True or False? Facts About the Foods You Eat

There are always new studies emerging touting a certain food one day, and then proving it’s harmful the next day.  With all of the information that’s going around it’s hard to know just what to believe.  We answer a few popular questions below:

1.     Is sugar harmful to your heart?

One study showed evidence that added sugars can negatively affect your heart.  Participants were assigned to drink one of four Kool-Aid-like beverages with their meals for two weeks.  The drinks were comprised of a dose of high-fructose corn syrup equivalent to 0, 10, 17.5, or 25 percent of their daily caloric requirement. The results revealed that the higher the dose the higher the participant’s LDL cholesterol and post-meal triglycerides. The reason fructose wreaks havoc has to do with how it’s metabolized, which takes place in the liver.  And, when the liver gets overloaded it then turns some of that fructose into fat.

The bottom line:  Try to limit added sugars to no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories’ worth) if you’re a woman, and 9 teaspoons (150 calories) if you’re a man.

2.     Vegetable and fruit drinks, are they as healthy as eating them?

Evidence from a recent study that tracked more than 71,000 female nurses for 18 years has shown that for every three servings of whole fruit eaten the risk of type 2 diabetes dropped by about 20 percent.  In addition, each serving of leafy green vegetables dropped the diabetes risk by about 10 percent.  However, for each serving of fruit juice there was an 18 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes – and that’s just for one cup (8 ounces), most servings are between 16-20 ounces.  The problem with juice is that since it has a heavy sugar load that’s in liquid form it’s easier to absorb into your bloodstream, which can spike your insulin.  Rapid insulin spikes on a regular basis can cause problems with your body’s ability to produce the right amount of insulin you need, thereby leading to one becoming insulin resistant.

The bottom line:  Eat your fruits and vegetables.  From time to time if you want a smoothie it’s best to make your own with a mix of fruit and vegetables, along with low-fat milk or yogurt.

3.     Does eating whole-grains lead to weight loss?

Two studies tracked participants who were given whole grains.  One study assigned people to either a whole-grain or refined-grain group.  They were asked to eat four to seven servings a day of their grain, and told to cut about 500 calories from their diets.  After three months there was no difference in weight loss between the groups.  However, although their weight loss was similar the whole grain group lost more abdominal fat.  Next, another study where people were given whole grains showed no lose in belly fat.  The reason behind this may be that some whole-grain foods have more calories than their refined counterparts.

The bottom line:  Try to swap refined grains with whole grains, but just don’t expect to lose weight or fat.

4.     Do beans reduce cholesterol?

In 2011 researchers reviewed 10 trials that randomly assigned people to eat either legumes (other than soy) or an alternative food like spaghetti, carrots, or whole-grained breads and cereals.  They found that the average LDL cholesterol levels were 8 points lower when legumes were eaten.  Beans contain soluble fiber, and that fiber binds to bile acids in the gut and prevents them from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream. Then the liver takes cholesterol out of the bloodstream to make more bile acids, which lowers your LDL cholesterol.

The bottom line: Add beans as a side dish, in a soup, or salad to help reduce your LDL cholesterol.

Reference: Bonnie, L., Nutrition Action, July/August 2015, True or False?  Face vs. fiction about the foods you eat, p.1, 3-5.