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Encouraging someone to eat a "healthy" diet is no use if you don't know what that really means. Of course, eating fruit and vegetables is a key theme, but what does a blood pressure-lowering diet really consist of?

As well as considering what you eat to fuel your body, the British Heart Foundation (BHF) attested that portion control is paramount.

There are five main food groups that make up a healthy diet, which are the following:

Women on a weight loss diet are recommended to eat no more than 1500kcal (calories) every day; for men, this can be increased to 1800kcal.

Fruit and vegetables

In order to have a healthy diet, both genders are required to eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables every day.

What counts as one portion of fruit?

A handful of small fruits such as grapes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and raspberries is considered to be one portion.

You'll need to eat two medium-sized fruits, such as plums, satsumas and kiwis, to be classified as one portion.

A whole fresh fruit (apple, pear, orange, banana) is considered one fruit portion.

READ MORE:How to sleep: The 40p capsule that could help you drift off into a peaceful slumber

For bigger fruits, like pineapple, melon and grapefruits, one slice as thick as your fingertip is one portion.

What counts as one portion of vegetables?

Three heaped tablespoons of root vegetables, such as carrots, swede and beetroot, is one portion.

Two heaped handfuls of salad counts as one portion, whereas you'll need eight broccoli florets or 14 button mushrooms to count as one portion.

The BHF have created downloadable (and printable) picture guides to inform the public of what counts as one portion.

DON'T MISS

Starchy carbohydrates

Potatoes, bread, rice and pasta are identified as starchy carbohydrates and wholegrain varieties are the best healthy option.

Women only need seven portions of starchy carbohydrates per day, while men can have eight portions.

It may surprise you as to what counts as one portion three tablespoons of mash, or two new boiled potatoes, or one slice of bread.

Half of a pitta bread is also considered one potion, or one whole crumpet, or a baguette the length of your hand.

Two heaped tablespoons of rice, couscous or cooked pasta is considered one portion so you can imagine how quickly portion sizes can add up.

Proteins

Moving on to proteins, this could be fish, eggs, beans and pulses, or meat women are recommended to have two portions whereas men are recommended to have three portions.

What counts as one protein portion?

Both men and women are required to have three portions of dairy (or dairy alternatives).

One portion of low-fat cheese (Brie, Camembert or Edam) is the same length as your index finger and the height of your fingertip.

What counts as one dairy portion?

Women only need one portion of oils and spreads (preferably olive oil or rapeseed oil) and men only require two portions.

One teaspoon of oil is regarded as one portion, so keep that in mind the next time you're cooking.

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High blood pressure: The best diet to lower your blood pressure reading - Express

Turmeric has been a staple in traditional medicine for thousands of years. Now, modern science has confirmed some of the spice's health benefits, from its anti-inflammatory properties to its role as an antioxidant.

Curcumin an active chemical that gives turmeric its yellow color is responsible for most of these benefits, but it is difficult for the body to absorb. Therefore, turmeric's health perks are difficult to measure. So far, neither turmeric, nor its active component curcumin, have been approved as a treatment for any disease.

Here are some of the health benefits of turmeric and tips to incorporate more of it into your diet:

Inflammation is a natural response of the immune system, and it occurs each time the body is injured. Inflammation isolates an injured area from nearby healthy tissue by wrapping it in a shield of white blood cells as a part of the body's healing process.

However, in some instances, your body's inflammatory response is set off without an injury or acute situation. If inflammation becomes chronic or excessive, it may lead to lasting damage and an array of chronic diseases, from heart disease to diabetes.

Symptoms of acute inflammation include:

A 2017 medical review published in Foods found that curcumin relieved inflammation in patients with osteoarthritis a chronic disease characterized by joint stiffness and occasional inflammation. Patients who took 1000mg of curcumin a day for eight to 12 weeks saw a reduction in inflammation symptoms like morning stiffness, joint swelling, pain, and motor capacity.

The 2018 medical review published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry found that curcumin acts as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are stable molecules that counterbalance the effects of free radicals in the body. Free radicals come from both natural metabolic processes like digestion and outside sources like pollution or cigarette smoke.

When the number of free radicals and antioxidants are balanced in the body, free radicals help fight off pathogens. However, when the balance tips, and there are more free radicals than antioxidants, oxidative stress occurs.

Oxidative stress is when free radicals start damaging proteins, fatty tissues, and cell DNA. Over time, this continuous damage may lead to diseases like diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

A 2010 study published in Clinical Biochemistry found that in 21 patients with b-thalassemia/Hb E an inherited blood disorder 500mg of curcuminoids a day for 12 months reduced oxidative stress levels.

Many research studies on curcumin have focused on its potential to treat or alleviate symptoms of different types of cancer. Because there is a correlation between chronic inflammation and the development of cancer, curcumin's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties may prove beneficial in fighting the disease.

In fact, a 2019 medical review published in Nutrients found that curcumin may prevent the proliferation of breast cancer cells, thereby slowing tumor growth. The same review found that curcumin is being explored as a treatment for lung, colorectal, pancreatic and some other types of cancer. While results are inconclusive, studies have found promising results in test tube and animal studies.

The biggest obstacle in using curcumin in cancer treatment is the human body's inability to absorb it in any significant quantities. Pharmacologists are working to overcome this obstacle, but until they succeed, neither turmeric nor curcumin is used to treat cancer.

A 2020 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that healthy participants who consumed between 80 to 4,000 mg of curcumin per day saw key heart health indicators improve. This included a decrease in the amount of fat in their blood as well as a drop in both their total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

While consuming 4,000 mg of curcumin a day is a lot, there are currently no known side effects associated with the compound. However, if you are on blood thinners, consult with a doctor before consuming large amounts of curcumin as it is known to thin blood and prevent clotting.

According to the results of a 2018 study published in the European Journal of Medical Chemistry, consuming 500 to 1000mg of curcumin daily for at least six weeks improved symptoms of depression and reduced anxiety in multiple clinical trials.

Scientists have also investigated whether or not curcumin could potentially treat or prevent the development of debilitating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's.

According to a 2008 review published in the Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology, curcumin may be effective in managing factors that could lead to the development of Alzheimer's. These include inflammation, oxidative stress, and the formation of beta-amyloid plaques an accumulation of small fibers in the brain.

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, curcumin may even improve the appearance of skin.

A 2007 medical review published in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology found that curcumin also had wound-healing properties, possibly making it a good treatment for skin conditions like vitiligo, psoriasis, and various eczemas.

Topical tonics and ointments containing curcumin reduced the time it took for skin wounds to heal, improved the distribution of collagen the protein that gives skin its elasticity and promoted the growth of new blood vessels.

While The National Institute of Health has not set a daily recommendation for turmeric or curcumin intake, studies have found that a safe daily allowance is 3mg/kg of curcumin.

Despite all the health potential of curcumin, its percentage in turmeric is quite modest, between 3% to 6%, which means that each tablespoon of turmeric powder contains less than 0.4g of the active ingredient. And, only a minuscule amount of that is being absorbed into the bloodstream.

There are, however, simple ways to ensure your body is absorbing it better. Nutritionist and cook book author Velonda Anderson, PhD, suggests toasting turmeric powder, combining it with fats, or mixing it with black pepper, which can improve absorption by up to 2000%.

For those wondering how to incorporate turmeric into their diet, Anderson suggests:

Another way to add turmeric into your diet is by taking supplements. Most turmeric and curcumin supplements on the market are in 500mg capsules. These are meant to be consumed up to three times daily, with or without food.

Anderson recommends talking to your primary care provider before committing to a higher dosage of curcumin. "Even though there are no known allergies or side effects associated with turmeric, some medications and pre-existing conditions are worth discussing," Anderson says.

Turmeric's active ingredient curcumin provides a variety of health benefits thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. From reducing the chance of developing cardiovascular disease to possibly warding off certain cancers, curcumin should be a part of any healthy diet.

While researchers are still seeking out ways to improve our body's ability to absorb curcumin, you can easily add turmeric to your diet by sprinkling it on foods you already eat.

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6 health benefits of turmeric and how to add it to your diet - Insider - INSIDER

Harvesting food while conserving natural resources, and meeting the demands of a growing global population, is the goal of modern farming and ranching practices.

Some of these practices include; food biotechnology - which involves a range of processes used to enhance foods through various breeding and other techniques.

There is also local food production, which is most often produced, processed, packaged, distributed, and consumed within a smaller, defined area, experts say.

In addition to this, there is processed food which consumers associate with being less nutritious or containing artificial ingredients or other added substances.

According to Dr Christophe W. Ngendahayo, air and climate health expert, and founder of Air Health Now working at Kibagabaga Hospital, the term processed is commonly used to describe certain foods with low nutritional value, including snacks, desserts, and carbonated beverages.

Dr Kirimi Sindi, an agricultural economist, says highly processed foods like sugar, maize flour, wheat flour, cassava, spaghetti, noodles, are full of carbohydrates and most of the other nutrients have been removed. Therefore, he says, most people are eating too much energy.

He notes that when it comes to dining out, people eat foods like French fries, bread, burgers, ice cream, and drink soda and beer, all of which are full of sugar.

This, Sindi says, combined with our sedentary lifestyle, becomes an issue.

When this happens, the excess energy taken in is converted to fat, creating high chances of becoming obese, he says.

Dr Sindi goes on to add that these foods, coupled with sedentary lifestyles, lead to many non-communicable ailments.

Ngendahayo says food is a fundamental part of society; however, it is also at the centre of many challenges we face now, and will likely face in the future from a health, social, economic and environmental perspective.

Ngendahayo points out that for many, traditional diets are being replaced by processed fast foods where fat and sugar have become the cheapest way to get calories, cheaper than staples like grains, beans, lentils, or fruits and vegetables.

These factors encourage a higher intake of calories while decreasing the energy (calories) spent through physical activity, he says.

The implications

World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.

Body mass index (BMI) is used to classify overweight and obesity in adults.

Overweight is when BMI is greater than or equal to 25; and obesity is BMI greater than or equal to 30.

The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended.

According to WHO, nowadays there is an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars; and an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanisation.

Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns, WHO notes, are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with the development, and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, and food processing, among others.

Overweight and obesity is a new epidemic globally, Ngendahayo says, we are experiencing health and environmental disasters, with rising rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases and severe challenges posed by climate change.

Globally, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 and older were overweight in 2016. Of these, over 650 million adults were obese.

In Rwanda, according to the available statistics from Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC); overall, the Rwanda NCD survey found that 2.8 per cent are obese, 14.3 percent are overweight and 7.8 per cent underweight.

Obesity is prevalent in the age group 35 to 54 and females account for 4.7 per cent.

Additionally, the prevalence of obesity is more predominant in urban areas with 10.2 per cent and Kigali City with 7.7 per cent.

Overweight and obesity are linked to millions of deaths worldwide more than underweight and are the fifth highest risk factor for death, according to WHO.

Low-income economies are also the most vulnerable to the loss of productivity caused by early death and disability, while it can affect people from all levels of society.

Ngendahayo says that overweight and obesity exposes people to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. NCDs kill more people than all other causes combined.

These diseases cause enormous human loss and impose heavy costs on health systems. They also reduce overall productivity by killing and disabling people in their productive years, he adds.

Way forward

Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist at Amazon Nutrition Cabinet, Kigali, says eating a healthy diet and being physically active is essential as it will keep these conditions at bay.

He notes that turning to organic food reduces, or cutting off processed and sugary drinks, is vital as well.

Given the threats we are faced by obesity and overweight, Ngendahayo says urgent radical change is required.

Government and non-government organisations have vital roles to play in changing the policies and practices that shape behaviour around diet and physical activity, he says.

These, he says, include the trade, agriculture, transport and other urban planning policies that determine whether people have healthy options, as well as investment in education, media, and marketing that influence peoples choices.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com

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Modern diet and its impact on health - The New Times

People often adopt vegetarian or even vegan diets because they are told it will make them healthier, but the same epidemiological correlation that tried to link butter with heart disease claimed trans fats would prevent it, and now statistical links claim just the opposite.

Without a plausible biological mechanism for how meat or trans fats might impact health, such claims always remain "exploratory" but in a 24-hour news cycle a big name like Harvard School of Public Health or International Agency for Research on Cancer will get media attention, and most covering science journalism don't know the difference between correlation and causation. IARC, for its part, even tries to make its findings seem more authoritative than they are and use causal verbiage in their media kits while their actual monagraphs note they can't show causation.

But 'meat is bad for you' is now big business. So big that if studies debunk it, "True Health Initiative" and epidemiologists like Walter Willett and Frank Hu, who've made their careers undermining a normal diet, will call any scientist who undermines them shills for Big Meat; the kind of ethically suspect technique that is unfortunately common among activist academics. True Health Initiative will even try to pressure journals into censorship or lobby law enforcement to investigate critics. Their dozens of corporate sponsors won't continue to fund them if they don't.

This risotto and shrimp looks delicious, and it is delicious, and it is vegetarian, but it is not health food just because some people in Greece eat it and have slightly better health. Calories matter most. Credit: flickr user avlxyz.

A vegetarian diet can be healthy for you. Just like any diet. Even if you only eat salads or any food at McDonald's. It can also be bad for you, just like any diet. If you want to eat Big Mac's in obscene quantities every day as a publicity stunt for a documentary, you can, and you will feel awful, but you can more easily find unhealthy looking vegetarians.

Statistical correlation claims that the "least processed" foods are healthier but the definition of such is unclear. All bread is processed but matching white bread to diseases led to claims that whole grain bread is healthier. There is no scientific basis for it. It's all bread, a lot of carbohydrates and calories. Eat too much of it without additional exercise and you will gain weight. Orange juice is basically Coca-Cola with some vitamin C but if it's squeezed by hand it's considered less processed and therefore healthier.

A recent analysis using 10 years of the 2001 and 2002 ATTICA study in Greece - begun after the Mediterranean Diet again became the latest craze - brought some sense into the matter, and it concludes that if you engage in a vegetarian diet, you won't end up more healthy than when you ate meat, if you stay obese. And that affirms calories are the problem, not the type of calories.

The results were what common sense would tell you. Higher calorie foods like juices and potatoes and chocolate are all vegetarian, but they don't make you healthier than eating a steak. The weakness of this study is the same as in all Food Frequency Questionnaire claims; it relies on memory of diet, in this case over the past year, and has so many outcomes and foods almost anything can be linked with statistical significance; 156 foods. And this analysis used a very small sample, 146, so small changes could have a big impact.

They were also obese so even though they had normal blood pressure and blood sugar when the study began it's not a surprise they developed higher numbers later. Yet even those two things are simply risk factors, not diseases themselves. So a potato can be a risk factor for a risk factor for a disease but that is no reason to give up potatoes. Eat one instead of two. The obesity is still the problem.

If you want to eat vegetarian to get healthier, make sure you pay attention to the calories. A giant salad slathered in dressing is not going to make you healthy, nor is chocolate cake. Like Einstein's Theory of Relativity, energy balance has survived all challenges. In 100 percent of studies, people who consumer fewer calories than they burn lose weight, and if you maintain a healthy weight it does not matter whether you eat a typical diet or that of a Greek peasant in the 1950s, your odds of being healthier in old age go up.

Citation: Matina Kouvari, Harokopio University, Athens, 'Healthful and unhealthful plant-based dietary patterns and their role on 10-year transition to metabolically unhealthy status in obese participants of the ATTICA prospective (2002-2012) study.' ESC Congress 2020 The Digital Experience

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Eat A Vegetarian Diet If It Suits You, It Won't Make You Healthier - Only Fewer Calories Will - Science 2.0

I like cardio less in my 30s, I think. Its just kind of become less and less of my thing. I like my bigger stature, and as soon as I do too much cardio I get too slim. Its a really tough balance for me, because I like to be strong. I like to at least be able to work out with 315 off my chest bench. As soon as I start slipping from that, I know I need to eat more, I know I need to get back on it. I'm always just trying to be the optimum version of myself, from all angles.

Does working out in the morning help stimulate your creativity for the rest of the day?

I think I would have good ideas if I didn't work out. But it's important for mental health. And the better you feel, the more proactive you can be. When I work out, I feel really good for the day.

Do you take off days?

I try to tell myself to work out every day and then the off days end up just end up happening because of circumstance, because I'm busy or something. But I usually at least end up working out five to six times a week.

In 2012 you suffered a pretty intense neck injury during a tour rehearsal. How did that happen?

I was preparing for my world tour and I slipped during a back tuck. The coach was preparing me to do them back to back to back, and he asked me to do, like, ten of them, and I guess I got tired and bailed on one. Youre not supposed to bail cause if you bail youre fucked. And it was not on mats. We were outside, which is the biggest mistake.

Being healthy probably saved my life. I always was into fitness, partly for vanity and partly just being an athlete at heart, but after the neck injury it was like, damn, I could have really lost my life if I wasnt healthy. So it kicked things into gear. Also, I spent seven months not being able to work out, and when you have something taken away from you, when you get It back, youre, like, Oh, shit, I really just wanna go for gold.

Do you work out with a trainer?

I work out with my cousin, who acts as a trainer. We have this really competitive relationship, so it works well for me. When I work with other trainers, I just don't get the best out of myself. He pushes me hard. When he goes hard Im gonna go harder and vice versa, so it ends up being the best kind of workout. And the most fun.

Last year you posted a video of yourself pulling a car on Instagram. What kinds of workouts do you do when you get bored of cardio or weightlifting?

I like to have fun and do different things, whether it's beach workouts, running football routes. I love boxing. I love pulling shit. Lifting carts, all kinds of like weird things, especially being at home, where I can be a lot more creative. I have an 8-seater golf cart that I do deadlifts with. And I pull a Jeep. Those are more like specialty days, which are even more fun. But I box regularly, and I lift weights every day.

What do you eat to fuel all these sessions?

My diet changes pretty often. I've done everything under the sun. I used to blend my salmon and have a salmon shake. I did all kinds of crazy shit. Sometimes I would literally just eat a bunch of eggs. Eggs and veggies. I went vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian. What works the best for me is when I intermittent fast and just do a high protein diet.

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Jason Derulo, Who Drinks Salmon Smoothies and Deadlifts Golf Carts - GQ

There are many women who find the menstrual period tormenting. Bleeding, cramps, fatigue can easily topple your day upside down. But truth is that the suffering starts much before that.

PMS also called Premenstrual syndrome is equally difficult to manage. PMS is the phase right before the period. The symptoms of PMS may include mood swings, tender breasts, food cravings, fatigue, irritability, stomach related issues and even depression. Data suggest that 3 of every 4 menstruating women experience some form of premenstrual syndrome. For some, the symptoms are mild while for others it is not less than a nightmare. Although the cause of PMS isn't fully understood it is believed to be linked with the hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. People try different things for relief during this time like pain killers or herbal tea. Here we have another magical home remedy for you that can help to sail through those difficult days of the month.

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Ease PMS symptoms by adding these two ingredients in your diet - Times of India

Rebel Wilson has wowed fans and celebrity friends alike with her year of health transformation.

After losing almost 20kg and revealing shes got just 8kg to go to hit her target, people are curious as to how the Australian actress has done it.

The Pitch Perfect star declared in January she was embarking on a new health and fitness regimen that she dubbed her year of health, with help from personal trainer Jono Castano Acero.

But Rebels health journey actually began last year with a visit to Austrian wellness centre ViaMayr, according to People.

While there, the star reportedly got amazing results following the Mayr Method diet plan of eating high alkaline whole foods very slowly, aiming to count out 30 chews per mouthful.

Australian dietitian Melissa Meier has decided to go over the eating plan with a fine tooth comb. And while she says the Mayr Method has some good points, it also has some that are less than ideal.

For more stories like this, go to bodyandsoul.com.au

Rebel Wilson has the world of weight loss on the edge of its seat with a new way of eating thats supposedly helped her shed almost 20kg. Pictured above is her latest Instagram photo to prove it.

If youre interested about this eating plan, its called the Mayr Method and its offered at luxe wellness spa Viva Mayr in Austria (explains the pull, right?). Supposedly, it combines complementary medicine with nutrition and movement to help people become their healthiest selves.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

THE GOOD

One of the main focuses of the Mayr Method is mindfulness, which I think is a very good thing. When it comes to food, mindfulness involves active participation in the experience of eating, rather than mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or watching TV while you shovel food from your plate into your mouth.

It focuses on chewing slowly while paying attention not only to taste, but all of your senses, which allows you to become more in tune with your hunger and satiety cues. Ultimately, it can help you to avoid overeating while truly enjoying food without guilt.

The Viva Mayr website also hints at fasting, which has its perks. Intermittent fasting has been shown to help with weight loss (though rest assured, its no more effective than a standard calorie-controlled diet).

Plus, its been linked to metabolic health perks, protection from disease and even improved gut health and while theres still a lot to learn in this space, its a very promising area of nutrition research.

THE BAD

Based on the limited, ambiguous information on the internet, thats about where the good news stops, and the reg flags start. A highlights reel on the Viva Mayr website explains that when you arrive at the spa, youre provided with a personalised food plan from a doctor, which really grinds my gears. In case youre not aware, dietitians are the experts in the world of food not doctors. Got it? Good.

At the spa, youre recommended to eat the same foods over and over again, which apparently aids healing (whatever that means) and teaches your bowels to work more efficiently (again, whatever that means) and I call BS.

As a dietitian, Id recommended you eat a diet as wide and varied as possible, in order to meet your nutritional needs and maintain enjoyment around food. Your bowels should function perfectly well on their own with the help of a healthy diet and enough movement, and if not, its time to head to a gastroenterologist.

The video also explains the use of muscle testing to identify food intolerances, but again, this is not the gold standard. In fact, the only way to truly identify food intolerances is via the elimination diet protocol under the guidance of a qualified dietitian. Theres also a lot of talk around detoxification, which is simply unnecessary.

Have you heard of your liver and kidneys? Their job is to rid your body of harmful toxins and they dont need a hand from fancy foods, trendy regimes and supplements, period.

Reports also suggest the Mayr Method involves shunning gluten, dairy, sugar and caffeine, and if thats true, its another bone of contention for me. Why? One, there is simply no benefit to avoiding gluten unless you have a medical need to do so. Two, dairy is incredibly nutrient-dense, offering not only bone-strengthening calcium but also hunger-busting protein and vitamin B12 for healthy blood.

Three, sugar is not the devil, especially if its naturally occurring. And four, while too much caffeine isnt good for you, a little bit in the form of a daily cup of Joe is perfectly fine in my books.

Last but not least, there is also a book titled The Viva Mayr Diet, which promises a tempting quick fix. A flatter stomach in 14 days, a beach babe body, a younger you if that doesnt scream fad diet, I dont know what does.

THE VERDICT

As a general rule of thumb, I dont recommend splashing your cash on exy wellness trends and the Mayr Method at Viva Mayr appears to have all of the hallmarks of just that. I might be biased, but I think the best way to diet is to not actually diet at all and instead, spend your hard-earned dollars on a qualified dietitian who can guide you on the right nutritional path for you as an individual in an evidence-based way.

Melissa Meier is a Sydney-based accredited practising dietitian. You can connect with her at Honest Nutrition or on Instagram

This article originally appeared on bodyandsoul.com.au and was reproduced with permission

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What is the Mayr Method that has reportedly helped Rebel Wilson shed almost 20kg? - NEWS.com.au

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A recent study carried out in Q3 of this year reveals that a total of 11% of global consumers are vegetarian, 20% are flexitarian, and 3% identify as vegan, signifying that one third of consumers around the world are following a diet that is based around the moderation or elimination of animal produce.

The FMCG Gurus Foodservice survey was carried out in 26 countries amongst 31,000 respondents, and centred around the subject of foodservice and consumer satisfaction therein. The results found that when questioned, vegans are significantly less likely to be satisfied with menus within the foodservice sector compared to vegetarians and flexitarians. This indicates that more plant-based food and drink should be available in the channel, especially as they will appeal to other consumers looking to limit intake of animal produce.

A total of 24% of all consumers say that they would like to see foodservice outlets promote products that are suitable for plant-based diets, whilst 27% said that they think foodservice outlets could better capture their attention through promoting plant-based products.

The report concludes that whilst appealing to vegans is important, vegan-inspired menus will not just be limited to this group in terms of appeal, and that positioning plant-based food and drink products around health and sustainability benefits is an initiative that will have appeal and positive repercussions around the world.

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Study Shows a 3rd of World Population Follow a Diet Based on Reduction or Elimination of Meat - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am interested in limiting my intake of meat, but admittedly, I love burgers. Are there any really good plant-based options?

ANSWER: Plant-based burgers have soared in popularity over the past couple of years. And these meat alternatives can be healthier for you depending upon the ingredients.

While eating meat can be part of a healthy diet, introducing more plant-based foods in your diet definitely has health advantages.

The biggest benefit of plant-based burgers usually comes in the form of fiber and other nutrients. Fiber can come in many forms and commonly is classified as soluble and insoluble. Both are beneficial, and most vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes have some of each. Look for burgers that have peas, beets, mushrooms, whole grains, soy, lentils or beans as main ingredients.

A plant-based diet in general has more phytonutrients plant compounds that are thought to be both preventative and protective in our long-term health. Some phytonutrients act as antioxidants. Often times, the phytonutrients are identified by the different colors red, orange, purple, green or tan. This is why you hear the phrase eat the rainbow.

The challenge with any plant-based meal, however, is that the flavors and textures are different. So this presents an issue as far as whats added to the ingredients to mimic the taste and texture of meat.

Some plant-based burgers are going to have added fat, and oftentimes, the added fat is a saturated fat. Commonly added fats are coconut oil or palm oil. Like with natural meat burgers, saturated fats can be concerning.

Saturated fat has been shown to raise LDL or bad cholesterol, and the concern is that it may increase heart disease risk.

Salt is another common offender. Added salt is both a flavor enhancer and preservative in pre-packaged or restaurant plant-based burgers. Too much salt, or sodium, can raise blood pressure.

Keep in mind that the bun you select and condiments also will have sodium, so the tally for the meal can add up quickly. Together, the added saturated fat and sodium may impact the overall nutritional quality of plant-based burgers. Compare products and choose wisely.

Alternatively, you might consider making your own plant burger at home. You can easily incorporate spices or other seasonings instead of salt and added fat.

Overall, its a great goal to eat more plant-based foods like vegetables, nut, beans, lentils and whole grains to get more variety into your diet.

If you have been limited in the past with plant-based food, I would recommend slowly working new and different fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts into your diet. You also can aim to eat smaller portions of meat.

Some simple ways to update your menu may include adding colorful vegetables into tomato-based sauces for pasta dishes or soup. For the latter, you also can add in beans, barley or another grain. You can add finely chopped mushrooms and onions to add texture and flavor to ground beef for tacos or casseroles. And finely chopping or pulsing nuts or seeds can boost pancakes and other baked goods.

Dont be afraid to experiment and modify recipes. You might find you like the new flavors and textures, as well as how you feel, since the additional fiber and nutrients will keep your body moving as it should.

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Mayo Clinic Q And A: Adding plant-based foods to your diet - Greater Milwaukee Today

Vegetarian and plant-based diets have become increasingly popular due to health and environmental reasons. However, Greek researchers conducted a study to show that not all vegetarian diets are necessarily healthy for those with obesity.

(Photo: Downloaded from NASA official website)

'The quality of plant-based diets varies,' shared Matina Kouvari of Harokopio University and the team. There are numerous vegetarian diets such as Lacto-ovo, which includes eggs and dairy products, or pescatarian, which includes seafood. Other vegetarian diets are strictly plant-based such as veganism.

During a meeting with the European Society of Cardiology, Kouvari and the team assessed the diets of 146 people from Athens who had obesity. The participants did not have a heart condition and had normal blood sugar, pressure, and cholesterol levels.

The participants answered a questionnaire about their eating habits with the past year, which included more than 100 types of food and beverage typically found in Greece. In ten years, almost 50% of the participants had an increase in high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels, which increased their risk of obtaining heart disease.

Meanwhile, plant-based diets helped keep glucose, blood sugar, and pressure levels regulated. The healthy diet consisted of fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, whole grains, and other unprocessed foods.

However, there were also unhealthy vegetarian diets including juices sweetened with refined sugar, refined grains like white bread, and sweets. Even if the person became vegetarian, these unhealthy choices contributed to developing factors of obesity.

Kouvari shared that their findings were more evident in women. 'Prior research has shown that women tend to eat more plant-based foods and less animal-based products than men. But our study suggests that this does not guarantee healthier food choices and in turn better health status.'

Most plant-based and vegetarian diets are too broad and are sometimes labeled as low in meat consumption but may not necessarily be health, said the researchers. Their study focuses on 'the variable nutritional quality of plant foods,' and not just going vegetarian or plant-based.

Dietitian Sharon Zarabi from Lenox Hill Hospital agreed that removing meat from one's diet is not a guarantee for good or better health. 'Going vegetarian and avoiding meat will leave more room for highly processed carbohydrates, which raise insulin levels and make weight loss difficult,' she shared.

Zarabi explained that vegetarians who are well informed and knowledgeable about nutrition would focus on reducing blood pressure, insulin levels, cholesterol. This would include having a plan to incorporate eggs, fish, nuts, or seeds in their diet depending on what kind of vegetarian they are.

Read Also: Fighting Obesity is Not About Cutting Calories

To become healthier from obesity, people need to manage protein intake while avoiding excess carbohydrates for better health. Whatever diet people choose, it is also important to make it 'sustainable and enjoyable,' said Zarabi. In another study, researchers said that fighting obesity is more than just cutting calories.

Obesity Canada reported that 'Obesity continues to be treated as a self-inflicted condition,' but is actually a lifestyle and behavioral issue. A better solution to treating obesity would be to find to root causes of the problem and make realistic goals about adopting a healthier lifestyle

Read Also:Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: Studies Reveal The Perfect Diet of Fruits, Vegetables, and Whole Grain

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Not All Vegetarian Diets Are Healthy for Those With Obesity - Science Times

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