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Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Healthiest of Healthy Foods

AHA Publisher — Mon, 09 Aug 2021 07:00:29 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – In my book How Not to Die, I center my recommendations around a Daily Dozen checklist of everything I try to fit into my daily routine. In my book How Not to Die, I suggest we try to center our diets around whole plant foods. Some plants are healthier than others, though. Apparently, you can live for extended periods eating practically nothing but white potatoes, for example, and, by definition, that would be a whole food, plant-based diet—but not a very healthy one. All plant foods are not created equal. The more I’ve researched over the years, the more I’ve come to realize that healthy foods are not necessarily interchangeable. Some foods and food groups have special nutrients not found in abundance elsewhere. For example, sulforaphane, the amazing liver-enzyme detox-boosting compound, is derived nearly exclusively from cruciferous vegetables. You could eat tons of other kinds of greens and vegetables on a given day and get no appreciable sulforaphane if you didn’t eat something cruciferous. Same with flaxseeds and the anticancer lignan compounds: Flax may average a hundred times more lignans than other foods. And mushrooms? Well, mushrooms aren’t even plants. They belong to an entirely different biological classification and contain some nutrients like ergothioneine that may not be made anywhere in the plant kingdom. So, technically, maybe I should be referring to a whole food, plant- and fungus-based diet…but that sounds a little gross. It seems like every time I come home from the medical library buzzing with some exciting new data, my family rolls their eyes, sighs, and asks, What can’t we eat now? Or they’ll say, Wait a second. Why does everything seem to have parsley in it all of a sudden? They’re very tolerant! As the list of foods I tried to fit into my daily diet grew, I made a checklist and put it up on a little dry-erase board on the fridge, and we made a game out of ticking off the boxes. This evolved into my Daily Dozen, the checklist of everything I try to fit into my daily routine. In my video Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen Checklist, you can see the list, the daily minimum servings I recommend, and examples of foods that go into each category. My Daily Dozen includes Beans, Berries, Other Fruits, Cruciferous Vegetables, Greens, Other Vegetables, Flaxseeds, Nuts and Seeds, Herbs and Spices, Whole Grains, Beverages, and Exercise. By Beans, I mean legumes, which also include split peas, chickpeas, and lentils. It may not seem like you’re eating beans when you have a bowl of pea soup, for example, or dip carrots into hummus, but you are. We should try to get at least three servings a day. A serving is defined as a quarter cup of hummus or bean dip; a half cup of cooked beans, split peas, lentils, tofu, or tempeh; or a full cup of fresh peas or sprouted lentils. Technically, peanuts are legumes, but, nutritionally, I put them in my Daily Dozen Nuts and Seeds category. Similarly, I put green beans, snap peas, and string beans into the Other Vegetables category. My Daily Dozen includes at least one serving of Berries a day, which is a half cup of fresh or frozen, or a quarter cup of dried. Biologically speaking, avocados, bananas, and even watermelons are technically berries, but to simplify things, I use the colloquial term for any small edible fruit. So, this category includes kumquats, grapes, raisins, and fruits that are typically thought of as berries even though they technically aren’t, like blackberries, cherries, mulberries, raspberries, and strawberries. For Other Fruits, a serving is a medium-sized fruit, a cup of cut-up fruit, or a quarter cup of dried fruit, and I recommend at least three daily servings. Again, I’m using the colloquial rather than the botanical definition, which is why I put tomatoes in the Other Vegetables group. Cruciferous Vegetables include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, and kale, and I recommend at least one half-cup serving a day. My Daily Dozen also calls for at least two additional daily servings of Greens, cruciferous or otherwise, and two serving of Other Vegetables, with a serving being a cup of raw leafy vegetables, a half cup for raw or cooked non-leafy vegetables, and a quarter cup of dried mushrooms. Everyone should try to incorporate one tablespoon of ground Flaxseeds into their daily diet, in addition to one serving of Nuts and Seeds. A quarter cup of nuts is considered a serving, or you can have two tablespoons of nut or seed butters, including peanut butter. Chestnuts and coconuts don’t count nutritionally as nuts. For my Herbs and Spices category, I recommend a quarter teaspoon a day of the spice turmeric, along with any other salt-free herbs and spices you may enjoy. To meet my Daily Dozen, you need at least three servings of Whole Grains, and a serving can be a half cup of hot cereal (like oatmeal), cooked whole grains or so-called pseudograins (like amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa), cooked pasta, or corn kernels; a cup of ready-to-eat cold cereal; one tortilla or slice of bread; half a bagel or english muffin, or three cups of air-popped popcorn. The serving size in the Beverage category is one 12-ounce glass, and I recommend at least five servings a day in addition to the water you get naturally from the foods in your diet. If you’re curious, I explain my rationale in my How Many Glasses of Water Should We Drink a Day? video. Finally, my Daily Dozen calls for at least one daily “serving” of exercise, which can be split up over the day. I recommend 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, such as walking briskly (for instance, at a pace of four miles per hour), or 40 minutes of vigorous activity, like jogging or active sports. See my video How Much Should You Exercise? if you’d like more information. This may sound like a lot of boxes to check, but it’s easy to knock off a bunch at a time. One simple peanut butter and banana sandwich on whole-grain bread can check off four boxes, and imagine how many Daily Dozen boxes you could tick off when you sit down to a big salad of two cups of spinach, a handful of arugula, a handful of walnuts, a half cup of chickpeas, a half cup of red bell pepper, and a small tomato. That’s seven boxes in just one salad! Sprinkle on your flaxseeds, add a handful of goji berries, enjoy it with a glass of water, and end with some fruit for dessert, and you just met nearly half of the Daily Dozen in a single meal! And, if you just ate it on your treadmill…just kidding! Do I check off each glass of water I drink? No. In fact, I don’t even use the checklist anymore. I just used it initially as a tool to get me into a routine. Whenever I sat down to a meal, I challenged myself by asking, Could I add greens to this? Could I add beans to this? Can I sprinkle on some flax or pumpkin seeds? What about some dried fruit? The checklist just got me into the habit of wondering how I can make each meal even healthier. The checklist also helped with grocery shopping. Although I always keep bags of frozen berries and greens in the freezer, if I’m at the store and want to buy fresh produce for the week, it helps me figure out how much kale or blueberries I need. In fact, the checklist even helped me picture what a meal might look like. When you look over the Daily Dozen, as you can see at 6:44 in my video, you see that it includes three servings each of Beans, Other Fruits, and Whole Grains, and about twice as many vegetables in total than any other component, when you add up the Cruciferous Vegetables, Greens, and Other Vegetables. So, glancing at my plate, I can imagine one quarter of it filled with grains, one quarter with legumes, and vegetables taking up the other half, along with a side salad and fruit for dessert, for instance. I really like one-bowl meals where everything’s mixed together, and even then the checklist helps me visualize. Instead of a big bowl of spaghetti with some veggies and lentils on top, I think of a big bowl of vegetables with some pasta and lentils mixed in. Instead of a big plate of quinoa with some stir-fried vegetables, I picture a meal that’s mostly vegetables with some quinoa and beans added in there, too. There’s no need to be obsessive about the Daily Dozen. On hectic travel days, when I’ve burned through my snacks and find myself stuck in some airport food court, I’m lucky if I hit even a quarter of my goals. If you eat poorly one day, just try to eat better the next. To help track your progress, volunteers created Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen apps for both iPhone and Android. You can download and use them both for free with no ads and no cost. My hope is that the checklist will serve as a helpful reminder to try to eat a variety of some the healthiest foods every day. KEY TAKEAWAYS All plant foods are not created equal, so although we should try to center our diets around whole plant foods, we should be sure to incorporate the most healthful ones. Some of the most special and important nutrients are sulforaphane, which is found almost exclusively in cruciferous vegetables, and flaxseeds with their anticancer lignan compounds. The Daily Dozen checklist is the synopsis of recommendations I make in my book How Not to Die, incorporating everything I try to fit into my daily routine and lists categories and minimum servings. My Daily Dozen includes Beans (and legumes, including split peas, chickpeas, and lentils), Berries, Other Fruits, Cruciferous Vegetables, Greens, Other Vegetables, Flaxseeds, Nuts and Seeds, Herbs and Spices, Whole Grains, Beverages, and Exercise. The Daily Dozen is intended to inspire you to eat more healthful options and look at each eating experience as an opportunity to maximize nutrition. To help you tick the Daily Dozen boxes, volunteers created Dr. Greger’s Daily Dozen app, completely free to download and use, and available for both iPhone and Android. This was quite the departure from our regular blogs! Normally, we just share the science from the primary sources in the peer-reviewed medical literature, but I want NutritionFacts.org to be more than just a reference site. I want it to be a practical guide on translating this mountain of data into day-to-day decisions, which is where my Daily Dozen app slips into the mix. It’s available for free on iTunes and as an Android app, thanks to an amazing group of volunteers through our Open Source Initiative. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

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Eating More Plant Foods May Lower Heart Disease Risk in Young Adults, Older Women

AHA Publisher — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 07:12:34 +0000

American Heart Association (AHA) via Newswise – Eating more nutritious, plant-based foods is heart-healthy at any age, according to two research studies published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association. In two separate studies analyzing different measures of healthy plant food consumption, researchers found that both young adults and postmenopausal women had fewer heart attacks and were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease when they ate more healthy plant foods. The American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations suggest an overall healthy dietary pattern that emphasizes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes and non-tropical vegetable oils. It also advises limited consumption of saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, red meat, sweets and sugary drinks. One study, titled “A Plant-Centered Diet and Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease during Young to Middle Adulthood,” evaluated whether long-term consumption of a plant-centered diet and a shift toward a plant-centered diet starting in young adulthood are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in midlife. “Earlier research was focused on single nutrients or single foods, yet there is little data about a plant-centered diet and the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Yuni Choi, Ph.D., lead author of the young adult study and a postdoctoral researcher in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis. Choi and colleagues examined diet and the occurrence of heart disease in 4,946 adults enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Participants were 18- to 30-years-old at the time of enrollment (1985-1986) in this study and were free of cardiovascular disease at that time. Participants included 2,509 Black adults and 2,437 white adults (54.9% women overall) who were also analyzed by education level (equivalent to more than high school vs. high school or less). Participants had eight follow-up exams from 1987-88 to 2015-16 that included lab tests, physical measurements, medical histories and assessment of lifestyle factors. Unlike randomized controlled trials, participants were not instructed to eat certain things and were not told their scores on the diet measures, so the researchers could collect unbiased, long-term habitual diet data. After detailed diet history interviews, the quality of the participants diets was scored based on the A Priori Diet Quality Score (APDQS) composed of 46 food groups at years 0, 7 and 20 of the study. The food groups were classified into beneficial foods (such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains); adverse foods (such as fried potatoes, high-fat red meat, salty snacks, pastries and soft drinks); and neutral foods (such as potatoes, refined grains, lean meats and shellfish) based on their known association with cardiovascular disease. Participants who received higher scores ate a variety of beneficial foods, while people who had lower scores ate more adverse foods. Overall, higher values correspond to a nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet. “As opposed to existing diet quality scores that are usually based on small numbers of food groups, APDQS is explicit in capturing the overall quality of diet using 46 individual food groups, describing the whole diet that the general population commonly consumes. Our scoring is very comprehensive, and it has many similarities with diets like the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Healthy Eating Index (from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service), the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet and the Mediterranean diet,“ said David E. Jacobs Jr., Ph.D., senior author of the study and Mayo Professor of Public Health in the division of epidemiology and community health at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis. Researchers found: During 32 years of follow-up, 289 of the participants developed cardiovascular disease (including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, heart-related chest pain or clogged arteries anywhere in the body). People who scored in the top 20% on the long-term diet quality score (meaning they ate the most nutritionally rich plant foods and fewer adversely rated animal products) were 52% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, after considering several factors (including age, sex, race, average caloric consumption, education, parental history of heart disease, smoking and average physical activity). In addition, between year 7 and 20 of the study when participants ages ranged from 25 to 50, those who improved their diet quality the most (eating more beneficial plant foods and fewer adversely rated animal products) were 61% less likely to develop subsequent cardiovascular disease, in comparison to the participants whose diet quality declined the most during that time. There were few vegetarians among the participants, so the study was not able to assess the possible benefits of a strict vegetarian diet, which excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs. “A nutritionally rich, plant-centered diet is beneficial for cardiovascular health. A plant-centered diet is not necessarily vegetarian,” Choi said. “People can choose among plant foods that are as close to natural as possible, not highly processed. We think that individuals can include animal products in moderation from time to time, such as non-fried poultry, non-fried fish, eggs and low-fat dairy.” Because this study is observational, it cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between diet and heart disease. Other co-authors are Nicole Larson, Ph.D.; Lyn M. Steffen, Ph.D.; Pamela J. Schreiner, Ph.D.; Daniel D. Gallaher, Ph.D.; Daniel A. Duprez, M.D., Ph.D.; James M. Shikany, Dr.P.H.; and Jamal S. Rana, M.D., Ph.D. The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health; Healthy Food Healthy Lives Institute at the University of Minnesota; and the MnDrive Global Food Ventures Professional Development Program at the University of Minnesota. In another study, “Relationship Between a Plant-Based Dietary Portfolio and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: Findings from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Prospective Cohort Study,” researchers, in collaboration with WHI investigators led by Simin Liu, M.D., Ph.D., at Brown University, evaluated whether or not diets that included a dietary portfolio of plant-based foods with U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved health claims for lowering “bad” cholesterol levels (known as the “Portfolio Diet”) were associated with fewer cardiovascular disease events in a large group of postmenopausal women. The “Portfolio Diet” includes nuts; plant protein from soy, beans or tofu; viscous soluble fiber from oats, barley, okra, eggplant, oranges, apples and berries; plant sterols from enriched foods and monounsaturated fats found in olive and canola oil and avocadoes; along with limited consumption of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol. Previously, two randomized trials demonstrated that reaching high target levels of foods included in the Portfolio Diet resulted in significant lowering of “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), more so than a traditional low-saturated-fat National Cholesterol and Education Program diet in one study and on par with taking a cholesterol-lowering statin medication in another. The study analyzed whether postmenopausal women who followed the Portfolio Diet experienced fewer heart disease events. The study included 123,330 women in the U.S. who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-term national study looking at risk factors, prevention and early detection of serious health conditions in postmenopausal women. When the women in this analysis enrolled in the study between 1993 and 1998, they were between 50-79 years old (average age of 62) and did not have cardiovascular disease. The study group was followed until 2017 (average follow-up time of 15.3 years). Researchers used self-reported food-frequency questionnaires data to score each woman on adherence to the Portfolio Diet. The researchers found: Compared to women who followed the Portfolio Diet less frequently, those with the closest alignment were 11% less likely to develop any type of cardiovascular disease, 14% less likely to develop coronary heart disease and 17% less likely to develop heart failure. There was no association between following the Portfolio Diet more closely and the occurrence of stroke or atrial fibrillation. “These results present an important opportunity, as there is still room for people to incorporate more cholesterol-lowering plant foods into their diets. With even greater adherence to the Portfolio dietary pattern, one would expect an association with even less cardiovascular events, perhaps as much as cholesterol-lowering medications. Still, an 11% reduction is clinically meaningful and would meet anyone’s minimum threshold for a benefit. The results indicate the Portfolio Diet yields heart-health benefits,” said John Sievenpiper, M.D., Ph.D., senior author of the study at St. Michael’s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto in Ontario, Canada, and associate professor of nutritional sciences and medicine at the University of Toronto. The researchers believe the results highlight possible opportunities to lower heart disease by encouraging people to consume more foods in the Portfolio Diet. “We also found a dose response in our study, meaning that you can start small, adding one component of the Portfolio Diet at a time, and gain more heart-health benefits as you add more components,” said Andrea J. Glenn, M.Sc., R.D., lead author of the study and a doctoral student at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and in nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto. Although the study was observational and cannot directly establish a cause-and-effect relation between diet and cardiovascular events, researchers feel it provides a most reliable estimate for the diet-heart relation to-date due to its study design (included well-validated food frequency questionnaires administered at baseline and year three in a large population of highly dedicated participants). Nevertheless, the investigators report that these findings need to be further investigated in additional populations of men or younger women. To read the original article click here.

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Is Cottonseed Oil Good or Bad for You? What You Need to Know

AHA Publisher — Mon, 31 Aug 2020 07:00:30 +0000

Christine Ruggeri, CHHC via Dr. Axe – Maybe you’ve noticed that the benefits and uses of cooking oils are getting lots of attention lately. People are trying to decipher between the “good” and “bad” oils. One that’s often brought up is cottonseed oil — a commonly used cooking oil that’s made from, you guessed it, cottonseeds. It’s actually known as America’s original vegetable oil. So why is cottonseed oil considered one of the danger foods in the American diet? Let’s dive in. What Is Cottonseed Oil? Cottonseed oil is a cooking oil made from the seeds of the cotton plant. It belongs in the same category as canola oil, soybean oil and safflower oil, as it’s really an inflammatory “vegetable” oil that’s processed and can easily oxidize when exposed to high heat, light and air. Cottonseed oil is refined in order to remove gossypol, a naturally occurring toxin in the seed’s oil that works to protect the plant from insects. If consumed, this natural pesticide may be toxic, so it’s always removed from the seeds that are used to make cooking oil or flour. You’ll find hydrogenated cottonseed oil on the ingredient list in many processed and packaged foods. It’s used in salad dressings, baked goods, cereals and more. Uses Cottonseed oil has many uses. It’s well-known for its use as a cooking oil, much like canola or soybean oils. But it’s also used in shortenings and packaged foods. Some products that may contain cottonseed oil include: potato chips baked goods (like packaged cookies and cakes) crackers snack bars cereals salad dressings mayonnaise margarine pasta sauce In foods, it’s used for frying, to add moisture to baked goods and to provide a creamy consistency in whipped creams and icings. Oil from cottonseeds is also used topically in some cosmetic products. It’s used as an oil and emollient that can soften the skin. It’s fragrance-free and used as a skin-moisturizing agent. You may find cottonseed oil in face and body cleansers, eye makeup and lipsticks. Potential Benefits 1. Contains Linoleic Acid About 55 percent of refined cottonseed oil is made up of polyunsaturated fats like linoleic acid. This is an omega-6 fatty acid that, when consumed in moderation, has been shown to help reduce inflammation, lower the risk of heart disease, improve brain function and boost immune function. Linoleic acid is also found in safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and sesame oil. These types of omega-6 fatty acids should be consumed along with omega-3 fatty acids. Unfortunately, the standard American diet consists of way too much omega-6 fats, which can actually have adverse effects on your health. 2. Provides Oleic Acid Almost 20 percent of oil from cottonseeds contains oleic acid, an omega-9 fatty acid that’s found naturally in vegetable fats. Oleic acid is known for its ability to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. It may also help prevent type 2 diabetes, fight infections and promote brain function. Olive oil, almond oil and avocado oil contain even higher amounts of heart-healthy oleic acid. 3. Promotes Skin Health Cottonseed oil benefits the skin because of its moisturizing and soothing properties. Unrefined cottonseed oil contains vitamin E oil, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant effects. Although there isn’t any scientific evidence of this cottonseed oil benefit, it’s commonly used topically for these reasons. Keep in mind, if you aren’t using an organic product, there may be pesticides present. 4. Protects Hair Cottonseed oil for hair helps moisturize your hair and scalp, and it may help reduce or eliminate dandruff. It can also be used as a styler, helping add shine and tame your hair, reducing the need for hair products that contain chemical additives. Your hair may be less likely to break when you use just a bit of cottonseed oil before styling. Dangers 1. Gossypol Toxicity Research published in the Scientific World Journal indicates that consuming high concentrations of gossypol can lead to clinical signs of gossypol poisoning, which may include respiratory distress, weakness, apathy and impaired body weight gain. In addition to the possibility of health issues related to gossypol poisoning, the compound can also cause male and female reproductive issues, and it may interfere with immune function. Cottonseed oil that’s bought for cooking goes through an extensive refining process in order to remove the gossypol content. To experience gossypol poisoning, you’d have to consume high concentrations of the compound. 2. May Contain Pesticides Because cotton is not classified as a food crop, it’s often grown with high levels of pesticides. If you are buying a stand-alone cottonseed product, look for an organic option from a reputable source. But do be careful of packaged foods containing this ingredient, as they likely contain conventional cottonseed oil. 3. High in Omega-6s Like many vegetable oils, cottonseed oil contains high amounts of omega-6fatty acids. A diet high in these fats, and low in omega-3s, can lead to inflammation. Omega-6s are found in many unhealthy, convenient foods, like chips, pizzas, salad dressings and processed meats. If you’re consuming cottonseed oil with processed junk foods, it’s not contributing to your health. This is exactly why vegetable oils like cottonseed are foods to avoid. Healthier Alternatives Because of the potential toxic compounds present in cottonseed oil, and because it contains high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids, there are healthier alternatives out there. They include: Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Olive oil is higher in heart-healthy oleic acid and other monounsaturated fats. It’s known to reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s best for drizzling on top of salads or using to add flavor to dips and prepared dishes. Coconut Oil Coconut oil contains MCTs, or medium-chain triglycerides, that help increase metabolism, boost energy and support brain function. It’s excellent in smoothies, in baked goods and can be used for cooking. Avocado Oil If you’re looking for an oil that’s great for high-heat cooking, choose avocado oil. It’s rich in antioxidants, like lutein, and much higher in monounsaturated fats than cottonseed and other vegetable oils. Conclusion Cottonseed oil is considered a vegetable oil, and it’s often used in processed, packaged foods. Although when consumed in small amounts, it has potential health benefits due to its fatty acid content, it’s usually consumed along with unhealthy, inflammatory junk foods. There are healthier oils out there that contain more heart-healthy fats and less omega-6 fatty acids. Some of the best options include coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil. To read the original article click here. For more articles by Dr. Axe click here.

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Plant-Based Diet with Small Amounts of Meat and Dairy Can Still Lower Blood Pressure

AHA Publisher — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 07:00:49 +0000

University of Warwick via News-Medical Net – Consuming a plant-based diet can lower blood pressure even if small amounts of meat and dairy are consumed too, according to new research from the University of Warwick. Published online by a team from Warwick Medical School in the Journal of Hypertension today (25 July), they argue that any effort to increase plant-based foods in your diet and limit animal products is likely to benefit your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular disease. They conducted a systematic review of previous research from controlled clinical trials to compare seven plant-based diets, several of which included animal products in small amounts, to a standardised control diet and the impact that these had on individuals’ blood pressure. Plant-based diets support high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, limiting the consumption of most or all animal products (mainly meat and diary). (See below for further details) High blood pressure is the leading risk factor globally for heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. A reduction in blood pressure has important health benefits both for individuals and for populations. Unhealthy diets are responsible for more deaths and disabilities globally than tobacco use, high alcohol intake, drug use and unsafe sex put together. An increased consumption of whole grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fruit, as achieved in plant-based diets, could avert up to 1.7, 1.8, 2.5 and 4.9 million deaths globally respectively every year according to previous research. Vegetarian and vegan diets with complete absence of animal products are already known to lower blood pressure compared to omnivorous diets. Their feasibility and sustainability are, however, limited. Until now, it has not been known whether a complete absence of animal products is necessary in plant-based dietary patterns to achieve a significant beneficial effect on blood pressure. Lead author Joshua Gibbs, a student in the University of Warwick School of Life Sciences, said: “We reviewed 41 studies involving 8,416 participants, in which the effects of seven different plant-based diets (including DASH, Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Vegan, Nordic, high fibre and high fruit and vegetables) on blood pressure were studied in controlled clinical trials. A systematic review and meta-analysis of these studies showed that most of these diets lowered blood pressure. The DASH diet had the largest effect reducing blood pressure by 5.53/3.79 mmHg compared to a control diet, and by 8.74/6.05 mmHg when compared to a ‘usual’ diet. “A blood pressure reduction of the scale caused by a higher consumption of plant-based diets, even with limited animal products would result in a 14% reduction in strokes, a 9% reduction in heart attacks and a 7% reduction in overall mortality. “This is a significant finding as it highlights that complete eradication of animal products is not necessary to produce reductions and improvements in blood pressure. Essentially, any shift towards a plant-based diet is a good one.” “The adoption of plant-based dietary patterns would also play a role in global food sustainability and security. They would contribute to a reduction in land use due to human activities, to global water conservation and to a significant reduction in global greenhouse gas emission.” (Francesco Cappuccio, Study Senior Author and Professor, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick) “The study shows the efficacy of a plant-based diet on blood pressure. However, the translation of this knowledge into real benefits to people, i.e. its effectiveness, depends on a variety of factors related to both individual choices and to governments’ policy decisions. For example, for an individual, the ability to adopt a plant-based diet would be influenced by socio-economic factors (costs, availability, access), perceived benefits and difficulties, resistance to change, age, health status, low adherence due to palatability and acceptance. “To overcome these barriers, we ought to formulate strategies to influence beliefs about plant-based diets, plant food availability and costs, multisectoral actions to foster policy changes focusing on environmental sustainability of food production, science gathering and health consequences.” To read the original article click here.

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Pesto Zucchini Noodle Dinner & How to Eat Plant-Based Keto Zone

AHA Publisher — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 07:00:15 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Keto Zone is a high fat, low-carbohydrate diet and lifestyle that uses ketones in the body instead of glucose for fuel and energy. There are many health, focus, and energy benefits to this. However, did you know that Keto Zone can be plant-based? If you’d like, you can make it 100% vegan, a looser vegetarian, or mostly plant-based with select animal products. Here’s how to eat plant-based Keto Zone, and one of our favorite recipes to get you started. Plant-Powered Keto Zone Pesto Zucchini Noodle Dinner Ingredients 4 medium zucchinis 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup thinly sliced red bell peppers (optional) 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dry) 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper ground PESTO: Keto Zone Pesto (see recipe) Optional: fresh basil leaves Instructions Prepare zucchini noodles: Slice off the ends of the zucchini. Using a food spiralizer to make the ‘noodles’ by twisting the entire zucchini through the device. If you don’t have a spiralizer, slice zucchini strips as thinly as possible. Then, cut down zucchini for shorter noodles. Prepare Keto Zone pesto (omit cheese). Next, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat until warm. Add tomatoes, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add the zucchini noodles and pesto and mix gently. Stir and heat until noodles and pesto are warmed through, just 1-2 minutes. Serve either warm or cold. Why Choose Plant-Based Keto Zone? While not everyone wants to follow a plant-based plan, many people do for cost savings, environmental reasons, to make a strong push against high cholesterol, and more. And what’s more, many non-vegan meat-eating Keto Zone eaters still eat many, many plant foods. Either way, it’s worthwhile to find out which foods make great plant-based keto options, and how to get the protein and healthy fats you need from plans if you forego the animal products. How to Eat Plant-Based Keto Zone There’s great news. You can get into the Keto Zone with a healthy plant-based Keto Zone plan. And, you can do so while getting all the healthy fat and protein nutrients you need for overall health. Here’s what to eat. Start With Fats: Plant-Based Keto Zone Fats Keto Zone starts with fats. Here are great healthy fat options: Extra-virgin olive oil and olives MCT oil or MCT oil powder Coconut meat and coconut oil Avocado and avocado oil Nuts and seeds (see list below) Plant-Based Keto Zone Proteins While proteins make up only a small percentage of Keto Zone calories (just 15-20%), they are still imporant. Proteins provide nutrients that support cell health and repair, metabolism, hormones, and more. Some great plant-based Keto Zone proteins include: Nuts and Seeds Pecans Brazil nuts Macadamia nuts Walnuts Chia seeds Flax seeds (make sure they’re ground) Hemp seeds Sunflower seeds Pumpkin seeds Each 1/4 cup of hemp seeds gives you healthy fats and a protein boost! Edamame and Tempeh Natural edamame is a great source of protein (although it’s best to avoid an overload of processed soy-fortified foods). Choose edamame, organic tofu, and tempeh. You can eat them roasted, dry roasted, and in salads. Each 1/2 cup of edamame can give you an 8.5-gram boost! When choosing edamame and tempeh, make sure they contain no added flavors, seasoning, or grains that increase the carbs. Also, choose non-GMO and organic. Avoid soybean-based processed foods as these often have sugars, carbs, MSG, and other ingredients added. Vegan Protein Powders It can be difficult to find a high-protein low-carb powder with good, wholesome ingredients. But look no further, as Dr. Colbert’s Protein Supremefood delivers all of this. It is an organic-based, non-GMO, brown rice- and pea-based protein powder. It only has 1 gram of net carbs per serving and is fortified with health-promoting ginger and turmeric. What’s more, it delivers a whopping 15 grams of protein per serving! Non-Vegan Options Even while eating plant-based, many vegetarians will still include eggs, dairy, or other proteins as desired. If this is the case, local free-range eggs, plain Greek yogurt and cream, and hydrolyzed collagen powder are great protein sources. Plant-Based Keto Dairy Next, if you’re looking for plant-based keto-friendly milk and/or dairy substitute, there are now many to choose from. Try: Coconut milk or cream, cashew milk, or almond milk (with little or no preservatives and no sugars) Vegan butter with healthy oils like olive oil Cashew cream or low-carb vegan cheeses made with healthy oils Coconut or cashew yogurt (unsweetened) Vegan Keto Carbs: Tons of Low-Carb Veggies Lastly, try to overflow your diet with healthful leafy greens and low-carb vegetables when you’re in the Keto Zone, whether plant-based or not. You can include: Artichokes Asparagus Avocados Artichokes Baby bok choy Bell peppers Broccoli and cauliflower Brussels sprouts Cabbage Celery Collard Greens Cucumbers Edamame Eggplant Fennel Garlic and onions Herbs like basil, mint, oregano, parsley and more Leafy greens, spinach, and kale Mushrooms Okra Onions Radishes Swiss Chard Turnips Zucchini You can also add a small number of fruits like berries (~1/4 cup per day), and/or use Red and Green Supremefood for a Keto Zone fruit and vegetable boost! Healthy Plant-Based Keto Drinks And of course, there are many plant-based Keto Zone drinks that nourish your body. In addition to water throughout the day, add black tea, green tea, and coffee for great brain-health, metabolism, and whole-body health benefits. Bottom Line If you want to eat a plant-based Keto Zone diet, you can certainly do it! You can get in the Keto Zone, without any animal products or only a select few you want to include. The Keto Zone is a wonderful and highly effective healthy eating plan that works well either way! To read the original article click here. For more articles by Dr. Colbert click here.

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A Plant-Based Diet Helps to Prevent and Manage Asthma, According to New Review

AHA Publisher — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 07:00:30 +0000

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine via EurekAlert – A plant-based diet can help prevent and manage asthma, while dairy products and high-fat foods raise the risk, according to a new review published in Nutrition Reviews. WASHINGTON–Asthma is a common chronic condition in which the airways become narrow and inflamed–sometimes leading to difficulty with breathing, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. “Asthma is a condition that affects more than 25 million Americans, and unfortunately it can make people more vulnerable in the COVID-19 outbreak,” says study author Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee. “This research offers hope that dietary changes could be helpful.” Researchers with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine examined the evidence related to diet and asthma and found that certain foods–including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods–can be beneficial, while others–such as dairy products and foods high in saturated fat–can be harmful. The review authors highlight a study finding that when compared to a control group, asthma patients who consumed a plant-based diet for eight weeks experienced a greater reduction in use of asthma medication and less severe, less frequent symptoms. In another study, asthma patients adopted a plant-based diet for a year and saw improvements in vital capacity–a measure of the volume of air patients can expel–and other measures. The authors suggest that a plant-based diet is beneficial because it has been shown to reduce systemic inflammation, which can exacerbate asthma. Plant-based diets are also high in fiber, which has been positively associated with improvements in lung function. The researchers also highlight the antioxidants and flavonoids found in plant foods, which may have a protective effect. The review also finds that dairy consumption can raise the risk for asthma and worsen symptoms. One 2015 study found that children who consumed the most dairy had higher odds of developing asthma, compared with the children consuming the least. In another study, children with asthma were placed in either a control group, where they made no dietary changes, or in an experimental group where they eliminated dairy and eggs for eight weeks. After eliminating dairy, the experimental group experienced a 22% improvement in peak expiratory flow rate–a measure of how fast the children were able to exhale–while children in the control group experienced a 0.6% decrease. High fat intake, consumption of saturated fat, and low fiber intake were also associated with airway inflammation and worsened lung function in asthma patients. “This groundbreaking research shows that filling our plates with plant-based foods–and avoiding dairy products and other high-fat foods–can be a powerful tool for preventing and managing asthma,” says Dr. Kahleova. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges those with asthma to have a plan in place–including stocking up on supplies, taking asthma medication as needed, avoiding crowds, and practicing good hygiene. To read the original article click here.

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The Foods to Avoid to Lower Stroke Risk

AHA Publisher — Fri, 20 Mar 2020 07:00:55 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – “Stroke remains one of the most devastating of all neurological diseases,” killing about 5 million people a year worldwide, and is “the leading cause of permanent disability in the USA.” But the good news is that about 80 percent of stroke risk may be due to basic lifestyle factors: primarily, improving our diet, stopping smoking, and getting regular exercise. The best way to stop smoking, evidently, is to have a heart attack. Certainly, once dead, you can’t smoke. Of those who survive a heart attack, strong, repeated advice from their doctor may persuade up to two-thirds to quit and never smoke again in any form as long as they live. “Yes, quitting smoking is very difficult. It doesn’t matter; it has to be done. If you were walking along the lakeshore and one of your grandchildren is drowning, it doesn’t take will power to go into the lake; it just has to be done.” It’s like a healthy diet: Some things just have to be done. Getting up at night to feed a baby can be difficult, too, but it’s not a matter of having willpower—some things in life just have to be done. After all, what we regularly eat every day is indeed a matter of life and death. For stroke prevention, that means eating a more plant-based diet, like a traditional Mediterranean diet centered around whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lentils, beans, and nuts, as I discuss in my video Best Foods to Reduce Stroke Risk. A vegetarian or vegan diet may also work, but it must be accompanied by a regular, reliable source of vitamin B12, meaning B12-fortified foods or supplements. “Unfortunately, recommending taking B12 supplements may meet opposition among vegetarians because misconceptions regarding this nutrient are prevalent. Many individuals still hold on to the old myth that deficiency of this vitamin is rare and occurs only in a small proportion of vegans…Future studies with vegetarians should focus on identifying ways of convincing vegetarians to routinely take vitamin B12 supplements in order to prevent a deficiency.” The research is clear on that. What is it about plant-based diets that make them beneficial for stroke prevention? In my video How to Prevent a Stroke, I talked about the role of fiber, which potentially leads to about a 1 percent drop in risk for every 1 gram of fiber ingested per day. Or, even better: A 12 percent drop in risk is associated with every extra 10 grams of fiber a day. In fact, fiber from whole grains is associated with a lower chance of dying not only from heart attack and stroke, but also cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases, as well as a lower risk of dying from infections or other causes––in other words, a lower risk of dying prematurely from all causes combined. Why? Perhaps because of the anti-inflammatory effects of fiber, which could explain how it could help across the board. Or, it could be that eating fiber means eating fewer pro-inflammatory foods. Those who eat more whole plant foods, which are where fiber is found, may be eating less processed and animal foods. In fact, the study immediately preceding the meta-analysis of fiber was a meta-analysis on meat, which looked at red meat and processed meat, and found about a 10 percent increased risk for stroke associated with each three and a half ounce daily portion, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards, or about 10 percent increased risk for every “half-deck” of processed meat. Perhaps this occurs because of the heme iron—the blood and muscle iron—in meat, or because of “its pro-oxidative properties.” (No association was found between stroke and non-heme iron, which is the type of iron that predominates in plants.) Or, perhaps it’s because of some of the toxic pollutants like PCBs that can build up in animal fats. We’ve known, for example, that living next to a toxic waste dump might increasestroke risk, but only recently have we realized that dietary exposure even at so-called safe levels might increase stroke risk—and increase it by as much as eight or nine times for those with the highest levels of these pollutants in their bloodstream. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger click here.

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Not All Plants Are Good for You

AHA Publisher — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 07:00:06 +0000

Oregon Health and Science University via EurekAlert – OHSU neurotoxicologists highlight ‘significant global health issue’ for undernourished people around the world. So you say you’re interested in a plant-based diet? It’s true that many plants provide an abundance of nutrients, typically at a fraction of the energy expended to raise animal protein. However, before embarking on a wholesale change in diet, it’s worth considering the research and experience of a trio of neurotoxicologists at Oregon Health & Science University. Their message: Not all plants are good for you. That’s particularly true for those who are undernourished or depend on a single plant. But the scientists caution that growing interest in foraging for wild edibles raises the risk for people in wealthy countries, too, especially as some plants may become more toxic with a changing climate. “The bottom line is that plants and fungi were not put here for our benefit – they need to defend themselves,” said Peter Spencer, professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine and an affiliated faculty member of the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU. “They have all sorts of chemical defense systems that would make the Department of Defense blush with embarrassment at their former efforts.” In a recent review published in the journal Environmental Neurology, OHSU scientists highlighted plants with neurotoxic potential in undernourished people around the world. The study was jointly authored by Spencer along with first author Valerie Palmer, instructor of neurology, and Desiré Tshala-Katumbay, professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine. In it, the scientists catalogue a quartet of plants that sicken or kill undernourished people around the globe. “The adverse neurological effects of food dependency on plant components with toxic potential constitutes a significant global health issue,” they write. The researchers catalogued the potential neurotoxic effects of fruit of the ackee tree, an evergreen native to west Africa and favorite of Jamaica; lychee fruit, a delicious tropical fruit from southern Asia now eaten worldwide; grasspea, a protein-rich legume eaten on the Indian continent and the Horn of Africa; and cassava, a plant whose roots and leaves are consumed in across sub-Sahara. Although these plants provide food for millions, the scientists elucidate ways in which they can rapidly and fatally affect brain function or, in the case of cassava and grasspea, gradually induce crippling disease. Critical is the amount of plant product consumed; the poor health of the people eating it; and the relative availability of each of these plants due to poverty, hunger and, increasingly, climate change. Cassava is a prime example. Many people in Africa rely on cassava as a primary food source because it grows well in arid soils. But when stressed by drought, the concentration of its chemical defenses increase at the same time water to wash out the toxic factors is in short supply. Those dependent on cassava develop an irreversible struggle to walk. Tshala-Katumbay, who fondly remembers eating the cassava root as a child growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has spent the past two decades working with local communities in the DRC to reduce exposure to the plant’s toxins. Although cassava’s toxicity can be reduced through careful methods of food preparation, high levels of consumption make it difficult to eliminate the risk altogether. “Even if it’s a low-dose toxicant, cumulative exposure may have long-term effects,” Tshala-Katumbay said. Palmer and Spencer focused decades of their research in the field and laboratory on grasspea, a tasty legume that also causes tremor, muscle weakness and even paralysis in those who depend upon it for sustenance. Before the internet, Palmer formed a worldwide group of scientists with a wide range of expertise including botany, biology and chemistry to develop low-toxin strains of this valuable, environmentally tolerant legume. Unfortunately, Palmer said, people may well become increasingly exposed to potentially toxic plants as the climate warms and the global population expands, especially in low-income countries. “This is very concerning, particularly because many people are going to need to rely on these crops in the future,” she said. As they focus on neurotoxins around the world, the OHSU researchers are working to improve human health in developing countries while also advancing scientific understanding about neurotoxins affecting people even in wealthy nations like the United States. For all the effort spent in unveiling the human genome, Spencer believes the “exposome” – the food we eat, the air we breathe, the chemicals we are unwittingly exposed to – is every bit as important in determining human health and preventing disease. “Prevention of brain disease is our principal goal – seeking and understanding the chemical causes of disease and minimizing human exposure,” Spencer said. To read the original article click here.

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Kidney Disease: Prevented and Treated With a Plant-Based Diet

AHA Publisher — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 07:00:27 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM – Kidney failure may be both prevented and treated with a plant-based diet, and it’s no wonder: Kidneys are highly vascular organs, packed with blood vessels. Harvard researchers found three significant dietary risk factors for declining kidney function: “animal protein, animal fat, and cholesterol.” Animal fat can alter the actual structure of our kidneys. In my video How Not to Die from Kidney Disease, you can see plugs of fat literally clogging up the works in autopsied human kidneys from a study published in The American Journal of Pathology. Animal protein can have a “profound effect” on normal kidney function, inducing “hyperfiltration,” increasing the workload of the kidney. Not plant protein, though. After eating a meal of tuna fish, the increased pressure on the kidneys goes up within only a few hours. We aren’t talking about adverse effects decades down the road, but literally within hours of it going into our mouths. What happens if, instead of having a tuna salad sandwich, you had a tofu salad sandwich with the exact same amount of protein? No effect on your kidneys. Our kidneys have no problem dealing with plant protein is no problem. Why does animal protein cause the overload reaction, but plant protein doesn’t? It appears to be due to the inflammation triggered by the consumption of animal products. Indeed, taking a powerful, anti-inflammatory drug along with that tuna fish sandwich can abolish the hyperfiltration, protein-leakage response to meat ingestion. There’s also the acid load. Animal foods, such as meat, eggs, and dairy, induce the formation of acid within the kidneys, which may lead to “tubular toxicity,” damage to the tiny, delicate, urine-making tubes in the kidney. Animal foods tend to be acid-forming—especially fish, which is the worst, followed by pork and poultry—whereas plant foods tend to be relatively neutral, or actually alkaline or base-forming to counteract the acid, especialy green leafy vegetables. So, “[t]he key to halting progression of CKD [chronic kidney disease] might be in the produce market, not in the pharmacy.” It’s no wonder plant-based diets have been used to treat kidney disease for decades. In my video, you can see a remarkable graph that follows the protein leakage of subjects first on a conventional, low-sodium diet, which is what physicians would typically put someone with declining kidney function on, then switched to a supplemented vegan diet, back to the conventional diet, once more on the plant-based diet, and back and forth again. The chart is filled with zig-zags, showing kidney dysfunction was effectively turned on and off like a light switch, based on what was going into their mouths. In health, Michael Greger, M.D. This article has been modified. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Greger, click here.

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