Natural Diet

Food and Nutrition

What Is A Low Sugar Diet?

Sugary snacks and drinks are abundant on supermarket and retail shelves. While it is possible to enjoy these on occasion, regular consumption is an easy way to go over your required calorie intake, and too much sugar can lead to a variety of health problems. According to the studies, your sugar intake should not exceed 5 per cent of your total daily calories. This means that a typical adult's sugar intake should not exceed 30g per day. The most harmful type of sugar is free sugar, which is found in fizzy drinks, fruit juices, biscuits, cakes, and chocolate. There is also a 'no sugar diet,' which eliminates all sugar, including those found in otherwise healthy foods like fruit and dairy. This is not recommended because fruits are high in fibre and micronutrients. Myprotein India, a leading sports and nutrition brand, experts explain the benefits of a low sugar diet and how to reduce sugar intake to stay healthy. What are the Benefits of Reducing your Sugar Intake? Weight Loss Eating a large number of sugary foods may mean you gain weight. Sugar has a low effect on satiety meaning you will not feel full after eating sugary snacks. This means it's much more likely you will exceed your required daily calorie amount which may lead to weight gain in the long run. Switching your food choices for those with a higher protein and fibre content may result in weight loss. Tooth Care Large amounts of sugar can wreak havoc on your teeth. If you want to stay fit and healthy and avoid a toothless smile, its best to make sure you are not going overboard with your sugar intake. Specifically, free sugars are the ones that do the most damage and put your dentist in a bad mood. How to Follow a Low Sugar Diet There are a number of things you can do to reduce your daily sugar intake and many of them may result in improved dietary habits in general. Using the tips below will help to reduce your daily sugar intake and improve the quality of your diet. Take Notice of Food Labels It can often be surprising just how much sugar is in your preferred drinks and snacking options and sugar can often be in foods you wouldn't expect. Being attentive and making sure to read the food labels can be an informative process helping you make the right choices when it comes to meals, snacks, and drinks. Avoid Sugary Drinks Your favourite fizzy drinks may well be loaded with sugar well worth looking for the 'diet' counterparts. Not just the typical soda drink though, drinks often marketed as 'healthy' or 'low fat' may also contain a fair amount of sugar. Things like 'healthy' smoothies or fruit juices can also have a substantial amount of sugar and whilst trying to pick a healthy option you could inadvertently add unnecessary sugar to your diet. Go Easy on Condiments Ketchup and brown sauce contain a substantial amount of sugar. Making sure you don't go overboard with the ketchup serving size and reducing the number of meals that you add sauce to can help reduce your overall sugar intake. Plan Your Meals Ahead Planning your meals in advance has many benefits. As well as allowing you to monitor your calories, planning your meals can be cost-effective and kind to your wallet. Importantly for sugar intake, planning ahead can also help to avoid the last-minute unhealthy processed choice on the shelf. Although they can be convenient when time is limited, these processed foods often have a high sugar content, which is why it's recommended to cook your own with fresh and wholegrain ingredients. Planning ahead also allows you time to check your labels for sugar content and fit in sweet treats here and there. Don't Shop When Hungry or Tired Traipsing the shops after a long day at work when you're tired and hungry can make the sugary snacks hard to resist. Especially those placed next to the checkout. Shopping after a healthy meal (containing fibre and protein) can help you fight off the temptation of fighting the food choices that can have a negative impact in the long run. Once it's bought and in your cupboards, at home, it's much harder to resist the sugary snacks whilst watching your favourite box set. To conclude, reducing the sugar intake in your diet can lead to improved body composition and reduce the likelihood of tooth decay and long-term diseases. Following the tips above can help reduce your intake in a sustainable way, while still enjoying tasty food. (N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe) Read More► Simple Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Fat Loss Journey
Food and Nutrition

Mediterranean Diet May Help Improve Symptoms of Depression in Young Men

Sydney: Young men with a poor diet saw a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression when they switched to a healthy Mediterranean diet, a new study has shown. Mediterranean diet, which consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, and grains, caused significant impact on young men's mental health. According to researchers from the University of Technology Sydney, the study is the first randomised clinical trial to assess the impact of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young men aged 18-25. The team conducted a 12-week randomised control trial, where the men were asked to switch to foods rich in colourful vegetables, legumes and wholegrains, oily fish, olive oil and raw, unsalted nuts from their regular as well as fast foods. The findings, published in the peer-reviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggested that doctors should recommend patients to a nutritionist or dietician as part of their treatment plan, the researchers said. "The primary focus was on increasing diet quality with fresh wholefoods while reducing the intake of 'fast' foods, sugar and processed red meat," said researcher Jessica Bayes, a candidate in the UTS Faculty of Health. "There are lots of reasons why scientifically we think food affects mood. For example, around 90 per cent of serotonin, a chemical that helps us feel happy, is made in our gut by our gut microbes. "There is emerging evidence that these microbes can communicate to the brain via the vagus nerve, in what is called the gut-brain axis," Bayes said. "The results showed that nearly all our participants stayed with the programme, and many were keen to continue the diet once the study ended, which shows how effective, tolerable and worthwhile they found the intervention," the researchers said. The study "suggests that medical doctors and psychologists should consider referring depressed young men to a nutritionist or dietitian as an important component of treating clinical depression", she said. (Agency) Read More► New Gene-Edited Tomatoes Could Boost Your Vitamin D Levels
Food and Nutrition

High-Fibre Rich Diet Can Help

Healthy adults who eat a diverse diet, with at least 8-10 grams of soluble fibre such as grains, beans, lentils, nuts and some fruits and vegetables daily, have fewer antibiotic-resistant microbes in their guts, according to a study. Microbes that have resistance to various commonly-used antibiotics such as tetracycline and aminoglycoside are a significant source of risk for people worldwide, with the widely held expectation that the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) - the term that refers to bacteria, viruses, and fungi that are resistant to antibiotics - is likely to worsen throughout the coming decades. Antimicrobial resistance in people is largely based in their gut microbiome, where the microbes are known to carry genetically encoded strategies to survive contact with antibiotics. "And the results lead directly to the idea that modifying the diet has the potential to be a new weapon in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. And we're not talking about eating some exotic diet either, but a diverse diet, adequate in fibre," said research molecular biologist Danielle Lemay at the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service. In the study, published in the journal mBio, the researchers found that regularly eating a diet with higher levels of fibre and lower levels of protein, especially from beef and pork, was significantly correlated with lower levels of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) among their gut microbes. Those with the lowest levels of ARG in their gut microbiomes also had a greater abundance of strict anaerobic microbes, which are bacteria that do not thrive when oxygen is present and are a hallmark of a healthy gut with low inflammation. Bacterial species in the family Clostridiaceae were the most numerous anaerobes found. But the amount of animal protein in the diet was not a top predictor of high levels of ARG. The strongest evidence was for the association of higher amounts of soluble fibre in the diet with lower levels of ARGs. "Surprisingly, the most important predictor of low levels of ARG, even more than fibre, was the diversity of the diet. This suggests that we may want to eat from diverse sources of foods that tend to be higher in soluble fibre for maximum benefit," Lemay added. On the other hand, those people who had the highest levels of ARG in their gut microbiomes were found to have significantly less diverse gut microbiomes compared to groups with low and medium levels of ARG. "Our diets provide food for gut microbes. This all suggests that what we eat might be a solution to reduce antimicrobial resistance by modifying the gut microbiome," Lemay said. (agency) Read More► 5 Healthy Breakfast Products to Start on A Happy Note
Health News

Intake of Diversified Nutrients in Balanced Diet Vital for Healthy Life

As part of its 'Illness to Wellness' campaign, ASSOCHAM had recently released India's largest primary healthcare survey report on the rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country. The report titled "Non-Communicable Diseases in India" covered 2,33,672 people and 673 public health offices across 21 states. It concluded that imbalanced diet is amongst the top three causes for the high rate of NCDs in India. The study found that people were increasingly consuming diets low in legumes, milk, omega-3 fatty acids, vegetables, fruits, calcium etc, and were opting for foods rich in sugar and trans-fats. The most common NCDs due to consumption of unhealthy diet included hypertension, digestive diseases, and diabetes. The prevalence of NCDs in India was found to be 116 per 1000 population. ASSOCHAM has organized an Illness to Wellness webinar on 'Healthy Diet for Healthy Tomorrow' With the paramount objectives to cascade awareness and disseminate wisdom about healthy diets which can reduce risk factors and lead us to a healthier, happier, and prosperous life. "In today's times, optimum nutrition is truly medicinal," said Dr Zubeda Tumbi (PhD Nutrition), Founder, HealthWatch Nutrition, Senior Clinical Nutritionist, Expertise in Weight Management & Metabolic Diseases, Certified Diabetes Educator, IBS FOD map certified in her special address. She went on to say that switching to functional foods for therapy to protect, reverse, or remove an ongoing condition can assist relieve mental, economic, and financial stress. Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council shared that issues related to our diet, weight and physical activity are the biggest public health challenges we are facing in current times. Even though our policy makers are taking significant steps to inculcate a healthy food culture through interventions such as 'The Eat Right Movement', 'Task Force on Balanced and Healthy Diets', 'Poshan Abhiyan' among other, sustained action from all stakeholders will be critical to identify strategies for promotion of wholesome and healthful diet across all sections of the society. Rajesh Kesari, Founder and Director, Total Care Control, Delhi-NCR moderated the session. A balanced diet is a means to keep yourself fit and active, according to Dr Shabana Parveen, Group Team Leader, Clinical Nutritionist Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics Department Artemis Hospitals, Gurugram. Healthy diet enhances the body performance, strengthens your immune system, and protects you from diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and others. Eat a variety of meals, such as whole grain cereals, ragi, bajra, jwar, entire legumes, beans, whole pulses, healthy fats, fruits, and vegetables, to get a wide range of nutrients. It's vital to eat a varied diet rather than relying on a single nutrient, she added. She went on to say that all nutrients are necessary for performing bodily functions effectively. She advised to stay hydrated and active at all times. Vinita Aran, Senior Nutritionist, Wellness Coach at Apollo Clinic, Andheri (E) Founder of Diet Clinic 'Eat your way to good health' shared her insights saying that people are forgetting about traditional and seasonal foods available in India which are a great source of nutrients. She said to include foods that are whole and nutrient dense in our diet for extra benefits. (agency) Read More► Why Women Are More Likely to Die After Heart Attack Than Men
CoronaVirus Updates

Natural Covid Antibodies Last 7 Months in Children: Study

New York: Children previously infected with Covid-19 develop natural circulating antibodies that last for at least seven months, finds a new study. The study showed that while 96 per cent of those infected with Covid-19 continued to have antibodies up to seven months later, well over half (58 per cent) of the samples were negative for infection-induced antibodies at their third and final measurement. "These findings are important because the information we collected from children infected with Covid-19 didn't differ at all by whether a child was asymptomatic, the severity of symptoms, when they had the virus, were at a healthy weight or had obesity, or by gender. It was the same for everyone," said researcher Sarah Messiah from The University of Texas Health at Houston. For the study, published in the journal 'Pediatrics', the team examined data from 218 children across the state of Texas between the age of 5 and 19 who were enrolled in the Texas CARES survey that began in October 2020 to assess Covid-19 antibody status over time among a population of adults and children in Texas. The volunteers who enrolled for the study provided researchers with three separate blood draws. Samples were collected before the vaccine rollout and during the Delta and Omicron variants. To date, investigators have completed three different phases of the study. The researcher said that the results are just a step in understanding the virus' impact on children. To date, 14 million kids in the US have tested positive for the virus, she said. (agency) Read More► Severe Covid May Affect Pregnancy Outcomes
Food and Nutrition

Diets That Don't Work for

Whether we want to accept it or not, biologically men and women are very different. One of the important differences is in the way men and women use and store fat. Men on average have about 3 per cent essential fat as part of their composition - women have 12 per cent. Essential fat is a percentage of total body fat mass that is necessary for insulation, protection of our vital organs, vitamin storage and building key cell messengers like steroids that are necessary for effective cell communication. Without this fat, the body does not function properly and our immune and neurological systems get affected. Women have four times as much essential fat. Stored fat in women is actually beneficial to overall health. A baseline of 12 per cent of essential fat protects women from type two diabetes and even heart disease. This is important to understand because: It helps with expectations and goal setting when you choose weight loss programmes: Striving for 20 per cent body fat is unhealthy There are three popular diets in the world: Keto Diet, Intermittent Fasting, and GM Diet. Unfortunately, these diets are not helpful especially for women who are thinking of significant weight loss (more than 15-20 kgs) and maintaining it permanently. Let's look at these diet plans in detail: Keto Diet The ketogenic diet is a low carb, high-fat diet. Restricting carbs and increasing fat intake can lead to ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body relies primarily on fat for energy instead of carbs. "Women's bodies always resist losing fat as it is essential for pregnancy and lactation, and it's essential." Carb intake in the keto diet is typically limited to fewer than 50 grams per day, which can cause shock to women's bodies. When the carb quotient depletes, it switches to ketones and fat for fuel at the start of this eating pattern, women's brain and metabolism starts resisting fat loss. It results in a complete imbalance leading to hormonal and metabolic changes. Also, Keto-type diets usually work only for a short term and can have side effects such as headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and constipation. Further, most of the initial weight loss is water weight. Once the body enters ketosis, we begin to lose muscle, become extremely fatigued, and eventually enter starvation mode which actually makes it even harder to lose weight. A keto diet does more harm than good to the majority of women especially if they have any underlying medical conditions like PCOS, Irregular menses or Infertility. Intermittent Fasting Fasting is a practice that involves completely abstaining from eating or avoiding certain foods for a fixed period. In recent years, intermittent fasting has become increasingly popular with people looking to lose weight. During studies, it was found that although intermittent fasting produced favourable results in people who were overweight or obese, women who tried it, had the following negative effects: Severe mood swings Extreme hunger Low energy/fatigue Obsessive thoughts about food Overeating on days without restricted calories Depression Anger Most women exhibit such behaviours in the first few weeks of intermittent fasting. It is also observed that by restricting calorie intake in this manner, it may interfere with their menstrual cycles. GM Diet The GM diet aims to help people lose weight by focusing on a specific food or food group each day for a week. The GM diet consists of a 7-day meal plan. Each day focuses on a specific food or food group. Although the idea of substantial weight loss within a short period may seem attractive, the GM diet does come with risks which are: Lacks Vital Nutrients Women following the GM diet may not get enough of certain important food groups, such as healthy fats and protein. This diet may also lack essential vitamins and minerals that come with eating a wide variety of healthful foods. Short-term Weight Loss The GM diet is not a sustainable long-term weight-loss strategy. A woman may regain weight once they stop following the diet. One reason for this is that the diet does not necessarily teach techniques for healthy cooking or eating which is essential for long-term weight maintenance. Other risks which are very common and can be aggravated in women in a few weeks include dehydration, headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness and inability to concentrate, In a nutshell, balanced calorie intake - macronutrients like carbs, proteins, fats, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals which are essential for pregnancy, lactation and overall health of the women. Hence, eating a balanced meal during weight loss is advised. (Dr. Kiran Rukadikar, a renowned Obesity Physician and Weight Loss Specialist) Read More► Is Ghee in your Diet Good for your Health?