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HolsumAZ.com > Healthy Living > Health News
Source: Phil Lempert - SupermatketGuru.com - January 3, 2005
One of the most impactful events expected in January will effect all the food trends in 2005. It's all about label reading and the new Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs). A walk through the supermarket and a look at food packages quickly reminds us of the all too confusing and various versions of the food pyramid - originally developed by the government as guidelines for optimal nutrition and diet. But in recent years, the pyramid has been compromised, attacked, and even dismissed by top scientists in agriculture, nutrition, and medicine and new ones have been designed by just about every food product category to meet their particular marketing need. Smarting from these attacks, two U.S. departments, Agriculture (DPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) have made remarkable changes that are in line with programs developed by top proponents of a vegetable and fiber-rich diet.
Although the U.S. dietary guidelines are issued every five years, the 2005 recommendations are the most far-reaching ever. Called the Report of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on Dietary Guidelines for Americans, this is the sixth report issued since its inception in 1980.
The highlights of the mammoth (500+page report) offer advice for portion control, a re-emphasis of the benefits of fruits, vegetables, and grains, plus directions for healthful dieting over the long-term. The report also includes a section on the pros and cons of the most popular diet plans promoted in the country. The conclusion was that low fat, high fiber diets do promote weight loss, particularly with type 2 diabetes and the use of glycemic index or load as a criterion for dietary guidelines is without merit.
Low carb, high fat diets are not for the long term, the report asserts. This diet is strictly for immediate weight loss, for the short term, and are woefully under evaluated and studied. The dangers of using these diets over the long term is that they have high amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol, low fiber content, and inadequate supplies of fruits, vegetables, and grains which can lead to deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals.
Although the ideas of eating more fruits and vegetables and exercising are not new concepts, the Report asserted their value to longevity and better health overall, substantiated with a good basis in scientific study. In sum, the Report advises that:
Exercise is essential for everyone, with moderate to vigorous physical activity of up to sixty minutes for adults, particularly those who are obese. Even those confined to wheelchairs, those who are elderly or infirm can benefit from daily exercise, albeit from less taxing forms of stretching and other flexibility-centered movements.
Increase intake of fruits and vegetables to five to 13 servings per day, with a suggestion of nine for those eating 2,000 calories a day. (A serving is one-half cup.) These fill you up, have little or no fat, and are low enough in calories that having more servings is a viable option for snacking.
Opt for variety in your foods: citrus fruits and melons; berries and other fruits; dark green leafy vegetables; bright orange vegetables; legumes, and even starchy vegetables are recommended. Because of their high vitamin and mineral content and their natural fiber, fruits and vegetables are the number one food choice.
Eat at least three servings of whole grains per day. Sources are popcorn, bulgur, brown rice rather than white, whole wheat or whole grain bread rather than white, and oatmeal. When in doubt, remember that brown is best, white is not whether it's flour, breads and rolls, or other baked goods.
Eat fish twice a week. The heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids appear naturally in fresh seafood. Wild fish versus farm-raised is suggested for those concerned with environmental pollutants in our seafood supply.
Limit salt intake to avoid hypertension; recommendations vary between 1,200mg and 2,300mg, depending upon age, overall health, and race. (African Americans suffer disproportionately from hypertension.) When you consider that an average can of soup has between 560 and 1170 mg, fresh foods should always be a priority. Nearly 90% of all Americans can expect to be diagnosed with hypertension during their lifetime, but scientists say that lowering sodium intake is entirely manageable, and thoroughly beneficial. When in doubt about sodium content, opt for fresh foods over packaged ones.
Although 70% of the world is lactose-intolerant, the report still recommends three servings or more of dairy per day, although they suggest low or non-fat sources of milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy foods.
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