Sweet Surprise or Health Demise?

— By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

Is there something unique about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that could lead to weight gain or health problems? Does your body really know the difference between corn syrup, sugar and other sweeteners? That may depend on who you ask. Some people think it’s different and prefer to avoid it. Others say that it’s no different than other sugars, but we should be limiting our intake of all sugars anyway. So either way, most people think it’s good to cut back on all sweeteners, regardless of type.

I once believed that HFCS was different, and therefore a key player in the obesity crisis. But after reviewing the published, peer-reviewed scientific research on HFCS, today my view is different. Read on to find out whether high fructose corn syrup deserves its bad rap and how it really compares with regular sugar.

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a calorie-providing sweetener used to sweeten foods and beverages, particularly processed and store-bought foods. It is made by an enzymatic process from glucose syrup that is derived from corn. A relatively new food ingredient, it was first produced in Japan in the late 1960s, then entered the American food supply system in the early 1970s. HFCS is a desirable food ingredient for food manufacturers because it is equally as sweet as table sugar, blends well with other foods, helps foods to maintain a longer shelf life, and is less expensive (due to government subsidies on corn) than other sweeteners. It can be found in a variety of food products including soft drinks, salad dressings, ketchup, jams, sauces, ice cream and even bread.

There are two types of high fructose corn syrup found in foods today:

• HFCS-55 (the main form used in soft drinks) contains 55% fructose and 45% glucose.
• HFCS-42 (the main form used in canned fruit in syrup, ice cream, desserts, and baked goods) contains 42% fructose and 58% glucose.

Sugar & High Fructose Corn Syrup
Table sugar (also called sucrose) and HFCS both consist of two simple sugars: fructose and glucose. The proportion of fructose and glucose in HFCS is basically the same ratio as table sugar, which is made of 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Both sweeteners contain the same number of calories (4 calories per gram).

But the fructose and glucose in table sugar are chemically bonded together, and the body must first digest sugar to break these bonds before the body can absorb the fructose and glucose into the bloodstream. In contrast, the fructose and glucose found in HFCS are merely blended together, which means it doesn’t need to be digested before it is metabolized and absorbed into the bloodstream. Because of this, theories abound that HFCS has a greater impact on blood glucose levels than regular sugar (sucrose). However, research has shown that there are no significant differences between HFCS and sugar (sucrose) when it comes to the production of insulin, leptin (a hormone that regulates body weight and metabolism), ghrelin (the “hunger” hormone), or the changes in blood glucose levels. In addition, satiety studies done on HFCS and sugar (sucrose) have found no difference in appetite regulation, feelings of fullness, or short-term energy intake. How can that be?

Well, the body digests table sugar very rapidly, too. And both HFCS and table sugar (sucrose) enter the bloodstream as glucose and fructose—the metabolism of which is identical. There is no significant difference in the overall rate of absorption between table sugar and HFCS, which explains why these two sweeteners have virtually the same effects on the body.

HFCS and Obesity
HFCS hit the food industry in the late 1970s, right when the waistlines of many Americans began to expand. During this time, many diet and activity factors where changing in society. It is a well-researched fact that the current obesity crisis is very much a multi-faceted problem. The American Medical Association (AMA) has extensively examined the available research on HFCS and obesity. This organization has publicly stated that, to date, there is nothing unique about HFCS that causes obesity. It does not appear to contribute more to obesity than any other type of caloric sweetener. However, the AMA does encourage more research on this topic.

But Is It Natural?
High fructose corn syrup has received a lot of blame and bad press lately. Recent marketing campaigns funded by the Corn Refiners Association have tried to improve the reputation of high fructose corn syrup, calling it “natural” among other things. However, it’s important to note that the word “natural” doesn’t mean much. This common food-labeling term is NOT regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Let’s face it: Neither table sugar nor HFCS would exist without human interaction and processing. You cannot just go to a field and squeeze corn syrup out of corn or sugar out of sugar beets or sugarcane. “Natural” or not, too much sweet stuff can’t be good for you—even if it comes from what you might think of as natural sweeteners like honey, agave syrup (which is also highly refined and actually higher in fructose than HFCS) or raw sugar.

What about Fructose?
Much of the research cited to demonize HFCS is done specifically on fructose. But as we’ve already learned, fructose is just one component of HFCS, and it is found in table sugar and other sweeteners, too. Fructose also occurs naturally in fresh, whole fruits. So when a study comes out saying that increased “fructose” consumption leads to health problems, weight gain, cancer or other problems, that doesn’t mean that those findings can be applied specifically to HFCS—or to any other fructose-containing food or sweetener. Put simply, what happens in a lab or in animal tests cannot be applied to humans, and definitely doesn’t imply you’d have the same outcome (weight gain, cancer, etc.) by consuming other foods or sweeteners of which fructose is a component.

There is some emerging research showing that high intakes of fructose can lead to a host of health problems. But who consumes that much pure fructose—and all by itself? Does this mean we should avoid fruit? Honey? All things that contain any amount of fructose? Clearly more research needs to be done in this area, but the bottom line remains: We should all be eating fewer sweets, regardless of the source of sweetness.

It’s important that we be wise consumers of health information and read studies like this critically, asking important questions, and making sure not to apply a small lab study to other real-world scenarios that might not fit. For more information on being a savvy reader of nutrition research, click here .

What This Means for You
For years, trainers position (and some registered dietitians) has always been that we are eating too much of the sweet stuff, no matter what the source. When it’s added to your morning coffee, hidden in your can of soda, or baked into your chocolate brownie, sweetened foods are everywhere. The typical American over the age of two consumes more than 300 calories daily from sugar and other caloric sweeteners (including HFCS). That’s 19 teaspoons of sweetener (75 grams) a day! One-sixth of our calorie intake is coming from a food ingredient that provides absolutely no nutritional benefit! This is definitely affecting our weight and overall health. It is time to take charge and cut back! The most recent recommendations suggest:

• Healthy adults who consume approximately 2,000 calories daily should limit the amount of all caloric sweeteners to no more than 32 grams (8 teaspoons) of sugar daily.
• Adults who are consuming approximately 1,200-1,500 calories daily, this would equate to about 19-24 grams (5-6 teaspoons) of sugar each day.

Please note that doesn’t only apply to sugar that you to your morning coffee or oatmeal; it applies to all “hidden” sugars, too, which are found in other processed foods and drinks that you may purchase.

To help curb the sugar monster so you can keep your weight and health in check, follow these tips.

• Always read the ingredients list. Foods you might not even realize are sweetened (like bread, dried fruit and crackers) might be hiding added sugars. Learn to identify terms that mean added sugars on the ingredients list, including sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup, crystallized fructose, dextrin, honey, invert sugar, maple syrup, raw sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar, corn sweeteners, evaporated cane juice, glucose-fructose, granulated fructose, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, malt, molasses, and turbinado sugar. Try to limit foods that have any of these “sugars” as one of the first three ingredients.
• If you take your coffee with sugar, try adding a small piece of cinnamon stick or vanilla bean to your cup. It adds flavor without adding caloric sweeteners.
• When baking, reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. Most of the time you can reduce the sugar by up to one-third without noticing a difference in the taste or texture of the final product. Now that’s sweet!
• Sweeten other food items with vanilla extract or other “sweet” spices instead of caloric sweeteners. Many times cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice can naturally sweeten a recipe.
• Substitute homemade fruit purees for sugar and syrups in recipes. Applesauce (look for varieties made without added sugar) can be substituted for some of the sugar in muffins, breads and baked desserts.
• Top your breakfast waffles or pancakes with fresh fruit compote instead of syrup.
• Limit the amount of regular soda and caloric-sweetened beverages. While artificially sweetened “diet” beverages aren’t exactly health foods, they are one way to cut calories. The healthiest choice is always water. To add a splash of flavor to your water, add lemon or lime juice, other types of 100% fruit juice, or pieces of frozen fruit.
• Skip the calorie-sweetened yogurts that use sugar, honey, syrup, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, sugar and HFCS. Buy plain, natural yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit, frozen fruit or fruit canned in its own juice.
• Select breakfast cereals with 5 grams of sugar or fewer per serving. Add sweetness with fresh, frozen, or fruit canned in its own juice. Try sliced bananas, canned peaches, frozen blueberries, or fresh strawberries.
• If you’re a juice drinker, buy 100% fruit juices and limit it to 1 cup daily for adults and ½ cup daily for children. Beware of juice “drinks,” fruit punches, and juice cocktails; these contain only a small amount of juice and the rest is water and added caloric sweeteners.

Plagued by midnight ice cream binges? Grabbing a bag of chips to beat that after-lunch blood-sugar crash? Don’t blame your willpower; blame your breakfast. What you eat—and when—can help you curb cravings and keep your appetite in check, a number of studies have shown, and sometimes it’s not for the reasons you think. You could be deficient in certain minerals, and it may be that too many toxic chemicals are building up on your system. Whatever it is, we’ve dug up six foods that will help you fight off a ravenous appetite and keep your beach-ready body all year long.

 

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are full of protein and fiber, which delay your body’s digestion of nutrients. When digestion slows down, it takes longer for blood-sugar-spiking carbohydrates to get into your bloodstream, and that keeps hunger at bay. Don’t fancy chickpeas? You’ll get the same benefit from any bean you do like, according to Purdue University scientists.

try Chicken-Chickpea Harira

I first tasted this soup in Fes, Morocco, where it was made with lamb. Since then I have tasted it with beef, lamb, and chicken. The latter is exceptional in dark-meat form, even winning over people who say they don’t like dark meat. Chickpeas help spread the dish to a larger number of people without needing to add more meat. Chickpeas also give it great texture and fiber, making it as nutritional as it is delicious. Turmeric and saffron are both added—each for color but the turmeric for its savoriness, the saffron for its nice aroma and flavor. The two types of tomatoes used here are for both taste and thickening.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 1/2-inch piece cinnamon stick
• 2 large red onions, finely diced
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, cut into small cubes
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups boxed or canned chopped tomatoes
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, toasted and finely ground
• 1 teaspoon Toasted Cumin Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil with the peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a large pot over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the onions and cook until they’re soft and lightly browned around the edges (about 3 to 5 minutes), stirring often.  Add the chicken and cook until the meat releases its liquid and the pan dries (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.

2. Mix in the turmeric, Aleppo or cayenne pepper, and salt and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes release their juices (about 3 1/2 minutes), stirring often and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chickpeas, the boxed or canned tomatoes, and the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in the saffron, Toasted Cumin Powder, Garam Masala or ras el hanout herb blend, and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Makes 8 servings

 

Vinegar

White wine, red wine, balsamic, or champagne—eating vinegar with a predinner salad can keep you from overeating and craving dessert. The acetic acid in this flavorful condiment deactivates amylase, an enzyme that turns carbohydrates into sugar. As a result, your body will digest those carbs you’re eating more slowly, and you’re less likely to crave that bowl of ice cream before you go to bed.

try: Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Red Onions with Balsamic Vinegar

Serves: 8
Prep:  6 min
Cook: 24 min
Total: 30 min

Ingredients   
1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb red onions, thickly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions
1. Heat oven to 450˚F. Line large baking sheet with  foil.

2. Spread brussels sprouts in single layer on prepared pan and toss with oil. Roast in upper third of oven, stirring occasionally, 12 minutes.

3. Add onions to pan, tossing to combine, and roast until vegetables are tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Drizzle with vinegar, tossing to combine, and roast 2 minutes longer. Transfer to serving bowl and season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Nutritional Facts per serving
Calories    85.5 cal
Fat    2 g
Saturated fat    0.3 g
Cholesterol    0 mg
Sodium    24.1 mg
Carbohydrates    15.4 g
Total sugars    6.1 g
Dietary fiber    4.2 g
Protein    3.5 g

Dark Chocolate

Curb cravings with candy? It is possible! According to a study in the journal Nutrition and Diabetes, a 3.5-ounce serving of dark chocolate can leave you feeling full and actually less desirous of other junk food, thanks to its intense flavor. Dark chocolate also has a higher content of cocoa butter, which your body digests more slowly than the butter fat found in milk chocolate. That curbs your appetite and allows you to feel full for a longer period of time.

try: Fudgy Dark Chocolate-Raspberry Brownies

Serves: 8
Prep:  12 min
Total: 1 hr 10 min

Ingredients

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Press parchment paper into the bottom of a 9″ x 9″ baking pan, making sure there is enough paper to overhang two opposite edges. Coat generously with cooking spray and dust lightly with flour.

2. Combine the chocolate and margarine in a bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool 2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the whole eggs, egg white, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Whisk the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture, stirring until combined. Gently fold in the raspberries. Pour the batter into the pan.

4. Bake for 48 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment from the pan and cool completely on a rack. Cut into 16 squares and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, before serving.

Nutritional Facts per serving
Calories    360.7 cal
Fat    17.4 g
Saturated fat    8 g
Cholesterol    52.9 mg
Sodium    169.2 mg
Carbohydrates    49.9 g
Total sugars    41.1 g
Dietary fiber    3.2 g
Protein    5 g

 

Broccoli
Food cravings are often generated by a lack of chromium, a mineral that carries glucose (blood sugar) into your cells where it’s burned for energy. Thanks to our heavy reliance on food processing, which lowers chromium levels found naturally in things like whole grains, pepper, and vegetables, many people are chromium-deficient. And that can make you hungry. Broccoli has the highest chromium content of any food—eat a half-cup at dinner and you’ll get nearly half of what you need in a day—but the mineral also exists in trace amounts in nearly all fruits and vegetables.

Milk (not for everybody)

Swig a glass of milk in the morning, and you’re less likely to overeat at lunch, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In fact, the milk drinkers in the study ate 55 fewer calories at lunch than people who opted for fruit juice. What it is in milk that helps stave off hunger isn’t clear, says Michael Zemel, Ph.D., director of the University of Tennessee Nutrition Institute and the author of several other studies looking at dairy’s affect on weight management. It could be protein, it could be the fat content, or it could be the way that calcium interacts with your hormones. Regardless, drinking milk in the morning and eating dairy products throughout the day can do wonders for your waistline, he says.

Most people over the years have been misinformed by the media that dietary fats are the cause of heart disease. In recent years, scientists have become quite clear that this is not the case.  Sure, artificial trans fats are a big cause of heart disease, but not necessarily healthy natural fats from unprocessed foods (except in the case of excess omega-6 fats compared to omega-3 fats).

But here’s another cause of heart disease that most people aren’t aware of…

First, remember that LDLs can be broken down into big puffy LDLs (type A, which don’t contribute to plaque in the arteries) and small dense LDLs (type B) which do contribute to plaque in the arteries.

Now this is where it gets interesting… High insulin levels from a high carbohydrate intake over time cause your body to produce higher levels of nasty small/dense LDL particles in your blood (type B LDL particles), which are known to be atherogenic (causes plaque in your arteries).

Yes, that’s right… a chronically high carb intake can actually be one of the causes of heart disease.

What does the government recommend… a high carbohydrate diet.  Doesn’t make much sense does it?  Is their recommendation biased to support big business?  I’ll let you decide on that.

Now another thing to keep in mind are your triglyceride levels.  Higher triglyceride levels in your blood are another risk factor for heart disease.  According to well-known nutrition author Rob Wolf , “Triglycerides are a measure of circulating blood fats, so you would think a high-fat diet would mean high triglycerides, right? Interestingly, this is not the case.  Triglycerides are in fact an indicator of high dietary carbohydrate and insulin sensitivity. High carbs and poor insulin sensitivity = high triglycerides.”

Once again, everything you’ve been told over the years about eating a high-carb diet being healthy, is not quite accurate.  Eating moderately higher protein and healthy fats along with loads of fibrous vegetables, nuts, and small amounts of fruits (while minimizing grains and sugars) can all be exactly what we need to prevent heart disease and also diabetes.

Everything you wanted to know about protein, carbs, calories, probiotics, vitamin D, cooking oils, foods that burn fat, foods that make you fat, foods that can kill you slowly, and much more.

by Mike Geary, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Nutrition Specialist
Author of best selling program: The Truth About Six Pack Abs

This article is one that you’re going to want to bookmark to come back and reference at any time.  And you’ll also want to share this page with all your friends and family to help spread what true healthy nutrition is all about.  Seriously, there’s more great information about nutrition on this page than a lot of entire books.

I’m going to rattle off a bunch of random important facts (in no particular order) about food and eating healthy that you need to know.  I’ll also refer to any of my previously published articles where appropriate, and where a more full explanation might be needed if you want more details on that topic.  All references to other articles will open in a new window so that you can stay on this page when you’re done any of the other reference articles.

Before we start this list, let’s establish a big picture view first, before we dive into various smaller topics like specific foods…

The Big Picture View (most people have never thought of food in this way)

Let me give you something to think about, and this is VERY big picture and VERY important… if we took away modern society and plopped you on a deserted island, what is the #1 most important thing in your life at that point?   That’s right… FOOD!  What will I eat to survive and thrive.  At that point, you can forget about careers, technology, video games, television, nightlife, cell phones, and just about every other aspect of modern life… the single most important thing you need to focus on at that point is what to eat.

However, in our modern day, most of us don’t have to think about what to eat at all, and in fact, most people NEVER think about what they put in their mouths… they just eat whatever they see in front of them that they know tastes good, without any thought about whether it’s an appropriate food for humans to eat.

You can call that the “See-Food Diet”… you “see” the food and you eat it.

Isn’t that a major disconnect?  Food is quite literally one of the most important things in our daily lives, yet barely anybody thinks about the ramifications of what they eat and how it will affect their health and the quality of their life (until, of course, they lose their health).

Since food is one of the most important things in our lives for our quality of life, don’t you think that it should be a priority as one of the fundamental topics that children learn about throughout school?  It should be a priority, but it isn’t.  Kids get a thorough education on topics such as Math, History, Science, Languages, etc, but never get more than a couple hours in their entire 12 years in school about the most important thing in our lives…what to eat.

If you think about it, that’s absolutely insane…  One of THE single most important aspects of our lives is never really taught to children in school.  And parents don’t generally pick up the slack and teach kids nutrition because they were never taught about it either.  This is a modern day phenomenon because the abundance of food all around us in modern day life means that we don’t have to think about what’s appropriate to eat.

If you want to be lean and truly healthy, obviously you NEED to think differently than the average person who eats the “SEE-food diet” where they eat without thinking.

There needs to be some simple rules to follow if you want to successfully navigate the current food landscape out there where so many foods are making you fat and sick.

And THAT’s why I wrote this page for you… to simplify and give you some simple food rules to be lean and healthy, yet still ENJOY food.

Food Rules Simplified

Okay, so let’s simplify nutrition a bit here… everyone out there seems confused about what is the best “diet” to be on.  People seem to love to always jump from fad diet to fad diet such as low-fat diets, atkins diets, south beach diets, grapefruit diets, detox diets, vegetarian diets, and other sometimes ridiculous diets that most times are based on one person’s opinion or marketing scheme (or personal agenda) rather than based on actual science.

The only “diet” that’s actually based on real science is the study of paleolithic nutrition (aka – paleo diet).  But I hate to call it “paleo diet”, because it’s not like any other fad diet, since it’s based on real archaeological nutritional science about what our ancestors ate before the agricultural revolution came around.  The idea is simply that for the first 99.5% of our existence (ancestors back as far as 2 Million years ago, homo erectus), we only ate wild plants and animals, while for the last 0.5% of our existence (since the agricultural revolution in the last 5,000-10,000 years), humans now almost entirely eat farmed plants and animals.  The biggest change this represents is the massive inclusion of grains in our current diet (and what our animals are fed) now compared to our Paleolithic ancestors.

Many people think that we don’t know exactly what ancient humans ate… but this is false.

Nutritional archaeologists know pretty convincingly what ancient humans ate as they study a lot of evidence such as ancient feces remains as well as studying isotope ratios in human bone samples from all over the world through every time period in history to determine ratios of animals vs plants that ancient humans ate –which by the way, was always an omnivorous mixture of plants and animals, and a fairly high protein intake…there was no such thing as ancient paleolithic vegetarians…any Nutritional Archaelogist can confirm that they simply didn’t exist.  We were all omnivores that ate different ratios of plants and animals based on what part of the world, what latitude we lived, and the time of the year.

So what exactly did our Paleolithic ancestors eat for the first 99.5% of our existence, representing what we are still programmed to eat?  Simple:

• Wild meat, fish, and seafood  (animals that ate the right foods, unlike our current farmed meats and farmed fish)
• fruits
• veggies
• nuts
• seeds

Grains were only a very TINY fraction of the ancient Paleolithic diet as there was no way to process large amounts of grain back in that day into flour, so amounts of wild grain would have been small such as a few grains in an occasional soup or stew.  As you can see, this is vastly different from the modern human diet that includes grain at almost every meal and in very large quantities in cereals, breads, pasta, muffins, bagels, etc.

So with that big picture explained…let’s get into the details of my top 20 food rules:

Food Rule #1.

Carbohydrates don’t need to be eliminated… they are not inherently “bad” in reasonable quantities.  But grains and processed sugars in particular should be minimized.  So to make things simple, you will be leaner and healthier if you get most of your carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables instead of grains and processed sugar.

The biggest problem with grains, aside from the abuse to your blood sugar regulation system (pancreas and insulin sensitivity), is that grains contain a lot of anti-nutrients which prevent your body from absorbing some minerals, as well as gluten and other substances that cause chronic gut inflammation.  Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other tubers have less problems in terms of digestive system inflammation than grains do.

What do I personally do?  Well, I avoid grains as much as possible, except on 1 cheat day per week.  That will always be a meal dining out, so that we’re never tempted with breads and cereals in our house.  I eat whole fruits (never juice) and veggies daily, and might have an occasional potato or sweet potato once or twice a week.

Food Rule #2.

Focus on quality protein sources such as wild game, wish fish and seafood, grass-fed meats, and free-roaming organically fed eggs, while trying to avoid most farmed meats and farmed fish that were fed mostly grains and kept in unhealthy “factory farm” environments.

Food Rule #3.

Most people need to be more aware of the omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio of the food they eat.  The ancestral human diet of the Paleolithic era appears that it had a ratio of approximately 1:1 to 2:1 omega-6 fats to omega-3 fats.  The current average western diet contains anywhere from 20:1 to 30:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats.  This is a major problem and one of the causes of degenerative diseases.

In order to balance this out better, you need to AVOID corn oils, soybean oils, cottonseed oils (or anything cooked in these oils), and minimize grain-fed meats and farmed fish that were fed grains.  Instead, focus on wild fish, grass-fed meats, grass-fed dairy, free-range eggs, as well as other foods that can help you get more omega-3’s like chia seeds, walnuts, hemp seeds, and fish oil and/or krill oil, which are vitally important sources of DHA and EPA.  I personally take both fish oil and krill oil, as the fish oil has a larger quantity of DHA and EPA (and more omega-3 volume overall), while the krill oil has more antioxidant benefits from the astaxanthin and a higher absorption rate than the fish oil.

Take note that animal sources of omega-3 fats are MUCH more powerful to your health than plant sources of omega-3’s like walnuts, chia, and flax.  This is because animal sources of omega-3’s already contain DHA and EPA already converted whereas plant sources don’t, and your body is very ineffecient at converting plant sources of omega-3 fats to DHA and EPA.

Food Rule #4.

Aside from processed sugar, if I had to pick 3 of the WORST foods in the average western diet that would be most important to start avoiding, it would be corn, soy, and wheat, and their derivatives such as corn syrup, corn oil, soybean oil, soy protein, etc. Do you want to hear an appalling statistic about what the average person eats… Currently, the average adult eating a typical modern western diet in countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, etc consumes approximately 67% of their total caloric intake from only 3 foods — CORN, SOY, AND WHEAT (and their derivatives).

Keep in mind that ancestral humans have historically eaten over 80,000 species of plants, animals, and fungi throughout human history, yet modern humans are getting 67% of their calories from only 3 foods. That’s a problem!

Food Rule #5.

Beware of hidden calories and inflammation-causing ingredients in condiments and dressings.

Most people don’t realize just how many calories and metabolism damaging high fructose corn syrup they are ingesting in things like ketchup, salad dressings, cocktail sauce, marinades, etc.  For example, 1 Tbsp of ketchup has 5 grams of sugar (usually from HFCS), but the average person uses 2-4 Tbsp of ketchup with a typical burger and fries meal.  That’s anywhere from 10-20 grams of EXTRA sugar just from the ketchup alone, and not even counting the sweetened drink that most people have with the meal too.

Food Rule #6.

Speaking of sugar, most people don’t realize that they are addicted to sugar, and just how bad sugar is for your body internally.  I hear people say things all the time when eating candy or drinking a sweetened drink that “oh, it’s just sugar, I can burn it off easy”.  Oh, if it were only that simple.

Sugar not only makes you fat, but it’s one of the direct causes of diabetes, heart disease, as well as feeding cancer cells.  Avoid sugar as much as possible with the exception of a small amount of natural sugars in a piece of daily fruit.

Food Rule #7.

Avoid canola oil as much as possible… despite the false marketing claims that canola oil is “healthy” and contains lots of monounsaturated fats just like olive oil, canola oil is NOTHING like olive oil from a biochemical standpoint and how it reacts internally in your body.

Food Rule #8.

In addition to avoiding canola oil, I highly recommend avoiding soybean oil, corn oil, or cottonseed oil as much as possible too.  These oils are highly inflammatory in your body, disrupt your omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid balance in your body, and also are typically made of genetically modified crops, of which the long term health consequences are not yet fully understood by scientists.

 

Food Rule #9.

Butter vs margarine?  I have no idea why anybody is still debating this… I use grass-fed butter on a daily basis, but I would NEVER even touch margarine… not even the so-called “healthy” margarines, which usually still contain inflammatory soybean or corn oils.  REAL butter is the only answer in this case.

 

Food Rule #10.

Egg whites vs whole eggs?  Once again, I have no idea why anyone is still debating this.  Most of the general population has still not gotten the memo that egg yolks are actually the healthiest part of the egg, with over 90% of the micronutrients and antioxidants, and 100% of the fat soluble vitamins that are so important for our health.  Why anybody would only eat egg whites and avoid yolks is beyond comprehension.  And no, the dietary cholesterol is eggs is not bad for your heart… in fact, it increases your good HDL cholesterol.

 

Food Rule #11.

Beware of the carcinogenic and estrogenic chemical BPA that is commonly found in some canned foods and bottled drinks. BPA has been linked to increased abdominal fat, birth defects, cancer, and more.  Remember that canned tomatoes are one of the worst offenders with highest concentrations of harmful BPA because of the acidic leaching effect of the tomatoes.

Food Rule #12.

In my opinion, it’s best to AVOID microwaved foods.  Some scientists believe that microwaving food changes the the biochemistry of the food in ways that cause negative effects in the body compared to raw or conventionally cooked food.  Think of this from a logical perspective… the human digestive system evolved over a period of approximately 2 million years (our ancesters homo erectus & neanderthal, as well as current homo sapiens) eating a combination of raw and cooked food that was cooked with either fire or hot water, not microwaves.

Microwaves are a new invention which cooks food in an entirely different way than hot water or fire, creating damaged molecules in food that were not found in nature previously, and that our body does not know how to deal with.  Logically, it’s easy to understand how this could have health consequences.

Food Rule #13.

One of the healthiest things to include in your daily diet are herbs and spices.  In fact, herbs and spices typically contain LOADS more antioxidants than most fruits and vegetables.  Spices are extremely powerful, and almost medicinal for your body.  Turmeric has been shown to have protective effects against cancer.  Cinnamon has powerful blood sugar controlling effects.  Many spices boost your immune system. .

Bottom line…spices rule!  Use them generously in all of your cooking for the best health benefits.

Food Rule #14.

Remember that despite all of the bad nutrition information you hear from the government and the media, saturated fats have been falsely villified in the past, and are much healthier for you than most people realize.  In fact, in recent years, scientists have become a lot more clear that saturated fats are actually important for health and hormone balance, your cell membranes, and many other vital functions in your body.

Food Rule #15.

Always avoid artificial sweeteners!   Just because they don’t contain calories doesn’t mean they don’t harm your body.  In fact, many studies link artificial sweetener use to weight gain.  New research is also showing that artificial sweeteners can “trick” your body into releasing insulin due to cells in your mouth and stomach that sense the sweetness and are expecting sugar.  Remember that high insulin levels can cause body fat deposition. Also, triggering insulin in this way can cause more cravings for carbohydrates and sugar in the hours after eating or drinking the artificially sweetened product.

 

Food Rule #16.

Pay attention to your Vitamin D levels.

Vitamin D is one of the most important substances in your body.  It’s one of the single most important things in your body that control your hormones as well as your immune system.  If you get sick often or have hormone imbalances, it’s quite likely that the cause is linked to low vitamin D levels.

Unfortunately, it’s estimated that almost 90% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D.  Get your blood levels of vitamin D tested.  Your goal should be blood levels between 50-70 ng/ml, where hormonal balance and immune function seems to be maximized.  Sadly, most people typically clock in with levels in the 20’s or 30’s or lower, and these sub par levels can cause a lot of health problems.

Mid day sunshine is the most important source of vitamin D as your body produces vitamin D from a reaction with oils in your skin and UVB rays from the sun.  Fatty fish, egg yolks, and organ meats are the best sources of dietary vitamin D, but it is hard to get enough vitamin D from diet alone, so small doses of daily mid-day sun is also important for your health (without burning).

 

Food Rule #17.

Probiotics rock!

Along with vitamin D levels, this is one of the single most important things you can do for your health.  Your “microbiome” in your gut is made up of TRILLIONS of microbes in total and hundreds of types of these friendly probiotics.  These serve so many more vitally important functions in your body than most people realize.

Probiotics are equally important to your immune system as your vitamin D levels.  Probiotics are your first line of defense in keeping pathogens at bay and preventing sickness.  They’re extremely important for your digestion too.

 

Food Rule #18.

Beware of carcinogenic acrylamides in browned carb-based foods.  This is yet another reason to minimize grains as much as possible as breads and cereals are some of the worst offenders with acrylamides.

Food Rule #19.

Avoid the unknown health consequences of eating genetically modified foods.  Again, going back to the principle that we are most adapted to eating what our ancesters ate for almost 2 million years, that list of foods obviously did NOT include genetically modified foods, since these “frankenfoods” weren’t included in the human food supply until the 1990’s.

There are still no long term health studies proving that GM foods are safe to eat.

Food Rule #20.

Lastly, enjoy your food!  And enjoy good company with food.  Don’t just mindlessly eat food in front of the TV.  Studies show that people unknowingly eat more calories and gain more weight when they mindlessly eat in front of the TV.  Instead, focus on your meal instead of a distraction…savor each bite you have.  Pay attention to each bite.  Enjoy the flavors and the aroma.

If you’ve been keeping up with these newsletters, it may seem as if I’m in a war against sugar lately…  and today, I’m going to show you one more reason to avoid sugar that we didn’t talk about in other recent articles…

Sugar actually speeds up AGING due to a biochemical reaction in your body from high blood sugar levels.  Not good!

Here’s the deal…

If you eat/drink too much sugar from sweetened drinks, soda, cakes, cookies, candies, ice cream, etc, you consistently shoot your blood sugar levels through the roof and require your body to pump out more insulin to dispose of that blood sugar in the liver, muscle cells, and also as body fat.

As we’ve talked about before, abusing this blood sugar control system (controlled by your pancreas) for years and years eventually can wear out your insulin sensitivity and your pancreas and type 2 diabetes can develop.

No surprise there right… I’m sure you understand that process.  But here’s something most people don’t understand…

Consistently raising your blood sugar through all of these daily sugary foods and drinks also causes a reaction in your body that creates molecules called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).  Having elevated levels of AGEs in your body can cause accelerated aging of your skin, as well as your organs.

If you know somebody that eats/drinks a LOT of sugar daily, you might notice they also are not aging well and have more wrinkles… this can be seen sometimes with type 2 diabetics as well.  Of course, this can vary greatly based on skin tone, and other lifestyle factors too.

This is yet another reason why minimizing sugar intake (particularly processed sugars and HFCS) as well as minimizing other foods that spike your blood sugar (such as breads, pasta, cereals, muffins, bagels, etc) can help reduce the amount of AGEs that are produced in your body and slow down the aging process!

Yes, a paleolithic nutrition plan that is moderately low-carb and low-sugar (the type we always talk about in this newsletter) where you focus mostly on healthy meats, veggies, berries, nuts, eggs, etc while minimizing sugar and grains not only makes you leaner, but helps keep you YOUNG!

But remember, staying youthful is not only about the types of food you eat, but also about the types of exercise you do…