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Low Carb and Low Fat Diets – A Scam?!

October 16th, 2007

If anyone knows anything about fitness, its that a low fat diet is the healthiest way to avoid serious diseases, right? Maybe wrong.

In many instances quality research has shown just the oppositethat a low fat diet, sometimes even a vegetarian diet, can be harmful to your health. Although vegetarian and low-fat diets have been proven to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, they have not demonstrated significant reductions in deaths from any disease.

The Low-Fat Approach
Popular diets of today encouraging low-fat approaches, such as the diets of Dr. Pritkin, Dr. Ornish, Macrobiotics, and Weight Watchers, are generally effective with weight-loss and reduction in blood fats. The low-fat approach has even been proven to overcome serious illness successfully.

But the majority of dieters find these plans difficult to stick with. And most research trials have not shown these diets effective in decreasing death rates from diseases in general, long-term.

Fats in a meal make you feel more full. They slow the time it takes for your stomach to empty, thus ensuring you will not feel hungry too soon.

Generally, high-carb, low-fat meals have the opposite effect. The stomach empties quicker and insulin levels increase following the meal. This means you may be hungry sooner than youd like.

Research shows the higher insulin levels of a low-fat, high-carb diet may predispose you to adult onset diabetes, hypoglycemia, and even heart disease.

The Low-Carb Approach
These diets claim that limiting carbs, like sugars, grains, fruits, and some vegetables, is the solution. The Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, and even the Zone Diet all suggest if you cut out the carbs or have a balance of fat/carbs/protein in every meal, you will experience weight loss and better health. Many dedicated dieters find this to be true.

Although a low-carb diet can cause weight loss, the goal of any program should be life long radiant health. It is still up for debate if this approach leads to any significant health advantages. It is possible to hasten heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and aging with a diet too high in the wrong fats and too low in essential nutrients from various fruits and veggies.

Many health care professionals find it difficult to prescribe to either of the above theories. If there is no definitive answer in either direction that is indisputable, then there must be a middle ground.

A Healthy Solution for Everyone
It is difficult to imagine that reducing intake of the wonderful fruits and vegetables that keep people well is the way to a healthy future. Research will back this up. The average American already ingests too little fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other factors present in whole, unprocessed fruits and vegetables.

In much of our history, it was rare to have many of the diseases we live with today. Most people in native cultures eating diets dictated by availability experienced vibrant health. Their death was caused by accidents, bacterial or viral diseases, or by old age. Very few died of our number one killers: cardiovascular disease and cancer.

People did not begin to experience heart disease and cancer in such great numbers until the advent of our more modern diet and lifestyle customs.

These advances included:
growing and eating more grains
discovering how to refine and preserve foods to extend shelf-life
consuming sugar and simple carbohydrates
pasteurizing and homogenizing dairy products

With the human tampering of food overall health took an undeniable turn for the worse.

Almost exclusively we now eat, even in so called healthy or organic foods, the following: refined products, products with added sugar, preservatives, additives, petroleum products, animal products laden with antibiotics and hormones, and animals that are fed diets that they would never eat in the wild (wild cattle do not eat other cattle, poultry by-products, or even grains; cattle eat grass).

Native cultures worldwide, before being indoctrinated with more westernized food choices, eat remarkably similar diets.

Since many food products spoil without refrigeration or freezing, most people fermented their foods. This supplies necessary probiotic bacteria, which many people supplement with today since we eat natural fermented foods so infrequently.

Whether or not they inhabited the same regions, most people ate a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and animal products in season. Very few societies tip the scales by eating mostly animal products (Inuit cultures) or mostly vegetarian (a few tribes in Africa and South America).

The similarities that bind the historical human diet together are:
A diet based on fresh or fermented whole, unrefined foods
A diet high in essential fatty acids with an omega 6 to omega 3 ratio of 4:1 (current US diets have a ratio of 16:1)
A diet where spirituality around food is more meaningful than the material
A diet with 10 times the level of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
A diet lower in total calories overall

Wisdom passed down through the ages says that a varied diet with foods found abundant in nature is best. In almost all cultures this means a diet, as available, of fresh or dried wild meats and fish, fermented cheeses, fresh whole or fermented milk, butter, eggs, fresh, dried, or fermented fruits, fresh or fermented vegetables, whole grains (these were fermented normally, even if dried), some beans, and water or fermented beverages to drink.

It is interesting to note that instead of eating fresh foods or those naturally fermented, we chose to cook or destroy what could spoil in our foods then add additives and preservatives. Are these foods as digestible? Do they supply the same nutrients? Does the magic number of carbohydrates versus fats or proteins really matter? What if the answer lies in ancient wisdom and thousands of years of knowledge?

Something to think about.

For more information or questions on related topics, please visit www.MyWebND.com. Get all your health questions answered from a licensed Naturopathic physician without the wait for an office visit. Well-researched, reliable information is now available and easy to find.

Written By: Dr. Tara Barker

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Eat Your Carbs, They’re Good for You!

October 14th, 2007

You may think after all of the talk lately about carb reduction that you need to avoid eating carbohydrates. But the exact opposite is the case. The kinds of carbohydrates you get from fruits and vegetables are a necessary basis of your daily diet. Instead of helping you “pack on the pounds,” they actually help you to burn fat. They are also a major source of fuel for your body, especially your muscles, brain and nervous system.

Carbs occur in two types: simple and complex. They are broken down into glucose, or blood sugar, which is metabolized by your body for energy. Glucose not immediately used by you is stored in your muscles as glycogen, but if your body has an excess of glycogen, it is converted into fat. However, because carbs prime your metabolism, you need them in order to burn fat. This is one of the major reasons you must not starve yourself and eat too few carbs. You must eat a good intake of complex carbs, such as those found in fruits and veggies.

Simple carbs, such as those found in candies and sweets, and also fruit, are turned into glucose quickly. These are the kind which can add to your weight problem. Complex carbs, such as those found in brown rice, veggies, legumes (peas, beans and lentils), and whole grains breads and cereals are digested and thus used at a much slower rate, giving your body time to prime its metabolism.

There are four calories in each and every gram of carbohydrate. Nutritionists say that 50% of your diet should consist of complex carbs. Simple carbs are high in calories but low in vitamins and minerals. These are the so-called “empty calories” that you find in sodas, deserts and other such sweets, and to some extent in fruits — especially fruit juices and fruit juice drinks. You should be getting your major carb intake from whole fruits, whole grains and vegetables.

Good high carb veggies are peas, peppers, pumpkin, radishes, spinach, squash, succotash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and turnips. Succotash, sweet potatoes and green cooked peas are the highest in carbs. You need several servings per day of complex carb foods such as these to maintain your energy levels and keep you from getting those “sluggish” feelings that make you feel sick and tired.

By eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day, you will be boosting your health through better carb consumption. The National Cancer Institute recommends that you have fruit juice — or better yet fresh fruit – every day for breakfast. You should have a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every day. You need to stock up on dried, frozen and canned fruits and veggies. You must make these foods visible and easy to access throughout your daily routine. And you have to “sample the delicious spectrum” when it comes to the many different colors and varieties of fruits and vegetables.

You will get your “five a day” if you eat one cup of dark, leafy greens, one half cup of red tomatoes, one half cup of yellow peppers, six ounces of orange juice and one half cup of blueberries. This is only one example of how you can consume “five a day” of fruits and vegetables to keep your complex carb ratio up. Please notice this includes only one serving of fruit juice. Various nutrition experts state that you should eat whole, fresh fruits more often than drinking fruit juice, which keeps those simple sugars from adding to your weight problem.

This is because simple sugars are more concentrated in fruit juices than in whole fruits. You should eat at least two cups of fruit a day, in a variety of fresh choices, such as one small banana, one large orange and one quarter cup of fresh or canned apricots or peaches. Also, eating fresh fruit adds more fiber to your diet and helps flush toxins from your system better than only drinking fruit juice does.

You should also eat plenty of dark, leafy green veggies, which are among the best foods for you. Eat broccoli and kale, as well as mustard greens and spinach. Also, you should eat “orange” veggies such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash. For peas and beans, among the best are pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils. Foods such as these are extremely healthy, low in fat, and terrific for raising your energy levels.

Eating fruits and veggies will also greater lower your risk for cancer. Researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have made “top ten” lists of the best antioxidant (anti-cancer) fruits and vegetables. Here are some of the most antioxidant members of the fruit and vegetable families of foods:

1) Fruits: prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, red grapes and cherries 2) Veggies: kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, beets, red bell peppers, onions, corn and eggplant

While the average American seldom gets as much as two servings of these good foods per day, nutrition experts say that five to seven servings a day need to become a staple of the ordinary American diet. You can easily sneak these into your family’s eating patterns. Try serving raw veggies at every meal, and take advantage of packaged, prepared veggies. Put veggies into your breakfast and lunch, and start each family dinner with a mixed green salad. Serve a salad entre dish once per week, fill your spaghetti sauce with vegetables, and begin ordering a weekly pizza – with an extra serving of healthy vegetables.

If we were to eat more veggies and fewer processed foods, we as a country would lose weight, clean out our clogged arteries, balance our blood sugar and shut down a large number of hospitals in the process. This would roughly solve America’s growing health and obesity problems – in a nutshell.

About the author:

RAINBOW WRITING, INC. — Karen Peralta, copy editor, ghost writer and book author. We offer inexpensive professional freelance and contracted writing, editing, copy editing and writing, rewriting, ghost writing, graphics design, Internet marketing, publishing assistance, search engine optimization, and supercheap dedicated hosting and site development. Rainbow Writing, Inc.

Written By: Karen Cole-Peralta

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Staying Healthy on a Low Carbohydrate Diet

October 10th, 2007

It is estimated that about 32 million Americans are following some type of low carbohydrate diet. This is the result of fad diet authors claiming that carbohydrates are the cause for Americas rising obesity problems. The backlash against carbohydrates is a result of the low fat craze that started in the 80s.When consumers started cutting down their fat intake, manufacturers figured out that they could create low fat processed food products that the public would buy. Because these products claimed to be fat free, Americans didnt pay attention to the fact that they were not also calorie free, and as a result, the total amount of daily calories has slowly been increasing. In fact, although the total percentage of calories from fat has decreased, the actual amount of fat intake has increased by 10# per year since 1975! The increase of carbohydrate has also increased, at a rate of 20# per year, mostly as a result of highly processed foods.

It is estimated that 3800 calories are now produced for every American man, woman and child. We have evolved from a world of feast or famine, but were in a state of perpetual feast, although our bodies have not changed. We have no defenses against excess calories: Every year, 300,000 to 400,000 deaths in the US are attributed to obesity.

Meanwhile, Asian and Middle Eastern populations consume 50-75% of their calories from rice and have some of the lowest rates of obesity and heart disease in the world. People living in the Mediterranean also have fewer health conditions commonly seen in the US. This diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and fruits. Their diets are rich in fish and low in meats and poultry. Although their fat intake is about the same as in America, the type of fat is primarily monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, where Americans eat primarily saturated animal fats.

Regardless of the actual advantage or disadvange to following a low carbohydrate diet, there are three recommendations for maintaining good health while following such a diet. The first is to choose healthy fats over the unhealthy, saturated fats, when considering fat intake. Examples of healthy fats would be plant fats that have not been hydrogenated, which makes the fat more solid at room temperature. It is believed that hydrogenation is actually more harmful to health than saturated fats found naturally in animal products. Plant fats would include nuts, avocados, and olives. Oils such as olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil are better choices than fats that come from animal sources, such as butter, lard or bacon grease. Multiple studies over the years have shown that excess animal fats lead to higher risks of cancer, heart disease and other inflammatory disorders. Saturated fats have been linked to increased cholesterol, LDL (the bad) cholesterol as well as to increased LDL cholesterol oxidation. In fact, in January 2004, an Atkins representative put out a press release advising the public to decrease their amounts of steak, eggs, and saturated fast to less than 20% of their total fat intake.

The next recommendation to ensure good health is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Although fruits and most vegetables are restricted in the initial phase of some low carbohydrate diets, they are then allowed back in limited amounts. The phytonutrients that come from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to decrease blood pressure, as well as protect against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. Its easy to add more fruits and vegetables to your diet, once you get in the habit. Examples are; add some berries to breakfast, eat a tomato at lunch, include broccoli with dinner, drink some vegetable juice with snacks, and have a large salad with your meal.

The final tip to ensure good health is to eat a diet of whole foods, rather than fall back on the easy snack, convenience foods of today. If Americans had just cut down their amount of fat intake in the 80s, without finding new ways to snack, we may not be seeing the epidemic of obesity we see, today. When people started going on the low carbohydrate diets, they eliminated a large number of calories by eliminating snacking, especially at night, where common snacks are chips, crackers, and other high fat, high refined carbohydrate foods, such as ice cream. Today, though, much like in the 80s, manufacturers are now developing low carb and low net carb snack foods. We can now find low net carb chips, crackers, ice cream, popcorn, even low carb pizza! As Americans start to increase their intake of these foods, we will soon see a slowing of the weight loss many had seen initially. In order to call themselves a low net carb food, manufacturers subtract the fiber and sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates in the product, rather than produce products without carbohydrate. There is no actual FDA standard for what a low net carb food is, yet, though, so right now its anything the manufacturer wants to say it is. These foods also are very high in fat and saturated fat, usually through hydrogenation. So, not only will calories be added back into the diet through resuming unhealthy snack habits, but they will be calories consisting of high amounts of the unhealthy fats.

So, while following a low carbohydrate diet, in order to ensure continued good health, follow these three recommendations: 1) Make most fats you eat the healthy, plant fats, rather than eating a diet high in animal or hydrogenated fats, 2) Eat plenty of nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, which are high in disease-fighting antioxidants, and 3) eat mostly whole, fresh foods and very little processed snack foods, even if they say low carb, in order to avoid hidden and unnecessary fat and calories.

Marjorie Geiser has been teaching health, fitness and nutrition since 1982. She is a nutritionist, registered dietitian, certified personal trainer and life coach. As the owner of MEG Fitness, Marjories goal for her clients is to help them incorporate healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives. To order her 30-Day Health & Fitness Challenge e-course and learn more about Marjorie, go to her website at www.megfit.com or email her at Margie@megfit.com

Written By: Marjorie Geiser

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Atkins Diet Foods A Guide To Low Carb Food Products

October 6th, 2007

Atkins diet foods are many and varied, so much so that many people are surprised at just how many different kinds of foods are allowed on the Atkins diet food plan. You still have the responsibility to select appropriately and double check the actual carb content of different foods, but you will quickly learn just how varied and interesting a low carb lifestyle can be.

The Basics of the Atkins Diet Plan

The basic philosophy behind the Atkins diet plan is that if you switch to a low carb diet your bodys metabolism will adjust and start to burn stores of fat. The process starts during the induction phase when you change your eating habits substantially so that you only consume 20 grams of net carbohydrates per day. Net carbs are determined by taking the total grams of carbs in a food and subtracting the amount of fiber grams.

Once you are past the 14 day induction phase you then start to increase your daily net carb intake a little bit each week starting at 25 grams per day, then the next week going to 30 grams per day, and so forth. As you raise your intake gradually, you pay attention to how much weight you continue to lose, until you find a level at which weight loss slows significantly or stops altogether. When you get close to your goal weight, you move into pre-maintenance and maintenance phases so that low carb choices become part of your everyday lifestyle.

Defining Low Carb Foods

Low carb foods are those that have low enough levels of carbohydrates that they are considered Atkins diet foods. In general, meats, poultry, fish, leafy green vegetables, eggs and butter form the core assortment of your low carb food choices. Some cheeses and other dairy products are relatively low carb but typically are not allowed in huge quantities while on the Atkins low carb diet plan.

Remember, though, a food which is high in carbs but also high in fiber can be eaten as part of a low carb lifestyle because the goal is to keep net carbs low, not just carbs as a whole. Make sure you read the labels of the foods you buy to determine the net carbs, and consider carrying a pocket sized carb counter with you to double check the net carb counts in fresh foods.

As the Atkins diet plan exploded in popularity over the last few years, many food producers have tried to get in on the phenomenon by promoting their products as low carb. The problem is, though, that many of these foods are not really low carb. With the exceptions of certified Atkins diet foods, you should never just believe the large print on the front that says low carb. Always, always read the nutrition label and confirm for yourself whether or not the food is really low carb.

Finding Low Carb Foods

Finding low carb foods is as easy as going to the grocery store, dropping into the convenience store located at your neighborhood gas station, or going to your favorite restaurant. Of course, some places will have a better selection of Atkins diet foods than others will, and some will also have more high carb temptations, but there is no reason for you to visit a specialty store in order to get the low carb foods you need.

Atkins Diet Foods from the Grocery Store

In the grocery store you have a huge selection of foods, ranging from fresh to processed, all of which you can check for net carb count. Processed foods will have nutrition information printed on the outside box or label, making it easy to determine net carbs. Fresh foods are a bit more difficult because that information is not printed on the food item and usually not on the shelf label. You can certainly remember a few core fresh foods that are allowable, but a really good tool is to carry a carb counter in your purse or pocket so that you can check it if you have any questions.

Convenience Store

In a convenience store, you have to search a bit more for the low carb Atkins diet plan foods. The big display of chips, candy, cookies and more is not a place you are likely find low carb choices, but if you go a little further in you can usually find official Atkins snack bars, liquid shakes or even some fresh foods that are low carb.

Restaurants

Restaurants can be a bit tricky because you do not always know what is in that great tasting gravy or sauce, but most eating establishments now offer designated low carb choices. If in doubt, order your meal without sauces and other add-ons that may have hidden carbs. When you find a restaurant that serves a good selection of low carb foods that you enjoy, be sure to give the manager or owner positive feedback and make that establishment a primary choice whenever you want to dine out.

Atkins Diet Plan Meals

Atkins diet foods are much more than individual foods. They can be combined in many ways to create tasty and interesting meals, but even the most dedicated low carb follower can get tired of the same old thing. The best way to keep your low carb meals interesting is to seek out a variety of Atkins diet plan meals.

There are many cookbooks and recipe books available that are filled with low carb meal choices using approved Atkins diet foods. All you have to do is mix and match each day or each week to keep a variety of meals on the table. Another reason to have a good cookbook or recipe book on hand is for those times when you are tired, running late or otherwise need to come up with something low carb to eat when maybe you do not feel like putting a lot of effort into it. These are the times when you will be most tempted to grab something that is not low carb, so having a collection of Atkins diet food recipes close by can help get rid of that temptation.

About the Author:

Kevin Urban is the editor at http://www.atkins-diet-advisor.com, an easy-to-use resource providing detailed information on the Atkins Diet Plan. Copyright 2006 http://www.Atkins-Diet-Advisor.com

Written By: Kevin Urban

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“Cookie Cutter” Low Carb Diet Plans Explained

October 2nd, 2007

Most diet plans, including low carb diet plans are best taken with a grain of salt, because although one may work for your best friend, it may not work for you. For those with serious weight problems and have co-existing issues such as hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar levels) or like some of us hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) etc., the popular diet plans usually will not be able to cater to individual needs.

We are all individuals and as such we need to feed ourselves as individuals, having said this some diet plans will be more beneficial for the general population that others.
To assess which particular diet plan will be beneficial, you can follow these guidelines. They are very much common sense points, and provide a good framework which many nutrition professionals would broadly follow, and within which you can divide the scammy diet plans from those that can offer you safe and healthy diet ideas.

Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.

Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.

Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.

Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.

Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.

Diet is backed up with medical research data.

In addition to these points, I’ve broadly outlined the low carb diet plans, which seem to be occupying the minds of dieters and researchers alike, as well as the research for and against pertinent to the low carb diet plans.

Low Carb Diets

A lot of the diet plans these days center around the low carb diet plans. These low carb diet plans are considered by some diet fads, others consider it the new wave in healthy eating. Diets such as The New Atkins Diet Revolution maintain that obese people are insulin sensitive and carbohydrates make them gain weight. Low carb diet plans such as The Zone lay down specific proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fats that should be consumed in order to lose weight and while fats are reduced, the main source of energy comes from the consumption of protein.

Low carb diet plans such as Sugar Busters, believe that sugar is your bodys most heinous weight loss enemy and since carbohydrates are the foods that are processed into sugars carbohydrates should be limited. The Scarsdale Diet also is a low carb, high protein diet and offers a 2 week crash dieting plan.

Popular diets such as the South Beach Diet and the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet are also low carb diet plans that have become popular with dieters who have tried and failed at the Atkins diet. All these diets see themselves as the worlds answer to the obesity problem.

To be fair, there are significant and many research papers that support and argue against the low carb revolution, as yet the wider medical community has not fully made its mind up as to whether the diets are something that is favourable in the long term.

Recent research by Layman et. al., and Saris have found that the low carb and high protein diets provide little benefit to dieters. Researchers found that when protein was moderately increased and carbohydrates proportionately decreased, insulin levels stabilised but no significant weight was lost. Saris in his review concluded that it is probable that a low carb, high fat diet will increase the likelihood of weight gain.

While there is a lot of evidence against the low carb philosophy, there is also a lot of evidence to support it. Research published in May, 2004, found that when patients on a low carb diet were compared with patients on a low fat diet, those patients who had consumed a low carb diet had a greater weight loss, decreased triglyceride levels and increased levels of HDL’s – in other words their cholesterol levels had improved. To put the icing on the cake research has just been published to support the long term efficacy of eating a low carb diet.

Despite the evidence to support low carb diet plans, mainstream medicine still does not recommend them. The main points of contention with the low carb, high protein diets is that they dont offer balance and variety and could prove dangerous for people at risk of heart disease. Particularly with low carb diet plans such as the scarsdale diet, they are not realistic and cannot be maintained in the long term causing yo-yo dieting and no one wants that !

References:

Wim HM Saris Sugars, energy metabolism, and body weight control Am J Clin Nutr 78: 850S-857S

Donald K. Layman, Harn Shiue, Carl Sather, Donna J. Erickson and Jamie Baum Increased Dietary Protein Modifies Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Adult Women during Weight Loss Nutrition.org

Yamashita T, Sasahara T, Pomeroy SE, Collier G, Nestel PJ. Arterial compliance, blood pressure, plasma leptin, and plasma lipids in women are improved with weight reduction equally with a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet. Metabolism. 1998 Nov;47(11):1308-14.

Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77.

Copyright 2004 Jenny Mathers. All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

Want more great ideas about which foods to eat and which to avoid ? Research fat burning foods at Savvy Fat Burning Foods

Written By: Jenny Mathers

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Carb Blockers – A Solution to Weight Loss?

September 28th, 2007

Copyright 2006 Kristy Haugen

Low carb diets restrict the consumption of carbohydrates. The difference between the Atkins and the South Beach diet is within the amount of restriction. The induction phase of the Atkins diet restricts most carbohydrates while the South Beach diet allows ‘good’ carbohydrate consumption. These diets can really put one’s will power to the test. Why?

The human body’s primary source of energy is glucose. Glucose is derived from the breakdown or hydrolysis of carbohydrates that are consumed. Limiting carbohydrate consumption forces the body to use fat or protein as an energy source. Decreased carbohydrate consumption may leave you feeling tired and easily fatigued until the body adjusts to the change.

The word carbohydrate arose because molecular formulas of these compounds can be expressed as hydrates of carbons which yield a basic carbohydrate empiric formula of (CH2O)n. Carbohydrates consist mainly of the combination of two chemistry functional groups: the carbonyl and the hydroxyl group. Carbohydrates exist in different forms such as monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides are usually called simple sugars. These simple sugars cannot be broken down or hydrolyzed into a simpler form (glucose). A complex carbohydrate refers to one or more linked simple sugars that require digestion for absorption.

Oligosaccharides contain at least two monosaccharide units. Oligosaccharides may be referred to as disaccharides or trisaccharides depending on how many units of monosaccharides the compound contains. Maltose and sucrose (table sugar) are considered disaccharides.

Polysaccharides contain many monosaccharide units. In order for the body to use polysaccharides, these compounds must be broken down into a simpler monosaccharide form. Examples of polysaccharides are starch and cellulose (fiber).

Dietary carbohydrate digestion occurs mainly in the mouth and small intestine. During mastication (chewing) the salivary glands secrete the enzyme alpha-amylase which is referred to as ptyalin. Alpha-amylase briefly acts on dietary carbohydrates in the mouth to hydrolyze starch into simple sugars such as glucose. In fact, if you chew on a carbohydrate long enough you may taste sugar. This is a result of salivary amylase hydrolyzing the carbohydrate into a simpler sugar.

Mastication increases the surface area of the food for alpha-amylase to act upon. This allows the enzyme alpha-amylase to work more efficiently in carbohydrate digestion. However, the food does not remain in the mouth for a long time so only a small portion of starch is hydrolyzed there.

Once the chewed food has been swallowed into the stomach, carbohydrate digestion halts temporarily. This occurs because alpha-amylase is inactivated by the high acidic environment of the stomach. However, carbohydrate digestion will resume once the chyme (food mass and gastric juices of the stomach) enters the small intestine.

The acidic contents emptied into the small intestine are neutralized by bicarbonate secreted by the pancreas. The pancreas will then secrete alpha-amylase to continue carbohydrate digestion. Carbohydrate digestion is finished when the mucosal lining of the upper jejunum and duodenum absorb the bulk of the dietary sugars in the form of monosaccharides.

Now that we have a good understanding of what a carbohydrate is and the importance of the carbohydrate in the body, maybe an extreme low carb diet isn’t the answer for weight loss. Extreme diets whether they are low carb or high protein can put the body to the test. Carbohydrates may be a necessary evil, but the body relies heavily on carbohydrates for energy. Instead of testing one’s will power, using a weight loss supplement called a carb blocker may be a better option.

Carb blockers are a weight loss supplement recently introduced into the weight loss world. Carb blockers claim to block the enzyme alpha-amylase. If the enzyme alpha-amylase is blocked, then carbohydrate hydrolysis is affected. By blocking the enzyme, you block the breakdown of the carbohydrate which affects absorption of the monosaccharide. How so? If the carbohydrate is of complex origin, the enzyme must be secreted to break down the carbohydrate into a simpler form for absorption. In theory, the carb blocker should indeed help to block carbohydrates from being absorbed.

Phaseolus vulgaris is the active ingredient in carb blockers that comes from the white kidney bean. Phaseolus vulgaris interferes with the pancreas’ ability to secrete the enzyme alpha-amylase. Subsequent studies do prove that Phaseolus vulgaris does in fact inhibit the enzyme alpha-amylase.

Carb blockers are another option for weight loss. However, permanent weight loss requires you to make changes to your lifestyle. If you do not change your lifestyle then no matter what diet or supplement you choose, weight loss is temporary and short lived. This also means that if you choose a low carb diet, make sure that this diet can be done. Many people fail the low carb diets because of extreme commitments.

About the author:

Kristy Haugen is a mother and an experienced nurse. She also has a bachelor degree in Biology and Chemistry. She writes to inform consumers about nutrition and health topics. Learn more about weight loss at http://weightlossarticles.vitaminmaniac.com . Learn more about vitamins and your health at http://blog.vitaminmaniac.com .

Written By: Kristy Haugen

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Kids and The Low-Carb Lifestyle

September 24th, 2007

Some paediatricians have been prescribing a low-carb diet for a select group of children for decades, and what they have seen is very unsettling. The ketogenic diet was developed more than 80 years ago in order to control seizures that did not respond to the anticonvulsant medications that were available then. There are now dozens of medications that help to control seizures but the ketogenic diet is still used. The good news is that it does stop or slow down the frequency of seizures. The bad news is that it has some unhealthy effects on the heart.

The ketogenic diet is not identical to the Atkins diet. Although it contains very little carbohydrate it also has little protein, and 90 percent of calories come from fat. As you might imagine, keeping a child on this very unpalatable diet is every difficult, and many parents simply give up when faced with tantrums and food-stealing.

In a study done at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, children on a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet developed marked increases of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, all of which are risk factors for coronary artery disease. These effects persisted for at least 24 months. Children on a ketogenic diet are also at risk of kidney stones, which are usually rare during childhood.

There’s plenty of evidence that low blood sugar levels, an inevitable consequence of a low-carbohydrate diet, produce memory and mood problems, irritability and aggressive behavior. Those who live with diabetic patients are aware that an overdose of insulin causes a severe drop in blood sugar that can lead to seizures or death. It doesn’t take any great leap of logic to conclude that a diet that results in frequent low blood sugar levels isnt good for the brain. For the developing brain of a child, even an adolescent, it could lead to individual tragedy and social disaster.

Theres no single solution to childhood obesity

What a child eats is only one factor in what is clearly an epidemic of childhood obesity. At any age, weight gain comes from using too few calories as well as eating too many. Computer games, television viewing, lack of physical education classes, reliance on Mom for transportation, disrupted family conditions and fear of crime in urban neighborhoods are just a few of the reasons why physical activity has taken a nosedive among children in the past generation, a period during which type 2 diabetes in children has risen tenfold. Careful analysis shows that almost all the fat gain of modern children is due to their sedentary habits, not to their eating habits.

Diabetes will soon be an intolerable burden

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report that should have stunned the actuaries of health insurance companies. Of children born in the year 2000, one-third will develop type 2 diabetes as adults. For African-American and Hispanic females that number will be approximately 50 percent.

Who will pay for the health care costs of one-third of our population, a group that will be unable to support themselves because of heart disease, kidney failure, amputation of limbs and blindness? The very fact that modern medicine is able to prolong the lives of these sufferers only adds to the enormous cost of extra decades of survival. Directors of kidney dialysis centers already agree that they are behind in the capacity to treat the present population of diabetics whose kidneys have been destroyed. Yet, this is where our children are headed, as even 6-year-olds are now being diagnosed with the disease.

Healthy nutrition in a free fall

French fries are vegetables in only the loosest possible use of the word, but they comprise 25 percent of the average childs vegetable intake. The value of a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables cannot be overestimated. Heart disease and cancer are much less common in persons with a high intake of these foods, but on any given day in the United States, 40 percent of children have not eaten a single vegetable. In actual surveys of childrens eating habits, no fruit or vegetable even French fries makes it to the top ten.

High-fructose corn syrup is the only sweetener of soft drinks in the United States. It comprises more than 15 percent of the calorie intake of the average child; it is more than double that among many adolescents. More than simply adding to an already excessive calorie intake, fructose bypasses the usual digestive processes and leads to formation of heart-damaging chemicals and adds to the complications of diabetes.

This is only a sample of the issues that I have discussed in my book Health Secrets of the Stone Age, the second edition of which will be released in January 2005 by Better Life Publishers, Oceanside CA.

About The Author

Philip J. Goscienski, M.D. is a pediatric infectious diseases specialist with a 45-year career in clinical and academic medicine. Dr. Goscienski has written for the Saturday Evening Post and Currents, the national newsletter of the American Heart Association and is a featured writer for North San Diego County Magazine. He has drawn on his interests in biology, anthropology, paleopathology and physical fitness to develop Better Life Seminars, a series of presentations in which he explains how our most distant ancestors lived, and how we can apply this knowledge to extend our healthspan and avoid the major chronic diseases of our age. His book, Health Secrets of the Stone Age is based on his seminars, and on the most recent findings in medical and anthropological research. It is scheduled for a January 2005 release date. You can visit his web site at www.stoneagedoc.com.

Written By: Philip J. Goscienski, M.D.

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Carbohydrates: What You Must Know

September 20th, 2007

This scares me to death, every day you walk down the street it is becoming more and more apparent that the average person is becoming larger and this trend has escalated over recent years. Why are they getting fatter? Here are some reasons… Less incidental activity Automated and computerized lifestyle Longer working hours and less leisure Increased consumption of processed foods Our food servings are larger than ever

Being overweight, or obese, has now moved from a social nuisance and domestic embarrassment to an official disease. The American Heart Association has announced obesity is a major risk for heart disease.

Obesity itself has become a major and dangerous epidemic. More than 70% of US adults are overweight and that figure is rapidly increasing.

What do most people do to rid their body of unwanted fat? They diet! Dieting is now a trillion dollar industry and just about every month a new diet is announced. If you do have weight problems how do you find a diet that is safe, effective and sustainable?

What you do is try to find a diet that includes a variety of foods that you can live with comfortably. You have to take a long-term view and include plenty of exercise. A good diet is one that supplies all of the essential vitamins and minerals, and is not high in fat or protein.

Research on people, who have successfully lost a lot of weight and kept it off long term, shows that the vast majority succeeded by consuming a low fat diet high in fibre coupled with strength training and cardiovascular activity.

Be wary of diets that

Ban a specific food group Promise a quick fix Replace a balanced meal with a drink or a snack bar Make recommendations based on single studies Make recommendations to help sell a single product

Excess weight does not appear overnight and nor will it disappear overnight! In fact the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to pile the pounds back on. Seek out a program that will help you maintain long-term body fat losses by providing attainable solutions such as a program that promotes lifestyle changes, healthy eating and regular exercise.

Regular exercise is important (i.e. strength training) as it burns fat, boosts your

metabolism and also increases your energy levels. Dietary changes can lead to initial weight loss, but this is only for the short term. Exercise is essential for maintaining weight loss for the long term.

Now let’s take a closer look at what food is made up of and then you will have a good idea of what to look for in your daily eating plan. Firstly we need a wide range of nutrients to perform various functions for a healthy life.

These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fat and are all present in the food we eat on a daily basis.

The foods containing these nutrients are cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, milk products and flesh foods (fish, meat and poultry).

We need all these nutrients to live and thrive and since we receive them through the food we eat, our food must be well balanced and in the proper proportions. Food is a fuel; the body requires this fuel for energy, which is measured in fats, carbohydrate and protein.

Each of these nutrients provides different amounts of energy and these are measured in calories.

Nutrient Calories per Gram

Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4 Fat 9

Let’s look at carbohydrates first, carbohydrates supply energy for our body, they provide fibre for the prevention of disease and taste and texture to food. They are found in cereals, potatoes, fruits and vegetables.

They come in two basic forms, simple and complex. Simple carbs are easily identified by their taste and are sweet. Complex carbs, such as potatoes are pleasant to the taste buds, but are not sweet.

They are then divided into two groups, high fibre and low fibre.

High-fibre foods are the healthiest choices for nutrition and the intake of these foods is associated with a lower incidence of cancer and diabetes. Carbohydrates supply the sort of calories easily burned during cardiovascular exercise.

They are often wrongly feared and considered fattening, but the most important factor in weight control is balancing the energy (calories) consumed. Please remember:

Energy In is more than Energy Out = Weight gain Energy In is equal to Energy Out = Weight maintenance Energy In is less than Energy Out = Weight loss

Different foods affect the ability to exercise at different levels. High levels of exercise (cardio and strength training) require carbohydrate as a fuel source; at lower levels it is fat.

A lack of carbohydrate in the diet will lead to fatigue, the inability to exercise effectively, and excess fat consumption. When our food is digested, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars.

These sugars are absorbed by the body and used by the muscles or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. As our glycogen storage capacity is limited, carbohydrate needs to be continually topped up by the foods we eat.

But the body has an unlimited storage capacity for fat!

The average person is extremely vulnerable to fad diets and extreme dieting behaviours. The low carbohydrate diet is one of the latest eating plans to hit the streets. This current diet craze is very popular but there are safer and more effective methods based on scientific research, to reduce body fat levels.

Low carbohydrate dieting is simply wrong.

Why is this? Just as a car runs better on a certain fuel, so does the human body. Unfortunately the latest low-carbohydrate fad diets are not the fuel mix the human body was designed to run on.

Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, whereas fats contain 9 calories per gram. For weight loss, the priority is to decrease total calorie intake. Reducing the amount of fat in the diet will make the biggest difference in reducing total daily calorie intake and hence weight loss.

Carbohydrate intake is not fattening, excess calorie intake is fattening.

If you aren’t having enough carbohydrates in your diet you will experience:

Fatigue due to low blood sugar levels inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals Low fibre intake, which may affect bowel movements ‘Bad’ breath due to the breakdown products of fats (called ketones)

The bottom line for carbohydrates and weight loss is to:

Try to balance carbohydrate intake with activity levels Maintain energy levels by eating carbohydrate rich foods on a regular basis Carbohydrate rich foods are normally low in fat and nutrient-rich

A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, and low-level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels and a program that can be followed for life.

In conclusion try to achieve a balanced diet, eating a balanced variety of foods will help you to feel great every day, ensure better long-term health and improve weight control.

About the Author

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your ‘free’ weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

Written By: Gary Matthews

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How to Curb Those Carbohydrate Cravings!

September 16th, 2007

As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze me how people inadvertently set themselves up for a huge snack attack mid afternoon. For many, the set up is so complete that it is almost impossible to control! The result is that people think they are weak-willed and lacking in discipline. Often the answer has little to do with character or determination. More often the reason for the mid afternoon carbohydrate cravings is due to gaps in understanding how our body works and responds to diferent types of food. Read on to see what you can do to control those mid afternoon cravings.

Trigger foods

If you want to control those cravings there are a few principles you must be aware of. The first is concerning trigger foods. Nutritional research has documented, carbohydrates trigger the brain to crave more carbohydrates, leading to a cycle of carbohydrate eating that becomes hard to control. Trigger foods keep you fat. The goal is to have control over these foods rather than allowing them to have control over you.

What do trigger foods look like? Well, they vary from person to person, but typically look like soft drinks, potato chips, corn chips, peanuts, french fries, cheese, pizza, chocolate chip cookies, pretzel, apple pie, candy bar and so on. These are the foods that for many, “once we pop, we can’t stop!”.

Isn’t it amazing that all these types of foods are available from take-away places? They are so readily available and have crept into our daily routine without us even planning it to happen. We get hungry, we are busy, we are distracted, and one serve leads to another; and we don’t realise just how much we are eating as the triggering effect takes place in our brains. By eating a small portion of any of the above you can easily consume anywhere from 350 to 1000 calories. Two serves could be 700 to 2000 calories! Most women on a weight loss program are aiming for between 1200-1400 calories a day, so you can see that one snack can seriously sabotage your plans. Does this sound like you? I can hear the deep sighs of regret and frustration! Don’t worry, there are answers for you.

You can be empowered to take control when you know how to avoid the nutritional set up that will drive you towards trigger foods.

Here are a few simple principles that will deal a wounding blow to the late afternoon “snack monster”.

Five steps to avoid carbohydrate cravings:

1. Incorporate protein in to your breakfast AND lunch. Protein is key to controlling carbohydrate cravings. The RDA of protein for women is 60 grams a day. For women wanting to lose weight, health professionals recommend approximately 100 grams of protein daily. Why? One of the principle advantages of protein is that it creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the body that makes overeating much less likely. Source your protein from ultra lean sources so you don’t pick up unwanted calories and saturated fats.

Even better, than providing a sense of sustained fullness, protein can block the triggering effect that carbohydrates can have on the brain. If you eat protein with a carbohydrate it will reduce the cravings caused by eating the carbohydrate.

2. Never skip meals. Research has shown that people who skip meals are more prone to obesity than those who regularly eat 3 meals a day. In fact, people who space their daily food requirements by making appropriate use of healthy snacks do even better. Why is this? When you skip meals you are more likely to get hungry and fill up on easily obtained fast foods which are often trigger foods.

3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day. For some people sugar laden soft drinks are a trigger food. Make sure you don’t get thirsty in the first place. Water creates a sense of fullness and has a host of other health benefits.

4. Plan the timing of your meals so that you don’t get hungry. Despite having three healthy meals a day, sometimes your work schedule can mean the spacing of those meals still does not guard against the carbohydrate cravings. If you have a long gap between meals, make sure you carry healthy snacks to cover the distance, otherwise hunger will set in

5. Plan your snacks. Plan out your weekly snack schedule with some delicious, healthy snacks. Purchase these with your weekly shopping so that you are fully prepared. If you need to, get up a few minutes earlier in the morning so you have time to prepare and take your snacks to work. Remember, healthy snacks don’t live in a vending machine! You are less likely to get hungry when you have a ready supply of healthy snacks.

6. Carry emergency supplies of nutritional protein bars in your handbag or brief case. When you feel a carbohydrate craving, eat the protein bar instead and wait 30 minutes before acting on the craving. More often than not the craving will pass and you will be in control again. This truly works!

Incorporate these principles into your daily routine and you could be well underway to change your life and be able to take control over the mid afternoon ‘snack attacks’.

Kim Beardsmore, B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is a wellness consultant. To see what you can do to take control of your weight or to maximize your best personal shape, visit her website at: http://leanmachine.org/?refid=140604-23516

kim@kigamarketing.com

Written By: Kim Beardsmore

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Best Tasting Pantry Staples for the Low Carb Kitchen

September 12th, 2007

As the urge to overindulge is replaced by the need to shed winter weight gain, more and more dieters are turning to a low-carbohydrate eating regimen. The increasingly popular low carbohydrate plans such as Atkins and South Beach diets are based on the premise that carbohydrates cause weight gain and focus food intake on protein.

As attractive as it may sound to eat steak, cheese, eggs and other calorie-rich proteins, many dieters find it challenging to bring tasty variety to their low carbohydrate menus and still stick to the guidelines for these diets.

Trying new foods and different food combinations are a good way to keep your taste buds satisfied, says Chef Patrick Finney, national culinary director of American Culinary Institute (ACI). He also notes that since dieters are limited in what they can eat, its important to focus on the taste and flavor of foods, instead of quantity.

The chefs from American Culinary Institute makes it easy to identify the best tasting choice in just about every food category, from everyday favorites, to gourmet and organic products. For over 15 years, the San Francisco-based organization of independent, professional chefs has provided shoppers with a fast, effective way to select the best tasting foods and culinary products by awarding its Best Taste Award medallion to the overall winner in each product category based on taste.

A recent study done by PARADE magazine confirms that flavor is still the number one criterion for Americans food choices. In addition, across the board in their own restaurants, the independent judging chefs of ACI see their customers modifying their eating habits to include low-carb plans, but note people will not sacrifice on taste with their new menu choices. Chef Finneys advice is to purchase the best tasting products you can buy.

Products bearing the prestigious ACI Best Taste Award have been judged superior in taste in the Institutes rigorous, unbiased five-step judging process. Look for the ACI Best Taste Award on food products at your local supermarket. Its the fast and reliable way to buy the best tasting food and culinary products for your family and friends.

Here are some menu suggestions from Chef Finney for those eating a low-carb diet, and a list of some of the best tasting low-carbohydrate food brands that earned ACIs Best Taste Awards in their respective categories.

Breakfast:

* Eggs are a good start to a low-carb day. Egglands Best took ACIs top spot for the fresh eggs category. Prepare them scrambled, fried, poached, hard-boiled or as an omelet. But dont stop with breakfast. Make egg salad for lunch, or whip up Asian egg drop soup for dinner.

* Bacon, which is banned on low-fat diets, is a nice treat for those following the Atkins plan. If youre in a hurry, Jimmy Dean gets the best taste rating for fully cooked, heat and serve bacon, while Maple Leaf bacon is the best tasting in its category for conventional bacon strips.

Lunch and dinner:

* For a quick, easy protein boost, add the best tasting canned/pouch tuna or salmon to your leafy green salads from Chicken of the Sea.

* Sprinkling a few nuts and seeds on your salad is another quick way to jazz them up. Using delicious Fisher Nuts finely chopped also add crunch, texture and protein to soups, and a surprising crunchy topping for steaks. A small handful of nuts make a great, quick snack.

* Fish and seafood are great lean protein sources. Fishery Products Internationals frozen shrimp under the Mirabel label make a great quick and tasty meal, or add them to stir fry, green salads and more.

* Cheese gives a flavor boost to any dish. Sprinkle hard cheeses like Romano cheese from Stella USA on salads, soups and side dishes for added flavor and texture.

* Cold cuts such as best taste winner William Fischer premium deli ham make a quick snack or lunch, and are a great addition to a green salad.

* Have convenient pre-packaged leafy green salads on hand at all times in your refrigerator for a handy meal or side dish from Ready-Pac. Top off salads with award winning dressings from Briannas salad dressings, such as their real French vinaigrette or zesty French dressing, both low in carbohydrates.

Sauces/Seasonings:

* When sticking to any meal plan, variety is the spice of life. Add a small spoonful of Crystal steak sauce to enhance the flavor of your steak or other meats. In addition, add a small splash to zip up sauces and dressings as well. Mrs. Dash grilling blends are a great way to boost the flavor of meat and chicken; try using it as a seasoning in place of salt.

Snack/Dessert:

* A little snack or a light dessert of fresh or frozen berries (of course with no sugar added), with a dollop of ACIs award winning Daisy Brand sour cream makes a delicious and satisfying treat.

For a complete list of the American Culinary Institutes Best Taste Award winners, visit www.chefsbest.org.

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Courtesy of ARA Content

Written By: ARA

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