Eating for Health – The Nut Effect

Eating for Health – The Nut Effect

By: Mike Clark

For years, savvy dieters have shunned nuts because of their high-fat content. But dieters can rejoice. The heart-healthy fats, high fiber, and phytochemical content of nuts have catapulted these nutritious nuggets into health food heaven. The key is portion control.

Over the past several years, numerous studies have shown the healthful nature of nuts. Nuts are a powerhouse of good nutrition, packed with protein, fiber, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, folic acid, magnesium, copper, and antioxidants. And they help reduce the risks of heart disease and diabetes and help control weight.

Bad fats that pose health problems come primarily from saturated and trans fats, neither of which are found in most nuts. Instead, most nuts are loaded with good fats: — monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Some nuts, such as walnuts, boast a rich source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, similar to salmon.

In July 2003, the FDA approved the first qualified health claim. Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease, the FDA says.

Packaging for walnuts, peanuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, and pistachios can now proudly make this claim. Cashews and macadamia nuts did not qualify for the health claim due to their higher fat content.

Pump Up the Heart

The healthy fats appear to be the secret nut ingredient that prevents heart disease. Adding to the power of the heart-healthy fats, the fiber in nuts has also been shown to lower cholesterol levels.

“Our epidemiological studies have shown eating about one ounce of nuts every day will reduce the risk of heart disease in the long run by 30%,” Frank Hu, MD, PhD, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in July 2003.

Nuts can also help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and raise HDL “good” cholesterol. “Almost all types of nuts have high amounts of mono- and polyunsaturated fats, and when you substitute this kind of good fat for carbohydrates and saturated fat, your LDL will go down,” Hu said.

Stop Diabetes

There is an epidemic of type 2 diabetes in the U.S., but research suggests that nuts may lower the risk. Women who eat nuts at least five times a week had a 30% reduction in diabetes risk over women who never ate nuts, according to a study in the Nov. 27, 2002, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers are not sure if it is the fiber, magnesium, healthy fat, or phytochemicals responsible for the lowered risk.

Dream Come True

To find a food that is delicious, nutritious, and filling is a dieter’s dream.

Several studies have shown that eating small amounts of nuts helps dieters lose weight because the fiber and protein help dieters feel full longer. Dieters are less like to overeat and more successful at losing weight.

Dieters also stick with their eating plans longer if nuts are included, according to a December 1999 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Dieters did not feel like they were on a diet when they were allowed to eat nuts.

Other studies have shown that women who snack on nuts tend to weigh less than those who do not.

1 Ounce, Not 1 Pound

When you add nuts to your diet, you add the health benefits but you also add calories.

The goal is to eat nuts instead of other fat sources in the diet. Maureen Ternus, RD, nutrition expert for the International Tree Nut Council, recommends substituting nuts for other, less nutrient-dense foods.

“It is important to decrease calories from other sources, otherwise extra calories from nuts can negate the health benefits by leading to weight gain,” she advises.

A 1 oz serving of nuts contains between 160 and 200 calories, most of which come from the heart-healthy, monounsaturated fat.

The size of a 1 oz serving of nuts also varies depending on the type of nut. That’s about 47 shelled pistachios, 30 peanuts, 24 almonds, 20 pecan halves or hazelnuts, and 14 walnut halves.

Nutty Tips

People usually eat nuts on their own, by the handful, which can be a dangerous practice. You won’t feel deprived when you top your apple or celery slices with peanut butter. Keep portions small and avoid mindless eating:

• Pre-portion nuts in small bags — a great snack to take on the go or to the office.
• Choose nuts in the shell; you will probably eat fewer since it takes time to crack them.
• Take a handful and put the package away before you start munching.
• Sprinkle nuts on a soup or salad instead of croutons or cheese.
• Snack on nuts instead of pretzels or chips.
• Top yogurt with nuts instead of granola.

Add the delicious flavor and crunch of nuts to all kinds of foods from sweet to savory. Toasting them first will bring out their flavor and enhance a simple dish.

• Top hot or cold cereal with nuts for a nourishing breakfast.
• Sprinkle nuts on top of nonfat yogurt.
• Pasta comes alive when sprinkled with chopped nuts.
• Slivered almonds do wonders for everything from chicken to desserts.
• Add crunch and satiety to bread, pancakes, waffles, or muffins with nuts.
• Mix nuts with light cream cheese for a delicious spread.
• Add nuts to popcorn for a tasty snack.
• Enhance the flavor of steamed veggies with a handful of nuts.

Go nutty with 1 oz of nuts per day. You’ll reap all kinds of health benefits.

Hint: Get the metabolism going. This helps burn food. Over the long term, the more muscle tone you have, the more calories your body will burn all day long. So do not neglect resistance training. Some experts believe that aerobic exercise prevents this reduction in muscle mass. But the facts tell a different story. Several studies show that diet and aerobic exercise both lead to a drop in muscle tissue. Aerobic exercise won’t offset the loss in lean muscle caused by dieting.

When you lose weight by dieting, roughly 7 of every 10 pounds lost over a 12-week period come from fat. Adding aerobic exercise doesn’t prevent the loss of muscle. But it does reduce it slightly.

Mike Clark, Clinic Director

Healthy Foods for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Healthy Foods for Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Are there really certain foods that can help you lose weight and keep it off? We’re not talking about any so-called miracle food that “melts the fat” (does the cabbage soup diet ring any bells?). These are foods that really can help you lose or maintain weight, either by helping you to eat less or to burn more calories — or, in some cases, maybe even helping to decrease your body fat.

Experts say there are two basic categories of foods that can be considered “keeping it off superfoods” because they fill your tummy without piling on the calories: fruits and vegetables. For example, two whole cups of steamed broccoli packs a measly 87 calories. Or how about two cups of strawberry slices? They’ll add only 99 calories. Even a denser vegetable, steamed carrots, has only 140 calories per two cups. And two cups of a denser fruit, apple slices? That’s only 130 calories.

If fruits and vegetables are the “keeping-it-off superfood groups,” fiber may well be the “keeping-it-off supernutrient.” (Incidentally, the two-cup servings of fruits and vegetables mentioned above all contribute from 5 to 9 grams of fiber. An apple gives you approximately 5 grams of fiber.)

Protein is another supernutrient. It’s becoming more scientifically accepted that protein may help to curb appetite. But whether we need more than 0.4 grams per pound of body weight is still up for debate among many researchers. In any case, eat your protein first (slows digestion and lowers the glycemic index of foods that follow).

Eating enough protein-rich foods of low energy density [calories per portion] is a good strategy for increasing satiety, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Protein can slightly boost metabolism. Remember however, that eating more calories than your body needs — even in the form of protein — will promote weight gain, not loss.

Before we get to the list of “keeping it off” superfoods, let’s make sure we keep things in perspective. At the end of the day, weight loss is still about burning more calories than you take in. The advantage to these foods is that they may help you do just that — if you eat them instead of some higher-calorie choices.

Keeping It Off Superfoods

1. Green Tea

Go out of your way to indulge in a tall glass of iced green tea or a mug of hot green tea when you get the chance. Here’s why: In a recent study, volunteers who drank a bottle of tea (fortified with green tea extract) every day for three months lost more body fat than another group who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea. Except for the different teas, their overall diets were similar. Researchers suspect that the catechins (helpful phytochemicals) in green tea may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and mildly decrease body fat.

2. Soup (broth- or tomato-based, that is)

Calorie-containing liquids generally are less filling than solid foods, but soups are the exception, says researcher Richard Mattes from Purdue University. In Mattes’ study, participants were fed 300-calorie servings of various soups before eating their lunches (they could eat as much lunch as they wanted). Mattes found that the study participants tended to take in fewer total daily calories on days when they had the soup, suggesting that eating low-calorie soups (the broth- and tomato-based ones) before meals may reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, director of nutrition for WebMD, agrees that lower-calorie soups (that is, tomato- and broth-based varieties) are highly satisfying.

“If you have soup before a meal, it helps control hunger and you eat less,” she says.

3. Low-Calorie Green Salads

Having a low-calorie salad — not to be confused with salads brimming with cheese, croutons, high-fat dressings, and so on — as a first course can help you feel fuller and reduce the calories you eat during that meal, according to a study by Rolls. She found that eating a small low-calorie salad tended to cut calories eaten at the meal by 7%, and a larger salad by 12%. But the study found the opposite is true with high-calorie salads. These increased the calories eaten during the meal by 8% for a small salad, and 17% for a larger salad.

Just how low-calorie can a green salad be? Consider that two cups of fresh spinach leaves, 10 slices of cucumber, one medium tomato, and 1/4 cup of grated carrot has a grand total of 67 calories (along with a hefty 5.5 grams of fiber).

4. Yogurt

Yogurt is a dairy food, and several studies have found that including dairy products as part of an overall lower-calorie diet may give you a weight-loss advantage. Still, some scientists aren’t convinced, pointing to other studies that show no strong effect between dairy and weight loss. However, we do know that the HEB Bulgarian Yogurt w/Live Acidolphilus (particularly with added blueberries and walnuts) is a great food!

One recent study looked at a group of obese adults who ate three, 6-ounce servings of fat-free yogurt a day as part of a diet reduced by 500 calories from their normal intake. The study found that this group lost 22% more weight and 61% more body fat than another group of participants who ate the reduced-calorie diet without emphasizing calcium-rich foods. Even more impressive: the yogurt eaters also lost 81% more stomach fat.

More needs to be learned about the mechanism responsible for this increased loss of body fat, but in the meantime, consider giving yogurt a little more respect. At the very least, a light yogurt may help you stave off hunger due to its combination of protein and carbohydrate. Six ounces of plain, low-fat yogurt contains approximately 9 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrates (from milk, not sugar), and 311 milligrams of calcium. It’s also a great vehicle for healthy additives like fruit or omega-3-rich flaxseed.

5. Beans

Beans help you feel full longer, which means they may work to curb your between-meal appetite. They also give you a big fiber and protein bang for a minimum of calories. One-half cup of pinto beans or kidney beans has around 8 grams fiber and 7 grams of protein, all for about 110 calories.

6. Water

Water is a keeping-it-off superfood because it’s a great alternative to other, calorie-containing beverages. When you drink beverages that have calories (say, fancy coffee drinks or sodas) you are not likely to compensate by eating less food. Mattes’ research suggests that people who drink liquid carbohydrate (in the form of soda) are more likely to consume more calories than their bodies needs, compared with people who ate the same amount of solid carbohydrate (in the form of jelly beans).

Water is necessary for life, and you should be drinking it throughout the day. You can get your water via unsweetened green tea, flavored unsweetened mineral water, regular water with lime or lemon, or cucumber.

7. Light Diet Shakes

While diet shakes are not the solution to weight loss or maintenance, research shows that they might help. Women who had lost weight on a reduced-calorie plan that included meal-replacement beverages maintained their losses after a year by drinking at least one diet shake a day in place of a meal, according to a study done by Clinical Research laboratories (and funded by Slim Fast Foods). The study authors concluded that the one-shake-a-day strategy might be helpful for people that have difficulty changing their eating habits.

Of course, it’s hard to beat the convenience factor of diet shakes. If you go for a diet shake, choose types that have more fiber and less sugar. ASK NATURAL BIO HEALTH FOR RECOMMENDATIONS. SOME DIET SHAKES ARE NOT GOOD.

8. High-Fiber, Whole-Grain Cereal (ALSO SPROUTED WHOLE GRAIN)

We’ve all seen those whole-grain cereal commercials ad nauseam. But the keeping-it-off potential value of a good whole-grain breakfast cereal is worth mentioning. Whole grains in general help boost fiber and the nutritional value of your meal, but many studies done on their relationship to weight loss have specifically involved breakfast cereals (many funded by cereal companies).

A recent Purdue University study suggested that having a portion-controlled serving of ready-to-eat cereal (with 2/3 cup skim milk plus a 100-calorie portion of fruit) as a meal replacement may promote weight loss. Other research that looked at data on over 27,000 men over an eight-year period found that as whole grain consumption went up, weight gain over time went down. Another study followed more than 74,000 women (aged 38-63) for a 12-year period and found that those with the greatest increase in dietary fiber gained an average of 3.3 fewer pounds than those with the smallest increase in fiber.

One of the easiest ways to give your daily diet a whole-grain boost is to have a bowl of higher-fiber whole-grain cereal as breakfast or a snack. Eat protein first.

9. Grapefruit

Maybe there was something to the old grapefruit diet after all: A recent study found that grapefruit may help encourage weight loss and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Study participants who ate a grapefruit at each meal for 12 weeks lost an average of 3.6 pounds (some in the group lost as much as 10 pounds), while a comparison group that didn’t eat grapefruit lost 1/2 pound, according to a recent pilot study by Scripps Clinic in San Diego. The researchers noticed that after the meals, the grapefruit eaters also had reduced levels of insulin and blood sugar.

The American Institute for Cancer Research notes that “there’s no scientific evidence to support that grapefruit enzymes burn away fat.” And according to the American Dietetic Association, “if you lose weight when you add grapefruit to your eating plan, it’s probably because you’re substituting it for another food that has more calories.”

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. One pink/red grapefruit takes a bit of time and effort to eat, and it adds 3.5 grams of fiber with only 74 calories. Keep in mind that grapefruit can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications, so check with your pharmacist if you’re taking medication.

Mike Clark, Clinic Director

Healthy Eating Tips for the Holidays

Healthy Eating Tips For The Holidays

Temptation is looming on the horizon!  But you can resist and make it through the parties and family dinners without overeating.  You just have to plan ahead and then stick to your plan.  Here are some ideas to help you.

• Avoid the high fatty foods.
• Don’t go to a party on an empty stomach.  Either eat something at home to partially          fill you up or stop at a local grocery store to buy a fresh salad and eat it in the car     if that’s all you have time to do.  This fills you up enough so you’re not grabbing      at every hors d’oeuvre you’re offered.
• Watch your alcohol intake.  It’s one of the biggest contributors to weight gain.      Pick what you drink carefully.  The fancy cream style drinks are much higher in         calories than a glass of wine.
• If you do indulge in a rich appetizer or dessert, walk it off the next day.
• Remember: A minute on the lips equals a month on the hips!

Healthy Hints for the Holidays (and non-holidays).

Eat a rainbow of colors and plenty of whole grains. Colorful produce and whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, a wealth of disease-fighting phytonutrients, very few calories, and virtually no fat. Fruits and vegetables are chock full of fiber, vitamins C, A, and K, folate, and potassium. The deeper the color, the richer the nutrients and the potential for greater health benefits.

Whole grains not only provide an excellent source of carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but researchers have found more phytonutrients that help fight cancer, heart disease, and prevent diabetes. Whole grains are digested more slowly and therefore are more satisfying for a longer period of time. Read the label and choose foods made of 100% whole grains. We recommend you choose a wide variety of healthy carbohydrates to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Look for whole grain sprouted cereals now available at HEB and other places.

Eat walnuts (or almonds or pecans). Olive oil and walnuts decrease the onset of inflammation and oxidation in the arteries after a high-fat meal, but walnuts preserve the blood vessels’ flexibility while olive oil does not, according to a recent study. The study attributed much of the beneficial effect to the alpha-linolenic acid found in walnuts. This nutrient is similar to the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish. Nuts also give you energy and help burn fat so are helpful for losing weight.
Remember: A hand-full not a can-full.

Fish Oil (Omega 3). The study points out that authorities such as the American Heart Association recommend that Americans eat at least two fish servings a week, preferable oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s increase blood levels of HDL cholesterol, the “good” kind that helps keep arteries clear. Because of their health-promoting abilities, omega-3 fatty acids have received recognition from some of the top medical organizations in the world including, the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, World Health Organization, United Kingdom Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, European Society for Cardiology, and The British Nutrition Foundation.

Mike Clark, Clinic Director

Can a High-Protein Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Can a High-Protein Diet Help You Lose Weight?

Low-carb diets are last year’s news, but high-protein diets are emerging as the latest aid in weight control. That’s because emerging research has hinted that protein may be able to satisfy hunger better than either fats or carbohydrates. Our clinical experience has verified that protein is best at satisfying hunger cravings. It  also helps build lean muscle.

What Studies Show

Participants in a study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported greater satisfaction, less hunger, and weight loss when fat was reduced to 20% of the total calories in their diets, protein was increased to 30%, and carbohydrates (GOOD) accounted for 50%. The study participants ate some 441 fewer calories a day when they followed this high-protein diet and regulated their own calorie intake. REMINDER: Good carbohydrates include primarily vegetables and whole grains.

Another study, reported in the Journal of Nutrition, showed that a high-protein diet combined with exercise enhanced weight and fat loss and improved blood fat (lipid) levels.

“Our research suggests that higher-protein diets help people better control their appetites and calorie intake,” says researcher Donald Layman, PhD, a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“Diets higher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise … have an excellent potential to reduce blood lipids [and] maintain lean tissue while burning fat for fuel without dieters being sidetracked with constant hunger.”

Tips for Obtaining and Maintaining Optimal Body Weight

Tips for Obtaining and Maintaining Optimal Body Weight.

1.         Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.

Before you tear into that bag of potato chips, drink a glass of water first. People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger, so you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really all you needed. If plain water doesn’t cut it, try drinking flavored sparkling water or brewing a cup of fruit-infused herbal tea.

2.         Tip No. 2: Be choosy about nighttime snacks.

Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sit down and relax. Snacking in front of the TV is one of the easiest ways to throw your diet off course. Either close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a low-calorie protein.

3.         Tip No. 3: Enjoy your favorite foods.

Instead of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag. You can still enjoy your favorite foods — the key is moderation.

4.         Tip No. 4: Eat several mini-meals during the day – MAYBE!

If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. But when you’re hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be a challenge. “Studies show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able to control their appetite and weight,” says obesity researcher Rebecca Reeves, DrPH, RD. She recommends dividing your daily calories into smaller meals or snacks and enjoying most of them earlier in the day — dinner should be the last time you eat.

Hint 1: The goal should be to not eat 3 hours before bed and allow 11 to 12 hours to pass between dinner and breakfast (most of the time). This maximizes your body’s fat burning time and maximizes the efficiency of the appetite hormone Leptin.

Hint2: Individuals can differ as to what works for them. If you do better not snacking during the day for the mini meals, still watch portions and quality. Hint 1 should be the goal of everyone.

5.         Tip No. 5: Eat protein at every meal.

Protein is the ultimate fill-me-up food — it’s more satisfying than carbs or fats and keeps you feeling full for longer. It also helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burning. So be sure to incorporate healthy proteins like lean meat, yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans into your meals and snacks.

6.         Tip No. 6: Spice it up.

Add spices or chiles to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel satisfied. “Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying, so you won’t eat as much,” says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Malena Perdomo, RD. When you need something sweet, suck on a red-hot fireball candy. It’s sweet, spicy, and low in calories. Add cumin and tumeric to your spices. They help protect against breast and prostate cancer.

7.         Tip No. 7: Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods.

Having ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes on hand sets you up for success. You’ll be less likely to hit the drive-through or call in a pizza order if you can throw together a healthy meal in five or 10 minutes. Here are some essentials to keep on hand: frozen vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole-grain pasta, reduced-fat cheese, canned tomatoes, canned beans (read the labels for added sugar), pre-cooked grilled chicken breast, whole grain tortillas or pitas, and bags of salad greens.

8.         Tip No. 8: Order children’s portions at restaurants.

Ordering a child-size entree is a great way to cut calories and keep your portions reasonable. This has become such a popular trend that most servers won’t bat an eye when you order off the kids’ menu. Another trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look like more, and if your mind is satisfied, your stomach likely will be, too.

Hint 1: Share meals. This saves calories and $$. Most meals are very large.

Hint 2: Buy smaller plates and bowls to use at home. This has scientifically been proven to work for portion control and appetite satisfaction.

9.         Tip No. 9: Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.

Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year. “You can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on your plate and increase the amount of vegetables,” says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. How many times have we heard “eat more vegetables?” IT IS TRUE.

HFCS (High-Fructose Corn Syrup)

A bit of information:

The consumption of HFCS increased more than 1000% between 1970 and 1990, far exceeding the changes in intake of any other food or food group. High-fructose corn syrup now represents greater than 40% of caloric sweeteners added to foods and beverages, and is the sole caloric sweetener used in soft drinks in the United States.

Watch Your Fish

Watch Your Fish

Fish with Highest and Lowest Mercury Levels

Higher levels of mercury found in mothers who eat more fish have been associated with birth defects, seizures, mental retardation, developmental disabilities and cerebral palsy. This is mostly the result of women having eaten fish when they were pregnant. Scientists believe that fetuses are much more sensitive to mercury exposure than are adults, although adults do suffer from varying degrees of brain damage from fish consumption.

Lifetime Health Weight Loss offers heavy metal  testing to determine your levels of mercury, lead and several other  metals.