A diet of locally sourced, seasonal food could reduce CO2 emissions, but does that mean we can never eat an avocado again?

Uncertainty around the Brexit trade negotiations shone a spotlight on where the food we eat comes from. People began to think about what would be on our tables if some food products were no longer available or affordable.

Fortunately, the deal that was reached means that, on the whole, there are no tariffs for food imports or exports between the UK and the EU. The scrutiny of the origin of some food and the environmental cost of bringing it to our shores has shifted the consumers focus to the environmental cost of the year-round availability of certain foods.

Around half of the food we eat in the UK is produced here. Eating UK-grown fruit and vegetables when in season means that less CO2 is emitted through transportation.

In 2019, Our World in Data reported that food production is responsible for approximately a quarter of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions. It concluded that the largest contributor is the livestock and fisheries sector.

Raising animals on farms to produce meat, dairy and eggs is responsible for 31 per cent of food emissions. Much of this is methane, which sheep and cattle produce through enteric fermentation in their digestive processes. Methane is emitted when the animal belches. There are also emissions from managing pastures and the fuel used for farm vehicles. In dairy farming, researchers are experimenting with additives introduced to cattle feed, including garlic and cinnamon, to reduce the amount of methane produced in cows stomachs, but this does affect the taste of the milk produced.

Fishing also produces CO2 through the useof fuel for fishing vessels. In Scotland and north-east England, fishing boats go further for what is called distant water fishing and can be away for days or weeks at atime, while in the south-west of England, the catch is from coastal waters, with trawlers out for a day or less.

A vegetarian diet also has carbon pitfalls. The US environmental activist group, Environmental Working Group, produced The Meat Eaters Guide to Climate Change and Health. It reported that cheese consumption resulted in 13.5kg-CO2e/kg. CO2equivalent, or CO2e, is the collective termfor greenhouse gases and is the amount of CO2 which would have the equivalent impact of global warming. The CO2e figure for cheese is less than for lamb or beef (39kg-CO2e/kg and 27kg-CO2e/kg respectively) but more than pork or farmed salmon (12kgCO2e/kg), chicken (7kgCO2e/kg), and eggs (5kg/CO2e/kg).

The type of cheese also affects greenhouse gas emissions. Hard cheese requires more milk than soft cheese, and therefore has a higher CO2e because of the emissions from milk production.

Professor Mike Berners-Lee broke down the carbon footprint of many foods in his book How Bad are Bananas?. He says that UK farm animals convert 10 per cent of calories they consume into meat and dairy for human consumption and argues that it would be more efficient if crops were consumed directly by the UK population.

The perceived wisdom is that eating fruit and vegetables that have not been grown using artificial heating will result in a lower carbon footprint.

Eating local produce, grown without artificial heating and without shipping or air freight, has the lowest CO2 emission. For example, locally grown apples produce 0.3kg-CO2e/kg, compared with apples shipped in from New Zealand, which produce 0.6kg-CO2e/kg. One of the most dramatic figures in Berners-Lees calculations is asparagus. Grown in the UK it is responsible for 1.1kg-CO2e/kg but imported from Peru, it increases to 18.5kg-CO2e/kg. Root vegetables can be grown locally all year round and are easy to store without needing refrigeration powered by electricity, resulting in 0.3kg-CO2e/kg.

International trade

Brexit has meant some increases in costs for wholesalers. Now that goods cannot travel freely between the UK and the EU, the paperwork required to clear the customs checks adds around 65 (58) per heading (i.e. category). According to Simon Lane, managing director at fruit importer Fruco, a lorryload of root vegetables may contain broccoli, butternut squash and sweet potatoes, which are three headings, incurring a cost of 195 (174). This cost is incurred by growers exporting the vegetables and by importers to clear them at the port of entry, adding around 300-400 per lorry. Lane says wholesalers may have to introduce price increases gradually to recoup these costs.

Covid has also brought changes to traditional business models. The UK seafood industry exports around 70 per cent of its catch and imports around 90 per cent. The UK has a conservative palate, says Andy Gray, trade marketing manager at industry body Seafish. It is principally limited to white fish, cod and haddock, and the supply doesnt meet the demand. White fish from Iceland, Norway and Russia are imported to supplement the UKs catch. Other species caught by UK vessels, like Dover or lemon sole, are largely bought by the restaurant trade while langoustine, crab, lobster and finfish (e.g. salmon) are mostly exported. The closure of overseas markets and restaurants in the UK has meant that many fishermen are selling online to customers who are experimenting with new recipes during lockdown. The days catch is also being sold at the quayside.

Customers can buy directly from wholesalers who used to supply restaurants and customers collect from the depot, says Gray. We expect this to continue as a direct route to the customer. When markets open up again, it remains to be seen if fish like turbot or bass will only be sold overseas where they attract a premium price, or if UK consumers will drive up demand.

Similarly, oysters are not being exported, principally to France, but are now being offered to domestic consumers. In the 17th and 18th centuries they were the main source of protein for poor families because they were so plentiful. If they are readily available to buy, wild and farmed oysters may once again become a staple of our diets.

Professor Dave Reay teaches carbon management and education at the University of Edinburgh. He argues that the issue of food miles is more complicated than simply comparing mileage. Although a food product may come from further away, its production may be more efficient and its emissions may be lower than a home-grown option. In his book Carbon-Smart Food, he estimates that 60 per cent of the carbon footprint of an orange imported to the UK from Brazil is the use of fertiliser, pesticides and fuel for machinery at harvest time. If the orange is used to make juice, he calculates that 22 per cent of its carbon footprint is in distribution.

Consumer food choices play a part in reducing the carbon emission. If we only demand beautiful vegetables there will be more waste and that will have a knock-on effect for production emissions of food which is never consumed, says Reay. If we expect to eat everything we want all year round and ignore the seasons, there will be a production cost in terms of having to ship in food which we cant grow locally or try and grow it locally under conditions where we are using lots of heat and light.

For arable farming, crop production is responsible for 21 per cent of foods CO2 emissions accounts. A contributor is synthetic fertilisers, which contain ammonium and nitrogen, both of which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. There are also CO2 emissions from agricultural machinery used to cultivate thesoil.

Agriculture has led to forests and grasslands being converted for livestock and growing crops, which increased CO2 emissions. Our World In Data estimated land for livestock to produce 16 per cent of emissions and land for arable farming, 8 per cent. The rate of deforestation for cattle ranching in Brazil, for example, means thatthe CO2 emission of its farmed beef is three times that of British beef. Other factors that contribute to CO2 emissions are savannah burning, ploughing or cultivating the soil.

The labour-intensive production of rice is also responsible for considerable methane emissions. Microbes, which thrive in the low-oxygen, high-carbon environment of the flooded paddy fields, are converted into methane. Introducing different varieties can reduce methane emission and increase productivity.

Seafish, the seafood industry body, argues that aquaculture has reduced its feed conversion ratio over the last 25 years. The feed conversion rate for farmed fish can be as low as 1.3:1, it says, compared with 3.5:1 for pigs and 2:1 for chickens. The carbon footprint for seafood varies according to the species; in all cases there is no farmland to convert or cultivate and unfed aquaculture species, such as mussels, have a particularly low carbon footprint.

Food transportation accounts for 6 per cent of foods total CO2 emissions, whereas processing, refrigeration and storage account for 18 per cent. Buying from local retailers, markets or directly from producers on a smaller scale can reduce the need for processing and energy for storage. Small quantities of seasonal food for immediate consumption can also contribute to reductions in packaging and waste. Doing this reduces energy consumption by the manufacture of packaging. A redesign, rather than elimination, of packaging is preferable, as durable packaging can prevent food waste.

The energy consumed in refrigerating and processing food has to be weighed against the environmental cost of having to throw away food. In 2017, research found that food waste accounts for 8 per cent of total greenhouse emissions.

Researchers at the University of Belgrade and the University of East Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, analysed the levels of CO2 emission in food.

For bricks and mortar food retailers, they noted that the main sources of CO2 emission are electricity, transport, ventilation and heating, refrigeration and waste.

Taking the entire food value chain, from the farm to processing, the researchers found that meat processing has an average emission of 0.66kgCO2e/kg. Vegetable processing has a mean value of 0.07kgCO2e/kg and transportation to a regional distribution centre carries an average emission value of 0.13kgCO2e/kg.

Using renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and refrigeration in stores and maximising the efficiency of its vehicles,US chain Wal-Mart nearly doubled the size of its stores between 2005 and 2014 but limited its CO2 emission, which rose from 18.9 million ton CO2e to 21.9 million in the same period.

Reducing carbon emissions does not mean a poor or limited diet. It could open up a world of new tastes as consumers embrace a broader variety of seasonal food and introduce new food and flavours.

Protein

Producing animal feed for farm animals is the cause of 6 per cent of foods CO2 emissions. Sugar beet is used as a supplement in cattle feed to provide digestible fibre that helps fermentation in the rumen (the cows first stomach) to produce milk.

Sugar beet produced in the UK and fed to UK herds has few food miles, but other animal feed, such as soy bean for chicken feed, has a higher carbon footprint.

Soy production is responsible for deforestation in Brazil and Argentina, and also involves fertilisers, agricultural machinery and long-distance transportation.

Different ways to provide animal protein for animal feed are being researched by the React First project. Nottingham-based Deep Branch Biotechnology has developed a process to use CO2 from industrial emissions to generate a single-cell protein called Proton.

Nottingham Trent Universitys Poultry Research Unit is benchmarking Protons nutritional quality while the University of Stirlings Institute of Aquaculture is investigating the feasibility of a microbial single-cell protein with an amino acid profile for the aquafeed industry as an alternative to anchovies shipped from Peru and Chile.

The Institutes Dr Mnica Betancor explains: Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food sector, with the UK salmon industry expected to increase significantly. Such growth can only be achieved in a sustainable manner by replacing the traditionally used marine ingredients in aquafeeds fishmeal and fish oil for more sustainable options.

Feeds produced with this protein will require no arable land and minimal water usage for feeds with a carbon footprint that is 65-75 per cent smaller than todays feeds for farmed fish and chicken.

Sign up to the E&T News e-mail to get great stories like this delivered to your inbox every day.

Originally posted here:
A varied diet need not cost the Earth - E&T Magazine

Your diet plays a crucial role in PTSD: Know which foods to include in your meals for better mental health  |  Photo Credit: iStock Images

New Delhi:PTSD is a mental health condition. It is triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic incident. This mental condition has become very common in people nowadays. There are many symptoms of PTSD like anxiety, depression, flashbacks of the incident, shock, fear, trauma, terror and nightmare. Therapy and medications work together to treat a patient suffering from PTSD. It is seen that people also get suicidal during the course of this mental condition. Taking proper care and correct supervision is very important to treat PTSD. One must first learn to accept his/her situation and then act as and when required. Mental health should be your number one priority.

Food plays a crucial role in improving your mental health. Bad eating habits can be harmful to someone who is suffering from PTSD and can spoil their overall mental and physical health. Proper intake of nutrition is very important to deal with such mental conditions. Your mind and body need the energy to fight your thoughts. Certain foods produce happy hormones and elevate your mood. A healthy diet is a possible treatment for PTSD. A diet that is rich in fibre and whole grains can lower the risk of this mental health condition. Understanding the relationship between PTSD and eating behaviour is very crucial. You must consume foods that are good for your mental health and give you strength.

Your mental health is equally as important as your physical health. Please take care of it while you can!

Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Get the Latest health news, healthy diet, weight loss, Yoga, and fitness tips, more updates on Times Now

Originally posted here:
Your diet plays a crucial role in PTSD: Know which foods to include in your meals for better mental health - Times Now

Fava, einkorn and emmer. You would be forgiven for assuming these were the names of east London whippetsor the offspring of some minor European royals. In fact, they are the forgotten ancient grains and pulses that could give your health a much-needed boost.

In this country, we are starting to get our heads around the almost magical health-giving qualities of pulses and wholegrains. We know the health benefits of gut-friendly, slow-proved sourdough made with good quality wheat compared to a starchy supermarket loaf and many of our store cupboards now contain a good range of chickpeas, beans, rice and lentils to add to curries, soups, salads and stews.

But when it comes to grains and pulses, most of us are stuck in a rut, and relying on mass-produced imported goods. Its time we learned to love the delicious, nutritious alternatives our land has to offer, which provide the variety of nutrients our bodies evolved to eat.

Along with plant-based protein, pulses and grains are rich in dietary fibre, which we could all do with eating more of, says nutritionist Amelia Freer. Eating two portions of wholegrains per day has been proven to help with weight loss and protect against diseases especially colorectal cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease.

Fibre is also considered the first step to a healthy gutas it feeds beneficial bacteria important for the immune system.

Modern wheat has become by far and away the dominant grain that is grown and eaten today, but its now mostly used in a processed state, with a diminished fibre content and nutritional value, says Freer.

During milling and processing (where grains are turned into flour and then made into other products like bread and pasta), the fibre-packed bran and the germ, which contains the vast majority of the grains nutrients, are often removed to make a finer, whiter flour.

British buckwheat flour is a delicious alternative to try in cakes and biscuits or for Shrove Tuesday pancakes this week. Buckwheat is actually a seed or pseudograin, so keeps you feeling fuller for longer than white flour, and its rich in nutrients such as magnesium and B vitaminsalong with protein and fibre.

Centuries-old grains like einkorn, emmer and spelt are generally thought to offer more protein, fibre, and vitamins than modern grains as they havent been processed through hybridisation or genetic modification. Rather, theyre grown just as they were centuries agoand are often better for us.

Spelt, which can be eaten whole, for example in salads, or milled for delicious bread or pastais packed with iron, micronutrients like magnesium important for activating muscles and nerves and creating energy in the body and B vitamins.

Spelt also releases energy more slowly, meaning you stay fuller for longer (good for anyone looking to lose weight) and can be kinder on sensitive stomachs compared to modern wheat that has been bred to contain a high gluten content.

Nick Saltmarsh, co-founder of Hodmedodswhich sells British-grown whole grains and pulses, recommends eating grains like naked barley and naked oats, where the husk naturally falls off the grain when theyre harvested.

Iron Age Britons knew a thing or two about how to get the most out of a Great British pulse. In an era when meat and dairy were more precious and protein had to be found from other sources, fava beans were once central to our diet. A precursor to the modern broad bean, they are still grown in abundance in this country but,rather than eating them, we mainly export them (around 200,000 tonnes, in fact, to Egypt alone).

Pulses like fava are high in protein, says Freer. Pulses tend to contain between 17-30 per cent protein (dry weight), and contain the essential amino acid lysine (which is relatively low in grains), so including pulses in a plant-based diet can be important to ensure all essential protein requirements are met.

They also contain antioxidant compounds, which contribute to our immune system, as well as resistant starch which is important for gut health.

Broadening your diet, and swapping new pulses and grains such as fava beans into your dishes, is an easy way to ensure youre getting a good range of micronutrients, which is vital for good health and protection from disease, she adds. Try using them to make falafel, use split fava beans in place of lentils for a dhal, or add them to casseroles as you would a bean or a chickpea.

There is an environmental upshot to all this too, says Saltmarsh. The more pulses we can get into British farming rotations the better that is for the soil and local environment.

Homedods was founded in 2012 following a project which examined what a sustainable and resilient diet would look like if it was supplied mainly from the agricultural hinterland of Norwich. One of the key things we identified was the huge benefits to be had from getting more vegetable proteins into our diet in place of animal protein, says Saltmarsh.

We then realised that most of the vegetable protein sources available on the British market are imported. Baked beans, which is the way the British consume most of the pulses in our diet, are from imported pulses.

And yet British farmers are growing pulses, particularly fava beans and a number of varieties of dried pea.

Unlike with meat, dairy or veg, freshness isnt so much of a concern, as most of this produce is sold dried or canned. But if you can buy local rather than imported produce, Saltmarsh says there may be a greater chance it will be grown to a higher standardand its more likely to arrive in your kitchen soon after harvest rather than after sitting in storage for a very long time, where its nutritional potential will start to diminish.

Follow this link:
The Great British Diet: how eating pulses and grains can help you lose weight and live longer - Telegraph.co.uk

In the first DGA published during a global pandemic, you'd think COVID-19 would get some airtime. Unfortunately, it only got one sentence. I know most of us are ready to see coronavirus in our rearview mirrors, but it's not history (yet).

The past 10 months have shown us scientific discoveries in real-time, linking preventable nutrition issues (e.g., vitamin D deficiency) with COVID-19. And considering immunity is a top priority, I think it's a miss the Dietary Guidelines did not take the opportunity to inform Americans of the links between nutrition and immune function. The singular mention in the DGA explains that, "people living with diet-related chronic conditions and diseases are at an increased risk of severe illness from the novel coronavirus."

I appreciate, however, that the DGAC (remember, they wrote the 835-page Scientific Report to inform the much shorter DGA) adds more color to the issue, calling out two, concurrent epidemics in our country: "These parallel epidemics, one noninfectious (obesity and diet-related chronic diseases) and one infectious (COVID-19), appear to be synergistic."

Schneeman explains the committee faced a logistical, timing challenge: "The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as the committee moved into its final phases of work." She went on to say that, "As a committee, we were struck with the vulnerability of those with diet-related chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) to the most serious outcomes from infection with the virus. In addition, the disruptions due to the pandemic have resulted in food insecurity and hunger, increasing the challenges to make healthful dietary choices."

DGAC member Regan Bailey, Ph.D., MPH, R.D., echoes this paradox, sharing that while "nutrition is critical to the immune defense and resistance to pathogens, both undernutrition and overnutrition can impair immune function." (Bailey is a professor in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University, as well as director of the Purdue Diet Assessment Center.)

At mindbodygreen, we recently explored undernutrition in the complex problem of food insecurity, as well as overnutrition (and unhealthy nutrition patterns) in the synergy between metabolic health and immunity.

Based on these insights, I believe embracing healthful nutrition patterns, supporting food security initiatives, addressing nutrient gaps, and maximizing other lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, sleep, etc.) are powerful levers we can choose to pull to improve metabolic health, and thus our immune system.

Indeed, DGAC member Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., RDN, L.D., professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University, and Chief of the Nutrition Division at Feinberg School of Medicine, underscores the fact that, "now more than ever, the importance of healthy eating, weight control, and prevention of both cardiometabolic and infectious diseases is a recognized goal, worldwide."

Ultimately, diving deeper into the nutrition/immune system relationship in the Dietary Guidelines was passed onto the next iteration (20252030). In the meantime, Donovan shares these actionable insights: "a healthy immune system depends upon an adequate intake of many nutrients, protein, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially omega-3s), vitamins (e.g., vitamin C and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E), and minerals (e.g., iron and zinc)."

In addition to these macro- and micronutrients, Donovan explains that, "the best place to get immune-supporting nutrients is from whole foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, which provide dietary fiber and phytonutrients that benefit the gut microbiome and immune function."

Read more:
I'm A Nutritionist & This Is What I Really Think About The New Dietary Guidelines - mindbodygreen.com

Hi. This is Eunice from Diet Center.

Keeping track of what we eat is important to our weight loss success. It should be documented in writing, not just tracked mentally.

Many people feel that they are following their weight loss program well, but still are not losing weight. Part of the problem may be that they are estimating how much is being eaten.

If intake is tracked more accurately by keeping a food journal, we may be surprised by what we discover about our eating habits.

The following examples reflect the importance of tracking in writing what you eat to better determine why you may not be losing weight.

A study showed that people tend to underestimate their intake by about 800 calories.

Have you ever thought about what types of activities burn 800 calories?

Aggressive cross-country skiing averaging 58 mph depending on the participants body weight will burn almost 800 calories per hour.

Jumping rope or running seven-minute miles burns about 780 calories per hour.

Most of us may not have the time, energy or circumstances to participate in these types of activities, so here are some that may be a little more doable but still does not burn those types of calories.

Here are ways that can burn about 500 calories a day through aerobic exercise roughly 30 minutes of jogging at 8.6 mph, 60 minutes of jogging at 5 mph, 50 minutes of playing basketball, 60 minutes of swimming laps, or just over 100 minutes of walking at 3.5 mph, according to Harvard Health.

Those averages are based on an individual that weighs 155 pounds.

Exercise is important to our health and well-being, but wouldnt it be easier to keep a food journal to help avoid overestimating how many calories we consume?

Studies show people underestimate how much fat they consume.

Did you know that one gram of fat contains nine calories, one gram of carbohydrates and protein contains about four calories, and one gram of alcohol contains seven calories?

Because 28 grams or two tablespoons equals one ounce, calories from fat and alcohol can add up very quickly.

An American Dietetic Association survey found consumers routinely overestimate the portion size of pasta, rice, vegetables and meat.

A half-cup serving of cooked pasta or one-third cup of cooked rice equals about 80 calories.

One cup of raw vegetables or a half cup of cooked vegetables (excluding starchy vegetables) contains about 25 calories, and three ounces of cooked lean meat contains about 165 calories.

If your weight loss seems to be slowing down, take a closer look at your eating habits. You may be consuming more calories than you realize.

Thank you for reading Diet Centers tip of the week.

If you are struggling with weight loss, call 928-753-5066 or stop by Diet Center at 1848 Hope Ave. in Kingman.

Continue reading here:
Kingman Diet Tip of the Week: Write it down - Kdminer

It has a menu of options it is looking at, from more renewable energy to recycling. And its not only choosing what strategies to prioritize but also could discuss what should be mandatory and what should be voluntary. Not everyone will feel like they are being done a favor.

The committee doesnt make the final decision. It is making recommendations. But we have to imagine the Bend City Council will take the committees recommendations seriously. So if you want to influence Bends emissions diet, let the committee know what you think. For now the best email for the committee is clacy@bendoregon.gov.

Unfortunately the actual action matrix the committee discussed at its Thursday meeting is not available online. It should be. We got a copy by asking for it from Cassie Lacy, the city staff member working with the committee. The matrix is not all that different, though, from the strategy options in the Bend Community Climate Action Plan. That is online and easy to find.

We are going to highlight a few options we found interesting, but you should check it out for yourself.

The city could create incentives. The city could create a revolving loan fund to finance more renewable energy. It could also just try to raise more community awareness of options.

Once again, the city could create incentives, create a revolving loan fund or just promote education and the incentives provided by utilities.

The Department of Energy set up ratings for energy efficiency of homes. The Bend City Council debated it in the past. Should Bend make it mandatory for new homes or homes that go up for sale? It is a good way for people to get information that might help save them money in the future. But a home could be efficient and still use way more energy than another similar home because of choices the people who live in it make.

Many of these ideas are about improving recycling and reducing waste, through encouraging different behavior.

The problem with making a choice within the existing action matrix is that there are no numbers attached. How much do things cost? Which are more cost effective in improving efficiency or reducing emissions? And how much time and effort is involved to get them going? Its easy to be attracted to some of these options, but from the information presented to the committee its hard to know which are truly pretty.

Go here to read the rest:
Editorial: What should be in Bend's emissions diet? - The Bulletin

EL PASO, Texas - Whether you've recently had heart surgery, had it years ago, or just want to eat healthier to protect your heart, local cardiologist Dr. Chalam Mulukutla with Las Palmas Medical Center says consistency in your heart healthy diet is the key to success.

"A heart healthy diet means to eat healthy, but that can be tough because a lot of times people try to do too much or too many changes at once," said Dr. Mulukutla. "Don't make too many drastic changes. It is a balance to eat the things we want to along with the things we need to and that is it only way you will be able to stick with it."

Many times, Dr. Mulukutla said, people think a heart healthy diet has to be restrictive or complicated. But that isn't the case.

"If you're going to make changes, make them gradually," said Mulukutla. "Try and change one unhealthy eating habit at a time and every several weeks. For instance, start with sugary sodas, just concentrate one that for a few weeks. Then, maybe we start to talk about adding in eating more fiber-rich foods or more vegetables. But the goal should always be to start with one or two changes and then gradually incorporate others."

Can food improve your heart health? Dr. Mulukutla says yes. "Food can absolutely improve your heart health and prevent heart disease. Some studies show food can contribute to about 40% improvement in cardiac mortality. While it varies by individuals, sticking to some of the basics in the Mediterranean dieteating grain, nuts, fruits and veggies, as well as the right type of fat and food is key."

But does a heart healthy diet mean you can't eat fats or certain foods? "If you get into the nitty gritty, there are certain types of fats that aren't good for you and those can sometimes be included in meat, dairy and poultry," Dr. Mulukutla said. "Olive oil and foods like avocado are rich in 'good fats.' But the biggest thing to remember is that you can eat what you want as long as you have portion control. Ultimately, your diet is based on how many calories you eat per day, so portion control, even with foods that have some of those bad fats will cut down on how much you are putting into your body."

"The most important advice I can give is that being heart healthy is a whole lifestyle choice. If you are active and eat healthy for the most part, it doesn't mean you have to compromise all the time what you choose to eat. Your heart and health are in your control."

Read more:
What is a heart healthy diet? El Paso cardiologist says it doesn't have to be restrictive or complicated - KVIA El Paso

Fibre-rich diet can be good for weight loss and digestion

A fibre-rich diet is popular many reasons. It is weight loss-friendly, diabetes-friendly and also good for digestion. Now, a new study found that people who fibre-rich foods every day were at lower risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to a study published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, eating junk food like pastries and chocolate was found to be associated with higher risk of PTSD. The study was conducted on more than 27,000. It was found that in one in 20 people reported experiencing PTSD. Those who reported eating multiple-fibre rich foods every had lower odds of developing PTSD.

Having said that, researchers aren't sure if intake of fibre is really linked to a protective effect on mental health, or if it is other factors like poverty, which affects people access to nutritious foods. There is a possibility, however, that eating fibre-rich foods can improve communication between gut and brain, said Karen Davison, nutritional epidemiologist and co-author of the study.

Foods like whole grains and oats are rich in soluble fibre. This provides good bacteria to the gut and helps in improving gut flora. A healthy gut is not just great for the body, but also for the mind, studies have found.

This study further adds that dietary fibre plays an important role in the relationship between he gut and brain. When the body processes fibre, gut bacteria releases short chain fatty acids-compounds that reduce inflammation in the body.

Previous studies have found short chain fatty acids can improve metabolism as well as immunity.

Also read:Quick Breakfast Ideas: Prepare This Avocado Toast To Get A Dash Of Protein, Fibre And Good Fats

Whole grains, oats, fresh fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds and vegetables are examples of foods rich in fibre. All of these foods are a part of a healthy and nutritious diet, which is good for your physical, mental and overall health. Below are some more benefits of a diet rich in fibre:

1. Regularises bowel movements: If you are someone who gets constipated too frequently, a fibre-rich diet is a must for you. They help in formation of bulk of stools and eases bowel movements, thus keeping constipation at bay.

2. Helps in controlling blood sugar: Fibre-rich foods slow down the release of sugar in blood stream, thus preventing any spikes in blood sugar. A fibre-rich diet can also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Eating fibre-rich foods can help in controllig blood sugarPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:Get More Fibre With These Dietary Changes: 5 Simple Ways You Must Try

3. Weight loss: Fibre-rich foods are filling in nature. They fill you up quickly and make you feel full for longer. They can reduce your appetite and also bring down your calorie intake, which is a key requirement for those who are trying to lose weight.

4. Lowers cholesterol: Foods like oats, beans, flaxseeds help in reducing low density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol. They bring down total blood cholesterol levels and can thus be beneficial for your heart as well.

It is important to note that you need to up your fibre intake for good health, but definitely not overdo it as it can result in gas, bloating and intestinal cramping. The MayoClinic suggests that men aged 50 or younger need 38 gms of fibre in a day; men aged 51 and above need 30 gms of fibre in a day. Women aged 50 or younger need 25 gms of fibre in a day; women aged 51 and above need 21 gms of fibre in a day.

To meet your daily recommended intake of fibre, the best thing to do is a consult a dietitian or a health expert.

Also read:Control Type-2 Diabetes Risk With Fibre Loaded Whole Grains; Know Other Preventive Measures

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

Waiting for response to load...

Read more:
Not Just Weight Loss, Fibre-Rich Diet Can Lower Risk Of PTSD As Well- Know What This New Study Says - NDTV

Dear Dietitian,

My daughter, who is 18, recently changed from a vegetarian to a vegan diet.When she was eating mostly vegetarian, she did eat chicken for protein. But everything else she ate was considered junk food - chips, candy, sodas.Now that she is vegan, she is still not eating nearly enough vegetables or protein to maintain good health. I have tried to help with this by giving her a daily multivitamin, and she has been taking iron supplements because she was told she was low in iron.

I would like to know what is considered a healthy vegan diet and what a vegan should be eating on a daily basis to remain healthy and not become malnourished.

Renee

Dear Renee,

With a little extra planning, a vegan diet can easily provide adequate protein and calories to maintain health. The requirements for a healthy vegan diet are the same as a regular diet, but of course, the meat is replaced with plant proteins. For those who aren't familiar with a vegan diet, it is comprised entirely of plant foods. There are no meats, fish, or animal products, such as milk or eggs.

Our bodies need about 1 gram of protein per kilogram body weight. For a 150-pound woman, that amounts to about 70 grams of protein per day. Some vegan sources of protein are peanut or almond butter, beans, legumes, and soy. There are even burgers made with plant protein in today's market, but pay close attention to the saturated fat content.

There are some vitamins and minerals to be concerned about on a strict vegan diet. The first is calcium. An eighteen-year-old woman needs 1000 mg of calcium per day. This amount can be easily obtained in fortified almond, soy, or rice milk.Most of these products are also fortified with vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. Vegetable sources of calcium include broccoli, kale, and tofu. Still, it is not advised to rely only on vegetables, as the volume needed to attain calcium goals is difficult to reach. Go with a supplement or fortified plant milk.

Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in animal products. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 2.4 micrograms per day. A B12 deficiency may lead to neurological problems. Some cereals are fortified with this vitamin, and the multivitamin should contain it, too.

Another mineral of importance is iron. There are two types of iron, heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found in red meat and pork, whereas non-heme is found in plants. Heme iron is better absorbed by the body. Plant sources of iron include spinach, nuts and seeds, and beans. Premenopausal women need 18 mg of iron each day, and as you stated, your daughter is taking an iron supplement. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption.

You mention your concern about your daughter's consumption of junk food. At this age, she has to choose to eat healthfully. There are some things you can do to help, but you may need to tread lightly. Prepare healthy snacks and be sure they are readily available. A fruit bowl in the kitchen, nuts, and hummus with pita chips are healthy, satisfying snacks. Prepare a tasty vegan meal: pasta with sauteed vegetables and roasted pine nuts, bread, and sorbet for dessert. You may add cheese for the non-vegans at the table.

The bottom line is your little girl is now a grown-up (almost), and she has to learn to make healthy choices for herself.

Until next time, be healthy!

Dear Dietitian

See the original post:
Dear Dietitian What is included in a healthy vegan diet? - Kiowa County Press