It seems that the low carb diet craze is starting to die
down. The Atkins diet isn’t as popular
as it was in the 90’s. Unfortunately
some people still believe that a low-carb/high-protein diet is the only way to
lose weight. Carbohydrates are an
essential part of the diet. They are the
primary source of fuel for the body and brain.
But don’t forget that not all carbs are created equal. We should focus on choosing complex
carbohydrates and limit our intake of simple, refined carbs such as white
bread, rice, pasta, and sweet treats such as cookies. Research has shown that complex carbohydrates
offer a variety of health benefits such as lower cholesterol and improved
digestion. Complex carbohydrates also
provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals important for daily health.
Protein is a very important part of our diet. Our bodies need protein to build, repair and
maintain body cells and tissues (skin, muscles, organs, blood, and bones). Proteins form enzymes and hormones which
enable normal body functions such as acid-base balance. Protein
provides our bodies with energy and helps satisfy hunger by slowing down the
digestion of carbohydrates. Protein
supports more constant glucose and insulin levels. Research has shown that about 30 grams of
protein is the maximum amount that can be used by the body at one time. That is why it is very important to spread
your protein foods throughout the day and include protein with every meal and
snack. This will optimize the potential
for muscle growth and contribute to overall nutrient intake.
Now it’s
important to remember that we all need more than just protein in our
diets. Carbohydrates and fats are
crucial to diet as well. There really
aren’t any foods that are pure protein.
There are foods that are high in protein like milk, eggs, cheese, and
meat but these foods also contain some carbohydrates and fat. When people try the high protein diets they
are also consuming a high fat diet and this leads to high cholesterol levels
and later down the line can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as
stroke. Some people even try to eat a
high protein diet that is also low in fat but again our body needs the fat and
carbohydrates. Our body needs fat for
energy, healthy skin & nails, regulating body temperature, protection of
organs, precursors for cholesterol and sex hormone synthesis, components of
cell membranes, vehicles for carrying certain vitamins that are soluble in fats
only, and suppliers of the essential fatty acids required for growth and
health. You want to choose healthy fats
such as natural almonds and walnuts, avocados, and olive oil.
Carbohydrates
are important as well because they fuel our bodies. Carbohydrates are broken down as glucose in
the blood stream. The hormone insulin is
released from the pancreas to send the glucose to our body’s tissues to be used
as energy. This is what keeps our blood
sugars regulated. Protein may play a part
in this by improving insulin secretion, but it is the glucose “blood sugar”
that is being regulated by insulin. The
brain can’t survive without glucose. Our
body can store excess glucose as glycogen in our muscles but if we aren’t
eating enough carbohydrates that storage gets used up. Once the storage is used up our body steals
energy from our lean muscle mass because protein can’t be stored in the
body. So the long term high protein/low
carb diet is hurting our body because there is no more glucose to be used as
energy and there is no protein stored for energy so the protein you are
consuming is being used as energy but it isn’t being used to build
muscles. Also any excess protein is
either being excreted through the kidneys, which in excess can be very harmful
or the protein is being converted to fat which can cause you to gain
weight.
An average
diet should contain 45 -65 % carbohydrates, 10 – 35% protein and 20-35% fat
with less than 7% being saturated fat.
Eating a
balanced diet, watching portion sizes and engaging in physical activity on most
days is the best way to achieve weight loss or maintenance as well as live a
long and healthy life.
If you would
like to read more about protein, check out my article in Solano Fit Magazine
·
Greek yogurt topped with fruit, nuts,
and/or low-fat granola; or add spices to make a dip for raw vegetables
·
Hummus with whole wheat pita or raw
veggies such as broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, jicama, and sugar snap peas
·
Legumes such as garbanzo beans or
black beans to include in a salsa with tomatoes, corn, cilantro, and onions
then eaten with soy chips, whole wheat crackers or raw vegetables or add to a
high fiber wrap with avocado
·
Low fat cheese – light string cheese or
Laughing Cow cheese wedge with whole wheat crackers or fresh tomatoes and basil
·
Lean meats – roll up deli meat with
low fat cheese
·
Almonds or walnuts (one handful) with a piece of fruit
·
Low fat cottage cheese paired with
fruit
·
Natural peanut butter or almond
butter paired with fruit or add to a whole wheat sandwich thin, whole wheat
crackers or rice cakes
·
Natural fruit and nut bars (Lara bar,
Soy Joy, Kind)
·
Tuna (chunk light) or hard-boiled eggs with crackers, cheese and raw veggies
·
Low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt
smoothie blended with fruit or paired with whole grain cereal or graham
crackers
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