You are not alone in your battle against the bulge. More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight, according to data reported by the Centers for Disease Control in the January 2010 "Journal of the American Medical Association." Although severely restricting your calories to drop a few pounds can backfire, there are several nutrients of concern that you should lessen your intake of: certain fats, added salts and sugars and refined grains. Tossing these foods not only will contribute to your weight control, but will also promote general health. Know that a healthy diet, by definition, is one that provides you with all your nutrient and calorie requirements each day.
Fats
You may think that fat in equals fat out when it comes to diet and weight. Not so, says Harvard's School of Public Health. Although eating a high-fat diet can put you at risk for weight gain because high-fat foods are often high-calorie foods, it's really the type of fat that matters more. Saturated fat and trans fats are ingredients you should avoid. Your body makes all the saturated fat it needs. Excessive saturated fat increases your blood cholesterol, putting you at risk for cardiovascular disease. Trans fats are man-made fats used by food processors to make oils solid and to keep products sitting on grocery shelves fresh and stable. Trans fats are worse for cholesterol than saturated fats, and trans fats also spark inflammation and immune system responses that are implicated in heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Meat from animals is a dominant source of saturated fats, but cheese, pizza and desserts are common foods from which Americans get saturated fats. Most Americans get trans fats from store-bought baked goods, margarine, snack foods, processed foods, French fries and other fried foods.
High-Sodium Foods
Although sodium is an important nutrient, most people eat too much of it. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 says healthy people should eat less than 2,300 mg, but people who have diabetes and high blood pressure should get less than 1,500 mg. Salt has some surprising connections to weight problems. A Finnish study observed that salt sales increased by 50 percent in the United States between the mid-1980s and late 1990s. Because salt stimulates thirst, Americans' average beverage intake has also increased. This led to a significant increase in the number of calories Americans consumed in that time frame. In addition, obesity enhances the hypertensive effect of salt.
Sugary Foods
Fats and sugars that are added to foods comprise about 35 percent, or 800 calories, of the typical American diet. That's far too much. Sugars alone comprise about 16 percent of calories. The problem with added sugars is that they supply all these extra calories and few, if any, nutrients. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 says that nearly all Americans should reduce their consumption of foods with added sugars to lower the calorie content of their diet. The type of sugar you eat may make an important difference, too. Fructose undergoes metabolism differently than other sugars. A group of California researchers reported in 2009 that consuming fructose promotes excessive belly fat, increases circulating triglycerides and decreases insulin sensitivity. Fructose-containing foods and drinks can also increase your risk of developing fatty liver disease. You often find sugar and fat in single food items, especially packaged dessert items.
Refined Grains
Eat more whole grains and fewer refined grains. Food manufacturers refine grains through a milling process that removes the bran and the germ, resulting in a longer shelf life -- but this process also strips grains of important nutrients, especially fiber and iron. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans says most Americans eat an average of 6.3 ounces of refined grains each day in the form of yeast breads, pizza, grain-based desserts, tortillas, burritos and tacos. Eating refined grains is closely linked with eating other components that are low nutrient, high fat and high sugar. By eating more whole grains, you will consume more fiber, which may help you feel full longer.
References
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008; Katherine M. Flegal, et al.; January 20, 2010
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, In with the Good
- USDA: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- "Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases"; Sodium Intake and Hypertension; Heikki Karppanen and Eero Mervaala; September-October 2006
- "Journal of Clinical Investigation"; Consuming Fructose-Sweetened, Not Glucose-Sweetened, Beverages Increases Visceral Adiposity and Lipids and Decreases Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight/Obese Humans; Kimber L. Stanhope et al.; May 2009
- "Journal of Hepatology"; Fructose Consumption as a Risk Factor for Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Xiaosen Ouyang et al.; June 2008
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