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“The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist recommends a plant-based diet for people with diabetes, yet many people and educators are unsure how to get started.” – Coach Beverly
This Free Resource Friday, we want to share all of our Plant-based Resources.
Check out our resource page full of ideas, recipes and more!
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[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″]A report attempting to overhaul the universal “diet” says a hamburger a week is about as much red meat you should be consuming. Eggs should be limited to less than four a week and dairy, one serving per day.
A panel of nutrition, agriculture, and environmental experts recommend a plant-based diet. This recommendation stems from many published studies that link red meat to health problems and livestock farming to environmental issues.
The report highlights the deadly effects meat production is having on the environment. “Producing red meat takes up land and feed to raise cattle, which also emit the greenhouse gas methane.”
The report was organized by a Swedish-based nonprofit seeking to improve the food system. They believe a “great food transformation” is necessary by 2050. They also believe their recommended diet could be inclusive to all cultures around the world.
Of course a major obstacle is convincing cultures who are traditionally meat and cheese heavy, to make the shift.
“The diet encourages whole grains, beans, fruits and most vegetables, and says to limit added sugars, refined grains such as white rice and starches like potatoes and cassava. It says red meat consumption on average needs to be slashed by half globally, though the necessary changes vary by region and reductions would need to be more dramatic in richer countries like the United States.”
Scientists
Advice to limit red meat isn’t a new concept and has been linked to lowering high saturated fats. However, the meat and dairy industries argue that their products carry important nutrients necessary for a healthy diet.
A report conducted by the United Nations, concluded that livestock is responsible for 15% of gas emissions that warm the climate. International Climate Researcher, Robbie Andrew, believes that utilizing practices that help the animal to grow bigger faster may help decrease emission, however the animal will still produce methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas.
People could replace beef with chicken or pork, which do have few emissions, however plants have one of the smallest carbon footprints over all.
The report itself does lay out the “optimal” diet for both environment and health. However, researchers understand the battle it may be to convince policy makers, food companies and those set in traditional cuisine.
Enjoy our Plant Based Resources Library
To learn more: Less beef, more beans. Experts say world needs a new diet – AP
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The trend of a low-carb or even no-carb diet has been increasing in popularity over the past decade. But have we been accidentally stereotyping our favorite foods? What if we could enjoy our slices of bread and pasta after all?
Many are enticed by the promise of quick weight loss that seems to come with cutting out carbs. However, this can be tricky to stick to long-term. On average, 50% of calories consumed in the adult American diet are from carbohydrates. And the idea of cutting out carbs completely would include the fundamentals of a healthy diet like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
So why do all carbs seem to get a bad reputation?
Dr. David Ludwig, professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and the co-director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center Boston Children’s Hospital, sought to better understand and explain the varying types of carbs and how they can affect your health.
Bread and pasta are often demonized, however, it is much more complex than that! “When you eat a whole-kernel, minimally processed grain … they take a while to digest. Blood sugar rises relatively more gently. You produce less insulin calorie for calorie,” Ludwig explains.
“Slow” carbs like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, take a while to digest and are often rich in nutrients like fiber, zinc, magnesium and Vitamin E. However, when you eat white bread or another carbohydrate made from refined starch, it can raise your blood sugars sending a signal to your brain to store fat and leave you hungry.
Currently, Americans are likely to lack whole grain consumption and actually exceed the recommended amount of refined grains. Fiber-rich foods, like whole grain bread, leave you feeling full for longer with their fiber, fat, and protein. You don’t have to cut out all carbs, just the highly processed or refined.
To learn more: You Don’t Have To Go No-Carb: Instead, Think Slow Carb – NPR
by Coach Beverly Thomassian RN, MPH, CDCES, BC-ADM
Happy National Nutrition Month! For this newsletter, we decided to explore some popular nutrition topics discussed on social media and brought into our offices. We give a shout out to our dietitian colleagues and celebrate their unique skill set and abundant knowledge. Finally, the amazing Theresa Garnero shares insights into her motivation to co-chair the first ever “Women Leaders in Diabetes Conference.”
Click here to read our newsletter!
A new study finds that women who incorporate more vitamin C into their diets, lower their risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Nianhong Yang, PhD, a professor and director of the department of nutrition and food hygiene at Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Hubei, China, studied the data of over three thousand pregnant women during the gestational period. Participants provided lifestyle information through a questionnaire and vitamin C supplement intake and dietary behavior were assessed via in-person interviews.
“The researchers defined dietary vitamin C intake into three groups: inadequate (< 115 mg per day), adequate (115 mg per day to 200 mg per day) and above adequate (> 200 mg per day).”
During the study 344 women developed gestational diabetes and 744 women had “inadequate” vitamin C intake. “The primary source of dietary vitamin C consumption was leafy green vegetables, cabbage and chili, along with other fruits and vegetables.”
The study found that women with above adequate vitamin C intake were less likely to develop gestational diabetes. However, women with inadequate had a negative correlation with gestational diabetes.
To learn more: Diet high in vitamin C could protect against gestational diabetes – Healio
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A recent study by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore has found that Americans are beginning to cut down on poultry, fish, and red meat consumption. The two primary findings for this study, include the cost of meat products as well as their negative implications towards health and the environment.
The research provided a survey to 1,100 individuals asking them about their meat consumption habits over the past three years. Lead scientist, Roni Neff, says, “Many Americans continue to have strong preferences for meat, but this survey adds to a growing body of evidence that a significant portion of the population may be purposefully reducing their meat consumption.”
55% of participants reduced overall meat consumption and 41% cut down on red meat specifically. 64% of the participants who reduced overall meat consumption admitted to doing so due to finances. This was evident as individuals with incomes less than $25,000 were more likely to decrease meat intake while households bringing in $75,000+ were less likely. 42% chose to have meatless meals, 32% had meatless days, and 9% avoided meat altogether.
It was also reported that middle aged individuals (ages 45-59) were more likely to decrease intake than younger participants. Women typically ate less than men as well. Individuals who did not curb meat intake “felt that meat was essential for a healthy diet.”
The survey is thought to help fuel future campaigns on the importance of raising awareness about nutrition, plant-based eating and the effect meat production has on the environment.
“The report was published recently in the journal Public American Nutrition.”
For more information, visit “Many Americans Slicing Meat From Their Diet” HealthDay
You can learn more: Risk in Red Meat? National Institute of Health
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Happy Valentine’s Day from Diabetes Education Services! Enjoy something sweet.
No guilt required. Recent studies have shown dark chocolate has a positive impact on brain function. The study conducted by Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center found that dark chocolate, with a cacao concentration of at least 70%, reduced stress and inflammation, improved mood, memory, and immunity.
The health benefits from cacao are determined by the large amount of flavanoids present. Flavanoids have been shown to be anti-inflammatory and to have antioxidant effects. The study found that, “the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood, immunity, and other beneficial effects.
Another study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health in 2017 determined that “consuming moderate amounts of dark chocolate lowered the risk of atrial fibrillation”. Their research also concluded that dark chocolate prevents white blood cells from sticking to the walls of the arteries and can help loosen stiff arteries, thus decreasing the risk of atherosclerosis.
For more information on how dark chocolate can benefit you, visit Dark chocolate can lower stress and inflammation, and improve memory
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The benefits of fiber have been supported by over a 100 years of research. A large new study reveals that eating more fiber can lower your risk of developing serious illness over time.
“When compared with those who consume very little fiber, people at the high end of the fiber-eating spectrum saw their risk for dying from heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and/or colon cancer plummet by 16 to 24 percent, investigators reported.”
Exciting enough, the more fiber a person consumed, the risk of developing those illness continued to decrease. The range of illness that higher intake of fiber seemed to impact surprised scientists.
The results come from 185 observational studies and 58 clinical trails performed over four decades.
Researchers say that American’s on average, eat less than 15 grams of fiber per day. However increasing intake to 25-29 gms per day is just “adequate.” The more fiber a person incorporates in their diet, the greater the decrease in overall risk of an early death.
Every additional 15-gram bump in daily whole grain intake was found to curtail an individual’s overall risk of early death — as well as their risk of early death from heart disease — by between 2 and 19 percent.
Researchers also found that increasing fiber intake had no risky health effects and that it is never too late to start embracing fiber every day!
“When considering all the trials of increasing fiber intakes, those participants that did reduced both their body weight and the total cholesterol in their blood, two important predictors of disease.”
Although none of these discoveries are surprising, scientists hope this will lead to changes in dietary recommendation. “This is just one more piece of evidence that supports and further solidifies the recommendations registered dietitian nutritionists have been making for years,” said Sandon.
It is never to late to start eating healthy and fiber may be a great starting point for many!
Here are some common foods and their fiber content:
To learn more: “More Proof High-Fiber Diets Help Prevent Cancers, Heart Disease” – Health Day
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