat Intake, CYP2A6 Activity, and Risk of Colorectal Adenoma." Carcinogenesis Published online ahead of print 2 Feb. 2007. Accessed 6 Feb. 2007.
Source:coloncancer.about.com/od/cancerresearch/a/02072007.htm?utm_content=5428292&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_term=

The Meat Debate: Carnivores and Colon Cancer

Unfortunately, you might need to re-examine your weekly protein source and intake. Research continues to support a link between eating a diet rich in red and processed meats and developing colon cancer.

If you are eating red meat three or more times weekly you might be inadvertently increasing your risk of colon cancer.

In fact, most studies only show an increased risk for serious red meat eaters, whereas poultry and fish have not been proven to increase a risk of cancer. For the most part, these studies include people who eat some form of red meat almost daily -- and usually consume much more than the recommended four ounce serving.

There is good news for the occasional steak lover -- your risk increases exponentially by how often and how much red meat you consume. Meaning, someone who occasionally enjoys a cut of beef isn't significantly increasing their cancer risk over time.

The Good News: Why We Love Meat

We love meat. There, I said it, so now hopefully the hateful responses to this article will be limited.

You can grill it, stew it, fry it, or even broil it -- meat is a very versatile ingredient that gives immediate texture and flavor to a dish. It also has a few dietary benefits that you won't find in plant foods. In particular, red meat contains a complement of B vitamins, selenium, iron, zinc and vitamin D.

You might even be surprised to learn that beef is not the only type of red meat out there. The following choices are also considered "red meat":

• Goat
• Lamb
• Pork
• Venison

Certain cuts of red meats are also considered "worse" for your health than others, including the marbled, fatty cuts.

Why Red Meat Might Not Be a Healthy Choice

Aside from vitamins and minerals, red meats also contain compounds that are considered potentially carcinogenic -- or cancer causing. These chemicals, including carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (CHA) and N-nitroso compounds, help to mutate cells in your colon that precede cancer development, but the concentration of these compounds is minimal in regularly cooked (not charbroiled or grilled) meats.

Certain cuts of meat also contribute to a high fat diet, which has been directly linked to an increased risk of many different types of cancer, not just colorectal cancer. Likewise, the carcinogenic properties of red meat can be amplified by cooking methods. As mentioned, grilled or blackened meats are worse for you than boiled or slow-cooked meat.

Smoked, Cured, and Processed Meats

There's meat -- and then there's processed, man-made concoctions that look like meat. Does it come from a can with a decade long shelf life or from a butcher? Studies linking meat to colon cancer include eating processed, cured, smoked and salted meats as potential risk factors. When you consider your weekly meat intake, include the bacon, ham and any other processed meats, such as cold cuts on sandwiches.

Making Better Choices

Studies suggest that it is okay to eat one to two servings of red meat each week without increasing your cancer risk. However, make sure that you stick to the four ounce portion -- that's one serving of red meat and choose lean cuts, not fatty ones such as chuck or ground beef.

Dietary sources of protein are found in both animals and plants. As the vegans out there already know, legumes and tofu are just two examples of lean proteins that originate from plants.If you're looking to mix up your menu and cut down on the red meats during the week, poultry, fish and plant proteins are healthy substitutes. If you like things on the wilder side, you can include pheasant, rabbit, and duck, which are also not red meats.

Sources:

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. (n.d.). Meat Consumption and Cancer Risk. Accessed online June 17, 2014.

The Harvard Medical School. (n.d.). Red Meat and Colon Cancer. Family Health Guide. Accessed June 15, 2014.

Source: coloncancer.about.com/od/preventionandrecurrence/fl/The-Meat-Debate-Carnivores-and-Colon-Cancer.htm?utm_content=5428292&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_term=

Everything You've Been Taught May Be Wrong

But now we know that much of this “settled science” was shaky all along, if not outright mistaken. Accumulating evidence has slowly dragged our dietary experts out of their low-fat paradigm, and we find the official U.S. Dietary Guidelines in a state of flux.

The following articles summarize current thinking on dietary fats and the heart. If you’ve been trying to be a good citizen for many years, following official dietary recommendations as closely as possible, some of this information may surprise you.

1. Low-Fat Diets and the Heart

For over 30 years, the American Heart Association and the government told us that fat is bad, and that a low-fat diet is the keystone to a heart-healthy diet. Now? Not so much. More

2. Does the Ornish Diet Really Work?

If low-fat diets are no longer recommended by the experts, where does this leave the ultra-low-fat Ornish diet? More

3. Saturated Fats and the Heart
That saturated fats are unremittingly bad for the heart has been a cornerstone of dietary dogma for decades. However, accumulating evidence strongly suggests that this dogma has been mistaken. More

4. Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiac Risk

In February, 2015, Americans heard the startling news that high-cholesterol foods, after decades of being relegated to the forbidden list, are healthy again! Here's why. More

5. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Heart

If eating fats is now OK, but experts still urge limiting saturated fats, that pretty much means that we'll be consuming lots of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). And the experts say this is great! But, it turns out, not all PUFA are the same. In particular, the omega-6 PUFA may be a problem. Read about PUFA and the omega-6 controversy. More

6. Monounsaturated Fatty Acids - MUFA

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), such as are found in olive oil, are widely regarded as being heart-healthy, largely thanks to the success of the Mediterranean diet in reducing heart disease. However, firm clinical evidence regarding MUFA themselves are surprisingly sparse. More

7. Vegetable Oil and Heart Health

Current dietary guidelines call for the copious use of vegetable oils to maintain heart health. But vegetable oils tend to contain lots of omega-6 PUFA (which may increase cardiac risk). Worse, vegetable oils are relatively easily oxidized under heat (i.e., with cooking) which may render them dangerous. Be careful with that vegetable oil! More

8. Dietary Guidelines And Global Warming

In the attempt to salvage its recommendations against saturated fats, the government's Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has taken the extraordinary step of expanding its mandate to include the prevention of global warming. If you don't need to avoid saturated fats for the sake of your heart, you need to avoid them for the sake of our planet. Holy cow! More

What Does a Heart Healthy Diet Look Like?

Obviously, our idea of an "ideal" heart-friendly diet is in a state of flux. However, a consensus is building that the Mediterranean diet may come pretty close.
Source: heartdisease.about.com/od/reducingcardiacrisk/tp/Dietary-Fats-and-the-Heart.htm

Why Cruciferous Vegetables Can Speed Up Weight Loss

To get a list of the best diet-boosting foods, I talked to diet expert Elisa Zied, M.S. RD, CDN.

Elisa is the author of Younger Next Week, a comprehensive guide to help you look and feel younger in seven days. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. In her book, Zied provides a no-nonsense approach to simple changes you can make to boost your energy and feel better about your body. She gave me this list of foods that you can use to jumpstart your diet.

6 Best Diet-Boosting Foods

1. Oats and oatmeal (unsweetened): Oats are high in fiber and provide carbohydrates that are broken down slowly and gradually released into the bloodstream to keep blood sugar levels steady. Oats also pack in protein that - along with fiber- fills you up and can help you feel satisfied. This may prevent overeating. Lastly, oats and oatmeal have a high water content, so it can contribute to your daily fluid needs and keep you hydrated. Pair oats and oatmeal with fruit like fresh berries, unsweetened applesauce, nuts/seeds, or low fat milk.

2. Whole grain, high-fiber cereal. Cereals like shredded wheat are a convenient way to get fiber and a little bit of protein. They are also low in sodium to help discourage bloating that can come from consuming too much salt. Like oatmeal, whole grain cereal is a great “cluster food.” Cluster foods help you incorporate ingredients like fruit, nuts, seed and low fat milk to boost your levels of beneficial nutrients.

3. Nuts. Nuts are not only delicious but they also pair well with oatmeal or whole grain cereal and you can sprinkle them in salads or on cooked veggies. They’re loaded with healthy fats (mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) as well as essential protein and fiber to help fill you up. In Younger Next Week, you’ll find a list of the nutrients in several types of nuts. Almonds, for example are a good source of riboflavin, copper and phosphorus. And you’ll get plenty of vitamin E and magnesium when you consume hazelnuts.

4. Eggs. Eggs are a great source of both high-quality protein and heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Eating eggs has also been linked with reduced calorie intake because they fill you up and satisfy you. This may happen because of the protein they contain, but if you can maintain a reasonable calorie intake, it can protect you against weight gain as you age.

5. Cruciferous vegetables. Veggies like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cauliflower are very low in calories and water-packed to keep you hydrated. Their fiber content also helps to keep you full. Although all vegetables provide nutrients and beneficial substances, cruciferous vegetables standout because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Some studies suggest they may protect the heart and have anti-cancer properties. Eating vegetables like Brussels sprouts at the start of a meal is a great way to fill up and can leave less room for higher calorie items that you want to limit – including dessert.

6. Raspberries. These bright red berries are versatile and loaded with nutrients. One cup is an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C and manganese. Raspberries are also a good source of vitamin K and selenium. Raspberries, like other fruits and veggies, are high in water content, so eating them can help you stay hydrated. They pair well with low-fat yogurt, work well on top of whole grain cereal or oatmeal, blend well into a smoothie and can be eaten and enjoyed solo.

See how many of these foods you can throw in your cart on your next healthy grocery shopping trip. Even if these foods are not familiar, give them a try. Need preparation ideas? Pick up a copy of Elisa’s book. Younger Next Week is packed with recipes, meal plans and other tips for looking better and feeling great about your body.
Source: weightloss.about.com/od/easyweightlosstips/fl/Top-Six-Diet-Boosting-Foods.htm?utm_source=cn_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Health%20Channel%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_content=20150728

Lean Protein: The Metabolism Booster

For dieters and exercisers, eating the right number of calories is crucial to weight loss success. But eating the right kind of food is also important. Learn why lean protein matters if you are trying to lose weight and find out how much protein you need to boost your metabolism.

What is Lean Protein?

Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are macronutrients that supply energy, or calories, to the body. Protein serves primarily as a building block. When you eat foods with protein, the nutrient is broken down into amino acids that build and repair muscles, organs and other cells and tissues that allow your body to function.

Common sources of protein include meat, dairy products, and nuts. While the nutrients in these foods are beneficial, they tend to be high in fat.

Protein for Kids

Lean protein foods are high in protein, but low in fat. Lean cuts of beef, chicken, turkey, egg whites, tofu, lentils, grains and some vegetables are good sources.

What Are the Benefits of Eating Lean Protein?

Researchers and dieters know that eating protein helps people to feel full and satisfied. Dieters who have tried Atkins or other low carb diets know that in many cases, this helps them to eat less. Healthy fats also help to satisfy hunger, but fat contains 9 calories per gram. Protein contains 4 calories per gram. So gram for gram, eating protein is a better way to feel satisfied when you are dieting.

The nutrient also helps to build and maintain lean muscle mass. This helps dieters and exercisers boost their metabolism. A strong body not only performs better throughout common daily activities, but the muscles that shape an attractive figure also burn more calories than fat, even at rest.

It is important to remember, however, that the lean protein you eat is not used as a primary energy source for the body.

So while consuming it is important, it is not necessarily more important than consuming carbohydrates and healthy fats. Each nutrient plays an important role in the overall health and function of your body.

How Much Protein Should I Eat?

The amount you should eat depends on your age, gender and physical activity level. The USDA recommends the following intake levels for women and men who get less than 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day.

Women

•19-30 years old: 5 ½ ounce equivalents*
•31-50 years old: 5 ounce equivalents*
•51+ years old: 5 ounce equivalents*

Men

•19-30 years old: 6 ½ ounce equivalents*
•31-50 years old: 6 ounce equivalents*
•51+ years old: 5 ½ ounce equivalents*

*In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as a one ounce equivalent.

For very physically active people, the general recommendation is that they can consume up to 1.2 - 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. But keep in mind that most people have a tendency to overestimate their activity level when calculating their nutrient needs.

Should I Eat More Protein if I'm Trying to Lose Weight?

Some recent research has suggested that a higher protein diet may help some people to lose more body fat, gain muscle mass and boost their metabolism. But research also continues to find that the bottom line for weight loss is the number of calories that dieters consume. If you are trying to lose weight, continue to count calories and be sure to check that you are getting your recommended daily allowance for each macronutrient.

Get lean protein recipes and learn more about protein and weight loss.
Source: weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/Boost-Your-Metabolism-with-Lean-Protein.htm?utm_source=cn_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Health%20Channel%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_content=20150728

5 Tips to Eat More Protein and Lose Weight

Sarah Berndt, MS, RD, CD, CPT is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer. She explains that not only does protein improve satiety – that feeling of fullness - but lean protein also helps to stabilize blood sugar, provide immune support, and helps you to maintain a healthy metabolism.

So how do you get enough protein to lose weight? Sarah suggests getting some form of protein at every meal. These are just a few ways to get creative and include protein at each meal, during snack time and even at dessert.

1. Make Cooking Protein Easier

One of the most common reasons that people don’t eat more protein is that it is too hard to prepare. Let’s face it, meat doesn’t microwave well. Instead, I keep my George Foreman Grill on the counter. It takes just a few minutes to heat up, it cooks the protein quickly and it’s easy to clean.

Sarah also points out that the GFG is a good way to prepare food without too much fat. The sloped surface and non-stick trays help you keep your meal lower in fat. In addition to chicken, Sarah suggests grilling turkey, lean pork, lean beef and even tofu. “The George Foreman Grill gives tofu an awesome texture,” she says.

2. Get Creative with Egg Whites

I won’t bore you with ideas for healthy omelets and egg white scrambles. Most people already know about those. But what about making a healthy veggie and egg frittata on Sunday night and portioning it out for lunch during the week? Unlike meat, eggs do microwave well and they are easy to carry to work in single serve containers.

In addition, add cooked egg whites to other foods you might not typically consider. Throw scrambled whites into tacos, diced cold egg whites into a three bean salad or sliced hard boiled egg onto a sandwich. Egg whites have little flavor so you can add them to almost anything without changing the taste.

In general, animal sources have more protein than plant sources. But that doesn’t mean that the protein content in vegetables can’t contribute to your overall intake. But some veggies are better than others. Good vegetable sources of protein include broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower and asparagus. Some fruit even contains protein. A banana, for example, can contain up to 2 grams of the nutrient.

4. Stock Up on Legumes, Beans, Nuts

For non-meat eaters, your best source of protein will be legumes. One cup of butter beans, or example, contains 14 grams of protein. That’s less than you’ll get from a single serving of chicken breast, but if you combine beans with protein rich vegetables, you’ll end up with a high protein meal. Quinoa is another popular legume that is rich in protein.

Beans and nuts also make good snacks because they are easy to cook in advance and carry around. Just be careful about choosing the best varieties. Canned beans are fine, but many contain added salt and sugar. If you can make the time to cook your beans from scratch, you’ll be better off. And choose nuts that aren’t heavily flavored or salted.

5. Protein for Dessert?

Believe it or not, you can even include protein in a healthy dessert. Lowfat yogurt with fruit is a great example. Greek style yogurt tends to have more protein, but remember to eat this sweet treat in moderation (both the frozen and refrigerated varieties) as some of the brands and flavors contain quite a bit of sugar.
Source: weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/Eat-More-Protein-5-Ways-To-Eat-More-And-Lose-Weight.htm?utm_source=cn_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Health%20Channel%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_content=20150728

Does fruit make you fat?

Are Your Weight Loss Goals Realistic?

Consumer Group Renews Attack On Diet Drug Meridia

Moderate-Fat Diet Beats Low-Fat Diet

Zap Your Fat: The Wave of the Future?

FDA Changes Labeling Requirement For Olestra

Why We're Crazy for Crazy Diets

Got Kids? Check Your Fat Intake

What Men Should Eat to Lose Weight

So many weight-loss guides offer advice that’s geared toward women, from caloric needs to cultural assumptions. But men have different perceptions about their bodies and face different challenges when it comes to the rough road of weight loss, managing issues that range from regulating portion sizes to curbing protein consumption. A few easy rules and substitutions can make this road a lot smoother. We spoke to Keri Gans, registered dietician and author of The Small Change Diet, about men's special weight-loss needs, and found out which foods will help them lose weight quickly, healthily, and sustainably.

What Should Men Eat to Lose Weight?

Often, what matters most isn't what you eat, but how much. For men as well as women, weight loss is all about habit, according to Gans, and one of the most overlooked habits is portion control. Portion control is essential to an effective weight-loss regimen for men. Men tend to overestimate how much they need to eat, which leads to excess caloric intake and then to excess fat. A big part of a healthy weight-loss diet is finding portions you can stick to and foods you're willing to eat more than once.

Don't overestimate the need for protein in your diet — with the exception of bodybuilders and other professional athletes, “most men don't actually need that much more protein than women,” and eating too much can lead to an overload of red meat and animal fat in your daily intake. Conversely, making sure not to neglect leafy greens and other vegetables is essential to a successful weight-loss program for a man.

Many of the healthiest weight-loss foods for men might already be in your fridge. You may be surprised to discover what you can still eat. Here's a list of foods you can choose to help you shed the pounds painlessly and permanently.

Almond Butter

Almond butter is packed with “healthy fats,” says Gans, that will help you store the right kind of nutrition. “Healthy fats, or monounsaturated fats, are linked with prevention of cardiovascular disease,” Gans continues. Try it on whole wheat or multigrain toast for a super healthy breakfast or midday snack!

A Burger Done Right

You don't have to sacrifice your favorite hamburger “as long as you do it the right way.” Keep the tomato, onion, and lettuce, but lose either the fries or the bun. Gans reminds us that “red meat is a good source of zinc, which is also important for keeping our immune system strong. Also, tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which may help reduce risk for prostate cancer.” Plus, healthy red meat is a great protein source that burns fat and fuels your workout.

Egg White Omelettes

If you've got your heart set on an omelette, “try swapping the eggs out for egg whites,” suggests Gans. Good news for the guys is that they can keep the cheese on their omelettes. It's a calorie- and fat-lowering trick that makes for a tasty breakfast perfect for men who have a hearty appetite.

Fish

A meaty, fatty fish like salmon makes for a solid dinner entree. The omega-3 acids “fight inflammation and contribute to weight loss and overall health. Omega-3s are definitely linked to lower risk for heart disease and the anti-inflammatory properties are also good for reducing joint pain,” says Gans.

Fruit

Whether you’re male or female, fruit should be an essential part of your weight-loss plan. However, men should take particular interest in fruit, suggests Gans, because “vitamin C may reduce risk for certain cancers and is also beneficial for prostate health."

Greek Yogurt

A delicious breakfast and a tasty midday snack, Greek yogurt is a protein-rich and delicious way to help men fuel their workouts. “Calcium is needed for men, too,” Gans reminds us. “It helps strengthen bones!”

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another option for a hearty breakfast, so no excuse for skipping it! Make with skim milk and fruit for added protein, and you’ll have a tasty, healthy morning treat that will keep you fueled until lunchtime and stop you from snacking. Gans adds that the fiber from the oats may also help lower cholesterol levels.”

Salad with Grilled Chicken

“You can never go wrong with a salad with grilled chicken for lunch to help you lose weight,” says Gans. Watch out for the dressing, however: consider swapping in oil and vinegar or a light vinaigrette. “Salad with mixed vegetables is packed with nutrients and can be rich in antioxidants — which are important for men trying to maintain a healthy immune system while losing weight.”

Scrambled Eggs

Two scrambled eggs can make a fresh, protein-filled, healthy start to a man's day. “As for the reason — I suggest scrambled eggs mainly for the protein, which helps repair and rebuild muscle,” says Gans. “Also, the lutein and zeaxanthin found in the eggs are helpful in preventing macular degeneration as men age.”
Source: www.thedailymeal.com/entertain/what-men-should-eat-lose-weight?utm_source=aolhp&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=March&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl40%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D625899

Add Fruit to Your Longevity and Anti Aging Diet Plan

This is week four of the Longevity Diet Plan program. Give the skill outlined below a try for one week. Consider it a one-week experiment. Make a commitment to follow these simple steps every day of the week.

Introduction

What You’ll Do: In this last week of the Longevity Diet Plan, we go easy on you. The changes are not as major as before, but they are important to your overall health. This week you’ll increase the amount of fruit that you eat while avoiding foods that may contain harmful chemicals.

How It Works: You’ll have fruit for dessert at least twice a day. This gives you a little “sweet” treat after a meal while providing your body with important antioxidants and vitamins. Meanwhile, you’ll work to avoid pesticides and chemicals that may be harmful.

Get Motivated: We’ve made this week easy to give you some time to pull together all eight parts of the Longevity Diet Plan. You made the six hardest changes, now all you need to do is finish up. Keep with this diet and you’ll be healthier, have more energy and prevent chronic illnesses.

The Steps

Continue eating double veggies, more nuts and fish, less meat, and no white foods or dairy while you:

1. Enjoy Fruit:

Eat fruit as a dessert. A bowl of ripe strawberries or blueberries can satisfy that after-dinner sweets craving. Eat fruit whenever you want. Eat real fruit instead of juices (they send your blood sugar way up), and avoid smoothies (they have tons of calories and also cause your blood sugar to spike). Eat a whole variety of fruits -- the more colors the better.

• Avoid Chemicals: Avoid any and all foods that have chemical ingredients. Some of those chemicals are food industry code for “concentrated sugar.” Ingredients like high fructose corn syrup can directly cause metabolic syndrome and lead to huge increases in your risk for diabetes. Chemicals are basically a big “unknown” in your food. Look at the labels on all your food –- if don’t recognize something on the list, put the item back.

Commitment:

I will stick to all eight steps of the Longevity Diet Plan: More veggies, fish, nuts and fruit; no dairy or white foods; no (or much less) meat; and no chemicals.

Tips

• Buy organic when you can -- Any non-organic fruit can contain pesticides and chemicals, but fruit that contains a lot of moisture -- like berries, for example -- can be particularly prone to sucking up these undesirables from the ground. The same goes for vegetables. You can identify organic produce in the grocery store because it will have a five-digit code (instead of the normal four-digit code) on its label/sticker, and the first number is always a 9.

• Read labels -- If you don’t know what something is, put it back. You want to eat real food that comes from nature -- through the magic of seeds, sun and water. You don’t want to eat food that was made in a factory through the magic of chemistry.

•You may have thought we overlooked eggs – we didn’t. Eggs are fine as an occasional food. They contain cholesterol and other fats. The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day. A single egg contains 213 milligrams of cholesterol, so it is OK to have an egg as long as you strictly limit other cholesterol intake throughout the rest of the day. Still, don't make eating eggs routine. Eat fewer eggs, if for no other reason than the other stuff you'd likely eat right along with them -- buttered toast, bacon -- is not the best for you.

•Remember, you should not be hungry on the Longevity Diet Plan. You can eat all the fruits, veggies and nuts that you want. Keep yourself satisfied while you are making the changes in your diet. Don’t worry about weight loss yet, just start eating healthy.

More

There are many other foods that are good for you. Green tea, red wine, and dark chocolate are just a few examples. You can include these in your diet as you wish (just count the calories, and remember to drink alcohol responsibly). Don’t forget about beans and soy products, which are great sources of healthy protein. Drink water, lots of water. Now that you have mastered the Longevity diet, making these final changes should be a snap.
Source: longevity.about.com/od/antiagingdiets/a/eat_fruit.htm

How To Eat Well When Eating Out

It’s one thing to eat healthy when cooking in your own kitchen, but the moment you leave the house, eating well can get a lot more complicated. Here’s how to make restaurant meals fit-guy friendly.

If there’s a secret ingredient to leanness, it might be home cooking. That’s the best way to get a steady supply of healthy food in your diet. But sometimes cooking for yourself is simply not an option.

Like when you’re on vacation.

Or traveling for work. Or meeting friends for dinner. Or a client for lunch.

So, can you still eat well when you’re eating out?

The answer is yes. But eating on the go does require a little extra attention on your part.

Here are three simple strategies to make restaurant meals work for you.

1. If you can, pick a healthy restaurant.

With some creativity, you can get a reasonably healthy meal almost anywhere.

Fast food chains and gas stations are the exception. Use them only in emergencies.

The rest of the time, make it easy on yourself. Try to find a restaurant that’s cooking real food. And ideally, one that uses fresh, seasonal ingredients. (If you live in the US, check out HealthyDiningFinder.com)

If you're with a group of people, offer to pick the restaurant. If you’re in control of where you eat, you can choose somewhere you know will offer healthy selections. (Plus it avoids that whole “where do you wanna go?”/ “I dunno, where do you wanna go?” conversation.)

2. Look for the “Magic 3”.

Once the menu’s in your hands, look for the “magic 3” choices:

Sometimes you’ll find this as a main course; other times it may require a little creativity. For example, pairing a salad with an appetizer, or adding a side order of steamed vegetables to a meat-and-potatoes meal.

You should aim for two fist-sized portions of veggies each meal. If a restaurant’s concept of a veggie portion is a few anemic steamed carrots, just ask for a double portion size. This may cost you an extra couple of bucks, but no biggie. Consider it your “healthy tax.”

3. Learn to decode restaurant-speak.

Don’t believe anything a menu says. It’s designed to make you want to eat, not give you the facts. So it’s up to you to read between the lines.

Skip anything that has the words “fried”, “creamy”, “cheesy”, "crispy", "smothered", or “secret sauce”. These are usually tip offs for sugar/fat/salt/bombs and other concoctions that you probably want to avoid, at least most of the time.

Remember, too, that so-called “healthy” or “lite” options aren’t necessarily healthy at all. “Low-fat” can mean packed with sugar, and “sugar-free” can mean “loaded with chemicals.”

So ignore catchy titles or cute icons. Look closely at the list of ingredients, the preparation method, and when in doubt, ask.

4. Ask about the menu. Politely.

I know, you don’t want to be “that guy”: the guy who has to go through a long list of demands and customizations before he can eat.

But asking a server for help with your order doesn’t make you a jerk – as long as you’re polite.

Just ask nicely, with a smile, and most servers will be happy to help you find healthy options on the menu, or make small adjustments (like dressing on the side, or replacing the fries with salad.)

5. Stick to your guns

Lots of times, it’s not the restaurant that throws us off-track. It’s the company we’re with.

Pressure can take many forms, ranging from the subtle (“Here, take a few fries from my plate. I can’t eat them all…”) to the downright obnoxious (“Are you on some kind of dumbass diet? Real men don’t eat salad”).

Whatever the case, don’t let them get to you. Gently remind them you are content to eat your own meal, your own way. And let it go: because you can’t control what they say or do.

The main thing is, no matter where you’re eating or who you’re with, make choices based on what’s important to you. Stay true to your priorities, and you can’t go wrong
Source: menshealth.about.com/od/Nutrition-for-mens-health/fl/How-To-Eat-Well-When-Eating-Out.htm?utm_source=exp_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=list_menshealth&utm_campaign=list_menshealth&utm_content=20150519

Dietary Fat No Longer a Health Concern, Says US Government

The federally funded 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans will be released later this year, but we now know that we won’t be told to fear cholesterol or fat. We won’t be told we should eat them – we just won’t be told to limit them, something the guidelines have done ever since 1980.

This probably sounds completely topsy turvy to you. How did we get things so wrong? (Editor: Actually I've been eating steak and eggs for breakfast, every day since my stroke. I read "Why we get fat" so haven't believed the lies the American Heart Association has been spewing for years.)
Source: mail.aol.com/webmail-std/en-us/suite

Dietary Fats and the Heart

Just a few years ago it was very simple - to keep your heart healthy, just keep the amount of fat in your diet low, and especially avoid saturated fats and high cholesterol foods.

But now we know that much of this “settled science” was shaky all along, if not outright mistaken. Accumulating evidence has slowly dragged our dietary experts out of their low-fat paradigm, and we find the official U.S. Dietary Guidelines in a state of flux.

The following articles summarize current thinking on dietary fats and the heart. If you’ve been trying to be a good citizen for many years, following official dietary recommendations as closely as possible, some of this information may surprise you.

1. Low-Fat Diets and the Heart

For over 30 years, the American Heart Association and the government told us that fat is bad, and that a low-fat diet is the keystone to a heart-healthy diet. Now? Not so much. More

2. Does the Ornish Diet Really Work?

If low-fat diets are no longer recommended by the experts, where does this leave the ultra-low-fat Ornish diet? More

3. Saturated Fats and the Heart

That saturated fats are unremittingly bad for the heart has been a cornerstone of dietary dogma for decades. However, accumulating evidence strongly suggests that this dogma has been mistaken. More

4. Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiac Risk

In February, 2015, Americans heard the startling news that high-cholesterol foods, after decades of being relegated to the forbidden list, are healthy again! Here's why. More

5. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Heart

If eating fats is now OK, but experts still urge limiting saturated fats, that pretty much means that we'll be consuming lots of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). And the experts say this is great! But, it turns out, not all PUFA are the same. In particular, the omega-6 PUFA may be a problem. Read about PUFA and the omega-6 controversy. More

6. Monounsaturated Fatty Acids - MUFA

Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), such as are found in olive oil, are widely regarded as being heart-healthy, largely thanks to the success of the Mediterranean diet in reducing heart disease. However, firm clinical evidence regarding MUFA themselves are surprisingly sparse. More

7. Vegetable Oil and Heart Health

Current dietary guidelines call for the copious use of vegetable oils to maintain heart health. But vegetable oils tend to contain lots of omega-6 PUFA (which may increase cardiac risk). Worse, vegetable oils are relatively easily oxidized under heat (i.e., with cooking) which may render them dangerous. Be careful with that vegetable oil! More

8. Dietary Guidelines And Global Warming

In the attempt to salvage its recommendations against saturated fats, the government's Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee has taken the extraordinary step of expanding its mandate to include the prevention of global warming. If you don't need to avoid saturated fats for the sake of your heart, you need to avoid them for the sake of our planet. Holy cow! More

What Does a Heart Healthy Diet Look Like?

Obviously, our idea of an "ideal" heart-friendly diet is in a state of flux. However, a consensus is building that the Mediterranean diet may come pretty close.
Source: heartdisease.about.com/od/reducingcardiacrisk/tp/Dietary-Fats-and-the-Heart.htm

2015 Dietary Guidelines Sneak Peak: Cholesterol in Diet OK

We're in a year ending in a 5 or zero, so it's time for the next iteration of the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans! Woohoo! What can we look forward to this year?

The first hints to come out of the committee working on this is that they are planning to dump the recommendation to limit dietary cholesterol, on the basis that there's no real science behind that recommendation. This has caused a huge stir!

Everyone is talking about it!

The thing is, there has NEVER been any science behind that recommendation!

20 years ago I used to yack about this with people on nutrition discussion groups. "Why oh why do they keep telling us to limit cholesterol in our diets?", I asked. "Many countries have never given this advice because....there is no reason to!"

The thinking back 50 years ago was that since they recently decided that cholesterol in the blood had something to do with heart disease, that eating cholesterol must be bad as well. So let's not eat it! It was more of a "thought" or an "idea" than anything we might want to call a "fact" or something that is "true".

So now they are apparently going to come out and say not to worry about cholesterol in the diet. But of course, they are still going to tell people to severely limit saturated fat and salt in the diet, both of which, again, are probably not necessary for most people.

Will it take another 20 years? 50 years? And what do we do in the meantime?

It wouldn't be such a big deal if so many things weren't based on the guidelines. Perhaps most importantly, our kids are given lunches that conform to the guidlines and are taught that this is the "right" way to eat. This will probably influence their food choices for the rest of their lives. There is still a bias away from fats and towards carbs, which our children pick up on.

Also, the Guidelines become the standard by which diets are judged. For example, I've written about the U.S. News and World Report Best Best Diets Web site, which ranks low-carb diets poorly not because of the science, but because the Dietary Guidelines insist that we need to eat lots and lots of glucose (in the form of starches and sugars). So then anyone who reads something like this concludes that cutting carbs is a dangerous thing.

If you're interested in this subject, I suggest checking out a scientific paper criticizing the Guidelines: “In the face of contradictory evidence: Report of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee“

I'll be interested to see how the work on the new guidelines progress, and I'll keep updating you.
Source: lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/Dietary-Guidelines/fl/2015-Dietary-Guidelines-Sneak-Peak-Cholesterol-in-Diet-OK.htm?utm_source=cn_nl&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Health%20Channel%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_content=20150630

More Kids Are Using Alternative Meds

The researchers found more than 50 percent of young children and more than 30 percent of adolescents in the United States have used a dietary supplement.

This increased use of these supplements leads to greater risk, the researchers say.

"We surveyed 145 families and 45 percent reported giving their child an herbal product. Most of these caregivers did not believe or were uncertain if herbal products had any side effects, and only 27 percent could name a possible side effect. We found that more than half of caregivers were unsure or thought that herbal remedies did not interact with other medications," Dr. Kathi J. Kemper, a pediatrician at Brenner Children's Hospital, said in a prepared statement.

"And of those giving their children herbal products, only 45 percent reported discussing their use with their child's primary health-care provider," Kemper said.

Her study appears in the April issue of the Pediatric Annals.

Parents give their children dietary supplements to treat acute and chronic diseases and to prevent disease and maintain good health, Kemper said.

"Efficacy, safety dosage and product recommendation should all be considered before recommending supplement use," she said.

"Children have their own unique physiology and metabolize, excrete and absorb supplements differently from adults. Even if a supplement has proven clinical efficacy and safety, the lack of standardization and limited federal regulation of supplements are obstacles in making recommendations," Kemper said.

Parents should get expert advice when considering giving dietary supplements to their children and should inform the child's pediatrician of any herb or dietary supplement being taken by the child.

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has more about dietary supplements (nccam.nih.gov ).
Source: Robert Preidt, www.healthcentral.com/news/NewsFullText.cfm?id=518507  

Men Cheat on Family Diets in Fast-Food Quickies

Fast Food's Effect on the Body 3:07

It might be true, the old cliché about how the way to a man's heart might be through his stomach.

But then they cheat. Oh, how they cheat.

Married men will eat the healthy fare their spouses prepare for them at home, say researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, but away from the family dinner table, it can become an unhealthy food free-for-all for men.

In the study, researchers interviewed 83 African-American men about their eating habits. What they found was that what the men ate was largely determined by their spouses, which meant that sudden switches to more healthful fare were often the norm. Even though the change to a healthier diet was often doctor-ordered, the men interviewed did not like the changes, but to avoid conflict with their wives, did not argue. Overall, the men were more interested in maintaining a happy home than having a say in what's for dinner. Men and women only negotiated healthy food choices in the home when children were involved, researchers found.

All-You-Can-Eat-Binges

Well-intentioned healthy meal after well-intentioned healthy meal can backfire, though. Some men reported binging at all-you-can-eat buffets for "a landslide of food."

"I think at dinner a lot of men are eating healthier, but they compensate for the dissatisfaction of not eating what they want by making unhealthier choices outside the home," researcher Derek Griffith, PhD, said in a release. "The key to married men adopting a healthier diet is for couples to discuss and negotiate the new, healthier menu changes as a team."

To combat the problem, Griffith suggests a few solutions:

Doctors should recognize that wives play a central role in what some men eat at home.

Physicians can suggest their patients discuss food choices with their wives in a tactful way.

Wives can help by discussing and negotiating the new, healthier menu with their husbands as a team, instead of making household decisions without consulting the men first.

Husband and wives can work together to find healthy meal options both people enjoy.For more fitness, diet, and weight loss news, follow @weightloss on Twitter from the editors of @EverydayHealth.
Source: www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/0523/men-cheat-on-their-wives-in-fast-food-quickies.aspx?xid=aol_eh-diet_6_20120521_&aolcat=EFG&icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl24%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D164426

Ten Worst Diet Offenders

Bagels Although quick and convenient, these enormous rings of dough could wind up on your backside. Why? A four-ounce bagel is equal to four slices of bread. So eat just half a bagel, preferably one made of filling whole grains, and replace the butter or cream cheese with one tablespoon of protein-rich peanut butter.

Granola Bars They sound like the ultimate health food, but granola bars are often no better than candy bars. Some contain more than 200 calories and may be loaded with sugar. If you can't give them up, at least choose a low-fat, one-ounce granola bar that contains whole grains.

Applesauce Applesauce seems like such a healthy food. And it can be, as long as you're eating natural, unsweetened applesauce. Otherwise, you'll get a huge dose of sugar and calories -- 100 calories in four ounces of regular applesauce versus 50 in four ounces of the natural, unsweetened version.

Mayonnaise It tastes delicious on sandwiches but beware: Just one tablespoon of mayo has 12 grams of fat and 110 calories, so use only a teaspoon at a time. Even better? Switch to low-fat or use hummus instead, which has only about 30 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per tablespoon.

Sports Drinks Unless you're exercising for more than an hour, you don't need a sports drink. Sure, they might taste better than water, but down a 32-ounce bottle and you'll be 240 calories richer. If you can't stand plain water, add orange or lemon slices for a splash of citrus, or try a no-calorie flavored water.

Baked Chips Although healthier than regular chips, baked chips are still loaded with calories. One ounce of baked chips (about 15 chips) contains 110 calories and packs no nutritional value. Instead, get a crunchy, salty fix by snacking on whole-wheat crackers, celery with peanut butter or low-fat popcorn.

Regular Soda One 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 150 calories, not to mention a slew of sugar. Drink a can a day without changing anything else in your diet, and you could gain 15 pounds by year's end, according to one study. Switch to diet soda, and limit yourself to two cans a day.

Salad Dressing Salad is a dieter's best friend, right? Not when it's swimming in dressing. Top those greens with one tablespoon of dressing -- full-fat dressings have about 50 calories per tablespoon -- or switch to low-calorie alternatives like salsa or balsamic vinegar.

Cocktails Joining friends for happy hour? Consider this: An eight-ounce gin and tonic has 160 calories versus an eight-ounce daiquiri, which has 430. If you know you'll be enjoying cocktails later, cut calories elsewhere that day. Then stick to one drink, preferably a glass of champagne or wine spritzer, which are much lower in calories.

1. Belly Fat is Worse Than Other Fat

It's true: Belly fat is the worst kind of fat -- and not just because of the way it looks in beach pictures.

Deep belly fat (the kind that makes for a classic beer belly) actually churns out proteins and hormones that make all kinds of bad things worse, including LDL (lousy) cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides. It's also a player in insulin resistance and red-alert-causing inflammation. Makes that fat on your thighs seem downright charming, no?

2. Dropping Belly Fat Isn't Just a Calorie Game

The type of food you eat affects whether belly fat stays or goes. In a study, two groups of people ate the same number of calories.

One group got their carbs from refined grains, the other from beans and whole grains. The latter group lost more belly fat. You can, too! Replace two servings a day of refined grains (e.g., white bread, white pasta) with a couple servings of satisfying lentils, chickpeas, or kidney beans.

3. Certain Condiments Can Make Belly Fat Vanish

In a study in which obese people consumed either 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or a placebo each day, the apple cider vinegar group shed more body and belly fat than people who took the placebo -- even though everyone was on the same diet and did the same workout.

4. Sitting Promotes Belly Fat

Belly fat prefers when you sit, so if you want to make the bad stuff around your waist scram, it's time to get up and move. Just 3 hours a week of aerobic exercise (e.g., walking, jogging, cycling, elliptical training) can bust belly fat. You just need to do it at an up tempo, not at window-shopping speed.

5. A Thousand Crunches Won't Do the Trick

Crunches can firm up the muscles under your fat and keep your core strong, and that's important for many reasons. But they won't make that fat magically vanish on their own. For fat erasing, you need regular aerobic exercise, such as walking.

6. TV Remotes Have a "Bye-Bye Belly Fat" Button

Chase away belly fat by pushing the "off" button on your TV remote. People who cut their TV time in half consume 100 fewer calories a day without even trying. That's a pound every 35 days without even trying!

7. A Thousand Crunches Won't Do the Trick

Crunches can firm up the muscles under your fat and keep your core strong, and that's important for many reasons. But they won't make that fat magically vanish on their own. For fat erasing, you need regular aerobic exercise, such as walking.

8. You Really Can Blame Your Boss/Sister/Loud Upstairs Neighbor

The higher your stress, the bigger your waist. Stress makes the hormone cortisol climb, which makes you crave high-calorie snacks that get stored in your belly as fat. You don't have to quit your job, fight with your sister, move, etc. Just learn to tame your response to stress with these secrets. The people around you can thank us for this.

9. Flat-Belly Success is Measured in Inches, Not Pounds

Ditch the scale in favor of a tape measure. This is a better way to monitor belly fat because everybody's weight tends to fluctuate a little from day to day.

10. You Really Can Eat More and Still Shrink Your Belly

Studies have shown that people who eat six small meals a day have smaller waists than people who eat two or three large meals a day. Of course, "small" is the key. Here's how to do it right. To nix belly fat for good, don't sustain it with sugar, syrups, and saturated and trans fats. Instead, sustain the rest of you with whole grains, lean proteins, fiber, exercise, and stress control. Your waist's loss is your life's gain.
Source: www.purpleclover.com/health/1989-top-10-things-know-about-belly-fat/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D446503

Saturated Fats: Good or Bad?

It wasn't until recently, however, that many people stopped to ask if saturated fats were truly unhealthy. Many of the other "facts" about nutrition we've thought were true since the 1960s or so have been disproven. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, on which the famous food pyramids and food plates have been built, have been changing in recent years.

They have stopped emphasizing the importance of eating a low-fat diet. They now advise limiting sugar. They stopped the long-time idea that cholesterol in the diet is bad. But they still advise serious restrictions on saturated fats.

How Much Saturated Fat Is Advised?

The American Heart Association advises that no more than 5 to 6 percent of calories come from saturated fats, which is about 12 grams of saturated fat for the average person eating 2,000 calories per day. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting saturated fat to 10 percent of calories, which is about 22 grams of saturated fat.

Did You Know that a Tablespoon of Olive Oil Contains 2 Grams of Saturated Fat?

We think of saturated fats as mainly being in fatty meats, full-fat dairy products, and coconut oil, but all fats are a mixture of different fats, and they usually include some saturated fats. This is the main reason why it is quite difficult to eat a diet as low in saturated diet fat as the American Heart Association recommends.

It is also very difficult to get all the essential nutrients that are recommended on a daily basis on a diet that is very low in saturated fat.

So, What's the Verdict?

Although eating too much saturated fat could be bad for some people, or perhaps in some contexts (such as what else is in the diet) the evidence for it being bad all the time and for everyone isn't holding up very well.

How Did We Come to Believe That Saturated Fats Are Bad?

It was the result of a fight among scientists in the middle part of the 20th century. There never was a whole lot of solid evidence that saturated fat causes heart disease, and most of the evidence presented had glaring mistakes. For example, in one well-known experiment, the saturated fat group had a much higher number of heavy smokers in it.

What studies showed was that when people replaced saturated fats with liquid oils, such as corn oil, their blood cholesterol went down. Everyone assumed this would mean that those people would be less prone to heart disease. (In general, they weren't, but more on that later.)

Nevertheless, there were both advocates for and against the so-called Diet Heart Hypothesis, and the saturated fat side won. If you are interested in the history of the scientific food fight about heart disease (and more this topic in general) I recommend these three books:

• Death By Food Pyramid (2014) by Denise Minger
• Good Calories, Bad Calories (2007) by Gary Taubes
• The Big Fat Surprise (2014) by Nina Teicholz

What Has Happened Since Then?

A lot of experiments and observational research have been done in the 50 plus years since those scientists won the argument. So, you might think that if it was true that saturated fats make people have heart attacks or strokes that it would be getting clearer and clearer as the years went by. By now it should be 100 percent solid, right? Well, no, it's not.

Christopher Ramsden: A Scientific Sherlock Holmes

Dr. Christopher Ramsden of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has taken a different approach to the situation. Instead of leading yet another study, he has dug down into the data of older, high-quality studies that may not have gotten the notice they deserved. The most recent result was published in the British Medical Journal in April of 2016.

In this work, Ramsden went back to the Minnesota Coronary Survey, which followed over 9,000 people for four and a half years. These people were institutionalized, so their diets could be carefully controlled for the experiment. As is common in these studies, one group was given a normal diet, and in the other group oils high in polyunsaturated fats (mostly omega-6 fats) replaced saturated fats. Since only one publication had come out of this large study, Ramsden was interested in what other information could be obtained.

It turns out that among those who died during the course of the study, those over 65 were more likely to die if they were in the low-saturated-fat group! Also, Ramsden found that there were autopsy reports available for about 30 percent of the people who had died during the study. He found that of the people who had autopsies, 22 percent of those who had eaten a normal diet of a heart attack, while 41 percent of those in the low-saturated-fat group did.

What does this mean? It doesn't look good for "Team Saturated Fat is Bad," but we don't really know. As Ramsden stated in his report, "Given the limitations of current evidence, the best approach might be one of humility, highlighting limitations of current knowledge and setting a high bar for advising intakes beyond what can be provided by natural diets."

We might be tempted to assume that Dr. Ramsden's results were a rare occurrence—that is, we might if he hadn't done a similar analysis of unpublished data he obtained from the Sydney Heart Study published in 2013. The results were similar.

Does This Mean That Saturated Fat is Good?

Some of the results I've mentioned might make us think that saturated fats in our diet are not only "not bad," they are actually "good." Like Christopher Ramsden, I would counsel humility on this point. We just do not know at this time.

However, here are some intriguing thoughts and possibilities:

• We often say "saturated fat" as if it's only one thing. There are actually lots of types of saturated fats, many of which are known to be used in different ways by the body. (For example, medium-chain triglycerides)
• Saturated fats are more stable, and less prone to oxidation than other fats. It could be that some of the negative results found from adding polyunsaturated fats to the diet come from the fact that they are more easily oxidized, and this definitely would have negative effects on the body.
• The oils used to provide polyunsaturates are mainly full of omega-6 fats, which could have inflammatory effects in the body.
• A group of scientists in the Netherlands analyzed some of the data on saturated fats and hypothesized that saturated fats could be mostly neutral, but could have more negative effects under the condition of a high-carb diet, or a diet high in processed foods. Another idea that they and others have proposed is that people with metabolic syndrome or chronic inflammation are more likely to react negatively to saturated fats.
• This reminds me of studies by Dr. Jeff Volek's group which showed that when exposed to a high-carb diet, the body produces a particular type of saturated fat, which could be one of the most dangerous types.
• There may be individual variation in the response to saturated fats due to genetics. In particular, people with a genetic mutation called ApoE4 might do better with less saturated fat in their diets.

Obviously, we still have much to learn about this subject. However, the way I read the current evidence, people can stop assuming that the next burger they eat will clog their arteries!

Sources:

Chowdhury R, et al. Association of dietary, circulating, and supplement fatty acids with coronary risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis . Annals of Internal Medicine 2014 Mar 18;160(6):398-406. doi: 10.7326/M13-1788.

Kuipers RS et. al. Saturated fat, carbohydrates and cardiovascular disease . Netherlands Journal of Medicine. 2011 Sep;69(9):372-8.

Ramsden, CE et. al. Re-evaluation of the traditional diet-heart hypothesis: analysis of recovered data from Minnesota Coronary Experiment (1968-73). British Medical Journal 2016 Apr 12;353:i1246. doi: 10.1136/bmj.i1246.

Ramsden CE, et al. Use of dietary linoleic acid for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and death: evaluation of recovered data from the Sydney Diet Heart Study and updated meta-analysis . British Medical Journal. 2013;346:e8707

Siri-Tarino, et. al. Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2010 Mar;91(3):535-46. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27725.
Source: www.verywell.com/saturated-fats-good-bad-or-it-depends-4065220?utm_content=7409960&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_campaign=healthsl&utm_term=

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