Dr David L Katz, "The Way to Eat", Yale University Press, SourceBooks Inc, Publishers
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Nutrition Facts summary :
The average common recipe yields over 640 Kcalories: 36.0% KCal from fat, 44.0% KCal from carbohydrate and 20.0% KCal from Protein
Total Calories
% of Calories from Fat
% of Calories from Carbohydrate
% of Calories from Protein
% of Calories from Fat
% of Calories from Carbohydrate
% of Calories from Protein
Compared with average, common recipe :
for Heart Health Diets
| 368 | K Cal |
| 16.0 | % cal |
| 53.0 | % cal |
| 30.0 | % cal |
Nutrition Facts summary :
Total Calories
% of Calories from Fat
% of Calories from Carbohydrate
% of Calories from Protein
% of Calories from Fat
% of Calories from Carbohydrate
% of Calories from Protein
for Diabetes Diets
Nutrition Facts summary :
Total Calories
% of Calories from Fat
% of Calories from Carbohydrate
% of Calories from Protein
% of Calories from Fat
% of Calories from Carbohydrate
% of Calories from Protein
Weight Loss - Management Diets
| 490 | K Cal |
| 33.0 | % cal |
| 41.0 | % cal |
| 26.0 | % cal |
| 377 | K Cal |
| 19.0 | % cal |
| 52.0 | % cal |
| 30.0 | % cal |
hM notes are in red.
Use SMALL amounts of mono or poly - unsaturated fats, avoid saturated and trans fats. ( hM )
Try using fat-free or very-low fat dairy products. ( hM )
Consider increasing the ratio of plant based protein while decreasing meat protein. ( hM )
Consider increasing the intake of
vegetables by 10 to 40% from your actual level.
vegetables by 10 to 40% from your actual level.
Decrease the intake of carbs by
10 to 40%, according to your needs.
Do NOT eliminate carbs. Please do this reasonably. ( hM )
10 to 40%, according to your needs.
Do NOT eliminate carbs. Please do this reasonably. ( hM )
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Contents of Article
>> 1 - Abstract / Introduction
>> 2 - Requirements
>> 3 -The Food Pyramid
>> 4 - Using the Food Groups
>> 5 - A Practical Example
>> 6 - References
>> 7 - LInks to Relevant Scientific
or Medical Publications and Associations
Weight Loss Diets and the USDA's Food Pyramid as a Safety Reference
1- ABSTRACT / Introduction
If you have been planning to design a winning weight loss diet plan for yourself, it is well worth the effort to look at the USDA's Food Pyramid as a guide for nutritional balance safety. The reason is quite obvious: the very best weight management plans rely mostly, if not only, on balanced nutrition and nothing else, not on senseless "magical" trends. A deficient weight loss or weight management diet, though trendy, entails deficient nutrition... which in turn may end up being detrimental to your general health and well being. When all of the essential nutrients necessary to maintain good health are not supplied to the organism, there is a "health" price to be paid.
If you have been planning to design a winning weight loss diet plan for yourself, it is well worth the effort to look at the USDA's Food Pyramid as a guide for nutritional balance safety. The reason is quite obvious: the very best weight management plans rely mostly, if not only, on balanced nutrition and nothing else, not on senseless "magical" trends. A deficient weight loss or weight management diet, though trendy, entails deficient nutrition... which in turn may end up being detrimental to your general health and well being. When all of the essential nutrients necessary to maintain good health are not supplied to the organism, there is a "health" price to be paid.
2- REQUIREMENTS : Conversely, a balanced and healthy weight loss plan or diet will deliver complete and healthy nutrition. It should also be pleasant AND easy for you to adhere to. In other words, to be successful the meals included in your diet should be the "yummy" type. Your diet should be fun. If it is not, make the necessary improvements, staying within the appropriate requirements. and conditions. Before we start designing a diet, let's see what the requirements are:
A- A weight loss diet should provide all of the nutrients necessary to the maintenance of good health. This is where the USDA's Food Pyramid becomes a wonderful planning tool. The Food Pyramid was invented specifically to that end: a general nutritional guideline as to what proportions of each food group should be part of the daily diet. At the time of its conception, its purpose was to remedy deficient nutrition, which was quite generalized in those days.
Especially for long-term weight management purposes, it will be primordial for you to know where you can cut safely and where NOT to cut. This is, of course, to make absolutely certain that YOUR diet is indeed the healthiest one you can design. The golden rule to remember is that since truly good and healthy weight loss or management recipes are necessarily always based on valid nutritional principles, one should ensure that the total of all the components of meal, from soup or entree to dessert, include the proper ratio of protein, carbohydrate, vegetables and fruits, essential fatty acids (in moderation), vitamins, minerals and fiber. In this endeavour, you will quickly find the USDA's Food Pyramid to a very handy safety reference.
B- A good weight loss or weight management diet should be customized to meet YOUR needs. YOU are not a hypothetical person. You have your own metabolism, your own needs and your very own preferences. Therefore, this diet plan should take into account your height, your Ideal BMI ( Body Mass Index), your level of activity, lifestyle and...your preferences. Designing a plan for a hypothetical person is better than nothing, but designing a weight loss diet for you and only you will be much better and much more fun to follow. This weight loss plan would be realistic and, since you have made it pleasurable, would now have the chances of succeeding even on the very long term.
C- Your weight loss diet plan should be free or very inexpensive. At heartMonitron, we believe that the best resources for mastering weight issues come from either official, government funded institutions or academic and scientific organizations. Credit cards and bank accounts were not invented as tools to lose or control weight. If anybody wants you to hurry up fork money right away while the supposedly magic pills are "on special" and promises you will "lose a hundred real fast", he or may not have a hundred pounds in mind. It may mean you are about to lose a hundred dollars real fast. The USDA's Food Pyramid is FREE and is a reliable United States Government resource.
There are basically two types of dietary plans you can design:
In the loss period, you will want to create a reasonable and bearable deficit in calories. That is to say the energy you derive from food minus the energy you spend is slightly less than your actual energy requirements. You will then gradually and comfortably see your weight go down. In the weight control or management phase, the energy taken in and the energy spent are made to be equal. You will then maintain your ideal or healthy target weight
A- A weight loss diet should provide all of the nutrients necessary to the maintenance of good health. This is where the USDA's Food Pyramid becomes a wonderful planning tool. The Food Pyramid was invented specifically to that end: a general nutritional guideline as to what proportions of each food group should be part of the daily diet. At the time of its conception, its purpose was to remedy deficient nutrition, which was quite generalized in those days.
Especially for long-term weight management purposes, it will be primordial for you to know where you can cut safely and where NOT to cut. This is, of course, to make absolutely certain that YOUR diet is indeed the healthiest one you can design. The golden rule to remember is that since truly good and healthy weight loss or management recipes are necessarily always based on valid nutritional principles, one should ensure that the total of all the components of meal, from soup or entree to dessert, include the proper ratio of protein, carbohydrate, vegetables and fruits, essential fatty acids (in moderation), vitamins, minerals and fiber. In this endeavour, you will quickly find the USDA's Food Pyramid to a very handy safety reference.
B- A good weight loss or weight management diet should be customized to meet YOUR needs. YOU are not a hypothetical person. You have your own metabolism, your own needs and your very own preferences. Therefore, this diet plan should take into account your height, your Ideal BMI ( Body Mass Index), your level of activity, lifestyle and...your preferences. Designing a plan for a hypothetical person is better than nothing, but designing a weight loss diet for you and only you will be much better and much more fun to follow. This weight loss plan would be realistic and, since you have made it pleasurable, would now have the chances of succeeding even on the very long term.
C- Your weight loss diet plan should be free or very inexpensive. At heartMonitron, we believe that the best resources for mastering weight issues come from either official, government funded institutions or academic and scientific organizations. Credit cards and bank accounts were not invented as tools to lose or control weight. If anybody wants you to hurry up fork money right away while the supposedly magic pills are "on special" and promises you will "lose a hundred real fast", he or may not have a hundred pounds in mind. It may mean you are about to lose a hundred dollars real fast. The USDA's Food Pyramid is FREE and is a reliable United States Government resource.
There are basically two types of dietary plans you can design:
- the WEIGHT LOSS DIETARY plan, normally the first step
- the WEIGHT CONTROL or MANAGEMENT DIETARY plan, to be used once you have achieved your ideal or target healthy weight.
In the loss period, you will want to create a reasonable and bearable deficit in calories. That is to say the energy you derive from food minus the energy you spend is slightly less than your actual energy requirements. You will then gradually and comfortably see your weight go down. In the weight control or management phase, the energy taken in and the energy spent are made to be equal. You will then maintain your ideal or healthy target weight
3- THE FOOD PYRAMID, DESIGNING A WEIGHT LOSS or MANAGEMENT DIET
Let us first have quick glance at the USDA's Food Pyramid
Let us first have quick glance at the USDA's Food Pyramid
The above groups illustrate the food groups necessary for the maintenance of good health. They are displayed according to volume criteria. Hence, the fats at the top should be had only in small quantities while the cereal group at the bottom represents the largest part of the food intake.
Suppressing one group completely would be unwise. For instance, eliminating the carbohydrate group (bread, cereals, rice and pasta) at the base of the pyramid would force your body to furiously metabolise fats and proteins. This is a very bad idea for one's glycaemia (blood sugar levels), neither is it a good idea for the good health of your kidneys. A good weight loss or weight management plan must not compromise your health or have you walk around feeling hungry and weak all the time.
4- USING THE FOOD PYRAMID: So how to go about it then ?
Let us assume, for example, that you have been ingesting 2,500 Calories a day for the past ten years. Assuming you have determined your ideal weight to require 2,000 Cal/day, you have been taking in an excess 500 Calories every day. That works out to an excess of 1,825,500 KCalories in that period. Not knowing what else to do with the surplus, your body did what it is genetically programmed to do. It put it away and stored it somewhere... in the form of fat for use in times of famine. That mechanism worked fine for our ancestors during the Stone Age. They had to hunt their next meal and sometimes live on the reserves of fat until they were successful in finding food. As for us, we drive to the supermarket and fill up our fridges. Time to make the adjustments we have forgotten to make. These adjustments should be of the comfortable type. Let us create a small deficit we can easily live with. Let us say the energy requirements for ideal weight ( 2,000 Cal/day) less 250 or 300 Calories. That yields an energy intake of 1,700 Cal for a while. Since it is less than the requirements, it will induce a gradual weight loss while being comfy.
But where does one cut the intake of calories ?
Looking back at the Food Pyramid, the four most suitable candidates for reduction are:
A- The FATS GROUP at the top of the pyramid.
Some fats are necessary; these are the mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats such as the ones found in canola and olive oil. However some other fats are of no known use to the body such as the trans-fats and the saturated fats. Like the ones found in wieners or fast food pastries. At 9 Cal per gram, doing away with 10 grams of trans- or saturated fat per meal does away with 270 Cal/day - provided we do not replace it with scoops of other fats. That is one simple healthy way towards weight loss. When making your purchases, compare the nutrition labels of similar products for total calories and fat contents. You will be amazed at the differences.
Note that, of all the elements present in our plates, the saturated fats (and trans-) are the ones with the least of nutritional value. In an official scientific statement released by The American Heart Association, describing saturated fats, you will read the words "No Known Value" - AHA, 2007. In fact saturated and trans fats are known to promote the synthesis of LDL-Cholesterol (bad) by the liver. The obvious conclusion from the above is that reduced saturated fat diets are most appropriate for the purpose of achieving weight loss.
B- the SWEETS GROUP also at the top of the pyramid
Do we really and absolutely need that grossly oversized and sugar-rich bottle of cola at the end of a meal? Finding a more suitable thirst quencher may do away with as much as 500 Calories a day if you are used to having more than one a day. Since weight loss is really about subtracting a reasonable amount of calories from your diet while maintaining good nutritional balance, going after the empty calories first will a wise way to go. Empty calories are found in those foods that supply you with large amounts of calories and very little else in terms of nutrition. A large bottle of cola, for instance, is nothing but water with a large amount of sugar-laden syrup, artificial flavour and/or chemicals. It contains no protein, vitamins, minerals or fiber. Just a whole lot of empty calories. The oversized sugar-laden and saturated fat-laden doughnut at the fast food outlet is
another example of a filler with a dismal nutritional value. You can safely conclude that along with the saturated fats, the empty calories from worthless sweets can be a prime target in designing your
winning weight loss diet. There is a good reason why these elements are at the top of the Food Pyramid, occupying a very small volume.
C- Small changes in the PROTEIN GROUP
Increasing the amount of plant-based protein ( as in chick peas, kidney beans, soy products...etc.) will supply you with lean protein. Meat-based protein comes with a lot of fat. Replacing 50% of animal protein with the plant-based protein will go a long way to insure weight loss. Another 200 Cal done away with ? This replacement is also a great idea once you have achieved your healthy weight. It will help keep the unwanted extra pounds from coming back again.
D- Small changes in the CARBOHYDRATE GROUP.
Some MINOR reduction ( 20% ) or so might be advisable. Remember : you need carbs to be able to function. Your engine will not run well on an empty tank. Trying to design a weight loss or management diet around the total suppression of carbs may not be the wisest thing you can do. Try to use the Food pyramid proportions for general guidance. Remember they put the carbs at the base of the pyramid with the largest volume for a reason. So let us be reasonable in carb reduction. Choosing wholegrain carb sources is very highly recommended.
E- Increase amounts of the VEGETABLE and FRUIT GROUP
The servings in the vegetable and fruit group should be increased ( NOT Potatoes ! ) They will bring you plenty of good phytonutrients, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. The fiber they contain will slow down the absorption of glucose and will help to achieve a feeling of satiety and keep you from feeling hungry. Remember that some fruits (especially fruit salads in syrup) contain more sugar than others. Be choosy. Good amounts of fiber-rich non-starchy vegetables will restore the volume of a meal, provide you with a feeling of satiety and put you well on your way towards healthy weight loss.
A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE: Finally, in this endeavour of designing your own weight loss diet or weight management plan, remember to design a plan that is pleasant to follow. The more fun it is, the more you will love it ant the more you will stick to it. Regularity will be dependant on realistic goals. The hardest part of this exercise may be the "making it pleasant or fun" part. To this end, we include an example. Let us say you just love spaghetti. So, guess what ? Yes you can have spaghetti. Below is the nutritional summary of the spaghetti Bolognese sauce found in the recipes of the hM NUTRITION JOURNAL. Just compare the numbers with the average restaurant recipe (640 Cal).
Bon Appetit !
Suppressing one group completely would be unwise. For instance, eliminating the carbohydrate group (bread, cereals, rice and pasta) at the base of the pyramid would force your body to furiously metabolise fats and proteins. This is a very bad idea for one's glycaemia (blood sugar levels), neither is it a good idea for the good health of your kidneys. A good weight loss or weight management plan must not compromise your health or have you walk around feeling hungry and weak all the time.
4- USING THE FOOD PYRAMID: So how to go about it then ?
Let us assume, for example, that you have been ingesting 2,500 Calories a day for the past ten years. Assuming you have determined your ideal weight to require 2,000 Cal/day, you have been taking in an excess 500 Calories every day. That works out to an excess of 1,825,500 KCalories in that period. Not knowing what else to do with the surplus, your body did what it is genetically programmed to do. It put it away and stored it somewhere... in the form of fat for use in times of famine. That mechanism worked fine for our ancestors during the Stone Age. They had to hunt their next meal and sometimes live on the reserves of fat until they were successful in finding food. As for us, we drive to the supermarket and fill up our fridges. Time to make the adjustments we have forgotten to make. These adjustments should be of the comfortable type. Let us create a small deficit we can easily live with. Let us say the energy requirements for ideal weight ( 2,000 Cal/day) less 250 or 300 Calories. That yields an energy intake of 1,700 Cal for a while. Since it is less than the requirements, it will induce a gradual weight loss while being comfy.
But where does one cut the intake of calories ?
Looking back at the Food Pyramid, the four most suitable candidates for reduction are:
A- The FATS GROUP at the top of the pyramid.
Some fats are necessary; these are the mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fats such as the ones found in canola and olive oil. However some other fats are of no known use to the body such as the trans-fats and the saturated fats. Like the ones found in wieners or fast food pastries. At 9 Cal per gram, doing away with 10 grams of trans- or saturated fat per meal does away with 270 Cal/day - provided we do not replace it with scoops of other fats. That is one simple healthy way towards weight loss. When making your purchases, compare the nutrition labels of similar products for total calories and fat contents. You will be amazed at the differences.
Note that, of all the elements present in our plates, the saturated fats (and trans-) are the ones with the least of nutritional value. In an official scientific statement released by The American Heart Association, describing saturated fats, you will read the words "No Known Value" - AHA, 2007. In fact saturated and trans fats are known to promote the synthesis of LDL-Cholesterol (bad) by the liver. The obvious conclusion from the above is that reduced saturated fat diets are most appropriate for the purpose of achieving weight loss.
B- the SWEETS GROUP also at the top of the pyramid
Do we really and absolutely need that grossly oversized and sugar-rich bottle of cola at the end of a meal? Finding a more suitable thirst quencher may do away with as much as 500 Calories a day if you are used to having more than one a day. Since weight loss is really about subtracting a reasonable amount of calories from your diet while maintaining good nutritional balance, going after the empty calories first will a wise way to go. Empty calories are found in those foods that supply you with large amounts of calories and very little else in terms of nutrition. A large bottle of cola, for instance, is nothing but water with a large amount of sugar-laden syrup, artificial flavour and/or chemicals. It contains no protein, vitamins, minerals or fiber. Just a whole lot of empty calories. The oversized sugar-laden and saturated fat-laden doughnut at the fast food outlet is
another example of a filler with a dismal nutritional value. You can safely conclude that along with the saturated fats, the empty calories from worthless sweets can be a prime target in designing your
winning weight loss diet. There is a good reason why these elements are at the top of the Food Pyramid, occupying a very small volume.
C- Small changes in the PROTEIN GROUP
Increasing the amount of plant-based protein ( as in chick peas, kidney beans, soy products...etc.) will supply you with lean protein. Meat-based protein comes with a lot of fat. Replacing 50% of animal protein with the plant-based protein will go a long way to insure weight loss. Another 200 Cal done away with ? This replacement is also a great idea once you have achieved your healthy weight. It will help keep the unwanted extra pounds from coming back again.
D- Small changes in the CARBOHYDRATE GROUP.
Some MINOR reduction ( 20% ) or so might be advisable. Remember : you need carbs to be able to function. Your engine will not run well on an empty tank. Trying to design a weight loss or management diet around the total suppression of carbs may not be the wisest thing you can do. Try to use the Food pyramid proportions for general guidance. Remember they put the carbs at the base of the pyramid with the largest volume for a reason. So let us be reasonable in carb reduction. Choosing wholegrain carb sources is very highly recommended.
E- Increase amounts of the VEGETABLE and FRUIT GROUP
The servings in the vegetable and fruit group should be increased ( NOT Potatoes ! ) They will bring you plenty of good phytonutrients, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals. The fiber they contain will slow down the absorption of glucose and will help to achieve a feeling of satiety and keep you from feeling hungry. Remember that some fruits (especially fruit salads in syrup) contain more sugar than others. Be choosy. Good amounts of fiber-rich non-starchy vegetables will restore the volume of a meal, provide you with a feeling of satiety and put you well on your way towards healthy weight loss.
A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE: Finally, in this endeavour of designing your own weight loss diet or weight management plan, remember to design a plan that is pleasant to follow. The more fun it is, the more you will love it ant the more you will stick to it. Regularity will be dependant on realistic goals. The hardest part of this exercise may be the "making it pleasant or fun" part. To this end, we include an example. Let us say you just love spaghetti. So, guess what ? Yes you can have spaghetti. Below is the nutritional summary of the spaghetti Bolognese sauce found in the recipes of the hM NUTRITION JOURNAL. Just compare the numbers with the average restaurant recipe (640 Cal).
Bon Appetit !
REFERENCES:
1- The United States Department of Agriculture, "The Food Pyramid"
2- William L Schneider, "Nutrition Concepts and Applications", McGraw-Hill, Publishers
3- The Mayo Clinic, "Weight Loss". www.mayoclinic.com
1- The United States Department of Agriculture, "The Food Pyramid"
2- William L Schneider, "Nutrition Concepts and Applications", McGraw-Hill, Publishers
3- The Mayo Clinic, "Weight Loss". www.mayoclinic.com
Consulting a nutrition professional such as a registered dietitian is recommended. Registered Dietitians have studied the science of nutrition in a recognized college or university. They specialize in health care matters. Dietitians are the best qualified professionals to help you plan a balanced diet and suggest healthy recipes or healthy cooking methods suitable to improve your health condition. There is no association between the ADA and hM.
