I am not going to preach about which eating plan to follow, but I am certain that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is not the one. The word diet means the food a person usually drinks and eats. It does not mean to lose weight and the best diet is not the same for everyone. What I am certain of, is that we should be eating a diet full of whole, minimally processed foods.
The SAD diet is full of processed foods. It is too high in omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils, margarine, corn, and poultry fat. We require only small amounts of omega 6 fatty acids for tissue repair. On the other hand, omega 3 fatty acids are important for heart health, cancer prevention, and brain and vision health. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, flaxseed, and chia seeds. We should consume a 1:1 ratio or 2:1 ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6 fatty acids. The SAD diet creates a 1:16 ratio. Yikes! This imbalance leads to chronic inflammation in the body, poor sleep, and autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, the number of processed, sugary, and nutrient poor foods that end up on our grocery store shelves increases every year. Many of these foods target children leading to chronic health problems at an early age such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, migraines, ADHD, constipation, and other digestive problems. When we eat a highly processed diet, we are stressing our digestive system. When our digestive system is compromised so is our immune health. Many people don’t realize our immune system begins in our gut and 80% of our serotonin is produced in our gut and not our brain. The gut is often called the second brain. When we feed our bodies whole food not only does our physical health improve but mental health as well.
I can’t have a conversation about the SAD diet without discussing sugar. Sugar makes up about 10% of the daily caloric intake of the average American. Studies have shown the negative effects of sugar on our health. A 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed a correlation between sugar and death from heart disease. I am sure many people don’t realize that a 20 oz bottle of soda contains 65 grams of sugar. This is about 2 shot glasses. You might think that turning to artificial sweeteners is the answer, but they are not any better for your body. It’s also important to remember that the fat in fat free foods is often replaced with sugar.
You are probably wondering what to do now. The answer is simple; switch to whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, eggs, nuts and seeds, low mercury fish, grass fed beef, and poultry. Everyone’s diet will vary based on food preference. I am sure many of you have heard of primarily shopping the perimeter of the grocery store. Most of the processed foods are in the aisles, but I have seen grocery stores sneak processed foods into the perimeter. Some people can change their entire diet immediately, but most people need to make small changes. For those who need to take baby steps, begin with breakfast. Start your day with a balanced meal of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat. Balancing your blood sugar in the morning will lead to better food choices throughout the day. Next, try and limit your sugar intake to no more than 6 teaspoons per day. When you read a food label, look for “included sugar.” Four grams equals a teaspoon. If you don’t think you consume a lot of sugar because you drink your coffee black you will probably be surprised by how much sugar is in your diet. It’s also helpful to plan. Prepare hard boiled eggs for the week. Make several salads in mason jars to bring for lunch. Prepare chilis, bean soups or pot roast in your instant pot or crock pot. I love to make a delicious vegetable soup for the week. You can also prepare burrito bowls and always carry healthy snacks such as carrot sticks and nuts. One thing I love to do is eat leftovers from dinner for breakfast.
It’s important to be aware that when you begin to switch to a whole foods diet, cravings for processed sugary foods will arise. If you keep giving in, you will get stuck, and your body won’t be able to get off the processed foods. Some tips for when those cravings strike are to take a walk, perform slow deep abdominal breathing, drink a glass of water, and use essential oils. Grapefruit is an amazing oil to combat those sugar cravings. Peppermint can help suppress appetite but also helps clear your mind. It can also help with headaches that can develop during the first few days of removing processed foods. Finally, cinnamon is a wonderful blood sugar balancer which can decrease sugar cravings.
Once you have established a minimally processed whole foods diet you can decide how strict you want to be. Some people relax their diet on vacation only whereas others follow a 80-90% whole foods diet with 10-20% less nutritious food daily. For me, I allow myself a serving of 80% dark chocolate daily and I have a friend who has one diet coke per day. Figure out what works for you. Just remember that food is medicine, and you truly are what you eat!
References
Frazier, Karen, “Nutrition Facts. The Truth About Food”, Rockridge Press, Berkeley, Ca, 2015
Lipinski, Elixabeth, “Digestive Wellness. Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion”, McGraw Hill, New York, 212.
Sizer, Frances, Whitney, Eleanor, “Nutrition Concepts and Controversies 14th Edition”, Cengage Learning, Boston, 2014.
The SAD diet is full of processed foods. It is too high in omega 6 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are found in vegetable oils, margarine, corn, and poultry fat. We require only small amounts of omega 6 fatty acids for tissue repair. On the other hand, omega 3 fatty acids are important for heart health, cancer prevention, and brain and vision health. Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, flaxseed, and chia seeds. We should consume a 1:1 ratio or 2:1 ratio of omega 3 fatty acids to omega 6 fatty acids. The SAD diet creates a 1:16 ratio. Yikes! This imbalance leads to chronic inflammation in the body, poor sleep, and autoimmune disease. Unfortunately, the number of processed, sugary, and nutrient poor foods that end up on our grocery store shelves increases every year. Many of these foods target children leading to chronic health problems at an early age such as obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, migraines, ADHD, constipation, and other digestive problems. When we eat a highly processed diet, we are stressing our digestive system. When our digestive system is compromised so is our immune health. Many people don’t realize our immune system begins in our gut and 80% of our serotonin is produced in our gut and not our brain. The gut is often called the second brain. When we feed our bodies whole food not only does our physical health improve but mental health as well.
I can’t have a conversation about the SAD diet without discussing sugar. Sugar makes up about 10% of the daily caloric intake of the average American. Studies have shown the negative effects of sugar on our health. A 2014 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine showed a correlation between sugar and death from heart disease. I am sure many people don’t realize that a 20 oz bottle of soda contains 65 grams of sugar. This is about 2 shot glasses. You might think that turning to artificial sweeteners is the answer, but they are not any better for your body. It’s also important to remember that the fat in fat free foods is often replaced with sugar.
You are probably wondering what to do now. The answer is simple; switch to whole foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, eggs, nuts and seeds, low mercury fish, grass fed beef, and poultry. Everyone’s diet will vary based on food preference. I am sure many of you have heard of primarily shopping the perimeter of the grocery store. Most of the processed foods are in the aisles, but I have seen grocery stores sneak processed foods into the perimeter. Some people can change their entire diet immediately, but most people need to make small changes. For those who need to take baby steps, begin with breakfast. Start your day with a balanced meal of complex carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fat. Balancing your blood sugar in the morning will lead to better food choices throughout the day. Next, try and limit your sugar intake to no more than 6 teaspoons per day. When you read a food label, look for “included sugar.” Four grams equals a teaspoon. If you don’t think you consume a lot of sugar because you drink your coffee black you will probably be surprised by how much sugar is in your diet. It’s also helpful to plan. Prepare hard boiled eggs for the week. Make several salads in mason jars to bring for lunch. Prepare chilis, bean soups or pot roast in your instant pot or crock pot. I love to make a delicious vegetable soup for the week. You can also prepare burrito bowls and always carry healthy snacks such as carrot sticks and nuts. One thing I love to do is eat leftovers from dinner for breakfast.
It’s important to be aware that when you begin to switch to a whole foods diet, cravings for processed sugary foods will arise. If you keep giving in, you will get stuck, and your body won’t be able to get off the processed foods. Some tips for when those cravings strike are to take a walk, perform slow deep abdominal breathing, drink a glass of water, and use essential oils. Grapefruit is an amazing oil to combat those sugar cravings. Peppermint can help suppress appetite but also helps clear your mind. It can also help with headaches that can develop during the first few days of removing processed foods. Finally, cinnamon is a wonderful blood sugar balancer which can decrease sugar cravings.
Once you have established a minimally processed whole foods diet you can decide how strict you want to be. Some people relax their diet on vacation only whereas others follow a 80-90% whole foods diet with 10-20% less nutritious food daily. For me, I allow myself a serving of 80% dark chocolate daily and I have a friend who has one diet coke per day. Figure out what works for you. Just remember that food is medicine, and you truly are what you eat!
References
Frazier, Karen, “Nutrition Facts. The Truth About Food”, Rockridge Press, Berkeley, Ca, 2015
Lipinski, Elixabeth, “Digestive Wellness. Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion”, McGraw Hill, New York, 212.
Sizer, Frances, Whitney, Eleanor, “Nutrition Concepts and Controversies 14th Edition”, Cengage Learning, Boston, 2014.
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