Transcript One caveat to consumption of added sugars revolves

A Look at Today’s Popular Diets
Scientists, medical professionals, and
nutritionists are now coming to
understand the complex nature of
weight control, muscle fitness, and
nutritional health.
Genetics, along with dietary choices
and exercise, work together to shape
our health and physique.
Choosing a diet with the right balance
of nutrients and determining the time of
day your body responds best to exercise
are part of developing a diet and fitness
routine that works for you.
In centuries past people ate what they
could produce locally, and these foods
became part of the traditional cuisine of the
region.
Today we live in a highly globalized society
with an abundance of different kinds of
foods, which can make it tricky to know
which diet is best.
The key is choosing a diet that helps you
maintain optimum health and fitness.
We’ll take a look at some of the different
popular diets and their purported benefits.
Different diets benefit people in
different ways. Some people have
gluten sensitivities or other food allergies,
some have faster metabolisms, and
some people exercise constantly while
others only occasionally.
It’s important to identify and eliminate
food allergens and determine what
works best for your body in terms of:
•
Keeping weight off
•
Retaining muscle mass
•
Getting the right balance of nutrients
for optimum health
Gluten has become a hot topic in recent
years. The sticky, stretchy substance is found
in wheat bread, wheat pastas, rye, and
barley, as well as many processed foods.
Soy sauce, for example, is made with wheat,
which means it contains gluten. Some people,
including those with celiac disease, have a
specific gluten allergy.
In recent years, gluten has been suspected of
causing a host of problems in the human
body, even in those with no known gluten
allergies, leading many to adopt a gluten-free
diet. Many people on gluten-free diets report
losing weight rapidly and feeling better within
weeks.
The idea behind the Paleo diet is to eat as our
ancestors did for literally millions of years before
agriculture. This means, to the extent possible,
eating what our ancestors would have been able
to hunt and gather, including:
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Meat
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Seafood and fish
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Lots of fiber from non-starchy fruits and
vegetables (e.g. leafy greens, berries)
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Few carbohydrates (especially from grains,
sugar and starchy foods)
The Paleo diet has a lower energy density than
the traditional American diet, which proponents
argue is a good thing, as the typical American diet
is associated with high levels of chronic disease.
More than 50 million Americans are
lactose intolerant, and around 70% of
the world’s population has some level of
lactose intolerance.
It is reported that many Americans report
trouble in digesting dairy. Symptoms
include digestive upset, bloating, sinus
congestion and mood disorders.
Considering these numbers, it’s not
surprising that many people opt to
eliminate dairy altogether from their diets.
Proponents of a dairy-free diet say that it
is effective for weight loss and, somewhat
counterintuitively, leads to stronger bones,
according to a Harvard study.
Vegetarians typically eliminate meat, poultry and
seafood from their diets, but they may still eat eggs
and dairy. Vegans eat no animal products
whatsoever. This means no eggs, no dairy, and, for
many, no honey either.
Proponents of vegetarian/vegan diets say that the
elimination of meat and dairy can have significant
benefits. Medical evidence suggests that a
vegetarian/vegan diet can reduce the risks of:
•
Overweight and obesity
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Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
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High blood pressure
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Type 2 diabetes
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Some cancers
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Gallstones and kidney stones
The philosophy behind the raw foods diet
can be summed this way: “If you cook it,
you kill it.” The idea is that heating foods
destroys important enzymes and nutrients
naturally found in foods.
Some proponents of a raw foods diet believe
that cooking makes food toxic and claim that
a raw foods diet can boost immunity, clear
up allergies, and improve conditions like
arthritis and diabetes.
A raw foods diet includes a variety of
organic, unprocessed, and uncooked whole
foods including:
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•
•
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Raw fruits
Raw vegetables
Sprouted grains
Nuts and seeds
Those who favor a low-sugar diet claim that added
sugar (not the kind found naturally in foods like fruit)
can be toxic, even moderate quantities. This is because
of sugar’s unique molecular structure, which is made
up of one part glucose and one part fructose.
Glucose is metabolized by all the organs in the body,
while fructose is metabolized exclusively by the
liver. Too much fructose can overtax the liver and other
organs, leading to metabolic syndrome (which can lead
to diseases like Type 2 diabetes).
Sugar consumption has increased tremendously in the
American diet in recent decades, and too much of the
sweet stuff is linked with an increased risk of disease.
One caveat to consumption of added
sugars revolves around exercise.
Vigorous exercise depletes muscle glycogen
stores, which fuel the body. Replenishing
glycogen stores by eating carbohydrates
(including sugars), is important before, during
and after exercise to prevent “bonking” or
“hitting the wall.”
That’s why athletes and fitness enthusiasts
use supplements and nutrition bars like
those made by Promax Nutrition™ to fuel
their bodies as part of their exercise routines.
Since 1996, Promax Nutrition™ has been making some of the
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For more information, please visit
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1. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
2. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
3. http://www.nature.com/scitable/blog/green-science/air_pollution_and_obesity
4. http://authoritynutrition.com/paleo-diet-meal-plan-and-menu/
5. http://www.godairyfree.org/news/dairy-free-benefits
6. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/763435_2
7. http://www.webmd.com/diet/raw-foods-diet
8. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyEati
ng/Added-Sugars-Add-to-Your-Risk-of-Dying-from-HeartDisease_UCM_460319_Article.jsp