Archive for Low Carb Diet
Refined carbs and vision loss
Posted by: | CommentsThere is now some evidence regarding the relationship between a high glycemic index diet (specifically of a high refined carb diet vs a whole grain based diet) and “age-related macular degeneration” (AMD) and associated vision loss.
Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly the carbohydrates in foods are converted to sugar, or glucose. White rice, pasta and white bread are examples of foods with a high-glycemic-index, which are associated with a faster rise and subsequent drop in sugar.
AMD is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. It results from the breakdown of light-sensitive cells in the central region of the eye’s retina (macula). While there is no definitive therapy for AMD, a proper diet can be used to delay the retina’s degradation. Improper diet as a key risk factor is critical information for an aging population, i.e., the boomer generation.
One more reason to get on the path of correct nutrition.
First steps: avoid and minimize refined carbohydrates, and replacing them with their lower glycemic index versions, i.e, whole grains. More importantly, tweak your diet so that you eat a variety of fresh and cooked leafy greens and other vegetables.
Weight loss diets and macronutrient composition
Posted by: | CommentsFrom Medscape:
The quick summary: “Dieters ate different amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrate — but, after 2 years, most were still obese.”
Here’s some more detail: “While weight-loss diets claim unique nutrient compositions that guarantee unusually rapid and effortless success, comparative studies — usually with small populations and short follow-ups — have yielded widely disparate results. Now, a large long-term multisite study suggests that all these diets result in similar outcomes.
Researchers randomized 811 overweight adults (81% white; 62% female; 69% college graduates; mean body-mass index, 33 kg/m2) to four restricted-calorie eating plans:
* High fat, high protein
* High fat, average protein
* Low fat, high protein
* Low fat, average protein
Carbohydrate intake ranged from 35% (in the first plan) to 65% (in the fourth) of total calories. All meals were prepared at home, and participants ate from a single menu with each dish’s components adjusted to reflect each diet’s emphasis; all participants were offered weight-loss counseling.
Changes in weight and waist circumference at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were indistinguishable among groups: At 2 years, only about 15% of each group had lost at least 10% of body weight. Attendance at group counseling sessions strongly predicted successful weight loss. At 2 years, hunger and diet-satisfaction scores were all similar. Food diaries and urinary nitrogen analyses indicated that the actual nutrients consumed might have been more similar among groups than had been planned.”
I think that this situation is to be expected. Deprivation, as a general rule, is extremely hard to maintain over the long haul. It’s better to gradually change by learning how to eat plant-based, whole foods. Bottom line: its not the macro-nutrient balance that counts. It’s the micro-nutrients (and of course physical activity) that ultimately determine health and fitness.
Low glycemic high-protein pancakes
Posted by: | CommentsI’m exploring chickpea-flour (chana dal) pancake recipes. Chana dal is a legume that is one of the lowest glycemic index foods, and an excellent source of low fat, high quality protein. People with gluten sensitivity and/or blood sugar issues can safely eat chana dal pancakes instead of wheat flour recipes.
Here’s one recipe, from Madhur Jaffrey’s World of the East Vegetarian Cooking:
1 cup chickpea flour, firmly packed (available from Indian groceries as “Chana Flour”)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 ground turmeric
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or pam spray) to coat the skillet.
Sift flour into a bowl. Slowly add 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Stir well with a wooden spoon, breaking the lumps. Add another 1/2 cup water, salt, turmeric, and cayenne. Stir to mix.
Pour and spread the batter thinly on a hot skillet. Cover hot skillet and let pancake cook for 7-8 minutes.
Serve with chutney or dipping sauce of your choice.
Low carb approach to weight loss
Posted by: | CommentsPart of the effectiveness of the low-carb approach is that most people automatically reduce overall caloric intake (by being satisfied with the high fat content of the meal). In addition, most people eat lots of refined carbohydrates to begin with (which of course wreaks havoc on a person’s sugar levels) — so switching to a diet high in meat products does have temporary “beneficial” effects, specially if the person is diabetic.
Perhaps it’s possible to phase in a more sensible diet (plant-based natural foods) after the desired initial weight loss is achieved from the low-carb approach? Most health experts would agree that the long-term health (and longevity) effects of low carb approaches to weight management is still undetermined.
