Two Super Diet Tips from Harvard

I write about healthy eating all the time. Also, most folks think about what they are eating – to some extent. But, we have 60 percent of us overweight and 30 percent obese. Another 10 percent has Type 2 diabetes, a preventable and ruinous disease that stems from inactivity and poor nutrition. Obviously, we need help with our eating, whether routine or on a special diet.

Harvard Medical School offered the following two tips:

“To really optimize your diet, keep these two additional tips in mind.
1.    Limit liquid sugars. Soft drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and other sugar-sweetened beverages can deliver up to 12 teaspoons of sugar in a single serving, with no other useful nutrients. These beverages offer no health or nutritional benefits. Worse, regular consumption of these drinks can increase your chances of becoming obese or developing diabetes — both of which raise your risk for heart disease and other chronic conditions. Unsweetened coffee or tea or sparkling water are better choices.”

I have written repeatedly about the dangers of sugary as well as diet sodas. Love hearing it backed up by Harvard. Also, regarding the 12 teaspoons of sugar mentioned above. Remember, a teaspoon of sugar amounts to just over four grams. I offer that conversion because the amount of sugar is usually listed  in grams and if you don’t know how many grams in a teaspoon, you might not realize how much sugar you are getting.

That teaspoon of sugar weighs just over 4 grams.

“2.    Cut back on refined carbohydrates. White bread, many breakfast cereals, packaged snack foods, and potato chips and French fries deliver mainly pure starch — which the body quickly converts to sugar — with few other nutrients or fiber. Better choices are whole grains, breads made with whole grains, high-fiber breakfast cereals, brown rice, steel-cut oats, fruits and vegetables, and beans. A good general rule is to choose foods that have at least one gram of fiber for every 10 grams of carbohydrate. Even better, aim for a gram of fiber for every 5 grams of carbohydrate.” Emphasis mine.

Harvard said that for more info on the proper vitamins and minerals ini your diet to check out Vitamins and Minerals A Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

Tony