High-Glycemic Carbohydrates Linked to Women’s Heart RiskTufts University Health & Nutrition
When it comes to women’s heart health, all carbohydrates are not created equal: Consuming too many “carbs” that quickly boost blood sugar may raise women’s risk of heart disease, according to a new Italian study.
Scientists know that high-carbohydrates diets increase blood glucose and triglyceride levels while reducing protective HDL cholesterol. But carbohydrates differ in their effects on blood glucose levels. The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how much a food raises blood glucose levels compared with the same amount of sugar or white bread. A related measure, the glycemic load (GL), is calculated based on the glycemic index of a given food as well as the total amount of carbohydrates it contains.
Sabina Sieri, PhD, of Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, and colleagues studied 47,749 Italian adults – 15,171 men (ages 35-64) and 32,578 women (ages 35-74) – originally recruited for long-running European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Based on dietary questionnaires, the researchers calculated participants’ overall carbohydrate intakes as well as the average glycemic index of the foods they consumed and the glycemic loads of their diets. During almost eight years of follow-up, 463 participants- 158 woman and 305 men-developed coronary heart disease.
Sieri and colleagues found that women who consumed the most total carbohydrates were twice as likely to develop heart disease as those eating the least.
HIGHER glycemic-index foods include: white bread, jam and jelly, doughnuts, sugar, honey, pizza, rice, corn flakes, white flour and flour tortillas
LOWER glycemic-index foods include: whole-wheat bread, beans, lentils, nuts, most fruit, oatmeal, whole-wheat flour and corn tortillas
LIVING HEALTHYAAA Going Places
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE AMERICAL DIET???
By Chris Woolston
What’s wrong with the typical American diet? “Too many calories,” says Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, Professor of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University. Most experts agree with that statement.
Perhaps it’s time to stop talking about fatty foods and admit that we simply eat too many calories. Twenty-five years ago, the average American consumed about 1,850 calories each day. Since then, our daily diet has grown by 304 calories (roughly the equivalent of two cans of soda). That’s theoretically enough to add an extra 31 pounds to each person every year. Judging from the ongoing obesity epidemic, many Americans are gaining those pounds—and then some.
Calories aren’t everything---But calories don’t tell the whole story. To truly understand what’s wrong with the American diet, you have to know how we manage to consume all those calories. There are two possible ways to go overboard: You can eat too many calorie-dense foods, or you can eat too much food or beverages in general. Many people choose to do both.
Of course, there is no single “American” diet. We all have our individual tastes, quirks and habits. Still, experts see clear patterns in our food choices. In fact, most American diets fall into one of two broad categories: “Western” or “prudent.”
Prudent Die---The prudent diet is a nutritionist’s dream. People in this category tend to eat relatively large amounts of fish, poultry, cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and broccoli), greens, tomatoes, legumes, fresh fruits and whole grains.
Western Diet---The Western diet is the prudent diet reflected in a carnival mirror. Everything is backwards: Red meat and other fatty foods take the forefront, while fruits, vegetables and whole grains are pushed aside. In addition to fat and calories, the Western diet is loaded with cholesterol, salt and sugar. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it’s critically short on dietary fiber and many nutrients—as well as plant-based substances (phytochemicals) that help protect the heart and ward off cancer.
Put it all together and you have a recipe for disaster. In a 12-year study of more than 69,000 women, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, a Western diet was found to significantly raise the risk of coronary heart disease. Other studies have shown that a high-fat, low-nutrient diet increases the likelihood of colon cancer and diabetes, as well as a host of other ailments.
Moderation is Key---Much of the advice for healthy eating can be boiled down to one word: moderation. By eating different foods from every part of the food pyramid and watching your portion size, you can make your own personal American diet healthy and nutritious. We have more choices and more temptations than ever before, but ultimately, we also have the final say over what we eat. Take control, and enjoy.
Ask Tufts ExpertTufts University Health & Nutrition
Q- Is it true that research has shown that drinking diet drinks can cause weight gain? Do you recommend that someone wishing to lose weight (or anyone else) should avoid them?
A- Susan B. Roberts, PhD, director of Tufts’ HNRCA Energy Metabolism Laboratory and author of The I Diet (www.instinctdiet.com), replies: “My clinical observation is that for some people they help and for others they don’t. It depends on how you use them. If they are a substitute for with-sugar drinks and over time you look on them as a bridge to a low-sugar and low-sweet diet, that is a great way to go in my opinion! Weight loss is hard for many people and you need to use all the help you can.”
7 Keys to Protecting Yourself Against OsteoporosisTufts University Health & Nutrition Letter
Despite advances in pharmaceutical treatments for osteoporosis, diet and lifestyle remain women’s first line of defense, according to a new statement by the North American Menopause Society. The society recommended periodic review of seven key measures plus annual assessment of fall risk after menopause. The seven diet and lifestyle keys to reducing post-menopausal risk of bone loss and osteoporotic fractures cited by the organization are:
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Eating a balanced diet
• Obtaining adequate calcium
• Participating in appropriate exercise
• Avoiding excessive alcohol consumption
(1,200 mg per day at age 50 and beyond) and vitamin D (800-1,000 IU vitamin D3 per day)
• Not smoking
• Taking steps to prevent falls
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