|
Q: What is it about
bananas that makes the Banana Diet so successful?
A: Actually, stories of short-term weight loss without
data from controlled studies aren’t grounds for calling
this diet "successful." Bananas provide fiber and nutrients
that make them a healthful part of a balanced diet, but don’t
expect them to provide any special power to promote weight loss.
The Banana Diet has gained Internet fame for supposedly aiding
quick weight loss. However, people’s reported weight loss
could have come from other banana diet rules, that include avoiding
all ice cream, alcohol, evening snacks and all beverages other
than water with meals. Arbitrary rules make popular diets work
in the short-term, but people often return to old eating habits
once they get tired of the absolute rules. One problem with the
Banana Diet is that it limits breakfast to bananas (70 to 140
calories each) that may promote immediate weight loss, but in
the long run can sabotage your efforts. Long-term studies suggest
that eating a small proportion of your daily calories in the
morning increases the tendency to overeat later in the day and
is more likely to hurt than help weight control. Successful weight
control comes from avoiding excess calories in ways to that you
can live with long-term. |
|
Q: When grocery stores
spray produce with water, does that reduce their nutrient value?
A: Grocery stores mist certain fruits and vegetables
to keep them from wilting and losing moisture. It is true that
when vegetables are cooked or soaked in large amounts of water,
certain vitamins will leach out into the water. Research is limited
on grocery store misting, but it does not give reason to worry
that it has negative effects. In fact, in at least one early
study, misting even helped retain vitamin C in broccoli. Misting
is mainly beneficial for lettuce, broccoli, green onions, cucumbers
and fresh herbs that wilt easily without humidity. Others (such
as onions, garlic, berries and cauliflower) should not be misted
and deteriorate with too much moisture.
Q: Can diet lower risk
of lymphoma as much as it does other cancers?
A: We still have much to learn about lymphoma's link
to diet. The strongest evidence at this time is the increased
risk posed by being overweight. Excess body fat increases inflammation
through the body and seems to affect immune function. In one
study, obesity increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
36 to 59 percent in women and men, respectively. The mostly plant-based
diet recommended to reduce overall cancer risk may also be helpful
in reducing risk of lymphoma, though much of the evidence at
this point is not strong. Increasing vegetables, especially cruciferous
vegetables such as broccoli, may be helpful; probably because
of their phytochemicals that stimulate enzymes involved in the
activation and deactivation of carcinogens, as well as their
impact as antioxidants. Excessive amounts of meat and/or fat
(especially saturated or animal fat) may increase risk, but the
evidence is tentative. Some studies show increased risk with
high dairy consumption, but it’s important to consider that
a "high" consumption of foods depends upon the population
studied. For example, in a Swedish study, increased risk related
to dairy consumption was seen in those consuming more than six-and-a-half
servings daily, far above what would be "high" in the
U.S. As research progresses we should know more, but for now
we can most reliably place greatest emphasis on weight control
and on balanced, plant-based eating for optimal effects on immune
system and overall lower cancer risk. |
Print
Forums
Refer Page
