FitSugar

What Do You Think About This Man's Junk Food Diet?

Leta Shy — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:20:40 PST

Mark Haub, a researcher at Kansas State University, tried out a restricted-calorie junk foot diet for 10 weeks to see what would happen. That meant lots of Doritos, Hostess cakes, and Twinkies in place of his normal meals, plus a daily protein shake and a few vegetables. He did, however, only consume 1,800 calories a day, compared to 2,600 of healthy foods like he usually did.

The result? Mark lost 27 pounds in two months and now weighs 174 pounds. In addition, he lowered his LDL cholesterol, upped the good stuff (HDL), and reduced his triglycerides by 39 percent. His body fat percentage dropped from 33.4 to 24.9 percent.

But even though restricting his caloric intake meant Haub came out of his experiment measurably healthier, dietitians and even the researcher himself don't recommend trying out the experiment.

"There are things we can't measure," said dietitian Jackson Blatner when interviewed about the results. "How much does that affect the risk for cancer? We can't measure how diet changes affect our health." Haub added, "I'm not geared to say this is a good thing to do."

What do you think of the experiment?

Source: Flickr User Christian Cable

Fructose: Sugar's Dark Side

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 09:30:00 PDT

Sugar is sweet, but one would be hard pressed to consider it a "super food." Some people actually refer to it as the "devil."

Sugar is actually made up of two simple sugars. Half is the sugar called glucose, the body's most basic fuel. The other half is another sugar known as fructose, which sounds harmless - almost as if it is derived simply from fruit. Health scientists have long held suspicions about fructose, but most evidence against the simple sugar was circumstantial. A new study has illustrated that this form of sugar is truly bad news.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis devised a complicated study pitting fructose against glucose that involved drinks sweetened with the different sugars. Volunteers drank the equivalent of 3 sodas a day. The participants drinking the fructose sweetened beverage had increased LDL "bad" cholesterol and blood fats, while the glucose drinkers had no rise in these risks for heart disease. Add to those heart disease risks the fact the fructose caused a decrease in insulin sensitivity - a sign of risk for type 2 diabetes. Interestingly enough, the fructose drinkers gained an average of 3 pounds during the 3 month study and the glucose drinkers gained no weight.

Preliminary data from new studies show that regular sugar and high-fructose corn syrup each seem to have the same effect as fructose alone -- even though both are only about half fructose and half glucose (normal corn syrup is 100% glucose).

So when folks ask me if sugar is the "devil", I might just have to tell them the answer may already be in their hearts.

DrSugar Answers: Raising HDL Cholesterol Levels?

DrSugar — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:40:58 PDT

DrSugar is in the house! And she's answering your health-related questions.

Dear DrSugar,
I just had lab work done as part of my routine physical. My HDL cholesterol level is really low - 30. I am really scared. What can I do to improve the number? Is it possible to make it go up?
-Freaked out about HDL

This is a great question since cholesterol problems are quite common in Americans. High cholesterol affects 42 million Americans, and 63 million more have borderline high cholesterol. To learn more about cholesterol and what those numbers mean, just

Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is found in the fats (lipids) in your blood. While your body needs cholesterol to continue building healthy cells, having high or abnormal cholesterol levels can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke. According to the Mayo Clinic, when you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Eventually, these deposits make it difficult for enough blood to flow through your arteries. Decreased blood flow to the heart can result in chest pain or a heart attack, while decreased blood flow to the brain can result in a stroke.

Cholesterol levels should be measured at least once every five years for everyone over the age of 20. For women over the age of 45 and men over the age of 35, routine (at least yearly screening) of cholesterol is recommended. The screening test that is usually performed to check cholesterol levels is called a lipoprotein profile. The profile measures more than just total cholesterol, but also measures levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides.

Total cholesterol is a composite measurement that includes LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and the other lipid components. Most physicians recommend that total cholesterol levels are less than 200 mg/dL. Triglycerides are the chemical form in which most fat exists in food and in the body. A triglyceride value less than 150 mg/dL is considered normal. LDL cholesterol is often referred to as "bad cholesterol" because its buildup on the walls of one's arteries can increase the chances of developing heart disease. The lower the LDL cholesterol level, the better it is for one's health. An LDL level below 100 mg/dL is optimal for people at risk for heart disease, and below 130 mg/dL is near ideal/optimal.

HDL cholesterol is often referred to as "good cholesterol" because it protects against heart disease by taking the "bad cholesterol" (LDL) out of the blood and keeping it from building up in the arteries. Thus, the higher the HDL level, the less LDL in the blood. An HDL level of 60 mg/dL is optimal. In the case of the person who asked this week's question, the HDL level is 30 mg/dL, which is considered low. Below 40 in men and below 50 in women are considered to be low levels of HDL.

Increasing HDL cholesterol levels can help reduce one's risk of heart disease, and it is very possible to increase one's HDL level. First, lifestyle modifications go a long way when it comes to improving your HDL cholesterol levels. Quitting smoking can increase one's HDL cholesterol by 10 percent! Other lifestyle modifications that can help increase HDL levels are losing weight, frequent aerobic exercise, limiting alcohol consumption, and a healthier diet including healthier fats.

A healthy diet can include some fat, and recommendations say that 25-35 percent of daily calories can come from fat, and saturated fat should be less than 7 percent of daily calories. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats - found in olive, peanut, and canola oils - tend to improve HDL levels. Nuts, fish, and other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids are other good choices for improving LDL and HDL levels. Other foods that have a healthy effect on blood cholesterol levels include whole grains (such as oatmeal and oat bran) and nuts (such as walnuts, almonds, and brazil nuts). There are prescription medications and over-the-counter supplements that can help cholesterol levels, however, these should really only be discussed or started with the direction of a physician.

Hopefully this information will help you understand what the different types of cholesterol are and lead you to either get your levels checked if that has not been done, or to discuss with your physician what your results mean if they are abnormal. Cholesterol levels can be improved not only with lifestyle modifications, but also with medications and supplements. Thus, if you had abnormal results or are concerned, you should discuss this with your primary care physician to determine what the best lifestyle modifications and treatments will be for you!

Have a question for DrSugar? You can send it to me via private message here, and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

3 Ways to Indulge Your Sweet Tooth Without Blowing Your Diet

Prevention — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 04:09:14 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

By Amy Ahlberg, Prevention

You already know that a too-strict eating plan can backfire, resulting in a blowout binge or, worse, throwing you off the wagon altogether. But when it comes to allowing yourself a little leeway, moderation is key. But what does "moderation" even mean? For gourmands, a cheeseburger a week might seem reasonable; for health nuts, maybe it's one every three months - minus the cheese and bun. To find out who's right, we turned to Sarah Krieger, RD, and Joan Salge Blake, RD, spokespeople for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For starters, they say you should only indulge in what you love - and skip the rest. If you don't have a weakness for fries, don't eat them just because they're there, and if you don't have a sweet tooth, don't have dessert simply because your dinner buddy does. "For me, I skip pizza and burgers, but I eat a great-tasting sweet treat every day," says Krieger. "I balance it with exercise and eating a variety of nutritious foods." For more tips, read our list. But first, some ground rules:

Free! Lose Weight Like a Biggest Loser With This One-Week Plan

Step one: If you're overweight or have health concerns - especially heart disease or diabetes - talk to your doctor. This advice is based on an average 2,000-calorie diet, consumed by American adults at a healthy weight.

Step two: "Take a look at how active you really are. With most of our lifestyles, we don't need a lot of calories in order to maintain a stable weight," says Salge Blake. Go overboard too often, and your waistline - not to mention your heart and your pancreas - may pay the price.

Step three: Keep a food diary and ask yourself, from a caloric standpoint, If I have this indulgence, what foods will I need to avoid this week to balance it out? Now read on for our tips on how to budget your binge allowance this week - and every week.

Keep reading to learn how satisfy your sweet tooth and stay on track.

7 Ways to Snack on Fiber-Rich Avocado

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:01:01 PST

If you need more fiber in your diet, it's time to turn to creamy avocado. Just half an avocado contains seven grams of fiber. Although high in fat, avocados contain the good-for-you monounsaturated fats (MUFA) your body needs to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and maintain the HDL (good) ones. Here are seven delicious ways to snack on the soft and satisfying flesh of an avocado.

Source: Flickr User goblinbox (queen of ad hoc bento) and Flickr User SweetOnVeg

A Doctor Dishes: Which "Superfoods" Are Worth the Cost?

LearnVest — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most people you speak to these days are trying to stretch every dollar as far as possible - even the ones they spend buying apples and oranges.

Food prices are expected to increase yet again this year, and food manufacturers are making portions smaller without reducing prices. Not surprisingly, a recent Rasmussen poll found that 93 percent of adults report paying more for groceries now than they did a year ago.

So how can we supercharge our grocery dollars and get them to do overtime for us?

Yes, some foods are obviously a better nutritional deal than others (think apples vs. potato chips), but there’s another class of foods that blows the rest of the field away in terms of nutrients and health-protecting qualities: superfoods.

Superfoods can help prevent diabetes and heart disease, repair damage to your body’s cells, and more. But before you go piling them into your cart, know that some superfoods are better nutritional bargains than others. As a doctor and a mom, I’ve sleuthed out which ones are worth the extra cost in terms of their long-term health benefits. Below is the scoop on which ones may help you age better, ward off cancer, and more.

What to Know Before Buying Superfoods

Before we dive into what to buy, there are a few important things to remember about consuming these foods:

Eating foods fresh and in their natural state, especially fruits and vegetables (rather than in pill or powder supplement form), usually allows us to absorb the greatest amount of their nutrients. The way a superfood is processed or cooked can significantly lower its antioxidant content.
If the superfood can’t be eaten fresh, look for easy and appetizing recipes containing it. No matter how “super” a superfood may be, if you don’t know how to cook it, you’ll probably let it go to waste.

Are Superfoods "Good Buys" If I’m Shopping on a Budget?

Read on to find out.

The Truth About the Health Benefits of Tea

Health — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 04:13:17 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Tea - does it really fight cancer? Lower cholesterol? We filter the research to find out which health claims actually hold water.
By Kate Lowenstein

The way scientific studies and health gurus alike have touted the perks of tea over the past few years, you'd think the stuff was some kind of all-powerful magical elixir. Improving heart health, reducing cancer risk, warding off dementia and diabetes - there's barely a health benefit that hasn't been credited to tea. It's true that the brew has disease-fighting antioxidants, and, as far as anyone can tell, should be great for us.

"The science is certainly promising," says David L. Katz, MD, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center. "But the hype goes beyond it and tends to make promises which the science can't yet deliver." (No, tea probably will not cure depression, eliminate allergies, or boost your fertility!) We talked to the experts and weighed the studies to separate the truth from the hype.

Health.com: Drink This Tea to Lose That Belly

Why tea is so hot
First, a definition: When scientists talk about tea, they mean black, green, white, or oolong teas - all of which are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal brews, like chamomile and peppermint, are not technically considered tea; they're infusions of other plants with different nutritional characteristics. If you're not sure what kind you're drinking, check the ingredients for the word "tea."

Keep reading to learn even more about tea.

Fatty Foods Worth a Little Indulging!

Heather Dale — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 03:06:39 PDT

Not all fats are bad for you; in fact, incorporating healthy fats into your diet can actually be good for you! The general rule of thumb is that good fats are liquid at room temperature and bad fats are solid at room temperature. Therefore, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats fall into the good fats category, while saturated and trans fats fall into the bad fats category. Unlike saturated fats, monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, while boosting your HDL (good) cholesterol. Dietary fat is also good for us because it is one of three macronutrients that supports a number of our body's functions and provides us with energy.

Now for the fun stuff - the foods with all the healthy fats:

Avocados: Avocados contain monounsaturated fats (and antioxidants and beta carotene too!), which is said to help enhance memory and prevent heart disease. The recommended daily intake (RDI) of fat is 65 grams and one cup of avocado contains almost one third of your fat intake for a day, about 23 grams. So it's probably best to stick with eating just a half an avocado each day.

Keep reading for more healthy fatty foods!

Eating an Apple a Day Really Does Keep the Doc Away

Heather Dale — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:06:22 PDT

Eating 75 grams of dried apples each day may reduce your cholesterol levels. A recent study at Florida State University examined 160 women who were randomly assigned to two groups: those who ate dried apples for a year, and those who received dried prunes for the same time frame. The participants who were put in the apple group experienced a drop in their total cholesterol by 14 percent and their LDL cholesterol by 23 percent. Their levels of C-reactive protein, a substance in blood that is a marker for inflammation and increased risk of heart disease, also decreased.

Keep reading to find out what else was discovered in the study.

Healthy Substitutions For Baking

Susi May — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:11:09 PDT

Baking is a great way to beat the chilly weather that comes with the change of seasons. Weekends are a great time to make sweet things with my sweet things - my girls love baking too. When making treats, I do try to make substitutes with healthy ingredients when I think I will not be sacrificing the texture and flavor too much.

I found some substitutions at the American Heart Association, and I think they're great. Definitely worth giving a try if you are trying to reduce your intake of saturated fat, the kind which can increase your LDL cholesterol.

Feel like trying to bake a little healthier? Keep reading for substitution ideas