Cut your Protein why no Sugar?

The case against sugar is a complex one. Besides the fact that refined sugar is a totally unnatural substance that has been stripped of its nutritional value—fiber, vitamins, and minerals—apart from the calories it provides, sugar in concentrated form is very hard on the pancreas. The pancreas, which is responsible for the production of insulin and therefore the regulation of blood sugar and energy levels in the body, has adapted through evolution to deal with a steady flow of glucose in small quantities such as those that result from the intake of complex carbohydrates.

One of the biggest beauty cons of all is the idea that if you eat lots of protein your muscles, skin, hair, and nails will grow strong and you will stay young. Like the old-fashioned high protein diet for building up athletic strength, it doesn't work. The human need for protein has been grossly exaggerated. At the turn of the century, respected opinion held that we need between 120 and 169 grams of protein per day. Then Chittenden showed in human experiments that far better performance and health were possible on fifty grams, a much lower amount. Another scientist named Hindhede set the figure at thirty grams. Then Oomen in Amsterdam and Hipsley in Canberra discovered a population in Australia which develop not only full health, but exceptional muscular structure and performance on a diet of merely 15 to 20 grams of protein per day.

Later in the United States, the American Research Council's Food and Nutrition Board agreed on a daily requirement of 70 grams for adults. One member of the board, named Sherman, described how this figure was arrived at. The evidence the committee examined indicated that a much lower amount was needed, somewhere around 35 grams, but there was agreement that if so low a figure had been set there would have been a public outcry, so a corresponding "margin of safety" was decided on and the 70-gram figure was published. But because the scientific basis for the figure was nonexistent, the word "recommendation" was chosen instead of "requirement." Current recommendations for protein intake hover about the 50-gram mark, although there is strong evidence now that we probably need even less.

Your body needs amino acids, the constituents of protein, for its metabolic processes, for growth and the repair and maintenance of body tissue. Proteins are made up of twenty-two different amino acids; all but eight of them your body can manufacture itself. These eight, which have to be taken in through your foods, are referred to as "essential" amino acids.

A large portion of a protein molecule is made up of nitrogen, and one of the important things about taking protein is that it helps keep a good nitrogen balance in the body, so there is as much nitrogen coming into the body as there is leaving it. This balance helps maintain body health and muscle strength, so that you don't go into what is known as a negative nitrogen balance, when you lose muscle tissue from your body. To keep your nitrogen right, 10 to 15 percent of your total calorie intake should be from protein.

But when a greater percentage than this of your calorie intake comes from protein foods, then your body goes into a negative mineral balance and you start gradually losing precious minerals and trace elements such as zinc, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and chromium from your system. These nutrients, so easily lost from the body, are vital not only to physical health but also to emotional stability and well-being (more about minerals later). Wachmann and Bernstein of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard University investigated the high protein diet and came to the conclusion that the protein-rich (especially the meat-heavy) diet plays a strong role in the genesis of osteoporosis, a softening of the bones, particularly in women after menopause, caused by the loss of minerals. This is probably because of the high protein diet's tendency to leach valuable minerals (in this case calcium) from the system. And purely from the point of view of physical beauty, many of these lost minerals, such as sulfur, selenium, zinc. magnesium, and calcium, can make the difference between prematurely aging skin caused by a rapid collagen and elastin breakdown, nails that split, or hair in poor condition, and radiant looks glowing with strength and health.

Finally, the breakdown and metabolism of proteins in the body lead to the formation of a number of complex by-products such as urea, nitrogen, and ammonia, which can be toxic. These wastes need to be eliminated. This isn't always easy, and it puts great strain on the liver and kidneys. This is why, on the well-known high protein reducing diets, you are advised to drink large amounts of water in order to water down these poisons and help excrete them.

What kind of carbohydrate? continue...

Protein

The amount of protein needed by athletes is a controversial subject which has been debated for many years. Traditionally, weightlifters and athletes in other 'power' sports have believed that consuming vast quantities of protein will enhance muscle development. On the other hand, scientists have generally maintained that the protein needs of all athletes can be met by the same recommended daily allowances (RDA) as those for sedentary individuals.

Many research studies over the past decade have not resolved the controversy. However, as a very small amount of protein is used for energy during endurance sports, certain researchers now believe that the RDA of 0,8 grams per kilogram body mass per day might be insufficient for those who are involved in endurance-type exercise. Some (but not all) studies also seem to indicate that exercise which needs a good deal of strength (such as weight-lifting) may increase protein requirements. At the same time, there is no evidence that excessive amounts of protein (such as the 2-2,5 grams per kilogram body mass, per day commonly consumed by power trainers) will have any added benefit.

How much protein does an athlete in fact require? While there are no definite recommendations, studies have suggested this may be between 1 and 1,5 grams per kilogram body mass per day or 12 to 15%of the total energy intake. But before you reach for that protein _supplement, it must be emphasised that protein deficiencies among athletes are extremely rare. For example, a diet consisting of 14 300 kilojoules (3 400 calories), 14 % of which is derived from protein, provides about 119 grams of protein. An athlete who weighs 80 kg will therefore consume about 1,5^-grams of protein per kilogram per day. This diet is thus quite capable of supplying the increased protein requirements of strenuous physical activity.

Vitamins

Vitamins play an important role in regulating and assisting the breaking down of macronutrients for energy production and muscular contraction, as well as the formation of red blood cells. All of these functions are essential in exercise performance. Two questions are usually asked when looking at the vitamin-exercise connection:

• Does exercise affect vitamin requirements?
• Does vitamin supplementation improve exercise performance?

Vitamin requirements depend on the energy source of the working muscle. Exercise has been shown to increase the need for vitamin C and riboflavin (vitamin B2). However, it has also been proved that supplementation fails to increase the ability of athletes to train. Low thiamine (vitamin B1) intakes show no measurable effect on performance. Vitamin deficiencies in sportsmen and women are very uncommon and any increased demand for vitamins is usually met simply by the increased overall energy intake of the athlete. Studies of the effects of vitamin supplementation on performance have consistently found that there is no improvement in performance in athletes who have a balanced diet with an adequate vitamin intake. However, special care must be taken by those athletes who consume less than 5 000 kJ (1 200 cal) per day to ensure that their diets contain enough in the way of vitamins. This low energy intake is more common among female endurance athletes and ballet dancers.

Minerals

Like vitamins, minerals play an essential role in various exercise- related functions. The most important macrominerals and trace elements in an athlete's diet are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron.

Sodium and potassium, which are usually referred to as 'electrolytes', play a major role in the amount of fluid in the body. Trivial amounts of both are lost in sweat, but even those athletes who sweat excessively rarely need to supplement their diets with either salt (sodium chloride) or potassium. The average diet contains 3 to 4 times more salt than necessary and simply by eating sufficient fresh fruit and vegetables, our potassium requirements are easily met. Magnesium deficiency is rare in athletes, partly due to the fact that it occurs in many foods and partly because sweat losses are very small. Magnesium does play an important role in the formation of glycogen, the storage form of carbohydrate in muscles and the liver.

Iron plays a major role in relation to exercise. The lack of it is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world and the most important in relation to runners, especially female runners. Energy intakes of less than 5 000 kJ (1 200 cal) are not enough to supply the amount of iron which a female sportswoman needs. Iron supplementation may then be necessary.

Water

Water can also be referred to as a nutrient as it is so essential to life. One of its many functions in exercise is that of heat regulation. The amount of water needed during an exercise event depends mainly on the duration and intensity of the exercise and the body weight of the athlete. As a general guide, 500 ml per hour is thought to cover most athletes' requirements.

Nutrition Facts Labels is KEY to Successful Dieting

Choosing foods wisely based on the information that you can glean from Nutrition Facts labels is key to successful dieting. At first, the label may seem awfully confusing, but if you know what to look for, interpreting a label is really pretty simple. See the list that follows for the skinny on the most important information featured on the Nutrition Facts label:

Calories: The calorie total is based on the stated serving size - so if you eat more or less than what the label lists as one portion, you need to do the math.

Dietary fiber: Choose the foods with the most fiber. Research shows that people who eat plenty of fiber also eat fewer calories. You get the most fiber in foods made from whole grains, such as cereals and breads. Fruits and vegetables have fiber, too. A food is considered to be high in fiber if it has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.

Serving size: Notice how the food manufacturer's serving size compares to the size you usually eat. For example, does your normal serving of ice cream measure more than the standard %z cup? And remember that serving amounts are given in level measuring cups or spoons. Servings per container can help you estimate sizes if a measuring cup or spoon isn't handy.

Total fat: For dieting, keep total fat to less than about 20 to 30 percent of calories. For someone who eats 1,500 calories a day, that's no more than 33 to 50 grams. Remember, the Percentage Daily Value numbers on Nutrition Facts labels are based on 65 grams of fat a day (30 percent of total calories) and calculated on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet.

Trans fatty acid is the newest item to be added to the Nutrition Fact label. By January 2006, all foods required to carry nutrition labeling will have to state the amount of trays fatty acids in their product. Like saturated fat, trans fat is a type of fat. The grams of these fats, and their calories, are already accounted for in the total fat.

To quickly figure the number of grams of fat that 30 percent represents, start with your total number of daily calories. Drop the last digit and then divide the remaining number by 3. So if you allow yourself 1,800 calories for the day, divide 180 by 3 to get 60 grams of fat as your daily limit.

What the Food Label Say

What the Food Label Says	What It Mean
Fat-free	Less than 1/2 (0.5) gram of fat in a serving.
Calorie-free	Less than 5 calories per serving.
Low fat	3 grams of fat (or less) per serving.
Lean (on meat labels)	Less than 10 grams of fat per serving, with 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving.
Extra lean (on meat labels)	Less than 5 grams of fat per serving, with less than 2 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol.
Less	Contains 25 percent less of a nutrient or calories than another food.
Reduced	A nutritionally altered product that contains at least 25 percent fewer calories, sodium, or sugar than the regular one.
Lite (Light)	Contains 1/3 fewer calories or no more than 1/2 the fat of the higher-calorie, higher-fat version; or no more than 1/2 the sodium of the higher-sodium version.
Cholesterol-free	Less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams (or less) of saturated fat per serving.
Healthy	The food must be low in fat and saturated fat and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium.
Percent fat free	The food must be low in fat or fat free. Plus, it must reflect the amount of fat present in a serving. In other words, if a food contains 5 grams of fat in a serving, it can be labeled "95 percent fat free."
Low-calorie	Fewer than 40 calories per serving.

What the FoodLabel Says

Don't confuse total fat and calories with cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium. All the nutrients that a food contains are important; however, to achieve weight loss, the total fat and calories are the most important to track. Cholesterol and sodium (salt) don't add calories but eating too much sodium can contribute to water retention and therefore water weight. The calories from saturated fat are included in the calories from fat total.

Sneaky Servings and Other Portion Tricks

Many dieters find that portion control is real tricky. Manufacturers certainly don't help in this regard. Some containers look as though they should contain one serving, because that's probably how most people consume them. However, consider that

• A 16-ounce container of iced tea is 2 servings.
• A 16-ounce container of iced tea is 2 servings.
• A 61/2- to 7-ounce can of tuna is 21/2 servings.
• A 4-, 6-, or 8-ounce container of yogurt is considered one serving.
• A 20-ounce bottle of soda is 2 servings.

Filling up with fiber, Fiber is Good for your Health

Looking for quick and easy ways to add fiber to your diet? Try some of these delicious tips:

For a side dish, have 1/2 cup of any one of the following: lentils (5 grams), cooked dried beans (7 grams), cooked whole grains, such as wheat berries (2 grams) or cracked wheat (3 grams). Mix it with '/2 cup of one of these vegetables: peas (3 grams), green beans (2 grams), or spinach (1 gram).

Make an opened-face sandwich with a sliced tomato (1 gram) and a slice of whole grain toast (2 grams). Top it with 1 ounce of low-fat mozzarella.

Select your cereals wisely. You have tons of high-fiber cereals to choose from now some offering up to 10 grams per serving. Look for cereals that provide at least 2 grams of fiber per serving.

Reach for fiber-rich fruits and think of them as ingredients, not just as snacks - especially a pear (4 grams), an apple (3 grams), a couple of figs (3 grams), 1 cup of strawberries (3 grams), or a banana (2 grams). Add them to salads, cereal, and yogurt or use them as a topping for pancakes and waffles.

Make short-grain brown rice a staple (4 grams of fiber per cup). It has a rich, nutty flavor and tastes much better than the long grain variety. If you can't find it at your local supermarket, check health food stores or Asian supermarkets.

Sneak vegetables in wherever you can - pizza, soups, stir-fries, rice, sandwiches, and pasta dishes. The sky's the limit!

A surprising source of soluble fiber is reduced-fat foods. The guar gum that many reduced-fat foods contain in place of fats is soluble fiber. Caution: This doesn't give you license to replace fresh produce and whole grain products with faux fats, but they do contribute a marginal amount of healthful fiber. For example, one piece of a brandname fat-free chocolate loaf cake contains 1 gram of fiber, as does one fat-free oatmeal cookie, a full-fat one contains only 1/2 gram. Surprisingly, even 2 tablespoons of fat-free ranch dressing has1/2 gram of fiber.