The Next Diet
By Charles Stuart Platkin
Low-calorie, low-fat, low-carb, slow foods, raw-foods -- what's left? How
about a high-protein, low-fat, moderate-carb diet -- exactly what works,
according to research. I was thinking of calling it the Platkin Diet, where
the "P" stands for protein, and the "L" stands for lean. Aside from the
psychological and behavioral issues relating to weight control, our primary
goal is to eat food, enjoy it and not feel deprived. And this diet lets us
do just that.
In fact, probably one of the key lessons learned from all the Atkins and
South Beach hype is that protein makes you feel full longer than carbs and
fat. And, according to a recent study published in the "American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition," you don't even have to eat low-carb to get results.
According to lead study author D. Scott Weigle, M.D., a professor of
medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, "If
you compare different diets, all with the same percentage of carbohydrates,
satiety was significantly higher when daily intake was almost one-third
protein."
In the study, the participants lost weight on a diet of 30 percent protein,
50 percent carbs and 20 percent fat. One segment of the study group was not
restricted as to calories -- they were able to eat whatever they wanted as
long as they maintained the 30 percent protein intake. When they were
switched from the weight maintenance to the unrestricted phase of the
study, they spontaneously dropped their average daily caloric intake by 450
calories, resulting in an average weight loss of 11 pounds over 12 weeks.
Many studies are now reporting the positive effects of protein on weight
loss. In a recent review published in the "Journal of the American College
of Nutrition," Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, a professor of nutrition and
epidemiology at Harvard University's School of Public Health, confirmed
protein's positive effects on losing weight. "Although most of the
high-protein studies have only looked at short-term weight loss, the
evidence is very convincing that protein increases satiety and decreases
overall caloric intake," says Hu.
Why Protein Works
First of all, foods that are high in protein slow the movement of food
through the digestive tract, and slower stomach emptying means you feel
full longer and get hungrier later (increasing satiety) compared with
lower-protein diets. "The evidence also suggests high-protein meals lead to
a reduced subsequent calorie intake," says Hu.
Protein also helps keep blood sugar stable, avoiding the quick rises that
can occur when you eat carbohydrates that are rapidly digested (e.g., white
bread).
Also, eating foods that are low-fat, low-carb and high in protein will help
you avoid other less-healthy, high-calorie foods that do not keep you full.
Lastly, the body uses more calories to digest protein than it does to burn
fat or carbohydrates. "There is convincing evidence that a higher protein
intake increases thermogenesis [generation of heat within the body, which
increases caloric burn]," says Hu. He believes you could burn an additional
30 calories per day simply by eating a diet composed of about 30 percent
protein.
The Diet
The idea is to eat small to moderate amounts of healthy fats (e.g.,
vegetable oils, nuts and avocado), a moderate amount of "good"
carbohydrates (i.e., fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are also
high in fiber) and a moderate amount of protein that's low in fat (e.g.,
fish, egg whites, skinless chicken and turkey breast, beans and soybeans,
low-fat dairy products). The breakdown should be 25-30 percent protein,
45-50 percent carbs and about 20 percent fat.
Do not confuse this type of diet with a low-carbohydrate diet like Atkins
or South Beach, emphasizes Hu. Also, Weigle recommends getting a good
portion of your protein from low-fat dairy sources to ensure adequate
calcium intake (to avoid the reduction in calcium levels that typically
occurs on a higher-protein diet).
Keep in mind that one of the reasons to maintain a low-fat diet is that fat
is more expensive in terms of calories. Fat contains more than twice the
calories of an equal amount of carbohydrates or protein.
Safety
There are some potential health problems associated with increased protein
consumption, such as the depletion of calcium mentioned above. However, the
Institute of Medicine has concluded that there is no clear evidence that a
high-protein intake increases the risk of kidney stones, osteoporosis,
cancer or cardiovascular disease. Currently, the IOM recommends that 10 to
35 percent of calories in an adult's diet come from protein.
Sources of Protein
-Poultry: Choose primarily chicken and turkey, and make sure to select lean
cuts. The leanest poultry choice is white meat from the breast without the
skin. Although skinless dark meat is leaner than some cuts of beef or pork,
it has nearly twice as much fat as white meat. Many grocery stores offer
ground chicken and ground turkey, which may have as much (or more) fat as
ground beef if they include dark meat and skin. So ask for ground breast meat.
Here are a few tips for making your chicken healthier:
- Remove the skin, either before or after cooking, to reduce the fat
content by almost half. Leaving the skin on during cooking will keep the
meat juicier. But keep in mind that if you remove the skin after cooking,
the fat underneath will have melted, and some will have been absorbed into
the meat -- which is also why it is juicier.
- Trim all excess fat from the chicken before cooking.
- Rather than using fat such as butter and oil to enhance the chicken's
flavor, try flavored vinegars, wines, herbs, spices or citrus fruit.
- Cook chicken without added fats by baking, roasting, broiling, grilling
or poaching. Stir-fry in olive or canola oil, or better yet, use cooking
spray.
-Avoid duck, which is very fatty.
-Fish
Fish is a great source of both protein and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty
acids. However, the FDA advises against eating shark, swordfish, king
mackerel or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury. Five of
the most commonly eaten fish and seafood products that are low in mercury
are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish. Another
commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna, has more mercury than canned
light tuna.
You can take a look at fish mercury levels on the FDA Web site at
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html
-Meats (including beef, veal, pork and lamb)
As long as it's lean with visible fat removed, and you control portion size
and frequency, you can still have meat. Just make sure you pick right:
- The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (eye round, top
round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin and chuck shoulder
and arm roasts.
- The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin and ham.
- Choose extra-lean ground beef. Look for at least 90 percent lean. You may
even be able to find ground beef that is 93 percent or 95 percent lean.
- Choose lean roast beef, ham or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches
instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.
- Avoid meat that is heavily marbled, that is, streaked with fat. Look for
meat with the least amount of visible fat.
For cooking:
- Trim visible fat beforehand.
- Broil, grill, roast, poach or boil meat instead of frying.
- Drain any fat that appears during cooking.
- Skip or limit the breading -- it adds fat and calories, especially since
it causes meat to soak up more fat during frying.
-Dairy
Dairy is a great source of protein and calcium, and it's particularly
important to replace potential lost calcium from eating higher amounts of
protein. However it is full of fat, so always choose low-fat or nonfat
milk, yogurt and cheese.
-Egg Whites
Egg whites are virtually fat-free, but some people don't like the idea of
eating eggs without the yolks. So start off by combining one-third egg
whites with two-thirds whole eggs, and then gradually reduce the amount of
whole eggs. You can do the same with other foods, such as whole milk and
skim milk or low-calorie, whole-grain cereal and regular cereal. Eventually
you'll get used to the healthier option.
-Other Protein Sources
Nuts, seeds, beans, soybeans and legumes. Make sure to limit portion sizes,
especially of nuts and seeds. They're super-healthy, but very high in fat
(even though it's good fat). Prepare beans and legumes without added fats.
_____________________________
CHARLES STUART PLATKIN is a nutrition and public health advocate, author of
the best seller "Breaking the Pattern" (Plume, 2005) and "Breaking the FAT
Pattern" (Plume, 2006) and founder of Integrated Wellness Solutions.
Copyright 2005 by Charles Stuart Platkin. Write to info@thedietdetective.com
EDITOR'S NOTE: OPTIONAL SIDE BAR
SAMPLE MENU AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Breakfast:
Yogurt Crunch:
Combine:
1 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup low-fat granola
1 cup berries
1 tablespoon walnuts
Midday Snack:
15 carrot sticks
1/4 cup hummus
Lunch:
Spicy Chicken Sandwich:
5 ounces grilled chicken breast
1 medium whole-wheat or whole-grain roll
2 tablespoons salsa
3 thick tomato slices
Lettuce
After-work snack:
1 small apple
1 tablespoon peanut butter
Dinner:
Spinach Pasta Bake
1 1/2 cup cooked whole-wheat pasta (measured AFTER cooking)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese
1 cup cooked spinach
1 ounce shredded part-skim mozzarella
Spread the pasta in a baking dish, top with the tomato sauce, cottage
cheese and spinach. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake in a 350-degree
oven for 30 minutes.
Nutrition Information for the Day:
Calories: 1,513
Fat: 36 grams (22 percent)
Saturated fat: 9 grams (6 percent)
Carbs: 199 grams (46 percent)
Fiber: 34 grams
Protein: 115 grams (32 percent)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sources for this Week's The Diet Detective
D. Scott Weigle, M.D.
Professor, University of Washington School of Medicine
Associate Program Director, Adult General Clinical Research Center
Division of Endocrinology, Box 359757
Harborview Medical Center
325 Ninth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98104
Phone 206.744-9123
Fax 206.744-9989
weigle@u.washington.edu
Frank Hu
Associate Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology
Department of Nutrition
Contact Information
Department of Nutrition
Building II
3rd Floor
655 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-432-0113
Fax: 617-432-2435
Email: frank.hu@channing.harvard.edu