—by Jeff Jurmain, MA
The land is overrun with individuals who want to get healthier and shed pounds off their frames. This, of course, is an excellent path to be on. This story is about something to keep in mind if you happen to be interested in reducing the numbers on your bathroom scale. It’s about essential nutrients you could be missing.
While a diet could slash carbohydrates and cause calorie intake to plummet, it could also drop your level of vitamins and minerals. There are a slew of them labeled “essential,” meaning your body’s myriad processes depend on them to function. And, if you want to keep your metabolic system running efficiently to help with the shedding of pounds, it is vital you don’t overlook nutrients.
Within what is estimated to be a $30.0-billion industry, about 30% of all American adults are, at any given time, actively looking to trim their waistlines. Most plans focus on how much food you eat, as well as your overall intake of fats, carbs and protein. But most pay little attention to minerals and vitamins.
A new study, in assessing four separate diet plans, discovered that there were major differences in nutrient consumption among them. The information came from 300 overweight or obese women on the “Atkins,” “Zone,” “LEARN” or “Ornish” diets. Each was asked at the beginning and after two months what they had eaten in the past 24 hours. The answers were used to figure out the eating patterns of the women.
At the two-month mark, all women had lowered their calorie intake to 1,500 a day, down from 2,000 at the study’s start. There were varying levels of carbs, fat and protein depending on which diet plan was being followed. They also measured the level of 17 essential vitamins and minerals, and found that some women had insufficient levels of many. One of the biggest problems was with vitamin E, with about 65% of all women getting too-low levels.
On a diet, you eat less food, so you take in fewer nutrients. That’s one way to look at it, but it needn’t be this way. The researchers in the study say that the ideal diet is one that doesn’t promote big carbohydrate reductions. Aiming for 40% fewer calories rather than 45%-65% is a healthier and safer approach.
If you are seeking to shed pounds, make sure that you do not lose sight of vegetables, beans and salad greens, which pack a big nutrient kick. And there is no harm in taking nutrient supplements while you diet; in fact, it is quite a good idea. But most diet plans don’t actively suggest this important point.
Before you embark on any diet, always talk to your healthcare provider to make sure it’s the right one for you.
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