In 2014 the Journal of Nutrition studied four major dietary scoring systems that have all been associated with reductions in heart disease and cancer and extending lifespan. This study revealed they all share only four things in common: more fruit, more vegetables, more whole grains and more beans/nuts.
They are all built on a common core of a whole-foods, plant-based diet. But this underscores an element that is so simple but so often overlooked in our understanding of proper human nutrition: the structure of the food. Let me explain what I mean.
Most often in nutrition we concern ourselves with a foods nutrient quality, like the amount of vitamins and minerals it has, or the amount of protein, carbs, fat or calories. But in practical terms, the structural matrix of our food is often as important as any of these other things. This is what we mean by a whole food versus a more-processed form.
For example, take a wheat kernel: It is hard, brown and fibrous. If the kernel is ground into flour, its structural matrix changes: It is now in the form of powder. But even though, theoretically, the nutrients in ground flour are exactly the same as the whole kernel, the effects in the body are not the same.
The nutrients from the flour will be digested and absorbed more quickly, and will alter the bodys physiological and metabolic responses. In fact, if we remove the bran or outer shell and grind just the inner seed into refined or white flour the difference in bodily response is even more dramatic.
Indeed, some research recognizes an almost drug-like effect in the brain and body from eating white flour (or white sugar) compared to the effect from eating the original whole grain, beets or corn. In other words, to your brain and body the nutrients and calories from a whole food is not equal to that same food in a more-processed form.
This has proven itself to be a very big deal because when it comes to diet, Americans are moderate in all things except processed food. Literally, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures economic research service, 63% of most peoples calories in this country come from just three processed food stuffs sugar, refined grains and oil and those provide virtually nothing but empty calories. We have actually built the majority of our diets on fractionated, processed food items rather than real, whole foods.
This is so significant because changing the matrix or physical form of food alters:
We have been experiencing an explosion in chronic disease rates around the world, and the biggest part is likely due to our alteration of the foods natural state to one that we think is better. You could say we have taken something that is good and made it too good. Much research indicates that the degradation and processing away of a foods original matrix is one of the key drivers of our excess calorie intake.
What about you? The research reveals that the more plant foods you eat in their whole form, the leaner and healthier you will be. Rather than olive oil, put whole olives on your salad. Rather than orange juice for breakfast, eat the whole orange.
By keeping the structure of your food more whole you will make attaining a healthy weight and life much easier and be able to eat to satiety as well.
Thomas Morrison is a fitness coordinator at the Bradley Wellness Center.
View post:
Keeping Fit: The missing key element in a healthy diet - Daily Citizen
