The objective
The fundamental objective is to reduce the amount of carbohydrates being consumed and largely replace them with the healthy fats. You should make the changes gradually so that your body can activate its fat burning capabilities. The approach should be try out a variety of different strategies, so that you can identify those that are feasible and acceptable to you and to the other members of your household.
Focus on sugar initially
The starting point really has to focus on sugar and as much as possible should be eliminated. If sugar is used in tea or coffee if you cut it out altogether your taste buds will soon adjust if you persist. If possible, it is best not to use sweeteners, especially saccharin and aspartame. Some information on sugar-free baking is available here (1). The big problem is that sugar is present in so many processed foods. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are full of sugar and certainly should not be consumed very day. Ideally find an alternative. Although fruit juices are perceived as healthy they do contain sugar and so should only be consumed in small quantities. Unfortunately sugar is included as an ingredient in a very wide range of foods. It you look at the ingredients, glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, dextrose, molasses and fruit syrup are all used to indicate a form of sugar. Probably the most insidious products which are promoted as “low fat” or “diet” and therefore portrayed as “healthy” to consumers. The reality is that these are invariably formulated by removing the fat and replacing it with sugar and/or sweeteners. Choosing these means you suffer a double whammy because the nutritious fat has been lost and replaced by sugar, which is damaging to health. Although it is to be expected that sugar will be present in biscuits, cakes and confectionery, it will also be found in savoury products such as soups, pasta sauce, bread, crisps, sauces, pizzas and baby foods. Many breakfast cereals, including some mueslis are major sources of sugar.
Just eat real food
Ideally if you are genuinely interested in modifying your habitual diet the best way by far is to limit processed foods as much as possible and prepare your own food at home using your own ingredients. So the emphasis in this section will be on what to buy and how to prepare a variety of meals that will be healthy and tasty.
Careful with starchy foods
In addition to the sugars, it will be necessary to limit those foods which are rich in carbohydrates. Essentially these are bread, potatoes, rice and pasta which contain starch which is broken down during digestion to release glucose that is absorbed into the blood. If these foods are refined then the glucose will be released quickly causing a rapid rise in the blood concentration. Hence insulin has to be produced to cope with it. The refining also means that fibre and vitamins are probably removed. Therefore it is best to choose whole grain varieties if possible when these foods are being used. Health problems may be encountered with wheat and wheat products. Some people are gluten intolerant for example. So it may be preferable to choose other cereals such as oats and rye, which tend to release the glucose quite slowly.
If it accepted that processed foods are kept to a minimum this means that there will have to be preparation in the home. The key to success is to ensure that there is a supply of ingredients available so that the resulting dishes have a composition which is low in carbohydrates and has all the appropriate fats.
This a challenge which demands a fundamental change in mind set. So much of what has been drilled into us has been wrong. It is essential to appreciate that the SFAs which in past have been condemned are actually important nutrients and therefore should become a regular part of the diet. On the other hand, the PUFAs which have been promoted as healthy because they “lower cholesterol” should be avoided because that rationale is no longer valid. Furthermore as the PUFAs are primarily omega-6s, increasing consumption simply pushes up the omega-6: omega-3 ratio to values that not consistent with good health. On the contrary, we need to reduce the omega-6s and increase the omega-3s in order to reduce the ratio. This is believed to be one of the critical factors which was responsible for the dramatic reduction in deaths due to heart disease and all causes in the Lyon Heart Study. Similarly as explained above the “low fat” versions cannot be remotely considered as healthy.
The Real Meal Revolution in South Africa
With respect to the carbohydrates, a very useful guide has been devised by Professor Tim Noakes and his colleagues in South Africa, which classifies foods as green, orange or red, as determined by the content of carbohydrates (2). Here are some examples:
GREEN which are very low in carbohydrate content and so there is no limit on the amount that may be consumed. Eggs, fresh meat, high quality sausages, cottage cheese, cream, butter, olive oil, coconut oil, duck fat, pumpkin seeds, pecan seeds, all green leafy vegetables, avocados, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes.
ORANGE which contain a medium amount of carbohydrates (between 6 and 25%) and should not be consumed in excessive amounts. Apples, bananas, blackberries, gooseberries, grapes, oranges, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, cashew nuts and butternut squash.
RED which contain lots of carbohydrates and should only be eaten occasionally. Flour, bread, cakes, biscuits, couscous, rice, pasta, thickening agents, all processed foods, fruit juice, potatoes, legumes, beetroot, peas, parsnips and of course sugar in any shape or form as well as any foods which has sugar as an ingredient.
The full lists can be obtained from the website (2). It is important to understand that the changes should be introduced gradually. This information may be used as a guide and to help getting tunes in to the new concepts. It should not be interpreted too literally. While all of the items on the red list are high in carbohydrates, some are excellent sources of other important nutrients including minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Beetroot has been shown to reduce blood pressure, improve stamina and lower the risks of cancer (3). Green peas lower the risks of developing T2D despite the relatively high content of carbohydrates and are a good source of omega-3s (4). Parsnips are a good source of many minerals and vitamins and therefore may be used instead of potatoes (5).
Nevertheless the green list should be regarded as the starting point and used as the basis for purchasing supplies. It is well worth consulting the full list because there may be items there which have not normally been used in your household. There are a number of foods which are now recognized as especially nutritious (6). These include:
Tomatoes
These are an excellent source of phytonutrients and a range of vitamins and minerals. Tomatoes contain lycopene which is a very effective antioxidant, which reduces the risk of strokes and various cancers, especially cancer of the prostate in men.
Avocados
Avocados are rich sources of monounsaturated fat and help the body absorb fat-soluble nutrients from other foods. They also provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients, including potassium, vitamin E, B vitamins, and folic acid. They are also effective in reducing inflammation and in protecting the liver.
Berries
Berries have high concentrations of phytochemicals which boost the immunity, prevent cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease, and prevent seasonal allergies. They contain much lower levels of sugar than many fruits. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and can prevent premature aging.
Cucumbers
They are rich in vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), fisetin, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, magnesium, manganese, silica, and fiber, and can help the body eliminate toxins. They contain lignans which can help to reduce the risk of many cancers including those of the breast, uterus, ovary and prostate. The presence of certain phytonutrients strongly inhibit cancer cell development.
All types of greens
Most green vegetables are extremely nutritious. Examples include watercress, chard, spinach, lettuce, kale, dandelion leaves and beet greens.
Sprouting
Using the seeds to grow sprouts will provide concentrated nutrients which are even more beneficial than the mature vegetables. Examples include include alfalfa, mung bean, wheatgrass, peas, broccoli, and lentils. The sprouts from sunflower and watercress are particularly nutritious. They are rich in oxygen and can help protect against abnormal cell growth, viruses and certain pathogenic bacteria. It is easy to grow sprouts in the kitchen.
Preparation and cooking
It is important to have a good breakfast. Many of the cereal products found in the supermarkets are high in sugar and if consumed at breakfast will cause a build-up of glucose in the blood. The insulin will then direct the glucose to the liver where it is converted into fat and stored. So it is not in the least surprising that the person soon feels hungry again and may well have a mid-morning snack. When this process is continually repeated the inevitable result is eventually obesity. Porridge made from oats is an excellent food for breakfast because the glucose is released slowly. Nuts, seeds, berries, cream and perhaps a little honey can be added to the porridge. Eggs are also ideal for breakfast and can be boiled, fried, scrambled or used to make an omelette. The advantage of the fat is that it is utilised effectively to meet the requirements of the body so that satiation is achieved. This means the person can keep going until lunch time or longer.
In the summer months there is plenty of scope for preparing salads using plenty of greens which can be supplemented with sprouted seedlings. Boiled eggs, cold meats and cheeses can be used as well. Any number of vegetables including carrots, celery, kale and peppers can be used for dips.
Soups are a great way to consume vegetables. Onions, mushrooms, butternut squash, cauliflower, courgettes, and tomatoes are all ideal ingredients for soups. Various herbs and spices can be used to improve the flavours. Very often best results are obtained by liquidising the soup and adding cream.
For cooking, coconut oil is probably the best one to use. It is very stable and does not decompose when subject to heat unlike the “vegetable oils”. As the coconut oil is quite expensive, butter can be used with it to stretch it out.
Stir fries are quick and easy to do. They can be used all the year round. Coconut oil is ideal and the ingredients can be whatever is readily available such as broccoli spears, kale, spring onions, Chinese leaves, shredded cabbage and bean sprouts. Pieces of chicken, prawns or slices of beef can be added.
Meats can be cooked by roasting and frying as well as in stews and casseroles. Seal the meat first by frying briefly in a pan.
Avoid thickeners to prepare gravies and use the juices from the meat instead. Garlic, black pepper, chillies, sea salt as well as herbs and spices can be added to improve the flavor.
For casseroles, a slow cooker is a worthwhile investment. For a lamb stew, marinade with rosemary overnight and then seal before placing in the cooker. Add some vegetable stock. Once the lamb has cooked add in butternut squash and shallots, bring to the boil and simmer. The same procedure with other cheap cuts of beef or pork. If chicken is used then the time of cooking should be reduced.
Instead of potatoes, use sweet potatoes, which contain less carbohydrates. They can also be used with the skin to make wedges instead of regular chips. Swedes, parsnips and carrots can be roasted or mashed. Aubergines and celeriac are possible alternatives to potatoes.
Conclusion
Adjusting your diet need not be difficult. The starting point should be to understand the basic principles and then make changes gradually. There is tremendous scope to make meals that are tasty and enjoyable. Be prepared to experiment and discover what works best for you and the other members of your household. Positive results should be evident within a very short time, which will provide the stimulation and encouragement to make further progress.
References
- http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/sugar-free-baking
- http://realmealrevolution.com/
- http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/25/beets-health-benefits.aspx
- http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=55
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/485728-the-health-benefits-of-parsnip/
- http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/10/20/summer-superfoods.aspx
Please see below my article I recently published on aspartame.
http://www.unionsafety.eu/docs/HSNewsItems%2016/IsAspartameTheSilentPoisonerOfThe21stCentury.html
My name is Anna Robb and I found out through my research that I had severe aspartame accumulation. I discovered that aspartame requires activated pepsin in order to initialise break down- or else it stays whole in the body where it exaggerates the effects of dopamine and causes dysfunction of the endocrine organs which utilise dopamine. Symptoms of aspartame are in fact a combination of detriment from the broken down by-products of the who DO break it down and the dysfunction caused by accumulation of whole aspartame in the body of those who DON’T.
Bio-active folate deficiency (caused by common polymorphism MTHFR) causes the liver to secrete N-dimethylglycine which halts the activation of pepsin. Pepsin activation can be switched on and of for a variety of reasons, the result is aspartame breaking down in higher levels in people, much to their detriment. Studying the documented side effects of pepsin activators and aspartame purging agents ( serotonin, NAC) , I am not anecdotal by a long shot.
The FSA have sent me a letter (well two) stating that in-vivo tests have not been done on aspartame and pepsin so therfore have nothing to disprove my research.
Thank you for this. Anna has had an appalling time but she has been marvellous to get to the root of her problems. Not in the least surprising in view of the way it was approved initially. The regulatory authorities have a lot to answer for. V
Verner,
The greatest problem is getting people to recognise that what they have been told is good for them isn’t and that just about every official dietary information source is wrong. The next problem is weaning them off sugar in all its manifestations as most do not realize or accept that sugar is addictive. Probably the “everything in moderation” brigade is the most difficult to convince as, to a degree they are correct but the problem is that just about everything most people eat is sugar/carbohydrate rich (look at the average shopping trolley, boxes of this, cans of that and multipacks of soft drinks). If the basic food base is high quality natural food then everything in moderation would not be so far off the mark.
If a person is serious about permanently changing their diet to one that promotes health instead of sickness then the first thing they need to do is to become fat adapted. I accept that, for many, a relatively gentle transition to LCHF is the only one that they will find acceptable and, ultimately, as long as they eventually get there then fine. However my personal view is that to achieve fat adaptation efficiently i.e. in the shortest time for max benefit, then the best approach is similar to stopping smoking – don’t prolong the pain, go cold turkey and suffer the short term discomfort of getting away from a predominantly carbohydrate based diet. Jeff Volek and Stephan Phinney cover the science for doing this in their book The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living, which goes into greater depth than Tim Noakes book The Real Meal Revolution (a better book for those that want recipe advice and easy to follow food codes which you mentioned).
The problem is that the body will not change from a carbohydrate based diet to a low carb diet without being forced to and reducing carbs slowly will not stop the classic blood sugar spikes and dips (not forgetting the associated insulin surges) that are the root cause why so many can’t lose weight and feel compelled to eat. Your body needs to recognise that it must switch to burning fat as the primary fuel source with carbs as a back-up rather than the other way round. Reduce carbs to the minimum you can tolerate recognising that you will never stick to a dietary regime where you are feeling unhappy with what you are doing. Many find that as they become fat adapted their craving for carb based food drops off and they can reduce carbs further (fits in with your do it slowly approach). It takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks for most people to become fat adapted (longer if you take the gentle approach) after which the occasional carb based “treat” may be eaten without destroying the fat adapted state. Everyone is different but, as a general rule, if you can go from breakfast to dinner without a lunch break and remain feeling comfortable (may feel you would like something but are not really bothered) whereas previously you felt you had to have lunch then it’s a good indication that you are fat adapted. Yes, physical activity will influence how you feel but it is just an indication. Your body will automatically fuel itself using fat rather than developing low blood sugar making you feel hungry, unwell and reaching for a sandwich or snack bar. If you do eat something then have something that won’t spike your blood sugar.
All this makes very good sense. It probably depends on your starting point. I managed it gradually but for many it may have to be a rapid transition. I agree with your comment about “moderation”. We have a real problem because so many people have been convinced that foods such as “LOW FAT” yoghurts are healthy, when the reality is that they anything but. Personally I have a good breakfast, such as an omelette, which keeps me going all day. V
How are ordinary people to cope when Virtually everything that’s marketed to us is adulterated with potentially dangerous substances ? The answer is to cook from scratch and avoid additives (as much as possible anyway).
Great stuff, Verner. Will share on my BantingUSA (Mona) Facebook page. Have you thought about also including the “Americanized” versions of the items which you list here? — and measurements, as I am sure you probably will write more entries. For example, when you write aubergine, just write “aubergine/eggplant” and “muesli/granola.” It makes a difference for developing a nice connection with your American audience.
This is NOT DIFFICULT. Real food. Eat it. It’s delicious.
Trust me–I’m a doctor, and a mom.
Keep raw berries around for when you crave sweet, green olives and pickle for when you want salty.
“it will be necessary to limit those foods which are rich in carbohydrates. Essentially these are bread, potatoes, rice and pasta which contain starch which is broken down during digestion to release glucose that is absorbed into the blood.”
“Just eat real food”
Definitely great information and guidelines. One point I have is regarding resistance starch, a subject which I’ve noticed come up more and more lately. From my understanding resistance starch is important in terms of managing blood glucose levels and helping to develop a healthy gut micro flora. I’ve also read that if you cook then cool potatoes, rice (specifically parboiled rice), and even pasta, the overnight cooling process forms retrograded resistance starch. This apparently makes potatoes, rice, and pasta healthier in terms of managing blood glucose.
There also seems to be debate on whether fiber / resistance starch is necessary for a healthy diet or not. I’d be interested in knowing your take.
Cheers.
If you really wish to understand what happens personally it is essential to monitor blood sugars. Some can cope better than others. You may find that even those foods that are “slow release” still push up blood sugars to unacceptable levels. V
Have found it relatively easy to stop eating carbs over the last yr . Still eating a small amount of fruit – berries & children size apple . Carrots added to green veg just at the weekend etc . Reason – overweight , hypertensive & hypothyroidism ( treated ) disappointed with weight loss only 6kg . Have heard Tamsin Lewis speak of carb cycling for hypothyroidism- struggling to find reliable info .