Dispelling The Top 10 Nutrition Myths
Don’t drink alcohol. Take vitamins. Avoid eating eggs. We’ve heard these pieces of nutritional advice for years - but are they accurate?Not necessarily, say two exercise physiologists presenting at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 11th-annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition in Dallas, Texas. Wendy Repovich, Ph.D., FACSM, and Janet Peterson, Dr.P.H., FACSM, set out to debunk the “Top 10 Nutrition Myths.”
It’s worth a quick read.
Some interesting graphs over at Disease Proof: Animal Fat and Cancer
In preparation for this post I decided to sift through DiseaseProof’s archives for posts discussing the link between animal products and cancer. And in the end, even I was surprised by the number of them….
Now this brings me to these graphs, which I’ve been sitting on for a while now, and honestly I don’t know why. Dr. Fuhrman sent them over months ago with this batch of graphs that illustrate the relationship between animal and plant foods and heart disease. So, without any further ado, check out Dr. Fuhrman’s graphs on animal fat and cancer:
Obviously there could be other factors at play that affect cancer. But these graphs (there are several showing the regression for animal fat against specific forms of the disease) are pretty compelling visuals.
ScienceDaily: Coffee: Aroma, Taste And Dietary Fiber
In the new study, researchers used a special technique for measuring dietary fiber in beverages to show that brewed coffee contains a significant amount of SDF — 02.5 percent to 20.0 percent by weight of powdered coffee bean. “The dietary fiber content in brewed coffee is higher than in other common beverages such as wine or orange juice,” the study states.The findings mean that consumption of 1 cup (about 200 milliliters) of coffee per day represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams of the recommended intake of 20-38 grams of this essential nutrient, the researchers noted.
Which suggests I’m getting about 15 more grams of fiber per day than I thought!
Miracle Muffins sent from the Heavens - The Diabetes Blog
Miracle is a strong word. However, when you see the impact these muffins have on blood sugar — you’ll agree it’s miraculous. Ramsey wanted to create a muffin that his diabetic mother could enjoy without the rise in her sugar. He concocted a recipe that contains generous amounts of fiber, healthy soy protein, low-glycemic sweeteners, and very low in fat. Another fact for good measure - the muffins fit comfortably into the diet programs of Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, LA Weight Loss, Nutra System and Zone.
The muffins look similar to megamuffins, but less nutritious. While megamuffins take longer to prepare (slightly) it is probably worth the effort. Still, these could be a handy backup for when one is either short on ingredients or time.
On the benefits and risks of a more natural diet:
BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | Going ape
What if humans cast aside processed foods and saturated fats in favour of the sort of diet our ape-like ancestors once ate? Nine volunteers gave it a go… and were glad they did so.
Here’s one volunteer’s results:
Over 12 days he lost 5.7kg (12.5lbs), and reduced his cholesterol by 20%. His blood pressure also fell.
And for the group:
Overall, the cholesterol levels dropped 23%, an amount usually achieved only through anti-cholesterol drugs statins.
The group’s average blood pressure fell from a level of 140/83 - almost hypertensive - to 122/76. Though it was not intended to be a weight loss diet, they dropped 4.4kg (9.7lbs), on average.
However, as the body adjusts to the new regimen and cleanses the system, be prepared for what the producer described as “a lot of farting going on.”
Grilled Chicken Salad: McDonald’s vs. Wendy’s » iFitandHealthy.com
I looked around, and there they were - McDonald’s and Wendy’s - just a block away from were I was standing. I have not had chicken in a while, so despite grilled chicken-cancer scare, I went to Wendy’s and ordered Mandarin Chicken Salad.Did I make a good choice? Who cares? The taste was pretty good. I satisfied my hunger and potentially prevented my metabolism from slowing down. When faced with hunger pains, my rule is simple – eat something!
Still, did I make a good choice? If I had gone to McDonald’s, I would have picked Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken - - let’s see how they compare.
The McDonald’s salad came out better by most measures, though the writer didn’t do a taste comparison.
We all know we should eat more fiber, but how much more? The roughage treatment - USATODAY.com has an answer.
You probably know your weight. You may be a calorie, fat or carbohydrate counter. But do you have any idea how many grams of fiber you eat each day?For most people, the answer is “not nearly enough” to reap all the benefits of the rough stuff, which include weight control, a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes and, of course, relief from constipation and other bowel ailments. Though fiber alone is no longer thought to prevent colon cancer, one new British study suggests it might lower breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. In any case, the American Cancer Society says high-fiber foods are full of crucial nutrients.
Yet studies show average adults consume about 15 grams of fiber a day, far short of the 21 to 38 grams that the Institute of Medicine recommends. Studies of children show similar shortfalls.
My megamuffin and bingeing brownie recipes each pack about 9 grams of fiber into 100-150 calories, which helps me get to 40+ grams per day.