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Q: What is the TLC diet?
A: The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet is
designed to lower elevated blood cholesterol. It is low in saturated
fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol. (It limits saturated
fat to no more than 7 percent of daily calories and cholesterol
to no more than 200 milligrams per day, while keeping total fat
between 25 and 35 percent of daily calories). If the diet does
not bring your blood cholesterol low enough, it can include added
dietary fiber and/or compounds called stanols or sterols that
help lower cholesterol levels. It’s important to note that
the TLC diet is just one part of the TLC program, which also
includes regular physical activity and weight management. The
TLC diet and overall program are available through the National
Institutes of Health. You can download a free booklet that provides
details about the plan or order a print copy at the NIH Web site.
Q: Are the "live
active cultures" in yogurt the same thing as probiotics?
A: Not necessarily. Live active cultures are living
microbes in food. Probiotics are live microbes shown to provide
health benefits. The starter cultures used to produce yogurt
and kefir are often helpful for people with lactose intolerance
and sometimes reduce antibiotic-induced diarrhea. But don’t
assume that all types of probiotics or live cultures have the
same benefits. Studies have begun to document health effects
of specific probiotics, but we need much more research to know
how and when to best use them. |
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Q: How can I know whether
a Mediterranean diet is too high in fat for me?
A: Mediterranean diets are higher in overall fat content
than some other approaches to promote weight loss or heart health.
But because the fat comes mainly from olive oil, nuts and fish,
rather than meat and butter, it is considered a heart healthy
eating pattern. Cheese, the other major source of cholesterol-raising
fat, is used in only limited amounts. So unless you have some
medical condition that requires careful limitation of all types
of fat – in which case you should consult with your physician
and a Registered Dietitian – concern about fat content relates
mainly to weight control. A Mediterranean diet can promote weight
control because it includes an abundance of vegetables, fruits,
whole grains and beans, foods low in calorie density. One key
for weight control is to match the amount of oil and nuts you
eat to your calorie needs. The Mediterranean Diet was consumed
by active Mediterranean farmers decades ago to meet their high
calorie needs, so using large amounts of oil was appropriate.
Most of us today are more sedentary; we can still use olive oil
as our primary type of fat, but just use smaller amounts. A second
key to weight control is that you shouldn’t consider this
healthy approach "all you can eat." The Mediterranean
approach to eating means savoring moderate portions of delicious
food, rather than focusing on vast quantities of food. |
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