Nutrition to Live By
Week 3
Week 3 Action: Eat 1-2 servings of vegetables at each meal.
The primary function of a carbohydrate is to provide the body with energy, especially the brain and nervous system.
Complex carbohydrates - fibrous vegetables and fruits naturally provide vitamins, minerals and fiber. (green vegetables and sweet potato, berries, green apples)
BAD-Complex carbohydrates create inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the root of all disease. (wheat, grains with gluten, breads, fried food)
GOOD-Simple carbohydrates contain some vitamins and minerals, lower in fiber. (cucumbers, onions, peppers, apples, pears)
BAD-Simple carbohydrates have very little or no nutritional value. (Candy, Soda, Table Sugar)
Recognizing a bad carbohydrate...IF IT'S WHITE, IT'LL HINDER WEIGHT LOSS
- Potato
- Rice
- Bread
- Pasta
- Bagles
- Boxed cerials
- Waffles
- Pancakes
- Stuffing
- Donuts
- Juice (Anything naturally flavored)
- Alcohol
Type 2 Diabetes usually results from years of poor eating habits and accounts for 95% of all diabetes diagnoses.
Good News: Type 2 Diabetes can be avoided or reversed with proper eating habits and adequate exercise.
It is estimated that 1/3rd of Americans born in the year 2000 will develop Type 2 diabetes at some point during their Lifetime.
Eat Good Carbohydrates for energy. Veggies & Fruits!
Eat 6-8 servings of non starchy veggies daily
Veggies to avoid or limit: Corn, White Potato . (If you eat corn, please be sure it is Non-GMO)
Eat 0-3 servings of fruit daily. 3:1 ratio veggies to fruit
- Fruits to avoid or limit: Watermelon, Pineapple, Dried Fruits, Juices
IT’S OK NOT TO EAT FRUIT. IT DOES CONTAIN SUGAR.
Carbs to avoid or limit:
Limit... Gluten Free Grains!
Eat 1-3 servings weekly (½ cup servings; Quinoa, Steel Cut Oats, Millet)
Why? Grains are a major source of inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is at the root of all disease
Most Carbs consumed should be complex.
Eat carbs before 3 or earlier in the day.
If you don’t burn them off they WILL store as fat!
Veggies allowed 24/7
Reading food labels -
Be aware of serving size and how many per container
Recognize what type of fat you are consuming
Natural Fats:
- Monounsaturated - Good, lowers bad cholesterol without lowering good cholesterol.
- Polyunsaturated - Limit to Omega 3's. Lower bad and good cholesterol
- Saturated - An over abundance of short chain saturated fat can increase bad cholesterol.Natural Fats:
- Monounsaturated - Good, lowers bad cholesterol without lowering good cholesterol.
- Man Made Fat...TRANS FATS also known as HYDROGENATED or PARTIALLY
HYDROGENATED
- Trans fat is a specific type of fat formed when liquid fats are made into solid fats by the addition of hydrogen atoms, in a process strangely enough known as hydrogenation.
- These fats are detrimental to health and can increase cholesterol, heart disease, and many other autoimmune diseases.
Don't believe the food label, be sure to check the INGREDIENT LIST!
RDA: Formed in 1930...Last update...1930!
RDA - The minimal amount to prevent vitamin related diseases. (Rickets, Scurvy)
The optimal level (amount to actually make a difference) of vitamin C is 1200 to 2000 mg daily. The RDA is only 60 mg.
To eat the optimal levels of vitamin C (1200-2000 mg/day)
- 18 Oranges
- 17 Kiwi Fruit
- 160 Apples
To Put in this perspective, it becomes clear that the only way to obtain these levels of nutrients is to supplement our diet.
Most important part of reading food labels is the INGREDIENT LIST!
Every packaged food must have an ingredient list. Ingredients are listed by weight, largest quantity listed first, while the one in smallest quantity is listed last.
Week 3 Homework:
- Be aware of what types of carbs you are consuming
- Read your food labels
- Read all ingredient list
- Whole Foods don't have an ingredient list
(Next week share an ingredient in a particular item that shocked you.)
- Track your food and drink
- 1 gallon H2O per day
- 20+ grams protein per meal
HAVE A GREAT WEEK!