What about those Fruits and Vegetables? It depends....

I have seen more than one study challenging the utility - and even sensibility - of recommending an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables as a means to maintain or lose weight.  In the US, the recommendation is either just a general eat more or a more specific eat at least 5 servings.  In other countries, for example Australia, the recommendation is 2 fruits and 5 vegetables.  Walter Willett and the folks at HSPH recommend more vegetables than fruit.  

To be clear, non-starchy vegetables, specifically, and some fruits have been shown to improve health, possibly through their antioxidant properties.  But recently, using Eat More Fruits and Vegetables as an obesity prevention/treatment strategy, has come into question.  I have been concerned about the recommendation for some time, and that is why I promote Willett’s new food pyramid over the USDAs food guidance.

My concerns about fruit and vegetable promotion and all food related promotion is that people don’t hear, because its seldom said, eat more of this (x) INSTEAD of that (x).  People do not get the message that adding health promoting foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy oils, fish, etc. needs to be qualified.  The healthy foods are particular and only stay healthy if they remain nutrient dense (e.g., potatoes are a starchy vegetable which we do NOT need to increase, and kale is GREAT, kale cooked in fat back/butter is NOT GREAT).

Of course, fruits and vegetable calories are of a higher nutritional value than ones from chips, hotdogs and soda, but 1) the choice of fruit (e.g., a plum vs kiwi) or vegetable, 2) the preparation of that fruit or vegetable, 3) the size of that fruit or vegetable (i.e., jumbo fruits (bananas, oranges, apples = 2 or 3 servings), and 4) the overall amount of calories consumed will determine if adding fruits and vegetables to ones diet aids in weight loss.  The bulky, nutritious, fiber rich peppers, summer squash, onions and mushrooms should bulk up one's plate and reduce the caloric density of a meal– these foods should replace (or reduce) meat and pasta for instance.

Two studies released this month,(Charlton et al., 2014; Kaiser et al., 2014), found that increasing fruit and vegetable intake did not lead to weight loss and in some instances, led to weight gain.  The Kaiser et al study used robust criteria to evaluate randomized control trials (RCT) and though the RCTs themselves had limitations, the review of them was sound.  In the authors’ words, the upshot is this…. 

Purchasing and preparation barriers need to be addressed.  Interventions should provide more instruction on how to prepare vegetables in such a way as to not increase their energy content (such as not preparing vegetables with fat (eg not frying or serving with butter)… and….Although many fruits and vegetables [F/V] have demonstrable positive health benefits, recommending increased F/V consumption to treat or prevent obesity without explicitly combining with methods to reduce intake of other energy sources is unwarranted (Kaiser, et al).

One of the main reasons I started my You Tube channel was to show people how to cook foods without turning them into calorically dense meals or snacks.  So, do eat more fruits and vegetables as you eat LESS meats, breads, and desserts.

Charlton, K., Kowal, P., Soriano, M. M., Williams, S., Banks, E., Vo, K., & Byles, J. (2014). Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Body Mass Index in a Large Sample of Middle-Aged Australian Men and Women. Nutrients, 6(6), 2305-2319.

Kaiser, K. A., Brown, A. W., Brown, M. M. B., Shikany, J. M., Mattes, R. D., & Allison, D. B. (2014). Increased fruit and vegetable intake has no discernible effect on weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 100(2), 567-576.

Listeria

I expect that you have heard that cantaloupes from a specific farm in the USA are responsible for some cases of listeria poisoning.  
The actual full name is listeria monocytogenes bacterium and to be acutely ill from this food borne pathogen is to have listeriosis.
The bacterium can contaminate different types of foods but it gets on fruits and vegetables from soil OR manure used as fertilizer.  Since manure was a topic of the blog this week- I found a certain irony in that.
Listeria is usually not a problem for healthy adults, but can have serious implications for pregnant women, very young children, the elderly and frail adults who have compromised immune systems.  Pregnant women who become ill from contaminated foods can pass the infection on to their newborns.
Symptoms do not occur immediately - which is why the number of cases and the spread of contamination is an ongoing story.  The condition of listeriosis is diagnosed by physical exam and blood test.
If you are interested in learning more, I would suggest the CDC or WebMD websites.
Oh - and most importantly - WASH your produce before you handle it and cut it - yes - before you cut into a melon, you should wash the outside.  If you do not wash the outside, what is on the rind will go inside when you pierce it with a knife.

My Favorite Vegetables

I am going to share my favorite low calorie vegetables - my favorites because they are satisfying, almost "meaty" in a sense. I will make a list and then you can click on the you tube link where I have made a vegetable playlist because how you cook them also matters.

I think the reasons that these veggies come out so well is either because of their innate properties or the spices and such I use to cook them. There is this food idea or concept out there called umami - I believe. It refers to a food's savoriness and the foods that have the most umami properties are also satiating ones.

Think mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, soy based foods or Asian foods. I am adding green beans and brussels sprouts because they hit the same spot for me. So these veggies are my favorites for their nutritional make up - high nutrient, low calories and / or also for their umami flair.

Roasted green or yellow beans
Roasted or Baked brussels sprouts
Chard
Broccoli Rabe
Summer Squashes
Mushrooms
Kabuki Squash
Spaghetti Squash
Cauliflower
Onions
Yellow, green, orange and red bell peppers



Here is the link which provides video cooking ideas for some of these veggies...

Does it Matter Why?

On the radio today, I heard a discussion regarding the Mediterranean Diet. Another study supports the health benefits of consuming plant based foods, fish and olive oil, and an occasional glass of wine. The study that was highlighted today was not an experiment but an observation made after comparing two large groups of persons of later age. One group ate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and used olive oil while another ate foods considered to be Western - a lot of meat and fried foods. The first group had a significant and substantially lower rate of dementia than the second.

Science has already suggested that the Mediterranean Diet is protective for the heart. It is expected that the diet helps to reduce inflammation or just creates less inflammation. It also seems that people who eat this way have lower weights.

One person interviewed today said that at this time we don't know if it is something particular in one or more of the foods eaten that is helpful or if the combination of the foods is helpful - or even that the persons are thinner and have less cases of diabetes (diabetes is a risk factor for impaired blood flow which effects the heart and brain).

For instance, it could be the antioxidants in the fruits and vegetables, or the PUFA in the fish or the fiber that reduces bad cholesterol or even the resveratrol in the red wine, that promote better health.

I do want to make this one point to be safe. When our health experts suggest that we eat more fruits ,vegetables, fish, and get more monounsaturated fats, they do not mean ON TOP OFF or IN ADDITION TO the red meats and sugars and other fats that we consume, they mean in PLACE OF.

And if it matters to you, if it's the fish, fiber, fruits or wine - stay tuned because they will figure it out. However, your heart and brain will thank you if you just go ahead and make the recommended amendments to your "diet" today.