What is the Glycemic Index?

An increasing amount evidence indicates that distinguishing which carbohydrates are good for you is more complicated than this simple dichotomy suggests. What is also important when differentiating between various types of carbohydrates is how rapidly a particular carbohydrate will get metabolized into sugar and impact blood sugar (glucose) levels. Sugars are the body's source of energy for most activities.
The blood sugar (glucose) that is delivered to the cells throughout our bodies via our bloodstream is partly derived from the carbohydrates in the foods that we eat. A food with a low glycemic index (GI) typically raises blood sugar levels only moderately, while a food with a high GI may cause blood sugar levels to increase more than desired. When we look at the GI figures associated with various carbohydrates, we find that some of the foods traditionally classified as complex carbohydrates - such as peeled, boiled potatoes - can increase our blood sugar levels more rapidly than some of the simple carbohydrates like table sugar! Because GI values can help us predict the functional effects in our bodies of the carbohydrates we eat, the GI has become an important tool for helping us select the right foods to help stabilize our blood sugar levels.

What Is Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical scale used to indicate how fast and how high a particular food can raise our blood glucose (blood sugar) level. A food with a low GI will typically prompt a moderate rise in blood glucose, while a food with a high GI may cause our blood glucose level to increase above the optimal level.
An awareness of foods' Glycemic Index can help you control your blood sugar levels, and by doing so, may help you prevent heart disease, improve cholesterol levels, prevent insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes, prevent certain cancers, and achieve or maintain a healthy weight. A substantial amount of research suggests a low GI diet provides these significant health benefits. So, it's worth taking a look at the basic principles of a low GI way of eating.

High Carbohydrate Foods Can Raise Blood Glucose Levels

High carbohydrate foods, even wholesome foods that are high in carbohydrates such as satisfying whole grain breads, delicious fruits, starchy vegetables, and legumes, can have an affect on blood glucose.
Carbohydrate-rich foods include:

• Starches, which are found in foods such as
  • Grains (foods made from wheat, barley, rice, etc.)
  • Legumes, (split peas, lentils and dry beans such as pinto, kidney, black, etc.)
  • Starchy vegetables (potatoes, winter squash, yams, etc.)
• Sugars, such as those naturally found in fruits and dairy products as well as packaged sweeteners, and sugars added in processing.
• Fiber-the indigestible portion of carbohydrates. However, even though fiber is considered a carbohydrate, since it is not digested (except sometimes very late in the digestive process by bacteria in the large intestine), does not directly raise blood glucose levels.

After we eat carbohydrate-rich foods, our digestive process usually breaks them down, and eventually turns them into glucose, which can then enter our bloodstream. (Since most proteins and fats from food are not turned into glucose by this same process, they typically have much less of an immediate effect on our blood sugar).
The presence of glucose in the bloodstream usually triggers the production of insulin, a hormone that helps glucose get into cells where it can be used for energy. Once our immediate energy needs have been met, extra glucose still remaining in the bloodstream can be stored in our muscles and liver for later use. If our muscle and liver stores of glucose are full, but we still have extra glucose floating around in our blood, then insulin can help our body store this excess sugar as fat.

Too Much Insulin Can Cause Problems

Since insulin helps glucose get into cells where energy is made, insulin is vital to fueling the body. However, too much insulin secretion over long periods of time can cause problems. Research shows that prolonged exposure to elevated levels of insulin can cause:

• high triglycerides
• high "bad" LDL cholesterol
• low "good" HDL cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• insulin resistance
• increased appetite
• obesity
• risk of developing or exacerbating type 2 diabetes

When a certain combination of these disease-promoting factors is present all at once, the constellation of symptoms is called Metabolic Syndrome. The presence of these symptoms also raises a person's risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and prostrate or breast cancer. In studies reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2002, diets high in carbohydrates that had a high GI were linked to a greater risk of coronary heart disease. Several prospective observational studies have shown that the continual eating of foods with a high GI is linked to an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. In a recent study that evaluated more than 65,000 American women, a high dietary GI was positively associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.

An article appearing in the October 2003 issue of Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition by Drs. Stacey Bell and Barry Sears explains in detail what happens metabolically when a high glycemic load meal or snack is eaten. (The glycemic load represents the food's glycemic index multiplied by the quantity of the food consumed by weight.)In their study of healthy volunteers, Bell and Sears found that two hours after eating a high glycemic load meal, blood sugar levels were twice as high as the levels that resulted from consumption of a low glycemic load meal. These high blood sugar levels triggered the synthesis and release of insulin, our key hormone for getting sugar back out of the bloodstream and into the cells.
While a single, high-GI meal might not cause significant health problems for our body, frequent consumption of high glycemic load meals can result in perpetually high insulin levels. When insulin levels stay high, our endocrine system can start out on a rollercoaster ride in which the body tries to adjust to its perpetually high insulin level with changes in other hormone levels that can leave us both tired, hungry, and on a course toward increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
By contrast, many or all of these unfavorable hormonal shifts become less likely when a meal with low glycemic load is eaten. Since low glycemic meals take longer to digest and absorb, and nutrients are released gradually, blood sugar levels tend to remain more stable and insulin levels tend to rise in a non-risky fashion. As an added benefit, a low glycemic way of eating is associated with lower levels of LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Bell and Sears suggest that an optimal glycemic load diet would keep the glycemic load under 50 and be made up of 40% low glycemic index/glycemic load carbohydrates, 30% low-fat protein, and 30% fat.(December 3, 2003)

A Low Glycemic Healthy Way of Eating Can Help Protect Against Disease

A healthy eating plan that enables you to maintain a low to moderate Glycemic Index has great potential importance in treating and preventing chronic disease. In studies in which persons with type 2 diabetes were given a low GI diet, their risk predictors of heart disease such as total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol fell. In other short-term human studies, individuals with a high intake of high GI carbohydrates had more insulin resistance than those who ate diets based upon low GI carbohydrates.
Persons with diabetes, in particular, can reap significant benefits from a low to moderate GI way of eating. In persons with diabetes, an uncontrolled glucose level-which means blood glucose levels are often too high-can lead to severe health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and limb amputations. Fortunately, an individual with diabetes who controls his or her blood glucose levels most of the time has little risk of these complications.
People without diabetes will also find it helpful to choose a low to moderate GI way of eating since it can help them to:

• more carefully regulate their blood glucose and avoid developing the health risk factors noted above
• reverse Syndrome X conditions
• maintain a healthy energy level and avoid feelings of low energy and fatigue

Have you ever noticed that you feel lethargic after eating foods that stimulate a large insulin response, such as donuts or candy? This often happens because too much insulin is produced in response to such foods, and this excess insulin causes blood sugar levels to drop below normal, resulting in low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and fatigue.
When this happens, people who are unaware that the high sugar food they just ate is the reason for their sudden drop in energy reach for another sweet or high carbohydrate food, which starts the cycle all over again. When our blood sugar is bouncing from too high to too low repeatedly throughout the day, we certainly don't feel our best. On the other hand, when our food choices help us maintain consistent normal blood sugar levels, we feel great and have the energy we need to enjoy long, active days.

Eating the Low Glycemic Way

A helpful way of looking at high and low GI carbohydrates is explained by Robert Crahyon, M.S., promoter of the "Paleolithic Diet." Crahyon divides carbohydrates into two groups:

• Paleocarbs. The carbohydrates that sustained early mankind, the hunter-gatherers: vegetables, fruits and possibly tubers. All these carbohydrates are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals-plus, most have a low GI.
• Neocarbs. Carbohydrates that developed as a result of agriculture: grains, legumes and flour products, then eventually, processed grain products such as those made with white flour and sugar, which have a high GI.

The majority of the World's Healthiest Foods are paleocarbs. Most of these foods have a low GI and will nourish, satisfy and energize you, while helping keep your blood sugar levels on an even keel.
The wholesome members of the World's Healthiest Foods that do have a higher GI can also be enjoyed in moderation, eaten along with low GI foods to balance their potential effect on your blood sugar levels.
For example, for breakfast, you might want to have oatmeal. Choose thick, dehulled oat flakes to make your oatmeal (these have a lower GI than rolled oats or one-minute oats), then eat grapefruit (one of the lower GI fruits) with your oatmeal rather than a banana (a fruit with a higher GI), and toss a few nuts or seeds over the oatmeal (nuts and seeds tend to have extremely low GIs). Finally, sprinkle a little cinnamon over your oatmeal. Recent studies have found that compounds in cinnamon can stimulate our cells' insulin receptors, increasing the cells' ability to absorb and use glucose. In this way, you can reduce the GI of your oatmeal and enjoy a nourishing breakfast that will provide you with plenty of energy all morning.

Healthy Eating for Later Life

Aging is associated with a variety of physiologic changes that affect nutritional status. In addition, changes in social, economic, and medical conditions often impact the amount and quality of food that elderly people have available to them.
As a result, elderly people are at increased risk for nutrient deficiencies, and should ensure adequate intake of calcium, vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.

Fortunately, all these nutrients-and many more-are well supplied by Mediterranean-style diet, which is likely why two studies published April 2005: the EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study of initially healthy subjects published in the British Medical Journal, and a study of patients with coronary heart disease published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, show that eating a Mediterranean-style diet extends life expectancy.
Characterized by a high intake of plant foods (legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains) a moderate to high fish intake, a low intake of saturated fat and high intake of unsaturated fats (particularly olive oil), a low to moderate intake of dairy products (cheese and yogurt), a low intake of meat, and a modest intake alcohol (mostly wine), a Mediterranean diet increases survival among older people, whether healthy or living with heart disease.
Led by Dr Antonia Trichopoulou from the University of Athens Medical School in Greece, the EPIC study followed more than 74,000 healthy men and women (without heart disease, stoke or cancer when the study began) aged 60 years or more in 9 European countries. Information on diet, lifestyle, medical history, smoking, physical activity levels and other variables that could potentially affect results was analyzed. Participants were recruited from 1992 to 2000 with follow until 2003 when they were classified as alive, dead, emigrated, refused to participate further and unknown.
The extent to which participants followed a modified Mediterranean diet (modified to include other unsaturated fats since non-Mediterranean populations consume less olive oil) was scored on a 10-point scale. A higher Mediterranean diet score was linked to a significant reduction in mortality: a two point increase corresponded with an 8% reduction in mortality, while a three or four point increase reduced total mortality by 11% and 14% respectively.
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet, according to the EPIC study, translates into an extra year of life for a healthy 60-year-old man compared to one who did not follow a Mediterranean diet. The EPIC International Study is the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer and is the largest study of diet and health ever undertaken. If you'd like to learn more about the study, including links to individual country contributions, click Epic International Study.
The second study, also led by Dr. Trichopoulou, focused on Greek men and women with coronary heart disease. Again using a 10-point scale to assess adherence to a Mediterranean diet, researchers found that a two point increase in an individual's score was associated with a 27% lower mortality rate among persons with coronary heart disease. When only death from cardiovascular disease was considered, the reduction in mortality was even higher-31%. A more recent 2008 study has confirmed the benefits of a Mediterranean approach to eating in individuals older than 65 years of age. In this study conducted by investigators at the Cardiovascular Risk and Nutrition Research Group in Barcelona, Spain on 2,244 adults with an average age of 71 years, A focus on fruits, vegetables, legumes, low-fat dairy products, low intake of red meat, low intake of refined grains, and avoidance of fried foods was found to be most closely associated with the ability to meet a wide variety of nutrient needs in this age group. By focusing on the foods above, men and women in this age group were able to increase their chances of meeting dietary recommendations for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, total fiber, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B-6, folate, calcium, and magnesium.

Nutrient Needs

The recommendations for calorie, protein, fat, and fiber intake for the elderly do not differ significantly from the recommendations for younger adults. Although it is true that calorie requirements decrease slightly with age due to loss of muscle tissue and reduced physical activity, many elderly people struggle to take in enough calories to meet their nutritional needs.

Protein requirements are typically calculated based on body weight. For most people, protein intake of .8 - 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight (or approximately 70 grams of protein per day for a 150 pound person) is sufficient to maintain lean body mass and support the functions of the immune system.
Like all Americans, the elderly are encouraged to limit dietary fat intake to no more than 30% of total calories, to avoid saturated fats and hydrogenated fats, and to include good sources of omega-3 fats (flaxseeds, tuna fish, and salmon) in their diet.
Elderly individuals should consume a minimum of 25 grams of dietary fiber per day. If constipation is a problem, fiber intake should be increased by consuming more fiber-rich whole grains and vegetables.
Osteoporosis, or porous bones, causes more than 1.5 million bone fractures each year. For an elderly individual, a bone fracture often results in hospitalization and nursing-home care. It is important, therefore, for elderly people to consume nutrients important for bone health, including calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K. Calcium is important for maintaining the strength and density of bones. Inadequate intake of calcium in elderly individuals may lead to more rapid breakdown of bone, resulting in osteoporosis. Many elderly individuals may not absorb calcium because they lack stomach acid, which is necessary for calcium absorption.
The Adequate Intake level of calcium for men and women above the age of 70 is 1200 mg. Postmenopausal women who do not take hormone replacement therapy require additional calcium, and should strive to take in at least 1500 mg of calcium per day. Excellent food sources of calcium include turnip greens, mustard greens, and tofu. Vitamin D plays an important role in the absorption and utilization of calcium. As a result, vitamin D deficiency negatively impacts calcium status and bone health. The elderly may be at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency due to inadequate sun exposure and the decreased capacity of the kidneys to convert this vitamin to its active form. Milk, eggs, halibut, snapper, and shrimp are sources of vitamin D.
Vitamin K levels appear to decrease with age and because vitamin K is important for maintaining the strength of bones, the elderly should include foods containing vitamin K in their diet. Excellent food sources of this vitamin include spinach, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, chard, carrots, asparagus, and snow peas.
To help prevent heart disease, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and cancer, elderly people may need additional antioxidant nutrients, including vitamin E, vitamin C and the carotenoids, to protect their cells from free radical damage. Food sources of these nutrients include dark green leafy vegetables and a variety of fruits.
The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus increases with age. Although many dietary and lifestyle factors contribute to the development of diabetes, some scientists believe that a natural consequence of aging, regardless of diet and lifestyle, is a decreased ability of the body to metabolize blood sugar (called glucose) efficiently.
As a result, elderly individuals may need additional chromium in their diet. Chromium facilitates the movement of glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, thereby lowering blood sugar levels. Food sources of chromium include brewer's yeast, oysters, liver, onions, whole grains, bran cereals, tomatoes, and potatoes
High dietary intake of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 is known to lower blood levels of homocysteine, a by-product of metabolism that can cause damage to artery walls, setting the stage for the development of atherosclerosis. A high blood homocysteine level (called hyperhomocysteinemia) is associated not only with with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but Alzheimer's disease; low intake of folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are key risk factors for hyperhomocysteinemia.

Research featured in the first issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, found that adults over age 60 who consume at least 400 μ/day of folate could be as much as 55% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.
Recent animal studies have suggested that low folic acid and high homocysteine levels make brain cells more vulnerable to damage from beta amyloid. Plus, homocysteine is now thought to be directly toxic to brain cells.
Along with vitamins B12 and B6, folate (the form in which folic acid is active in the body), is needed to convert homocysteine into methionine in an important cellular process called the methylation cycle. When folate supplies are inadequate, homocysteine levels build up.)
Researchers at the University of California examined data on 579 adults over age 60 who participated in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants joined between 1984 - 1991, provided detailed 7-day diet diaries, and were followed for an average of 9 years, during which time, 57 developed Alzheimer's disease.
Results showed that participants who consumed at least 400 micrograms of folate reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 55%.
Participants' intakes of vitamins E, C, B6 and B12, and carotenoids were also assessed, but no significant association was found for these nutrients and reduction in Alzheimer's disease risk.
Study authors think that folate may reduce Alzheimer's disease risk by lowering levels of homocysteine. But, they also note that people who have a high intake of a nutrient like folate, which is found in a variety of whole foods, are more likely to be eating well, and thus have high intakes of other nutrients and a healthier lifestyle in general.
Furthermore, study authors also caution that taking a supplement of any one of the B vitamins (including folate) for long periods of time may produce an imbalance of other B vitamins, so it is important to take a B complex with any single B vitamin supplement.
We have a much tastier suggestion-just enjoy a healthy way of eating based on the World's Healthiest Foods. You'll be richly supplied with all the B vitamins-and all the other vitamins, minerals, and wide array of phytonutrients-needed for a vibrantly healthy old age. Many of the World's Healthiest Foods are well supplied with folate. Some of the richest sources of folate include lentils; pinto, garbanzo, black, navy and kidney beans; leafy greens such as spinach, mustard and collard greens; asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, bananas and oranges.

Elderly people may need to pay special attention to their intake of vitamin B12 because the production of hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) which is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12 declines with age. Excellent sources of folic acid include spinach, parsley, broccoli, beets, turnip greens, asparagus, romaine lettuce, yeast, calf's liver, and lentils.
Excellent sources of B6 include bell peppers, turnip greens, cauliflower, garlic, tuna, mustard greens, and kale. Excellent sources of B12 include calf's liver, snapper, salmon, shrimp, scallops, beef, lamb, and halibut.
Elderly individuals may require additional amounts of three more important minerals: zinc, magnesium, and potassium. Zinc absorption is impaired when secretion of stomach acid is not sufficient, and, as a result, zinc deficiency is fairly common among the elderly.
Low intake of zinc is associated with decreased function of the immune system, loss of appetite, loss of taste, delayed wound healing, and development of pressure sores. Excellent food sources of zinc include calf's liver and mushrooms.
Certain diuretics, which are commonly prescribed for the treatment of high blood pressure, increase the excretion of magnesium and potassium, increasing the risk of developing a deficiency of these minerals. In addition, a diet high in sodium and low in potassium can negatively impact potassium status. Excellent sources of potassium include spinach, chard, mustard greens, zucchini, and button mushrooms. Excellent sources of magnesium include: chard, spinach, sea vegetables, basil, dill, and squashes.
Adequate intake of fluids, most notably water, by elderly individuals is necessary to maintain health. Dehydration is common among the elderly, and may lead to uncomfortable physical problems including constipation and kidney stones.
The following table lists the Dietary Reference Intakes, established by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, for men and women over the age of 70.

Nutrient	M 70+	F 70+
Vitamin A (mcg RE)	900	700
Vitamin D (mcg)	15	15
Vitamin E (mg alpha-TE)	15	15
Vitamin K (mcg)	120	90
Thiamin (mg)	1.2	1.1
Riboflavin (mg)	1.3	1.1
Niacin (mg NE)	16	14
Pantothenic Acid	5	5
Vitamin B6 (mg)	1.7	1.5
Folate (mcg)	400	400
Vitamin B12 (mcg)	2.4	2.4
Choline (mg)	550	425
Biotin (mcg)	30	30
Vitamin C (mg)	90	75
Calcium (mg)	1200	1200
Phosphorus (mg)	700	700
Magnesium (mg)	420	320
Iron (mg)	8	8
Zinc (mg)	11	8
Iodine (mcg)	150	150
Selenium (mcg)	55	55
Copper (mcg)	900	900
Manganese (mcg)	2.3	1.8
Chromium (mcg)	30	20

Weight Loss Diet
Obesity is one of the most significant public health problems facing the United States. Excess weight is associated with increased risk for many diseases including diabetes, certain types of cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet for weight loss, and many overweight people struggle for years to shed unwanted pounds. Researchers now believe that successful and permanent weight loss is only possible with comprehensive lifestyle changes that address eating behaviors, physical activity, and psychological factors such as goal-setting and self-esteem issues.
Losing weight is virtually impossible without cutting back on calories, but calorie restriction should not be so severe that you are hungry all of the time or that you are unable to attain sufficient amounts of essential nutrients.
The best approach is to moderately restrict calories and increase physical activity, so that you are able to burn more calories than you take in. A healthy weight-loss diet should include lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. To help reduce caloric intake, cut back on sweetened beverages, and high-fat, high-calorie desserts and snack foods.
In theory, the secret to weight loss is simple - eat fewer calories than your body burns to fuel normal physiological functions and physical activity. Your body expends a great deal of calories just to maintain your body temperature, to fuel functions essential to life such as circulation and respiration, and to fuel muscle movements during exercise.
When the amount of calories we eat is equal to the amount of calories we burn, our weight is stable. On the other hand, when we eat more calories than we burn, the extra calories are stored as fat and we begin to gain weight. One pound of stored fat is equivalent to 3,500 stored calories, which means that if you eat 500 more calories than you need each day for a week, you will gain one pound of body weight.
So, how can you get rid of those unwanted pounds? Most of the people who are able to lose weight and keep it off, use a two-pronged approach. This approach involves cutting back on calories slightly and increasing physical exercise.
Let's say your goal is to lose one pound per week. Remember that one pound of stored fat contains 3,500 calories. If you do nothing but cut calories, you will have to eat 500 fewer calories per day to lose one pound a week. For many people, cutting calories this severely is worse than torture, as they feel hungry all of the time and are tempted to cheat.
But, if you increase your physical activity and by doing so burn an extra 250 calories per day, then you need to cut only 250 calories out of your diet to achieve your weight-loss goal of one pound per week. For the average person, it takes between 25-50 minutes to burn 250 calories. A precise determination of how long it takes an individual to burn up 250 calories depends on what that person is doing and what his or her body composition is (weight, body fat percentage), but a good estimate can be made by simply counting each minute of non-stressful activity as burning 5 calories. Non-stressful activity includes fairly brisk walking and very leisurely swimming. On a treadmill going all-out at 15 METS, a good estimate of caloric expenditure is 15 calories per minute. Although many aerobic machines indicate that approximately 10 calories are burned per minute even at lower levels of activity, this is frequently an overestimate. To sum up, we recommend estimating that between 5-10 calories are burned per minute depending upon your level of activity, which translates to somewhere between 25-50 minutes to burn 250 calories. Exercise has on-going benefits for weight loss, as well.
When you exercise, you build muscle mass. By increasing your muscle mass (also called lean body mass), you raise your resting metabolic rate, which means that your body burns more calories just to maintain your body temperature and keep vital functions going. And, as you build muscle mass you will notice changes in your body shape. Plus, people who exercise often report feeling better and have a more positive outlook.
You can burn 250 calories by walking at a brisk pace, cycling for about 45 minutes, or running for 20-30 minutes. You can also burn extra calories simply by increasing your activity around the house and in your garden. Find a few different activities that you enjoy, and vary your routine from time to time.
If possible, pair up with someone of similar endurance level. Exercising with a friend can be more fun and help keep you motivated. If you do not currently exercise, consult a physician before initiating an exercise program.
As you begin your weight-loss program, be prepared for a long battle, a battle that is as much psychological as it is physical. Be patient, set realistic goals, enjoy your more active lifestyle, and focus on healthy eating instead of dieting.
Not sure how to cut back on calories? Here are a few tips to help prevent unnecessary consumption:

• Avoid eating until "you can't eat another bite." In addition, avoid going too long without food. If you wait to eat until you are "starving," you are likely to have less control over what and how much you eat.
• Eat only when you are hungry. You might be surprised how often you eat for emotional reasons. So, try to be aware of when you are eating to cover up feelings of loneliness, sadness, or anger, and seek an activity besides eating to meet your emotional needs.
• Do not combine eating with other activities, such as reading or watching television. Research indicates that a major cause of weight gain is "unconscious" consumption of food. Many people eat up to 1000 more calories each day than they think they do.
• Never go to the grocery store on an empty stomach. If you shop when you are ravenous, you will be tempted to buy unhealthy foods.
• Slow down! Make mealtimes relaxing and enjoyable. Eat only when sitting down, chew each bite many times, and put your fork down between mouthfuls.
• Drop out of the "clean your plate club." If you are full, it is OK to leave a few bites of food on your plate! 

Foods Emphasized

A weight-loss diet should include lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans. These foods are naturally low in calories and fat, and contain essential vitamins and minerals. They're also rich in dietary fiber, which can help regulate your appetite.
Although restricting high-fat foods can help cut calories, don't limit your intake of fat too much, and take care to include a source of omega 3 fats such as flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, or halibut in your diet everyday.

Foods Avoided

One easy way to cut calories is to limit your intake of pre-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit juice, and iced tea and to avoid adding sugar to coffee and tea. Sweetened beverages can contribute lots of extra calories, without providing any nutrients.
Dieters may also want to avoid high-fat desserts and snack foods, as these foods pack lots of calories. Although it is tempting to switch to "fat-free" foods, be aware that these foods often contain a high amount of calories despite the fact that they don't contain fat.

Nutrient Excesses/Deficiencies

Weight loss is nearly impossible without moderate calorie restriction. However, despite calorie restriction, a carefully planned weight-loss diet should include the recommended amounts of all essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and essential fatty acids.
Avoid weight-loss diets that severely restrict calories, allowing less than 1200 calories per day, unless these diets are part of a medically-monitored weight-loss program.

Who Benefits

Weight loss is beneficial for anyone who weighs more than their ideal body weight. Weight loss is especially beneficial for overweight people who have been diagnosed with any medical condition, most notably adult onset diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

Who is Harmed

As long as weight loss proceeds at a gradual, steady rate (no more than 1 pound per week), following a well-balanced diet, weight-loss does not pose any health risks.
Overweight children, however, should not be placed on calorie-restricted diets unless medically monitored by a primary care practitioner. Instead, children should be encouraged to increase their physical activity and limit the consumption of junk foods.

Resources

For additional weight-loss tips, check out the official web site of the American Dietetic Association at www.eatright.org. For more information on cutting the fat out of your diet, read about the Low-Fat Diet.

The George Mateljan Healthy Way of Eating
Food is the key to life. It is the source of good health and energy. Eating healthy foods can benefit all of us.
One thing that can prevent us from eating the right foods is a mistaken idea that a "healthy diet" takes the enjoyment out of eating and deprives us of good taste. That's why George Mateljan has created the George Mateljan Healthy Way of Eating (The Healthy Way of Eating). The Healthy Way of Eating is a meal planning approach that emphasizes healthy, wellness-promoting foods (The World's Healthiest Foods) whose wonderful tastes will allow you to continually experience the pure joy of eating. Its principles and tools provide you with everything you need to make eating healthy foods enjoyable, convenient, easy and suited to your individual needs.
With The Healthy Way of Eating , you'll discover which of the thousands of foods are the World's Healthiest Foods. Then you'll find out how to prepare them, so they maintain their full nutritional value and their delicious flavors. You'll also be able to have your individual lifestyle and health requirements addressed with personalized food analysis and menu plans.
As more and more people have experienced how nutrient-rich foods, like the World's Healthiest Foods, can help them look and feel their best, the popularity of these foods has skyrocketed. Additionally, due to higher consumer demand, increased availability and the entry of some large-scale foods manufacturers into the natural and organic foods marketplace, prices of these foods have been steadily dropping, creating another factor that has made these foods more accessible and, subsequently, even more popular.

The basic principles of The Healthy Way of Eating are:

1. You have to know how to choose the most nutritious foods.
2. You have to know how to prepare them the healthy way using the right recipes to enjoy the full flavors.
3. You have to select foods and recipes to meet your individual needs.

How to Choose the Most Nutritious Foods

There are thousands of foods in the world, and all of them have some nutrients. The World's Healthiest Foods, however, are those that are the most nutrient-dense, and therefore are the ones that should be emphasized in a person's diet.
Nutrient-density is a measure of the amount of nutrients a food contains in comparison with the number of calories it has. The higher the level of nutrients compared to the number of calories, the more nutrient-dense a food is. By eating the World's Healthiest Foods, you'll get all the essential nutrients that you need for excellent health, including vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, essential fatty acids, fiber and more. Visit Foods and Spices for a complete list of the World's Healthiest Foods and detailed information about each food.
To determine which foods are the healthiest and most nutrient-dense, two standards were used. First, George discovered the World's Healthiest Foods through his travels and studies. Then these foods had to meet stringent scientific criteria for nutritional excellence. Studies demonstrating the health benefits of nutrient-dense foods have been conducted for many years, and recently, more advanced methods of scientific analysis have revealed the biochemical mechanisms behind these beneficial actions, so the selection of the World's Healthiest Foods is based on scientific data not guesswork or personal opinion. Our Food and Recipe Rating System provides an explanation of the methods used to rate foods and recipes.

How to Prepare Foods the Healthy Way 

Using the Right Recipes to Enjoy their Full Flavors

To enjoy both the taste and nutritional benefits of the World's Healthiest Foods, you have to prepare them properly. Healthy cooking methods enable you to maximize the flavor and texture of food, as well as its nutritional value. Cooking foods for too long or at too high a heat can destroy their wonderful flavors, as well as their beneficial vitamins and antioxidants. At the same time, too much heat can result in the production of harmful compounds such as free radicals and trans-fats. To make it easy for you to learn the right cooking methods, The World's Healthiest Foods website offers an In Home Healthy Cooking School where quick and easy techniques such as Healthy Sauté, Healthy Stir Fry, and Healthy Baking are demonstrated. With these cooking techniques, you'll be able to prepare healthy foods that taste delicious, regardless of how much cooking experience you have.
The World's Healthiest Foods are not only nutrient-dense, they're also some of the world's best tasting foods. To maintain their wonderful tastes, George Mateljan has created recipes for the World's Healthiest Foods that do not overpower their unique flavors. Instead, each recipe is a flavor adventure that lets you discover new ways to experience the great natural tastes of these foods. In creating healthy recipes, George recognized that they not only had to bring out all the nutrition and good taste in the ingredients, they also had to be fast, easy to prepare and fun to make. That's why you'll find that most recipes in The Healthy Way of Eating take 30 minutes or less to make. George understands that eating the healthy way has to be convenient and fit the time schedules of today's busy lifestyles. Good Tasting Healthy Recipes provides dozens of healthy recipes each with detailed directions for preparation and tips to make sure your meals are a success.

Select Foods and Recipes to Meet your Individual Needs

The George Mateljan Healthy Way of Eating doesn't try to fit everyone into the same "food formula." It respects individuality. It recognizes that we all have our own personal needs and concerns, as well as our unique tastes, schedules, and lifestyles. To this end, this website has unique tools that will help you meet your own personal dietary needs.
Using the World's Healthiest Foods website can also help you understand how your nutritional needs change and how to fulfill them. For example, both a middle-aged mother who is experiencing menopausal symptoms and her teenaged daughter who is just beginning her first menstrual cycle must adjust to the changes their bodies are undergoing. Yet the changes are different, and so are the nutritional adjustments needed. That's why for both males and females of different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and geographic areas, this website offers personalized analyses of nutritional needs and how to fulfill them. Food Advisor provides you with a personal analysis and recommends nutrients, foods and recipes tailored to your individual needs.

Menu Ideas

It takes just one week of using a menu plan from The Healthy Way of Eating for the body to begin to exhibit the many nutritional benefits of eating the World's Healthiest Foods. After just 7 days, you will have more energy and feel better and more alive. After you try a menu plan and like the results, you'll find a new recipe every day that fits the weather and the availability of different foods, and lets you enjoy the wonderful tastes of the healthy foods that are in season. Visit the Feel Great in 7 Days Menu Plan for an example of a 7 day Menu Planner.

Vegetarian Diet
The term "vegetarian" is used to describe any diet that emphasizes the consumption of plant foods and discourages the consumption of animal foods. In its most restrictive form, a vegetarian diet excludes all animal foods, including animal flesh, dairy products and eggs. Vegan, macrobiotic, and fruitarian diets fall into this category. Less restrictive forms include the lacto-ovo vegetarian diet (includes dairy products and eggs) and the lacto-vegetarian diet (includes dairy products). The popularity of vegetarianism is on the rise in the United States, and converts cite personal health, spiritual and religious beliefs, concern about animal welfare, and distress about the economic and environmental consequences of a meat-based diet as reasons for adopting a plant-based diet. This movement towards vegetarianism is consistent with a growing body of research that touts the health benefits of plant-based diets including lower rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and heart disease. When carefully planned and well-balanced, vegetarian diets provide sufficent amounts of all essential nutrients. However, because infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women have increased caloric and nutrient needs, care must be taken to include a variety of foods from all food groups (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and, for those vegetarians who consume them, eggs and/or dairy products) to ensure that nutritional needs are met.
Are you a vegetarian? If so, you are in good company! Famous vegetarians include Mahatma Ghandi, Carl Lewis (Olympic athlete), Natalie Merchant (musician); Vanessa Williams (actress and singer); Raffi (children's musician); Dean Ornish, MD (cardiologist and author); Paul McCartney (rock musician); Desmond Howard (Heisman trophy winner); Dustin Hoffman (actor); Tony LaRussa (pro-baseball manager); and Fred Rogers (TV's Mr. Rogers).
In general, the term "vegetarian" is used to describe any diet that emphasizes the consumption of plant foods, avoids the consumption of animal flesh, and discourages the consumption of other animal products. In its most restrictive form, a vegetarian diet excludes all animal foods, including animal flesh, dairy products and eggs. Vegan, macrobiotic, and fruitarian diets fall into this category. Less restrictive forms include the lacto-ovo vegatarian diet (includes dairy products and eggs) and the lacto-vegetarian diet (includes dairy products). Interestingly, many people who claim to be "vegetarian" do not fit into any of the categories above. Many who consider themselves vegetarian eat fish on occasion, while other self-defined vegetarians include poultry and/or pork in their diet.
To be considered healthy, a vegetarian diet should include daily consumption of a variety of foods from all the plant groups, such as grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, plant oils, herbs and spices. To maximize the nutritional value of their diet, vegetarians should choose whole, organic, minimally processed foods, and go easy on highly processed foods, junk foods and sweets. A vegetarian diet featuring lots of chips, cookies and frozen confections, even if made from organic ingredients, will not promote health.

Foods Emphasized

Vegetarian diets emphasize the consumption of grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, soy products, nuts, and seeds.

Foods Avoided

All true vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, and poultry. Strict vegetarian diets also exclude dairy products and eggs, while more liberal vegetarian diets include dairy products and eggs.

Nutrient Excesses/Deficiencies

Historically, vegetarian diets have been condemned by nutritionists for providing inadequate amounts of several important nutrients that are found primarily in animal foods including iron, protein, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. However, it is now widely accepted by most nutritionists that vegetarian diets, when a variety of plant foods are included, can meet or exceed the nutritional requirements of most individuals.
Although vegetarian diets do tend to be lower in iron than meat-based diets, vegetarians do not have a higher rate of iron deficiency anemia than meat eaters. This may be explained by the fact that the iron found in vegetarian diets (in vegetables and unrefined grains) is often accompanied, in the food or in the meal, by large amounts of vitamin C, which increases the absorption of the mineral.
Vegetarians also tend to eat less protein than meat-eaters, but their intake still exceeds the required amounts. Several decades ago, it was believed that vegetarians had to eat complementary proteins at each meal to ensure adequate intake of all the essential amino acids. It is now known that vegetarians need not worry about complementary proteins at each meal, as long as they ensure intake of foods containing all essential amino acids during the day. For more information on complementary proteins, see the article on protein in our nutrient database.
Since vitamin D-fortified milk is the primary food source of vitamin D in the United States, vegetarians who exclude dairy products from their diet may require a supplemental source, especially if they do not have consistent exposure to the sun.
As is the case with vitamin D, the calcium intake of vegetarians depends to a great extent on whether or not dairy products are included in the diet. All vegetarians should incorporate plant foods (dark green leafy vegetables and organic tofu) that contain calcium, but this is especially important for those who exclude dairy products. Interestingly, because vegetarian diets tend to be lower in protein, vegetarians may retain more calcium than meat-eaters, thus promoting bone health.
Vegans must pay attention to their intake of vitamin B12 since this vitamin occurs primarily in animal foods, and its deficiency can cause a variety of irreversible neurological problems. A study published in 1999 involving 245 Australian Seventh-day Adventist ministers evaluated the vitamin B12 status of lactovo-vegetarianns and vegans who were not taking vitamin B12 supplements. Seventy three percent of the participants had low serum vitamin B12 concentrations. (Hokin, 1999) Interestingly, vitamin B12 cannot be made by animals or plants, but only by microorganisms, like bacteria. When plant foods are fermented with the use of B12-producing bacteria, they end up containing B12. Otherwise, they usually don't. Sea plants are an exception to the fermented plant rule since they can contain small amounts of B12 from contact with microorganisms in the ocean. Although animals cannot make vitamin B12, they are able to store B12 in their liver and muscles. The storage of B12 by animals explains why animal foods are the primary food sources of dietary B12.
Another nutrient to which vegetarians should pay special attention is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is an omega 3 fatty acids believed to play an important role in the development and function of the central nervous system, as well as the eyes. It occurs naturally in meat, fish, eggs, and milk. DHA an also be synthesized by the body from alpha-linolenic acid, an omega 3 essential fatty acid, although it is not yet clear to what extent this conversion actually takes place. This process is slowed by the presence of large amounts of another essential fatty acid called linoleic acid, which is an omega 6 fat found in corn, safflower and sunflower oils. Vegetarians, and especially vegans, may want to supplement with DHA. To maintain a beneficial ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6 fatty acids, they may also want to and/or substitute foods containing alpha-linolenic acid, such as flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and soybeans for foods containing linoleic acid.

Who Benefits

A vegetarian diet may be especially beneficial for overweight individuals, as well as for women with premenstrual syndrome and individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure and/or cardiovascular disease.

Who is Harmed

Because infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women have increased caloric and nutrient needs, individuals in any of these groups choosing to follow a vegetarian diet must take care to include a variety and adequate amount of food from all food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds) to ensure that nutritional needs are met.

Menu Ideas

These vegetarian recipes were developed by the George Mateljan Foundation.

Resources

For additional information about vegetarianism, contact the following organizations:

• Earthsave
• www.earthsave.org

• The North American Vegetarian Society
• P.O. Box 72
• Dolgeville, NY 13329
• Phone: 518-568-7970

• Vegetarian Resource Center
• P.O. Box 38-1068
• Cambridge, MA 02238
• Phone: 617-625-3790

• The Vegetarian Resource Group
• P.O. Box 1463
• Baltimore, MD 21203
• Phone: 410-366-8343