Now that we’ve cleared up some popular misconceptions about nutrition, we can go on to analyze food components. After reading
this chapter, you will understand how eating lots of nutrient-dense foods will make you lose weight.
Unrefined Carbohydrates Encourage Weight Loss
Our bodies need carbohydrates more than any other substance. Our muscle cells and brains are designed to run on carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate-rich foods, when consumed in their natural state, are low in calories and high in fiber compared with fatty foods,
processed foods, or animal products.
Fat contains about nine calories per gram, but protein and carbohydrates contain approximately four calories per gram. So
when you eat high-carbohydrate foods, such as fresh fruits and beans, you can eat more food and still keep your caloric intake
relatively low. The high fiber content of (unrefined) carbohydrate-rich foods is another crucial reason you will feel more satisfied and not crave more food when you make unrefined carbohydrates
the main source of calories in your diet.
It is usually the small amount of added refined fat or oils that makes natural carbohydrates so fattening. For example, one
cup of mashed potatoes is only 130 calories. Put just one tablespoon of butter on top and you have added another 100 calories.
Protein, fat, and carbohydrates are called macronutrients. Vitamins and minerals are referred to as micronutrients. All plant foods are a mixture of protein, fat, and carbohydrate (the macronutrients). Even a banana contains about 3.5 percent
protein, almost the same as mother’s milk. Fruit and starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, corn, and butternut squash,
are predominantly carbohydrate but also contain some fat and protein. Green vegetables are about half protein, a quarter carbohydrate,
and a quarter fat. Legumes and beans are about half carbohydrate, a quarter protein, and a quarter fat.
One of the principles behind the health and weight-loss formula in this book is not to be overly concerned about the macronutrient
balance; if you eat healthful foods, you will automatically get enough of all three macronutrients as long as you do not consume
too many calories from white flour, sugar, and oil. So don’t fear eating foods rich in carbohydrate and don’t be afraid of
eating fruit because it contains sugar. Even the plant foods that are high in carbohydrate contain sufficient fiber and nutrients
and are low enough in calories to be considered nutritious. As long as they are unrefined, they should not be excluded from
your diet. In fact, it is impossible to glean all the nutrients needed for optimal health if your diet does not contain lots
of carbohydrate-rich food.
Fresh fruits, beans and legumes, whole grains, and root vegetables are all examples of foods whose calories come mainly from
carbohydrate. It is the nutrient-per-calorie ratio of these foods that determines their food value. There is nothing wrong
with carbohydrates; it is the empty-calorie, or refined, carbohydrates that are responsible for the bad reputation of carbs.
Understanding the Concept of Caloric Density
Because meats, dairy, and oils are so dense in calories, it is practically impossible for us to eat them without consuming
an excess of calories. These calorie-rich foods can pile up a huge number of calories way before our stomachs are full and
our hunger satisfied. However, eating foods higher in nutrients and fiber and lower in calories allows us to become satiated
without consuming excess calories.
Your body must burn about 23 percent of the calories consumed from carbohydrates to make the conversion from glucose into
fat, but it converts food fat into body fat quickly and easily. One hundred calories of ingested fat can be converted to ninety-seven
calories of body fat, burning a measly three calories. When you consume oil or animal fat, the fat you eat is easily and rapidly
stored by the body.
MORE BULK MEANS FEWER CALORIES
Converting food fat into body fat is easy; the process doesn’t even modify the molecules. Research scientists can actually
take fat biopsies off your hips or waist and tell you where it came from—pig fat, dairy fat, chicken fat, or olive oil. The
fat is still the same as it was on your plate, but now it is under your skin. The saying “from your lips to your hips” is
literally true. Fat is also an appetite stimulant—the more you eat, the more you want.
Foods That Make You Thin
Appetite is not controlled by the weight of the food but by fiber, nutrient density, and caloric density. It is even useful
to approximate the amount of calories per volume. Since the stomach can hold about one liter of food, let’s look at how many
calories are in a whole stomachful of a particular food.
It’s pretty clear which foods will let you feel full with the least amount of calories—fruits and vegetables. Green vegetables,
fresh fruits, and legumes again take the gold, silver, and bronze medals. Nothing else in the field is even close.
Green vegetables are so incredibly low in calories and rich in nutrients and fiber that the more of them you eat, the more
weight you will lose. One of my secrets to nutritional excellence and superior health is the one pound–one pound rule. That
is, try to eat at least one pound of raw vegetables a day and one pound of cooked/steamed or frozen green or nongreen nutrient-rich
vegetables a day as well. One pound raw and one pound cooked—keep this goal in mind as you design and eat every meal. This
may be too ambitious a goal for some of us to reach, but by working toward it, you will ensure the dietary balance and results
you want. The more vegetables you eat, the more weight you will lose. The high volume of greens not only will be your secret
to a thin waistline but will simultaneously protect you against life-threatening illnesses.
CALORIC RATIOS OF COMMON FOODS
| |
CALORIES PER POUND |
CALORIES PER LITER |
FIBER GRAMS PER POUND |
| Oils |
3,900 |
7,700 |
0 |
| Potato chips or french fries |
2,600 |
3,000 |
0 |
| Meat |
2,000 |
3,000 |
0 |
| Cheese |
1,600 |
3,400 |
0 |
| White bread |
1,300 |
1,500 |
0 |
| Chicken and turkey (white meat) |
900 |
1,600 |
0 |
| Fish |
800 |
1,400 |
0 |
| Eggs |
700 |
1,350 |
0 |
| Whole grains (wheat and rice) |
600 |
1,000 |
3 |
| Starchy vegetables (potatoes and corn) |
350 |
600 |
4 |
| Beans |
350 |
500 |
5 |
| Fruits |
250 |
300 |
9 |
| Green vegetables |
100 |
200 |
5 |
THE NUTRIENT-DENSITY LINE
The nutrient-density scores below are based on identified phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, and total vitamin and mineral
content.
| Highest nutrient density = 100 points |
Lowest nutrient density = 0 |
100 |
Dark green leafy vegetables
kale, mustard greens, collard greens, Swiss chard, watercress, spinach, arugula |
95 |
Other green vegetables
romaine, bok choy, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, string beans, snow peas, green peas |
50 |
Non-green nutrient-rich vegetables
beets, eggplant, mushrooms, onions, radishes, bean sprouts, red and yellow bell peppers, radicchio, cauliflower, tomatoes,
artichokes, raw carrots |
45 |
Fresh fruits
strawberries, blueberries, other berries, plums, oranges, melons, kiwifruit, apples, cherries, pineapple, peaches, pears,
grapes, bananas
|
40 |
Beans
lentils, kidney, great northern, adzuki, black, pinto, split peas, edamame, chickpeas |
30 |
Raw nuts and seeds
sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, flaxseeds, almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts |
25 |
Colorful starchy vegetables
butternut and other squash, sweet potatoes, corn, turnips |
20 |
Whole grains/white potatoes
old-fashioned oats, barley, brown and wild rice, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, bulgur, whole grain bread, white potatoes |
18 |
Fish |
15 |
Fat-free dairy |
15 |
Eggs |
15 |
Wild meat and fowl |
8 |
Full-fat dairy |
6 |
Red meat |
6 |
Refined grain products |
3 |
Cheese |
1 |
Refined oils |
0 |
Refined sweets
cookies, cakes, candy, soda |
One of the most fascinating areas of research in recent years has been related to the therapeutic value of cruciferous vegetables,
which include vegetables in the cabbage family and others such as kale, collards, watercress, arugula, cauliflower, and bok
choy. Cruciferous vegetables have the most powerful anti-cancer effects of all foods. Most of the phytonutrients function
as antioxidants in your body, meaning they neutralize free radicals, rendering them harmless and reducing cancer risk. The
phytonutrients in cruciferious vegetables also activate your body’s own antioxidant control system. These unique compounds
cycle through the body for three to five days after consumption, offering protection and fueling numerous bodily systems,
enabling them to function more effectively.
Vegetables have powerful levels of carotenoids and other nutrients that prevent age-related diseases. For example, the leading
cause of age-related blindness in America is macular degeneration. Low carotenoid levels in the macula are now considered
a risk factor for macular degeneration.3 If you eat greens at least five times per week, your risk drops by more than 86 percent. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids
with powerful disease-prevention properties. Researchers have found that those with the highest blood levels of lutein had
the healthiest blood vessels, with little or no atherosclerosis.4
LUTEIN AND/OR ZEAXANTHIN IN FOODS2 (in micrograms)
| 1 cup cooked kale |
28,470 |
| 1 cup cooked collard greens |
27,710 |
| 1 cup cooked spinach |
23,940 |
| 1 cup cooked Swiss chard |
19,360 |
| 1 cup cooked mustard greens |
14,850 |
| 1 cup cooked red bell pepper |
13,600 |
| 1 cup cooked beet greens |
11,090 |
| 1 cup cooked okra |
10,880 |
| 4 cups romaine lettuce |
12,770 |
Nutrient:Weight Ratios Are Misleading
William Harris, M.D., performed an analysis of major food groups titled “Less Grains, More Greens,”5 though he didn’t assign phytochemical activity. Dr. Harris explains in detail why ranking and analyzing foods by nutrient:weight
ratios, the nutritional establishment’s usual method, is ill-advised and misleading.6
People do not eat until a certain weight of food is consumed but rather until they are calorically and nutritively fulfilled.
He compares an analysis of spinach with that of spinach with water added (spinach soup) and shows how the weight (added water)
does not change the nutrients received. If we analyze the nutrients by weight, we incorrectly think that spinach with water
added is much less nutritious.
Furthermore, Harris explains why the food industry, especially the producers of animal products, is opposed to nutrient: calorie
analysis. It is because nutrient-per-weight sorting hides how deficient animal foods are in nutrients, especially the crucial
anti-cancer nutrients. As Dr. Harris states, nutrient-per-weight sorting is “a great way to keep excess calories, cholesterol
and saturated fat in the diet, which is a splendid way to grow an arteriosclerotic, obese, cancer-ridden nation, which is
what we have.”
EATING TO ENHANCE THE NUTRIENT-PER-CALORIE DENSITY OF ONE’S DIET:
-
Causes weight loss that is permanent
-
Promotes longevity
-
Derails hunger and food cravings
-
Increases immune function and disease resistance
-
Has therapeutic effects to reverse disease
-
Protects against heart disease, stroke, and dementia
-
Fuels cellular repair mechanisms protecting against cancer
Fats Are Essential
It is true that most of us eat too much fat, but scientific research is revealing that too little fat can be a problem, too.
We have learned that not merely are we consuming too much fat but, more important, we are consuming the wrong fats. Americans
consume too much of some bad fats and not enough of other fats that we need to maximize health.
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are polyunsaturated dietary fats that the body cannot manufacture, so they are required for health.
EFAs are important for the structure and function of cell membranes and serve as precursors to hormones, which play an important
role in our health. These fats are essential not only in growth and development but also in the prevention and treatment of
chronic diseases.7
The two primary essential fatty acids are linoleic acid, an omega-6 fat, and alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat. The body
can make other fatty acids, called nonessential fats, from these two basic fats. Linoleic acid’s first double bond is at the
location of its sixth carbon, so it is called an omega-6 fatty acid, and alpha-linolenic acid’s first double bond is on its
third carbon, so it is called an omega-3 fatty acid.
Optimal health depends on the proper balance of fatty acids in the diet. The modern diet that most of us eat supplies an excessive
amount of omega-6 fat but often too little omega-3 fat. This relative deficiency of omega-3 fat has potentially serious implications.
Also, the consumption of too much omega-6 fat leads to high levels of arachidonic acid. Higher levels of arachidonic acid
can promote inflammation.
| OMEGA-6 FAT |
OMEGA-3 FAT |
| Linoleic acid |
Alpha-linolenic acid |
 |
|
| GLA (gamma linolenic acid) |
EPA (eicospentaenoic acid) |
|
|
| AA (arachidonic acid) |
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) |
|
|
| pro-inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes |
anti-inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes |
When we have insufficient omega-3 fat, we do not produce enough DHA, a long-chain omega-3 fat with anti-inflammatory effects.
High levels of arachidonic acid and low levels of omega-3 fat can be a contributory cause of heart disease, stroke, autoimmune
diseases, skin diseases, depression, and possibly increased cancer incidence.8
Most Americans would improve their health if they consumed more omega-3 fat and less omega-6 fat. I recommend that both vegetarians
and nonvegetarians make an effort to consume 1 to 2 grams of omega-3 fat daily.
ADD A FEW GRAMS OF OMEGA-3 FAT TO YOUR DIET
| Flaxseeds |
1 tablespoon |
1.7 g |
| Walnuts, English (12 walnut halves) |
4 tablespoons |
2 g |
| Soybeans (green, frozen, or raw) |
1½ cups |
2 g |
| Tofu |
1½ cups |
2 g |
A diet very high in omega-6 fat makes matters worse; your body makes even less DHA fat. We need enough DHA fat to ensure optimum
health. The high level of omega-6 fat competes for the enzymes involved in fatty acid desaturation (conversion to longer-chain
fats) and interferes with the conversion of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) to EPA and DHA. Therefore, our high fat intake contributes to our DHA fat deficiency.
Our modern diet, full of vegetable oils and animal products, is very high in omega-6 fat and very low in omega-3 fat; the
higher the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, the higher the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and inflammatory illnesses.9
Diabetes is only one of many diseases linked to excessive omega-6 fats.
Source: Simopoulos, A. P. 1999. Essential fatty acids in health and chronic disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 70(3): 560–69.
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and trans fat also interfere with conversion to DHA. Among the most beneficial effects of a diet
rich in plant foods are the low level of saturated fat and trans fat (harmful fats) and the relatively high level of essential
fatty acids (beneficial fats). Both meat-based diets and vegetarian diets can be deficient in these healthy fats if they do
not contain sufficient green leaves, beans, nuts, seeds, or fish. So, eat less of the fatty foods you usually consume and
eat more walnuts, flaxseeds, soybeans, and leafy green vegetables.
There’s Something Fishy about Fish Oils
Most of the publicity about the beneficial effects of essential fats has focused on fish oils, which are rich in EPA, an omega-3
fat. One problem with fish oils is that much of the fat has already turned rancid. If you cut open a capsule of fish oil and
taste it, you will find it tastes like gasoline. Not only are many people intolerant of the burping, indigestion, and smelling
like a fish, but it is also possible that the rancidity of the fat places a stress on the liver. I have noted abnormal liver
function in the blood tests of a few patients who were taking fish oil capsules. These few patients had their liver function
return to normal when they stopped taking the fish oil.
Recently a lawsuit brought by environmentalists in California against eight supplement manufacturers or distributors claimed
that popular brands of fish oil supplements contain unsafe and illegal levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which
are carcinogenic chemicals.10 Testing found that levels of PCBs in popular fish oil supplements varied wildly, from about 12 nanograms per recommended
dose to more than 850 nanograms in the most contaminated product. The suit claimed that the manufacturers were in violation
of California law for not disclosing any nonzero PCB levels in their products.
Large amounts of fish oils inhibit immune function.11 Lowering the function of natural killer cells is not a good thing, as our defenses against infection and cancer diminish.
Because of this immune suppression, as well as the toxicity issues, I do not routinely recommend that my patients take fish oil capsules—though there are a few exceptions.
This ability of fish oils to decrease the activity of the immune system makes them useful for some patients with autoimmune
illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.12 Some rheumatoid arthritis patients are “fish oil responsive,” and many others are not. I often perform a three-month trial
of fish oil supplementation to determine a patient’s responsiveness. With such patients, the risks of the added oil are minimal
compared with the potential benefits, especially if they can avoid toxic drugs. Of course, when using fish oil supplements,
consider only the highly purified types, free of PCBs and mercury.
Another case in which fish oils may be useful is the individual who does not convert omega-3 fats into DHA sufficiently. These
people may be more prone to depression, allergies, and inflammatory skin disease such as eczema. There are blood tests available
for a physician to analyze the fatty acid balance on red blood cell membranes and thereby determine a deficiency of DHA or
omega-3 fat. These people often benefit from the addition of fish oils or plant-derived DHA. Laboratory-cultivated DHA made
from microalgae is a pure form of DHA without mercury or other toxins. It is well tolerated and does not have a rancid taste
or odor.
Does Fish Prevent Heart Disease?
There are two components to a heart attack or stroke. First, you must develop atherosclerotic plaque. This plaque builds up
over many years from eating a diet deficient in unrefined plant foods. Almost all Americans have such plaque. Autopsy studies
demonstrate atherosclerosis even in the vast majority of American children.13
Once this fatty plaque accumulates and partially blocks a coronary artery, a clot can develop in a defect or crack in the
surface of the plaque. This clot is called a thrombus, which can enlarge and completely block the vessel, causing a heart attack,
or break off and travel upstream, obstructing a more distal coronary site. A traveling thrombus is called an embolus. Emboli
and thrombi are the causes of almost all heart attacks and strokes.
Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that interfere with blood clotting much the same way aspirin does. Once you
have significant atherosclerosis, it is helpful to take such anti-clotting agents, especially if you continue a dangerous
diet. These fish-derived fats also have some effect on protecting the arterial walls from damage from other fats. For people
eating saturated-fat-containing animal products, it is advisable to consume one or two weekly portions of fatty fish, such
as sardines, salmon, trout, halibut, or mackerel, and reduce the consumption of other animal products accordingly. Increasing
fish intake beyond one or two servings per week has not been shown to offer additional protection.14
However, the best way to prevent a heart attack or stroke is to follow a high-nutrient diet with little or no animal products,
thereby ensuring that such blockages don’t develop in the first place. Then eating fish won’t matter. It is true that increasing
blood levels of these important fish-derived fats reduces the incidence of heart attacks significantly.15 However, contrary to popular belief, not only vegetarians but also most others eating diets with adequate plant material
get most of their long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from non-fish sources.16 In fact, the reason the fish-derived fats EPA and DHA are not considered essential fats is that almost all people have enzymes
to convert the plant-derived omega-3 fat rapidly into EPA and DHA.17
Fish is a double-edged sword, especially because fish has been shown to increase heart attack risk if it is polluted with
mercury.18 Keep in mind that even though men in Finland consume lots of fish, their mortality from coronary heart disease is one of
the highest in the world.19 It seems that the cardioprotective effects of eating a little fish is lost when you eat lots of fish, most likely because
lots of fish exposes you to high mercury levels, which can promote lipid peroxidation.20 Lipid peroxidation occurs when body lipids react with oxygen to cause a compound that plays a major role in the development
of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.
In addition, those who consume fish in the hope of reducing their cardiac risk may be getting more than they bargained for—namely,
toxic contaminants, including some that carry a cancer risk.
Fish is one of the most polluted foods we eat, and it may place consumers at high risk for various cancers. Scientists have
linked tumors in fish directly to the pollutants ingested along the aquatic food chain, a finding confirmed by the National
Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory. In some instances, such as with the PCBs in Great Lakes trout and salmon, it can be shown
that a person would have to drink the lake water for one hundred years to accumulate the same quantity of PCBs present in
a single half-pound portion of these fish, reported John J. Black, Ph.D., senior cancer research scientist for the Roswell
Park Memorial Institute, to the American Cancer Society.21 From the flounder in Boston Harbor to English sole in Puget Sound, scientists report that hydrocarbon pollution from habitat
concentrate in fish. There are high cancer rates around New Orleans, where fresh fish and shellfish are a staple of the local
cuisine.
FISH WITH HIGHEST AND LOWEST MERCURY LEVELS
Higher levels of mercury found in mothers who eat more fish have been associated with birth defects, seizures, mental retardation,
developmental disabilities, and cerebral palsy.22 This is mostly the result of women having eaten fish when they were pregnant. Scientists believe that fetuses are much more
sensitive to mercury exposure than are adults, although adults do suffer from varying degrees of brain damage from fish consumption.23 Even the FDA, which normally ignores reports on the dangers of our dangerous food practices, acknowledges that large fish
such as shark and swordfish are potentially dangerous. Researchers are also concerned about other toxins concentrated in fish
that can cause brain damage way before the cancers caused by chemical-carrying fish appear.
Fish may also lower the effectiveness of our immune system. Those on high-fish diets have lower blood markers of immune system
function, representing a lowered defense against infection and cancer.24 Another problem with fish is that because fish oils inhibit blood clotting, they increase the likelihood that the delicate
vessels in the brain can bleed, causing a hemorrhagic stroke. At the same time fish reduces the risk of heart attacks, it
may be increasing the risk of a bleeding problem. Regular fish consumption or fish oil supplements should be avoided if a
person has a family history or is at risk of hemorrhagic stroke or other bleeding disorders.
The bottom line: Choose fish over other animal products, but be aware that the place where it was caught and the type of fish
matter. Don’t accept recreational fish from questionable waters. Never eat high-mercury-content fish. Don’t eat fish more
than twice a week, and if you have a family history of hemorrhagic stroke, limit it further to only once a month.
Extracted Oils—One Slick Customer
Americans consume large quantities of oil, a refined food processed at high temperatures. When oils are subject to heat, the
chemical structure of the essential fatty acids is changed to create toxic derivatives known as lipid peroxides and other
toxic and potentially cancer-causing by-products.25 Clearly, it is best to avoid fried foods and heated oils, not only because they will destroy your chances to achieve a normal
weight but also because they are potentially cancer-causing.
Get your fats as nature packaged them. It is best to consume the small amount of fats we need in their original unprocessed,
unheated, and natural packages: whole foods. Ground flaxseeds are healthier than flaxseed oil, as they contain valuable fiber,
lignans, and other phytonutrients, not just omega-3 fat. Raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, corn, and avocados are healthy,
but their extracted oils may not be. Even cold-pressed oils are subject to the damaging effects of heat and contain lipid
peroxides. So I usually recommend to my patients that instead of consuming the oils, they consume a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds
daily, or some walnuts, to ensure adequate omega-3 fat intake.
Remember, when you extract the oil from the whole food it was packaged in, you remove it from its antioxidant-and phytochemical-rich
protective environment. You turn a moderate nutrient-to-calorie food into a low nutrient-to-calorie food, and at the same
time damage the quality of the fat with heat. Romaine lettuce, kale, collards, and Swiss chard are rich in fiber, vitamins,
minerals, phytochemicals, vegetable protein, and essential fats—another reason I consider leafy green vegetables the king
of all foods.
Your diet should not be fat-free. Indeed, it would be nearly impossible to make this diet fat-deficient, because even green vegetables and beans contain beneficial
fats. The focus should be on reducing (or removing) the harmful and processed fats, and instead consuming the healthy fats
that are naturally contained in whole natural foods. Nonprocessed fats contained in avocados, sunflower seeds, and almonds,
to name just a few sources, can be healthy additions to a wholesome diet of natural foods. Even though these foods have lots
of calories, they pack a significant nutritive punch; they are rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants and are not nutrient-depleted the way the oil is when it is extracted, processed, and put in a bottle.
Be aware, however, that unless you are physically very active and slim, you should watch the amount of these relatively fat-rich
plant products, as they obviously could interfere with reaching your ideal weight. If you are slim and exercise regularly,
you can consume three to four ounces of raw nuts or seeds daily, an avocado, or a little olive oil. Growing children, or an
individual who is having difficulty gaining weight, can eat a little more dietary fat, but it still should mostly be fat from
the wholesome foods described above.
When you are overweight, you have a good store of fat on your body, so you don’t need to worry about not ingesting enough
fat. You are not going to become fat-deficient, even if your diet is low in fat. As you lose weight, you will actually be
on a “high-fat diet,” as you will be utilizing the fat you have around your midsection for energy. The only concern is to
maintain a healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, so I advise ingesting one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds every
day, if possible. Many like to sprinkle it over fruit or add it to a salad.
Is There an Increased Risk of Stroke from Low-Fat Diets?
There is considerable evidence that while animal fats are definitely associated with an increase in heart disease, more fat
may offer protection against hemorrhagic stroke.26 Of course, recent investigations have shown the strong protective effects of fruits and vegetables, but some data suggests
that fat, even animal fat, offers some protection to the smaller intracerebral vessels that cause hemorrhagic strokes.27
There are two main types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Almost all heart attacks and the vast majority of strokes are
associated with ischemia (lack of blood flow) from blood clots. The small percentage of strokes that are hemorrhagic (approximately
8 percent) result not from a cholesterol-laden vessel leading to a clot but from a rupture of a small artery in the brain as a result of years and years of high blood pressure.28 Some of these small, fragile blood vessels in the brain possibly become more resistant to rupture when they are more diseased
with fat. It is entirely possible that in certain cases, the same diet that leads to abnormal clot formation and causes 99
percent of heart attacks and over 90 percent of strokes may help the small intracerebral vessels resist the tendency to rupture
from years of uncontrolled hypertension that results from a high-salt diet. This is in no way a legitimate excuse to eat more
animal products. It makes more sense to eat the healthful anti–heart attack diet and keep your blood pressure down by not
consuming much added salt.
The data is so confusing because many of the studies group all types of strokes together, when they are in fact very different
diseases with completely different causes. Considering ischemic (or embolic) strokes, the data from both human and rat studies
illustrates the importance of adequate essential omega-3 fat intake, including an increased omega-3:omega-6 ratio.29 These omega-3 fats are the same ones that protect against heart attacks, which are also of an ischemic nature. Keep in mind,
saturated fat intake has consistently been associated with an increase in strokes in general because most strokes are of the
ischemic (embolic) variety.30
Finally, to make things even more confusing, some monounsaturated fat intake offers a degree of protection against strokes
and does not have the cholesterol-raising and other negative effects of saturated fats.31 The studies showing the nutritional value of monounsaturated fats lend support to the Mediterranean diet and those advocating
a diet rich in olive oil.
Obviously, some omega-6 fat is still essential and necessary for normal disease resistance. My view is that thin individuals
should consume more monounsaturated fats from wholesome high-fat vegetation such as avocados, raw nuts, and seeds. Heavier
people, because of their higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, as well as the very limited occurrence of hemorrhagic
stroke in the overweight, should limit their intake of these fats. Since heavier people have more stored fat on their body,
they do not benefit from a higher intake of dietary fat the same way thin individuals do. As the overweight lose weight, they are
already on a high-fat diet, consuming their stored body fat.
Let me remind you that the best fats are the monounsaturated fats and essential fats (omega-3 and omega-6) present in whole,
natural plant foods, including avocados, and raw nuts and seeds. Studies continue to show that consumption of raw nuts protects
against both heart attack and stroke, without the risks of increasing heart disease and cancer, as is the case with the high
consumption of animal-origin fats.32 When the fats you consume are from whole foods rather than oil, you gain nature’s protective package: a balance of vitamins,
minerals, fibers, and phytonutrients.
Nuts and Seeds Protect against Cardiovascular Death
Raw nuts and seeds are packed with nutrients. Lignans, bioflavonoids, minerals, and other antioxidants protect the fragile
freshness of the nut and seed fats, and plant proteins and plant sterols naturally lower cholesterol.
Perhaps one of the most unexpected and novel findings in nutritional epidemiology in the past five years has been that nut
and seed consumption offers such strong protection against heart disease. Several clinical studies have observed beneficial
effects of diets high in nuts (including walnuts, peanuts, almonds, and other nuts) on blood lipids.33 A review of twenty-three intervention trials using nuts and seeds convincingly demonstrated that daily consumption decreases
total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol.34 Not only do nuts and seeds lower LDL cholesterol, but they also raise HDL (good) cholesterol. Interestingly, they can help
normalize a dangerous type of LDL molecule—the small, dense LDL particles that are damaging to blood vessels, particularly
to the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels.35
When specifically compared with changes in known risk factors, such as lowering blood glucose or cholesterol levels, eating
nuts and seeds has been found to decrease cardiovascular death and increase life span.36 To date, five large studies (the Adventist Health Study, the Iowa Women’s Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study, the Physicians’
Health Study, and the CARE Study) have examined the relationship between nut and seed consumption and the risk of atherosclerotic
heart disease. All found a strong inverse association.
Based on the data from the Nurses’ Health Study, it was estimated that substituting the fat from one ounce of nuts for the
equivalent energy from the carbohydrate in an average diet was associated with a 30 percent reduction in heart disease risk.
The substitution of nut fat for saturated fat was associated with a 45 percent reduction in risk.
The Physicians’ Health Study added much more to the story. The most fascinating, and perhaps most important, finding is that
nuts and seeds do not just lower cholesterol and protect against heart attacks. Components of nuts and seeds also seem to
have anti-arrhythmic and anti-seizure effects that dramatically reduce the occurrence of sudden death.37 The Physicians’ Health Study followed 21,454 male participants for an average of seventeen years. Researchers found a lower
risk of sudden cardiac death and other coronary heart disease end points after controlling for known cardiac risk factors
and other dietary habits. When compared with men who rarely or never consumed seeds or nuts, those who consumed two or more
servings per week reduced the risk of sudden cardiac death by about 50 percent. Sudden cardiac death is not a heart attack,
but rather a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. People who have
heart disease do not always die of a heart attack; they can die of an irregular heartbeat that prevents the heart from pumping
properly.
Eat Seeds and Nuts Instead of Oil for Healthy Weight Loss
Epidemiologic studies indicate an inverse association between frequency of nut and seed consumption and body mass index. Interestingly, their consumption may actually suppress appetite and help people get rid of diabetes and lose weight.38 In other words, populations consuming more nuts and seeds are likely to be slim, and people consuming less seeds and nuts
are more likely to be heavier. Well-controlled nut-feeding trials, designed to see whether eating nuts and seeds resulted
in weight gain, showed the opposite: eating raw nuts and seeds promoted weight loss, not weight gain. Several studies have
also shown that eating a small amount of nuts or seeds actually helps dieters feel satiated, stay with the program, and have
more success achieving long-term weight loss.39
By contrast, refined oil, which contains 120 calories per tablespoon, is fattening and can sabotage weight loss. Plus, it
does not have any protective effects on the heart. The secret here is to forgo the oil and instead make salad dressings, dips,
and sauces by blending in seeds and nuts.
The healthiest diet for all ages is one that includes some healthy fatty foods. This same diet will also prevent and reverse
disease. Even for people who are overweight, I recommend one ounce of raw, unsalted seeds or nuts per day, such as sesame
seeds, sunflower seed, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pistachio nuts, or almonds.
Trans Fat: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Trans fats do not exist in nature. They are laboratory-designed and have adverse health consequences. They interfere with
the body’s production of beneficial fatty acids and promote heart disease.40 As trans fatty acids offer no benefits and only clear adverse metabolic consequences, when you see the words partially hydrogenated on the side of a box, consider what’s inside poisonous and throw it in the trash.
Trans fats are surely cancer-promoting and raise your cholesterol as much as saturated fat.41 Considering that they also reduce HDL (good) cholesterol, trans fats may be even more atherogenic than saturated fatty acids.42 Convincing evidence from the Nurses’ Health Study and others indicates that trans fats are as closely associated with heart
attacks as the fats in animal products.43
The amount of trans fats used in foods has significantly decreased in recent years. Many food manufacturers have reformulated
their products to reduce or eliminate trans fats. Food manufacturers now must indicate trans fat content on their products’
nutritional labels. Beware that levels of less than 0.5 gram per serving can be listed as 0 grams trans fat, making it possible
for a person eating multiple servings of a food labeled free of trans fat to still consume a significant amount.
The Fatty Conclusion
There is no question that a high-fat diet increases the risk of many cancers. This has been demonstrated in hundreds of animal
and human studies. It’s not only the amount of fat but also the type of fat that is linked to increased risk (just like the
type of protein). It gets complicated, so here are the main points:
-
Any extracted oil (fat) can promote cancer because consuming even the healthier fats, such as olive oil, in excess adds too
many empty calories. Excess calories have toxic effects, contributing to obesity, premature aging, and cancer.
-
Excess omega-6 fatty acids promote cancer risk, while omega-3 fats, which are harder to come by, tend to lower risk. Omega-6
fats are found in polyunsaturated oils such as corn oil and safflower oil, whereas omega-3 fatty acids are abundant in seeds,
greens, and some fish.
-
The most dangerous fats for both heart disease and cancer are saturated fats and trans fatty acids, listed as “partially hydrogenated”
on food labels. You would be foolish not to avoid these fats. Trans fats may raise breast cancer risk by more than 45 percent.44
-
Whole natural plant foods (whole grains, greens, nuts, and seeds) supply adequate fat. Eating an assortment of natural foods
will ensure that you are not deficient in fat. For those who require more DHA fats, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, walnuts,
and plant-derived DHA supplements are the healthiest and cleanest sources.
Remember, a low-fat diet can be worse than a higher-fat diet if it has more saturated fat or trans fat and if it contains
an excessive amount of refined carbohydrates.
Note that lean meat or fowl, which contains 2 to 5 grams of fat per ounce, contains less fat, less saturated fat, and fewer
calories per ounce than cheese, which has 8 to 9 grams of fat per ounce. Cheese has much more saturated fat (the most dangerous
fat), about ten times as much saturated fat as chicken breast. Cheese is the food that contributes the most saturated fat
to the American diet. Most cheeses are more than 50 percent of calories from fat, and even low-fat cheeses are very high-fat
foods.
| |
PERCENTAGE OF CALORIES FROM FAT |
PERCENTAGE OF FAT THAT IS SATURATED FAT |
| Cream cheese |
89 |
63 |
| Gouda cheese |
69 |
64 |
| Cheddar cheese |
74 |
64 |
| Mozzarella cheese |
69 |
61 |
| Mozzarella cheese, part skim |
56 |
64 |
| Kraft Velveeta Spread |
65 |
66 |
| Kraft Velveeta Light |
43 |
67 |
| Ricotta, whole milk |
68 |
64 |
| Ricotta, part skim |
51 |
62 |
Americans have this fetish with watching fat and forgetting everything else we know about nutrition. Fat is not everything.
If the fats you consume are healthy fats found in raw seeds, nuts, and avocados, and if your diet is rich in unrefined foods,
you needn’t worry so much about the fat—unless you are overweight.
The take-home message regarding fat is this: Avoid saturated fats and trans fats (hydrogenated fats) and try to include some
foods that contain omega-3 fat in your diet.
Giving Up the Myths about Protein—Like Changing Your Religion
Remember those “Basic Four” food group charts we all saw in every classroom in elementary school? Protein had its own box,
designated by a thick steak, a whole fish, and an entire chicken. Dairy foods had their own special box as well. A healthy
diet, we were taught, supposedly centered on meat and milk. Protein was thought to be the most favorable of all nutrients,
and lots of protein was thought to be the key to strength, health, and vigor. Unfortunately, cancer rates soared. As a result
of scientific investigations into the causes of disease, we have had to rethink what we were taught. Old habits die hard;
most Americans still cling to what they were taught as children. There are very few subjects that are more distorted in modern
culture than that of protein.
Keep in mind that we do need protein. We can’t be healthy without protein in our diet. Plant foods have plenty of protein.
You do not have to be a nutritional scientist or dietitian to figure out what to eat, and you don’t need to mix and match
foods to achieve protein completeness. Any combination of natural foods will supply you with adequate protein, including all
eight essential amino acids as well as nonessential amino acids.
It is unnecessary to combine foods to achieve protein completeness at each meal. The body stores and releases the amino acids
needed over a twenty-four-hour period. About one-sixth of our daily protein utilization comes from recycling our own body
tissue. This recycling, or digesting our own cells lining the digestive tract, evens out any variation from meal to meal in
amino acid “incompleteness.” It requires no level of nutritional sophistication to get sufficient protein, even if you eat only plant foods.
It is only when a vegetarian diet revolves around white bread and other processed foods that the protein content falls to
low levels. However, the minute you include unprocessed foods such as vegetables, whole grains, beans, or nuts, the diet becomes
protein-rich.
Green Grass Made the Lion
Which has more protein—oatmeal, ham, or a tomato? The answer is that they all have about the same amount of protein per calorie.
The difference is, the tomato and the oatmeal are packaged with fiber and other disease-fighting nutrients, and the ham is
packaged with cholesterol and saturated fat.
Some people believe that only animal products contain all the essential amino acids and that plant proteins are incomplete.
False. They were taught that animal protein is superior to plant protein. False. They accept the outdated notion that plant
protein must be mixed and matched in some complicated way that takes the planning of a nuclear physicist for a vegetarian
diet to be adequate. False.
I guess they never thought too hard about how a rhinoceros, hippopotamus, gorilla, giraffe, or elephant became so big eating
only vegetables. Animals do not make amino acids from thin air; all the amino acids originally came from plants. Even the
nonessential amino acids that are fabricated by the body are just the basic amino acids that are modified slightly in some
way by the body. So the lion’s muscles can be composed of only the protein precursors and amino acids that the zebra and the
gazelle ate. Green grass made the lion.
I see twenty to thirty new patients per week, and I always ask them, “Which has more protein—one hundred calories of sirloin
steak or one hundred calories of broccoli?” When I tell them it’s broccoli, the most frequent response I get is, “I didn’t
know broccoli had protein in it.” I then ask, “So where did you think the calories in broccoli come from? Did you think it
was mostly fat, like an avocado, or mostly carbohydrate, like a potato?”
PROTEIN CONTENT OF COMMON FOODS IN INCREASING ORDER OF PROTEIN PER CALORIE
| |
PROTEIN (GRAMS) |
CALORIES |
PROTEIN PER CALORIE |
PERCENT PROTEIN |
| One banana |
1.2 |
105 |
0.01 |
5 |
| One cup of cooked brown rice |
4.8 |
220 |
0.02 |
9 |
| One corn on the cob |
4.2 |
150 |
0.03 |
11 |
| One baked potato |
3.9 |
120 |
0.03 |
13 |
| One cup of regular pasta |
7.3 |
216 |
0.03 |
14 |
| One 6-oz. fruit yogurt |
7.0 |
190 |
0.04 |
15 |
| Two slices of whole wheat bread |
4.8 |
120 |
0.04 |
16 |
| One Burger King cheeseburger |
18.0 |
350 |
0.05 |
21 |
| Meat loaf with gravy (Campbell’s) |
14.0 |
230 |
0.06 |
24 |
| One cup of frozen peas |
9.0 |
120 |
0.08 |
30 |
| One cup of lentils (cooked) |
16.0 |
175 |
0.09 |
36 |
| One cup of tofu |
18.0 |
165 |
0.11 |
44 |
| One cup of frozen broccoli |
5.8 |
52 |
0.11 |
45 |
| One cup of cooked spinach |
5.4 |
42 |
0.13 |
51 |
People know less about nutrition than any other subject. Even the physicians and dietitians who attend my lectures quickly
answer, “Steak!” They are surprised to learn that broccoli has about twice as much protein as steak.
When you eat large quantities of green vegetables, you receive a considerable amount of protein. Remember, one ten-ounce box
of frozen broccoli contains more than 10 grams of protein.
How Much Protein Do We Need?
Over the years the amount of protein recommended by authorities has gone up and down like a yo-yo. It wasn’t until nitrogen-balance studies became available that we could actually measure protein requirements.
Today the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 0.8 mg/kg body weight,45 or about 44 grams for a 120-pound woman and 55 grams for a 150-pound man. This is a recommended amount, not a minimum requirement.
The assumption is that about 0.5 mg/kg is needed, and then a large safety factor was built into the RDA to almost double the
minimum requirement determined by nitrogen-balance studies. Still, the average American consumes over 100 grams of protein
daily—an unhealthy amount.
Only 10 percent of the total calories consumed by the average person needs to be in the form of protein. In fact, as little
as 2.5 percent of calories from protein may be all that is necessary for the average person.46 Regardless of the many opinions on adequate or optimal protein intake, most plant foods, except fruit, supply at least 10
percent of calories from protein, with green vegetables averaging about 50 percent. High-nutrient diets that are plant-food-predominant,
like the one I recommend, supply approximately 40 to 70 grams of protein daily in the range of 1,200 to 1,800, calories per
day. That is plenty of protein.
Furthermore, the outdated notion of “high biological value” protein is based on essential amino acid profiles that grant eggs
a 100 percent score based on the nutritional needs of rodents. It should not be surprising that the growth needs of rats are
not quite the same as those of humans. For example, birds and rats have high requirements for methionine and cystine, the
sulfur-containing amino acids. The sulfur-containing amino acids are important when growing feathers and fur. More recently,
the essential amino acid profiles have been updated to reflect more closely the needs of humans. Human breast milk, for example,
is lacking if we are considering the nutritional requirements of baby rats, but ideal when looking at human requirements.
Today, protein scores are computed differently from in the past. They are based on human needs, not rats’, and soy protein
earns a higher score than beef protein.47
Using a computer dietary-analysis program, I tried to compose a natural-foods diet deficient in any required amino acid. It was impossible. Almost any assortment of plant foods contained
about 30 to 40 grams of protein per 1,000 calories. When your caloric needs are met, your protein needs are met automatically.
Focus on eating healthy natural foods; forget about trying to get enough protein.
What about the athlete, weight lifter, or pregnant woman? Don’t they need more protein? Of course an athlete in heavy training
needs more protein. I was on the U.S. World Figure Skating Team in the early 1970s. I often exercised more than five hours
daily. Besides all the grueling work on the ice, I did plenty of weight lifting and running. With all that exercise, I needed
more protein, but I needed lots more of everything, especially calories. When you take in more food, you get the extra protein,
extra fat, extra carbohydrates, and extra nutrients that you need. I loaded up the backseat of the car with huge amounts of
fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, and whole grains. I ate lots of food and took in more protein (and everything else) in the process.
Your protein needs increase in direct proportion to your increased caloric demands and your increased appetite. Guess what?
You automatically get enough. The same is true during pregnancy.
When you meet your caloric needs with an assortment of natural plant foods, you will receive the right amount of protein—not
too much, not too little.
Putting the RDAs into Perspective
The RDAs are levels set by our government for various nutrients considered to be desirable for good health. But are they correct?
Are these levels appropriate, and will even higher levels of certain nutrients benefit us? Difficult questions to answer,
but first we must consider how the RDAs were derived.
The RDAs were first developed when the government began questioning the nutritional value of military rations distributed
to our soldiers during World War II. Later, our government’s Food and Nutrition Board looked at the foods they expected most people to eat. By analyzing the average diet, they came up with
a suggested minimum and then added an upward adjustment to theoretically ensure optimal health.
The RDAs are biased in favor of the conventional level of intake. They are not based on how people should eat to maintain
optimal health; rather, they have been formulated to represent how we do eat. They characterize the conventional diet: high
in animal products; lots of dairy products and fat; and low in fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients, such as vitamin C,
that are rich in plant foods. The RDAs reflect a diet that caused all the problems in the first place.
So we see a tendency to keep RDAs for plant-based nutrients low while keeping RDAs for animal-based nutrients high. Take,
for example, the most ridiculous recommendation from the RDA—that for vitamin C. Any diet utilizing an abundance of unrefined
natural plant foods offers a significant amount of vitamin C. The diets I recommend, and consume myself, contain between 500
and 1,000 mg of vitamin C each day, just from food. If you consumed a diet only half as good as I recommend, you would still
consume between 250 and 500 mg of vitamin C each day. The RDA of 60 merely reflects the inadequacy of the American diet and
how impossible it would be to get enough vitamin C if you ate a diet so low in natural plant foods.
You can take 1,000 mg of vitamin C in the form of a pill to make up for how deadly deficient your diet is, but then you would
be missing all the other plant-derived antioxidants and phytochemicals that come in the same package as the vitamin C. The
government must hold the RDA ridiculously low because it would be inconsistent with the other absurd dietary suggestions and
make it impossible to achieve such levels without supplementation.
Most of the dietary recommendations from our government have been discarded and updated over time. Such recommendations, such
as the “Basic Four” food group guide, have always been at least ten years behind current science and strongly influenced by food manufacturers. The current RDAs should meet the same fate; they are based on outmoded nutritional opinions
that do not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Last, and most important, is that thousands of phytonutrients lack RDAs. There
are subtle nuances and nutritive interactions that create disease resistance from the synergy of diverse substances in natural
foods. Like a symphony orchestra whose members play in perfect harmony, our body depends on the harmonious interaction of
nutrients, both known and unknown. By supplying a rich assortment of natural foods, we best maximize the function of the human
masterpiece.
Remember the two main messages of this chapter. First, when food is refined and the macronutrients are removed from nature’s
natural packaging, they assume disease-causing properties. Second, green vegetables ran away with the title and legumes and
fresh fruits took home a distant silver and bronze in the nutrient-density Olympics.
