Nutrition

By: Maria Masters

Calorie restriction may be the easy path to life-long wellness even though it sounds hard to do.

As humans, we’re not conditioned to say no to abundance. Your ancestors had to eat anything they could to stay alive.

Bring that same eat-it-all habit into the modern world of drive thru, delivery, and 24-hour supermarkets though and it’s no wonder the average American is 17 pounds over their ideal weight!

Unfortunately, most of us associate saying no to food with starving ourselves. Who wants to be hungry all the time? No one – especially since you don’t have to be.

 

Now science allows you to reap the health benefits of a calorie restricted diet without making you feel starved. This is great news for anyone looking to reap the surprising rewards of a low calorie lifestyle.

It’s not just dropping enough pounds to get back in your high school pants – that’s an obvious benefit. What most people don’t know is that calorie restriction diets can also extend your life, reverse obesity-related disorders, help your heart, and boost your memory.

Live Longer With Calorie Restriction

Boosting life expectancy with a calorie restriction diet has been studied since the 1930′s. Researchers found you can almost double the lifespan of some animals by reducing their caloric intake 25% to 30%. It is also possible to offset the negative effects of the aging process like loss of muscle tone and energy by cutting calories.

The same benefits are available to humans through three key mechanisms that kick in when you cut back. Your body benefits from reduced oxidative stress on your DNA, the creation of more resilient cell structures, and the hard work of enzymes called sirtuins, which regulate the relationships between incoming nutrients and your metabolism when you eat less.

Right now in America, the National Institute of Health is conducting a landmark study to precisely separate the weight loss effects of calorie restriction from the anti-aging effects. Known as the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects on the Intake of Energy (CALERIE) study, it enrolled healthy, normal weight individuals in a rolling two year study that will finish in late 2012. The early results have been very encouraging, showing that participants have experienced deep-level biological changes that will help them thrive for years after the study ends.

The participants weren’t in it for the weight loss, even though most did lose significant amounts of weight. They were in it for the anti-aging and life-extending benefits of eating less. In interviews, they talked about seeing their young children grow up, attending family weddings and enjoying life to its fullest for years to come. They don’t fear death – they love life and will have more of it thanks to calorie restriction.

Freedom from Obesity-Related Disorders

Being fat leads to multiple health problems. Diabetes, high cholesterol, and digestive complaints are all more likely when your waistband expands. These chronic health challenges drag down your quality of life and cost you a fortune in pills and doctors’ visits. With a calorie restriction diet, you can fight back.

• Diabetes risk factors can be virtually eliminated. CALERIE data shows you have lower insulin resistance on a calorie restriction diet, dramatically reducing the odds you’ll develop Type-2 diabetes.
• Bad cholesterol levels fall and good cholesterol levels rise. You can move from scary high-risk numbers and statin prescriptions to enjoying the cholesterol levels of a healthy 20 year-old.
• Digestion improves. Calorie restriction diets feature high satiety foods, which mean you eat lots of fruits, vegetables, and soluble fibers. This can restore a healthy gut environment and eliminate trouble with constipation and irritable bowels.

Change in any one of these areas can mean a major quality of life improvement – to say nothing of how much better you’ll feel dropping your unsightly and unwanted pounds!

Improved Heart Health

Heart disease causes 33.6% of all U.S. deaths. Out of those Americans still dealing with heart disease, 4 million are on permanent disability. More than $444 billion was spent treating heart disease in 2010, but by cutting back some calories you don’t have to make your health care dollars part of that number.

Both small and large studies confirm that a calorie restriction diet improves your heart health and lowers your cardiovascular risk factors. In one study of people who had been on a calorie restriction diet for an average of six years, their systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels averaged 100/60 – the same levels normally seen in healthy 10 year-old children!

“I don’t know why anyone would take drugs when they could do something like this,” says Dr. Susan Roberts, lead researcher with the CALERIE study at Tufts University. Dr. Luigi Fontana, another pioneer in calorie restriction studies, has called the effects of calorie restriction diets, “a powerful intervention that is basically cleaning out the arteries,” of heart patients.

Better Memory

Of course, all these calorie restriction diet health benefits don’t seem so great if you can’t even remember your name throughout your extended lifespan. Fortunately, calorie restriction helps improve your memory to keep you sharp as a tack throughout your life.

You can improve your memory by an average of 20% over three months on a calorie restriction plan. Researchers at The Salk Institute in California found that normal and obese elderly patients showed significant increases in verbal memory scores when they reduced their caloric intake by 30%. Those with the best results over time were those who stuck closely to their diets … something that’s much easier to do if you have the right tools.

How To Really Stick To A Calorie Restriction Diet

You know staying on a diet can be a real pain – especially when you have a busy life full of family and work responsibilities. It’s easy to cheat and indulge yourself. Desserts taste good and going hungry hurts.

To succeed with calorie restriction, you need to cut out 25% or more of your calories for at least a year. You can use a nutritionist, counseling, support groups, or carefully weighed and measured meal plans to get it done. Count every calorie and don’t even think about cheating.

Alternatively, you can give yourself an insider’s track to success on a calorie restriction diet. We’ve created the perfect shortcut for you if you really want to make a low calorie diet work for you.

ODDS ARE, YOUR FOOD DELIVERY guy is bringing trouble to your doorstep. Inside that innocuous bag, he carries unhealthy versions of virtuous, protein-packed Asian dishes like salmon teriyaki and shrimp Pad Thai. Loaded with gloppy, neon-colored sauces, limp vegetables, MSG, and excess oil, the food may blunt your hunger, but it won’t optimally fuel your body. And that #2 combo isn’t doing your waistline any favors, either: A 2011 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reports that people who eat takeout just once a week may significantly increase their body fat as well as other risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Time to reclaim takeout. Where to start? From scratch. In less time than it takes the delivery dude to reach your doorstep, you can create vibrant homemade versions of your go-to Asian orders. Just deploy lean protein, produce for fiber and disease-fighting phyto-nutrients, and fresh aromatics like garlic and ginger. Stock up on a few Asian pantry staples, and prep can be even easier. The only thing that’ll make your meals better? A strategic dose of spicy sriracha.

Salmon Teriyaki with Asparagus

UPGRADE: A helping of in-season asparagus adds potassium and folate to this Japanese stir-fry.

2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp chili sauce, such as sriracha
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
1 lb skinless salmon (preferably wild), cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds
Cooked brown rice, for serving
1 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, honey, sriracha, cornstarch, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Set the mixture aside.

2. Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high. When it’s hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the salmon pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to turn opaque, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a plate.

3. Add the asparagus to the wok and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Return the salmon to the wok and stir in the soy sauce mixture. Heat, stirring, for 1 minute. If the sauce seems too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of water. Serve over brown rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Makes 4 servings

General Tso’s Chicken with Broccoli

UPGRADE: Why weigh down chicken chunks with bland, oil-logged batter? Bake them instead to cut calories without sacrificing taste. Then pile on the fresh vegetables.

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp rice-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp chili sauce, such as sriracha
4 cups steamed broccoli florets, for serving
Cooked brown rice, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the chicken chunks with 2 tablespoons corn-starch. Spread the cubes out and bake until they’re cooked through, about 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the oil, garlic, and ginger on medium for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the broth, soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, honey, and sriracha; simmer 3 minutes. Whisk the remaining cornstarch into 2 tablespoons water; add that and heat until the mixture has thickened, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the cooked chicken to the pan with the sauce and toss together. Serve alongside the broccoli and over brown rice.

Makes 4 servings

 

 

ODDS ARE, YOUR FOOD DELIVERY guy is bringing trouble to your doorstep. Inside that innocuous bag, he carries unhealthy versions of virtuous, protein-packed Asian dishes like salmon teriyaki and shrimp Pad Thai. Loaded with gloppy, neon-colored sauces, limp vegetables, MSG, and excess oil, the food may blunt your hunger, but it won’t optimally fuel your body. And that #2 combo isn’t doing your waistline any favors, either: A 2011 study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reports that people who eat takeout just once a week may significantly increase their body fat as well as other risk factors for heart disease and diabetes.

Time to reclaim takeout. Where to start? From scratch. In less time than it takes the delivery dude to reach your doorstep, you can create vibrant homemade versions of your go-to Asian orders. Just deploy lean protein, produce for fiber and disease-fighting phyto-nutrients, and fresh aromatics like garlic and ginger. Stock up on a few Asian pantry staples, and prep can be even easier. The only thing that’ll make your meals better? A strategic dose of spicy sriracha.

Thai Red Curry with Beef

UPGRADE: Swapping in sweet potatoes for the classic white variety gives this curry a beta-carotene boost.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
1 lb steak (round, loin, or flank), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 large shallot, chopped
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 can (13.5 oz) light coconut milk
1 tsp grated lime zest
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
Juice of 1/2 lime
Cooked brown rice, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for serving
1/3 cup unsalted roasted cashews (optional)

1. Heat a wok or skillet on medium high. When it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the beef and sear it until browned, tossing occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the beef and its juices to a plate.

2. Return the wok to medium heat and swirl in 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shallot and ginger; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and heat for 30 seconds. Stir in the coconut milk, lime zest, and fish sauce; heat for 2 minutes.

3. Add the sweet potatoes to the wok and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and the beef and heat through. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro and cashews.

Makes 4 servings

Soba Shrimp Pad Thai

UPGRADE: Pad Thai typically uses nutritionally void rice noodles. Go unorthodox and use Japanese soba noodles instead for a bonus dose of fiber and nutty flavor.

2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp roasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp sriracha chili sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (preferably peanut)
1 lb peeled large raw shrimp (thawed and drained if frozen)
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
6 oz soba (buckwheat) noodles, cooked, rinsed, and drained
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 limes, quartered, for serving

1. In a blender, combine the first seven ingredients and 1/4 cup water; puree until smooth and set aside.

2. Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high. When it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Then add the shrimp and cook until they just turn pink, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to a plate.

3. Add another tablespoon of oil to the wok and swirl. Add the peppers and mushrooms; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan along with the peanut sauce, cooked soba, and scallions; stir-fry for 1 minute.

4. Serve with peanuts and lime wedges.

Makes 4 servings