UNIT 3 |
FOOD GROUPS |
OPTIMAL SERVINGS / DAY |
FOOD EXAMPLES AND SERVING SIZES |
CALCIUM RICH FOODS 5-8 SERVINGS PER DAY |
Nonstarchy Vegetables |
5 or more 7+ even better! |
Raw or cooked vegetables, ½ cup (125 ml); raw leafy vegetables, 1 cup (250 ml); vegetable juice, ½ cup (125 ml) |
Bok choy, broccoli, collard greens, kale, napa cabbage, indigenous leafy greens, okra, 1 cup (250 ml) cooked, or 2 cups (500 ml) raw |
Fruits |
3 or more |
Whole Fruit, medium-sized, fruit, raw or cooked, ½ cup (125 ml); dried fruit, ¼ cup (60 ml) |
Oranges, 2: dried figs, ½ cup (125 ml) |
Legumes |
3 or more |
Cooked beans, peas, or lentils, bean pasta, or tofu or tempeh, ½ cup (125 ml); raw peas or sprouted lentils, mung beans, or peas, 1 cup (250 ml); vegetarian meat substitute, 1 oz (30 g); fortified soy milk, 1 cup (250 ml) |
Black or white beans, 1 cup (250 ml); calcium-set tofu, ½ cup (125 ml); fortified soy milk or soy yogurt, ½ cup (125 ml) |
Whole grains and Starchy vegetables |
2 or more |
Cooked whole grains or starchy vegetables, ½ cup (125 ml); 1 oz (30 g) very dense whole-grain bread |
- |
Nuts and Seeds |
2 - 3 |
2 Tbsp (30 ml) nuts or seeds; 1 Tbsp (15 ml) nut or seed butter |
Almonds or chia or sesame seeds, ¼ cup (60 ml); almond butter or tahini, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) |
Herbs and Spices |
3 or more |
¼ - ½ tsp (1-2 ml) ground spice; 1 tsp (5 ml) dried herbs; 1 Tbsp (15ml) fresh herbs |
- |
The bran is the outer husk, which protects the contents of the grain. Although the bran provides nutrients and phytochemicals, its main claim to fame is fiber. What is left after the germ and bran are removed is called the endosperm, which is mainly starch, some protein, and a miniscule amount of vitamins and minerals. In the process of turning wheat kernels into white flour, 70-90 percent of the vitamins, minerals, and fiber are lost. To add insult to injury, a two-hundredfold to three-hundredfold loss in phytochemicals occurs.
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Minimize or avoid low-quality carbohydrates, such as refined starches (white flour products and concentrated starches, such as cornstarch) and refined sugars and syrups. When carbohydrate-rich foods are refined, the fiber that slows the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream is removed and their glycemic index rises. In addition, the nutrients needed to metabolize those carbohydrates are shaved away, so the body is less able to deal with the fast influx of these energy-giving nutrients.
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On the other hand, if you eat mostly poor-quality, refined carbohydrates, you may see health benefits from cutting carbs, especially if fat and protein sources are carefully selected. However, a healthier approach would be to swap the low-quality refined carbohydrates for high-quality unrefined carbohydrates. Dipping below the 45 percent mark is not recommended, as low carbohydrate intakes are associated with escalating intakes of saturated fat and animal protein.
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Humans have a soft spot for sweets. We were born that way, and for good reason. In nature, sweetness generally signals safety, while bitterness serves as a warning flag. It would be difficult to consume excessive sugar when eating foods in the form in which they are grown. Yet when sugars are extracted and concentrated, then added to ultra processed foods, our hardwiring for sweets works against us. Our appetite control center becomes unhinged, and satiety signals fail to protect us from overconsumption.
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Excess fructose appears to be even more damaging than excess glucose. When it is consumed in excess, it promotes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, elevated triglycerides, increased LDL cholesterol, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, visceral fat accumulation, and the formation of advanced glycation end products more sharply than glucose.
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Similarly in a metabolic study of adult men, de novo lipogenesis was almost 19 percent when the men were fed a high-fructose diet (25 percent of calories from fructose) compared to 11 percent when they were eating a low-fructose diet (less than 4 percent of calories from fructose). Liver fat concentration also significantly increased when fructose intake was high.
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One notable exception is blackstrap molasses, which is an impressive mineral source. For example, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of blackstrap molasses provides 353 milligrams of calcium, 7.2 milligrams of iron, and 1,023 milligrams of potassium-more calcium than 1 cup of milk, more iron than an 8-ounce steak, and more potassium than two large bananas.
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Date sugar is made from dried and ground dates, so its a whole-food sugar, which is preferable to refined sugars. Coconut sugar is dried coconut nectar, and it is more nutrient dense than typical refined sugars. Regardless, the bottom line is that sugar is sugar. Even the sugars derived from whole-food sources, such as date or coconut sugar, will have a significant impact on blood glucose and should be minimized. The best advice is to kick the sugar habit and get used to foods with less sweetness.
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Add them to cereals, puddings, baked goods, and beverages.
Some of them also work well in savory dishes. You can enhance the flavor of commonly sweetened savory foods, such as pasta sauce, with herbs and caramelized onion. Root vegetables, such as carrots and beets, also add sweetness to main and side dishes. |
Even though sugar alcohols exist naturally in foods such as fruits and vegetables, most are manufactured from starches and sugars and are used in processed foods. Because they provide on average about half the calories of other carbohydrates and are thought to be relatively safe, sugar alcohols are often considered excellent sugar substitutes for people with diabetes. However, in order to train your palate to prefer less sweet tastes, it is still best to minimize their use.
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Fiber is what gives plants their structure, and its not present in any animal foods. Acting as natures broom, fiber keeps food moving smoothly and efficiently through the intestinal tract. While fiber is a type of carbohydrate, it can't be broken down into digestible sugar molecules like most other carbohydrates. Although it passes through the intestinal tract relatively intact, it has a significant and positive impact. It is well known that fiber prevents constipation, but it can also help lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease. Fiber can improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, reducing the risk of diabetes, and it can diminish the risk of diverticular disease and some cancers, especially colorectal cancer.
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Legumes stand out as fiber superstars. Compare foods within each category to see which ones provide the most total and soluble fiber. For example, in the vegetables group, artichokes and Brussels sprouts are very high in both total and soluble fiber. In the legumes group, lentils are extremely high in total fiber, but most other legumes provide more soluble liber.
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A Harmless Artificial Sweetener, Dr. Michael Greger
Disarming Diabetes (For Filipino Students only)
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The Healthiest Sweetener, Dr. Michael Greger
Ketogenic Diet and Diabetes, Dr. Michael Greger
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