Nutrition

Aug 05, 2019

Intermittent Fasting for Women A Beginner's Guide

Intermittent fasting has become an increasingly popular form of diet and nutrition in recent years. Unlike most other diets that tell you what to eat, intermittent fasting focuses on when to eat by incorporating short, regular periods of fasting into your diet.

This type of diet can help you eat fewer calories, lose weight, lower your risk of diabetes and reduce your risk of heart disease.

However, a number of studies suggest that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for women as it is for men. For this reason, it might make sense for women to follow a modified approach.

Here's a detailed intermittent fasting guide for women.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent Fasting (IF) describes a dietary regimen that involves a cyclical alternation between periods of fasting and normal eating. The most common methods of intermittent fasting include fasting on alternate days, fasting daily for 16 hours or fasting for 24 hours two days a week. For the purpose of this article, the term intermittent fasting is used as an umbrella term for all of these variations.

Unlike most other diets, intermittent fasting does not involve controlling calorie or macronutrient intake. In fact, there are no rules about what foods should be eaten or avoided, making intermittent fasting more of a lifestyle than a diet.

Many people use intermittent fasting to lose weight as it is a simple, convenient and effective way to eat less and lose body fat (1, 2). It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, maintain existing muscle mass while dieting and maintain psychological well-being (2, 3. 4).

In addition, this dietary pattern can help save time in the kitchen as you will need to plan and prepare fewer meals (5).

Summary: Intermittent fasting is a dietary pattern that involves regular, short-term periods of fasting. It is a popular lifestyle choice that has potential benefits for weight loss, body composition, disease prevention and well-being.

Intermittent fasting may have different effects on men and women

There is evidence that intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for some women as it is for men. One study showed that blood glucose control worsened in women after three weeks, which was not the case for men (6).

There are also some anecdotal reports of women experiencing changes in their menstrual cycle after starting intermittent fasting. Such shifts occur because the female body is extremely sensitive to calorie restriction.

When calorie intake is low - as can be the case with prolonged or frequent fasting - an area of the brain known as the hypothalamus is affected. This can interfere with the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) - a hormone that helps release two reproductive hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (7, 8).

If these hormones cannot communicate with the ovaries, there is a risk of irregular periods, infertility, poor bone health and negative effects on other areas of health (7).

Although there are no comparable human studies, research conducted with rats has shown that 3 to 6 months of fasting on alternate days can cause a reduction in ovarian size and irregular reproductive cycles in female rats (9, 10).

For these reasons, women should consider a modified approach to intermittent fasting that includes shorter periods of fasting and fewer fasting days.

Summary: It may be that intermittent fasting is not as beneficial for women as it is for men. To reduce potential negative effects, women should consider a milder approach to fasting: shorter fasts and fewer fasting days.

Health benefits of intermittent fasting for women

Intermittent fasting not only has a positive effect on waist circumference, but could also reduce the risk of developing a number of diseases.

Intermittent fasting and heart health

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide (11). High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels in the blood are among the leading risk factors for developing heart disease.

A study of 16 obese men and women showed that intermittent fasting reduced blood pressure by 6% in just eight weeks (2). The same study also found that intermittent fasting reduced LDL cholesterol levels by 25% and triglyceride levels by 32%.

However, the evidence for the link between intermittent fasting and improved LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels is not consistent. A study conducted with 40 normal weight subjects during the Islamic month of Ramadan did not result in a reduction in LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels (12).

High-quality studies with more robust methods are needed before scientists can fully understand the effects of intermittent fasting on heart health.

Intermittent fasting and diabetes

Intermittent fasting could help reduce the risk of diabetes. Similar to continuous calorie restriction, intermittent fasting also appears to reduce some risk factors for diabetes (3, 13, 14). It does this by lowering insulin levels and reducing existing insulin resistance (1, 15).

In a randomized controlled trial of more than 100 overweight or obese women, 6 months of intermittent fasting reduced insulin levels by 29% and existing insulin resistance by 19%. The blood glucose levels themselves, however, remained unchanged (16).

In addition, 8 to 12 weeks of intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce insulin levels by 20 to 31% and blood glucose levels by 3 to 6% in people suffering from prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels are not yet elevated enough to diagnose diabetes (3).

However, intermittent fasting may not be as beneficial for women as it is for men when it comes to controlling blood sugar. One small study found that blood sugar control worsened in women after 22 days of fasting on alternate days, while no negative effects on blood sugar were observed in men (6).

However, despite this side effect, reducing insulin levels and existing insulin resistance would still likely reduce the risk of diabetes, especially for people who already have prediabetes.

Intermittent fasting and weight loss

Intermittent fasting can be an easy and effective way to lose weight when used correctly, as regular short-term fasting can help you consume fewer calories and lose fat.

A number of studies suggest that intermittent fasting is just as effective as traditional calorie-restricted diets when it comes to short-term weight loss (17, 18).

A 2018 study review that looked at studies conducted with overweight adults concluded that intermittent fasting led to an average weight loss of 6.8 kilograms over the course of 3 to 12 months (18).

Another study review showed that intermittent fasting reduced body weight in overweight or obese adults by 3 to 8% over the course of 3 to 24 weeks. This review also found that study participants reduced their waist circumference by 3 to 7% during the same period (3).

It should be noted that studies on the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on weight loss in women are still pending.

In the short term, intermittent fasting appears to support weight loss. However, the amount of weight lost will depend on the number of calories you consume during non-fasting periods and how long you follow this lifestyle.

Intermittent fasting could help you eat less

Changing your diet to intermittent fasting could naturally help you to eat less. One study found that young men ate 650 kcal less per day when their food intake was restricted to a 4-hour window (19).

Another study of 24 healthy men and women looked at the effects of a long, 35-hour fasting period on eating habits. Despite consuming additional calories on the days following the fast, the subjects' calorie intake fell by 1,900 kcal, a very significant reduction (20).

Other health benefits of intermittent fasting

A number of studies conducted with animals and humans suggest that intermittent fasting may have other health benefits:

Reduced inflammation: Some studies show that intermittent fasting can reduce key markers of inflammation. Chronic inflammation can lead to weight gain and numerous health problems (12, 21, 22).
Improved psychological well-being: One study concluded that eight weeks of intermittent fasting reduced depression and binge eating, while also improving body image in obese adults (4).
Increased longevity: Intermittent fasting has been shown to extend the lifespan of rats and mice by 33 to 83%. However, the effects on longevity in humans have not yet been sufficiently investigated (23, 24).
Maintaining muscle mass: Intermittent fasting appears to be better for maintaining muscle mass than continuous calorie restriction. More muscle mass helps you burn more calories even at rest (25, 26).

The health benefits for women in particular need to be studied more extensively in well-designed human trials before final conclusions can be drawn (27).

Summary: Intermittent fasting may help women lose weight and reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease. However, further human studies are needed to confirm these results.

The best types of intermittent fasting for women

When it comes to diet and nutrition, there is no universal approach that is best for all people. This also applies to intermittent fasting. In general, women should use a more relaxed approach to fasting than men. This could include shorter fasting periods, fewer fasting days and/or consuming a small amount of calories on fasting days.

Here are some of the best types of intermittent fasting for women:

Crescendo method: fasting for 12 to 16 hours on two to three days per week. Fasting days should not be consecutive and should be split evenly throughout the week (e.g. Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
Eat-stop-eat (also known as a 24-hour protocol): A full 24-hour fasting period once or twice a week (maximum twice a week for women). Start with 14 to 16 hour fasting periods and gradually extend them.
The 5:2 diet (also known as "The Fast Diet"): Restrict calories to 25% of your usual calorie intake (about 500 kcal) on two days per week and eat normally on the other 5 days. There should be one day without fasting between fasting days.
Modified fasting on alternate days: You fast every other day and eat normally on the non-fasting days. You are allowed to consume 20 to 25% of your usual calorie intake (approx. 500 kcal) on the fasting days.
The 16/8 method (also known as the "Leangains method"): You fast for 16 hours a day and eat all your calories during an 8 hour window. Women should start with a 14-hour fasting period and possibly extend this to 16 hours.

Regardless of which approach you choose, it is still important that you eat well during the non-fasting periods. If you eat large amounts of unhealthy foods with high calorie density during the non-fasting phases, you will not reap the same weight loss and health benefits.

At the end of the day, the best approach is the one that works best for you and that you can stick to in the long term - and of course should not result in negative health effects.

Summary: There are several ways for women to do intermittent fasting. Some of the best methods include the 5:2 diet, modified fasting on alternate days and the crescendo method.

How to get started with intermittent fasting

Getting started with intermittent fasting is easy. In fact, we have all done many intermittent fasting phases before. Many people instinctively eat this way by skipping breakfast or dinner.

The easiest way to start intermittent fasting is to choose one of the intermittent fasting methods described above and give it a try. You don't necessarily have to follow a structured plan. An alternative is to fast whenever it suits you best. Skipping meals from time to time when you don't feel hungry or don't have time to cook can work for some people.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what type of fast you choose. The important thing is to find a method that works best for you and your lifestyle.

Summary: The easiest way to get started with intermittent fasting is to choose one of the above methods and give it a try. Stop this trial immediately if any unwanted side effects occur.

Safety and side effects of intermittent fasting

Modified versions of intermittent fasting appear to be the safest for women. Some studies have reported some side effects including hunger, mood swings, impaired concentration, reduced energy, headaches and bad breath on fasting days (1, 18).

There are also some reports online of women whose menstrual cycles have become unbalanced during an intermittent fasting diet, or whose periods have stopped altogether.

If you have a medical condition, you should consult your doctor before trying intermittent fasting. A medical consultation is especially important for women,

Who have a history of eating disorders.
Who suffer from diabetes or regularly have low blood sugar levels.
Who are undernourished or malnourished or suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
Who are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive.
Who suffer from fertility problems or have a history of amenorrhea (missed periods).

At the end of the day, intermittent fasting appears to have a good safety profile. However, you should stop immediately if you experience any problems such as a missed menstrual cycle.

Summary: Intermittent fasting can cause hunger, reduced energy levels, headaches and bad breath. Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or have a history of eating disorders should seek medical advice before starting an intermittent fasting protocol.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting is a nutritional approach that involves regular, short periods of fasting. The best types for women include a daily 14 to 16 hour fast, the 5:2 method or modified fasting on alternate days.

Although intermittent fasting has been shown to be beneficial for heart health, diabetes and weight loss, there is some evidence that it may have negative effects on reproduction and blood sugar levels in some women.

Nevertheless, modified versions of intermittent fasting appear to be safe and harmless for most women and may be a more maintainable option than longer and stricter fasting protocols.

If you're a woman looking to lose weight or improve your health, intermittent fasting is certainly a diet to consider.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-for-women#bottom-line

A beginner's guide

Jul 29, 2019

What influence do ketogenic / low-carbohydrate diets have on training performance?

Low-carb and ketogenic diets are very popular. These diets have been around for a long time and share some similarities with the so-called Paleo diet (1). Scientific research shows that low-carb diets can help with weight loss and improve numerous health markers (2). However, the data on muscle growth, strength and performance is mixed (3, 4, 5).

This article will take a more detailed look at the effects of low-carb/ketogenic diets on physical performance.

What are low-carb and ketogenic diets?

The guidelines for a low-carb diet vary between different sources. In the scientific field, low-carbohydrate diets are usually classified as diets with less than 30% of calorie intake in the form of carbohydrates (6, 7).

Most average low-carbohydrate diets and diets include 50 to 150 grams of carbohydrates per day, a fairly high protein intake and a moderate to high fat intake. For some athletes, "low-carb" can also mean a carbohydrate intake of over 200 grams per day.

In contrast, a ketogenic diet or dietary pattern is much more restrictive and usually includes only 30 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day in combination with a high fat intake (8). This extremely low carbohydrate intake allows the body to reach a state known as ketosis, in which ketones and fat become the primary sources of energy for the body and brain (9).

There are different versions of ketogenic diets, with the following three being the most common:

Standard ketogenic diets: these are extremely low-carbohydrate diets with moderate protein and high fat intake. These diets usually include 75% of calories in the form of fat, 20% of calories in the form of protein and 5% of calories in the form of carbohydrates (8).
Cyclical ketogenic diets: These diets include short periods of high carbohydrate intake (called refeeds). A typical pattern would be 5 ketogenic days followed by 2 high-carbohydrate days.
Targeted ketogenic diets: These diets allow you to consume carbohydrates at specific times (usually before, during and after intense workouts).

Most low-carb and ketogenic diets and diets restrict people from eating foods such as grains, rice, beans, potatoes, sweets, cereals and fruit.

An alternative approach is a cyclical carbohydrate intake, where carbohydrate-rich phases or refeeds are regularly integrated into ketogenic diet plans.

Summary: A low-carbohydrate diet usually involves a higher protein intake combined with less than 30% of calories in the form of carbohydrates. Ketogenic diets are very high in fat, include moderate carbohydrate intake and are virtually carbohydrate-free.

Low-carbohydrate diets and the body's adaptation to fat as a primary energy source:

During a low-carb or ketogenic diet, the body adapts to using fat as an energy source and becomes more efficient at this. The drastic reduction in carbohydrate intake causes an increase in the production of ketones, which are produced in the liver from fatty acids (10). Ketones can provide energy in the absence of carbohydrates, during prolonged fasting, during long periods of exercise or in people with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes (11, 12, 13). Even the brain can be partially supplied with energy by ketones (14).

The rest of the required energy is provided through a process known as gluconeogenesis, in which the body breaks down fats and proteins and converts them into carbohydrates (glucose) (14).

Ketogenic diets and ketones have many beneficial properties. Ketogenic diets are even used to treat diabetes, neurological diseases and cancer, as well as to reduce risk factors for heart and respiratory diseases (2, 15, 16).

The adaptation to using fat as an energy source can be extensive during a ketogenic diet. A study conducted with ultra-endurance athletes found that the ketogenic group burned up to 2.3 times more fat during a three-hour training session (17).

However, although low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets can have many health benefits, there is still debate about how these diets affect exercise performance (18, 19).

Summary: In the absence of carbohydrates, your body burns fat as an energy source. This happens mainly through increased fat oxidation and the production of ketones.

Low-carbohydrate diets and muscle glycogen

Dietary carbohydrates are broken down in the body into glucose, which enters the bloodstream as blood sugar and serves as the primary source of energy for moderate to high intensity exercise (20). Over several decades, scientific research has repeatedly shown that the consumption of carbohydrates can support exercise performance, particularly in endurance sports (21).

Unfortunately, the human body can only store enough carbohydrates (glycogen) for about 2 hours of exercise. After these 2 hours, exhaustion, fatigue and declining endurance performance can occur. This is also referred to as "running into a wall" (22, 23, 24). To counteract this, most endurance athletes consume a high-carbohydrate diet, fuel their bodies with carbohydrates the day before a major sporting event and consume carbohydrate supplements or other carbohydrate-rich foods during training and competition.

However, low-carbohydrate diets contain comparatively small amounts of carbohydrates and therefore cannot help to optimize and maximize the stored glycogen reserves of the muscles.

Summary: Stored carbohydrates are an efficient source of energy for training sessions lasting up to 2 hours. After this period, energy release and endurance performance usually decline.

Low carbohydrate diets and endurance performance

Numerous studies have been conducted on the use of fat as an energy source for athletic performance (25). During exercise, fat provides more energy at lower intensities, while carbohydrates provide more of the energy needed at higher intensities. In other words, the use of carbohydrate as an energy source increases with increasing exercise intensity, while the use of fat as an energy source decreases with increasing exercise intensity (26).

Image source: The Science of Sport.

As part of scientific research, scientists wanted to find out whether a low-carbohydrate diet could change this behavior (18, 19). In their study, the scientists found that ketogenic athletes mainly burned fat at up to 70% of maximum intensity, while high-carbohydrate athletes only burned fat at up to 55% of maximum intensity. It is also worth noting that the ketogenic athletes participating in this study burned the greatest amount of fat ever measured in a study of this type (17).

Despite these positive study results, it may be that fat is not capable of producing energy to meet the demands of elite athletes' muscles (27, 28, 29). For this reason, further research with athletes is needed before concrete conclusions can be drawn.

However, studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can help reduce fatigue during prolonged exercise. They may also help to lose body fat and improve health without compromising exercise performance in the low to moderate intensity range (4, 30, 31).

In addition, these diets can train your body to burn more fat, which could help you conserve your glycogen reserves during exercise (17).

Summary: A low-carbohydrate diet is probably suitable for most people training at low to moderate intensity, but more research is needed before any conclusive statements can be made for athletes at a high performance level.

How carbohydrates affect muscle growth

To date, there are no studies that have shown that low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets are beneficial for high-intensity strength or speed-based sports. This is due to the fact that carbohydrates support muscle growth and high-intensity exercise performance in several ways:

Promote recovery: carbohydrates can help support recovery after exercise (32).
Insulin production: Carbohydrates promote insulin production and secretion, which aids nutrient transport and absorption (33).
Provision of energy: Carbohydrates play an important role in the anaerobic and ATP energy systems, which are the primary energy pathways utilized during high-intensity exercise (34).
Reducing muscle breakdown: Carbohydrates and insulin help to reduce muscle breakdown, which can improve net nitrogen balance (35, 36)
Improve neural drive: Carbohydrates improve neural drive, resistance to fatigue and mental focus during exercise (37).

However, none of this means that your diet has to be very high in carbohydrates, as is the case with the typical Western diet. A moderate carbohydrate diet or cyclical carbohydrate intake can work well for most sports. In fact, a diet with moderate carbohydrate intake and high protein intake appears to be optimal for muscle growth and body composition in people who are already lean and active (38).

Summary: Carbohydrates play an important role in muscle growth and high-intensity exercise performance. There are no studies showing that low-carbohydrate diets are superior for this purpose.

Studies on low-carbohydrate diets for athletes

Several studies have looked at the effects of low-carbohydrate diets on high-intensity exercise performance. However, these studies show mixed results.

One study found no difference between the ketogenic and high-carbohydrate groups during high-intensity sprints. However, the ketogenic group fatigued less during low-intensity cycling, which was likely related to the body using more fat as an energy source (39).

Other studies have shown that people who follow a low-carbohydrate diet conserve more muscle glycogen and use more fat as an energy source, which could have positive effects in ultra-endurance sports (18). However, these results are less relevant for athletes who perform high-intensity training sessions or training sessions lasting less than 2 hours.

The evidence is also mixed for obese people, with some studies showing benefits of low-intensity aerobic exercise and others showing negative effects (31, 40).

Some studies have concluded that the individual response may also vary. For example, one study found that some athletes showed improved endurance performance, while others experienced drastic deterioration in their endurance performance (41).

At this time, research does not show that low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets can improve high-intensity athletic performance compared to higher-carbohydrate diets. However, when it comes to lower-intensity exercise, low-carbohydrate diets can keep up with conventional high-carbohydrate diets and may even help to ensure that more fat is used as an energy source (31).

Summary: Low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets do not appear to enhance high-intensity exercise performance. However, they do appear to rival high-carbohydrate diets when it comes to exercise performance at lower intensities.

Are there any benefits for athletes?

One beneficial aspect of a low-carb or ketogenic diet is that it habituates the body to burn fat as an energy source (42). Research has shown that this can help endurance athletes conserve their glycogen reserves and prevent them from "hitting a wall" during endurance activities (18, 42).

This helps you rely less on carbohydrates, which could be important for athletes who struggle to digest and consume carbohydrates during exercise. It could also be beneficial during ultra-endurance events where access to food is limited (18).

In addition to this, several studies have shown that low-carbohydrate and ketogenic diets can help people lose weight and improve their overall health (43, 44). Such fat loss can improve your fat-to-muscle ratio, which is extremely important for exercise performance, especially in weight-based sports (45, 46).

Training with low glycogen stores has also become a popular training technique known as "train with low glycogen reserves and compete with full glycogen stores" (47). This can improve fat utilization, mitochondrial function and enzyme activity, which has beneficial effects on health and exercise performance (47).

For this reason, following a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet for a short period of time - such as during the off-season - could improve long-term exercise performance and health.

Summary: Low-carbohydrate diets can be beneficial for some types of endurance sports. They can also be used strategically to improve body composition and health.

Conclusion

Low-carb or ketogenic diets may be a good choice for healthy people who exercise primarily to stay healthy. However, there is currently no solid evidence that these diets improve performance in athletes compared to high-carbohydrate diets.

However, research in this area is still in its infancy and some early results suggest that these diets may be a good choice for lower intensity or ultra-endurance training.

At the end of the day, however, carbohydrate intake should be tailored to individual needs.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/low-carb-diets-and-performance#section8

Jul 26, 2019

9 myths about low-carb diets

There is a lot of misinformation out there about low-carb diets. Some claim that this is the optimal human diet and that everyone should eat a low-carb diet. Others, however, say that low-carb diets are just fad diets that can't be followed long-term and are potentially harmful.

This article will take a look at 9 myths about low-carb diets.

1. low-carb diets are purely fad diets

In some ways, the term "fad diet" has lost its original meaning. In the past, this term was used to describe crash diets that enjoyed short-term popularity. Today, however, the term is often misused by people to describe diets with which they disagree.

And even today, many people still refer to low-carb diets as fad diets. However, this makes absolutely no sense, as numerous scientific studies have shown that low-carb diets can be quite effective.

Low-carb diets have been popular for decades. In fact, the first Atkins book was published in 1972, 5 years before the first low-fat diet guidelines were published. If we look even further back in time, the first book on a low-carb diet was published in 1863 and was already very popular back then.

When something has been around for so long and is supported by scientific research, trying to dismiss it as a fad is nothing more than a dishonest attempt to avoid discussion.

Summary: Low carbohydrate diets have been around for decades and their benefits are supported by numerous high quality human studies. Dismissing such diets as fad diets is therefore simply wrong.

2. it is difficult to stick to low-carb diets

It is often argued that low-carbohydrate diets cannot be maintained in the long term because they restrict the consumption of widely consumed food groups. It is claimed that this leads to a sense of restriction that causes people to give up their diet and quickly regain the lost weight. While this makes sense, the truth is that ALL diets involve restriction of one kind or another. Some restrict the consumption of certain food groups or macronutrients, while others restrict calories.

The great thing about a low-carb diet is that it leads to a reduction in appetite, so people can eat until they are full while still losing weight (1, 2). Compare this to a calorie restricted diet where you can't really eat as much until your hunger is satisfied and you feel hungry all the time. Being hungry all the time and never being allowed to eat until you feel satisfied...that's something most people won't be able to sustain in the long run.

The bottom line is that scientific data does not support the claim that low-carb diets are harder to stick to than other diets. I looked at 19 studies that compared low-carb and low-fat diets, indicating how many people completed the study in the low-carb and low-fat groups. Although the results were mixed, it was found that on average more subjects from the low-carb groups persisted to the end of the studies.

The average for low-carb diets was 79.51% compared to 77.72% for the low-fat diets. While this may not be a huge difference, these figures show that it is at least not harder to stick to low-carb diets compared to low-fat diets.

Summary: Scientific research does not support the statement that it is harder to stick to low-carb diets. If there is a difference to other diets, then these diets tend to be easier to maintain than low-fat diets.

3. most of the weight lost is water

The body stores significant amounts of carbohydrates in the muscles and liver. These carbohydrates are stored in the form of glycogen - a storage form of glucose. Glycogen is used to supply the body with glucose between meals.

Glycogen stored in the liver and muscles tends to bind some water. If you reduce your carbohydrate intake, your glycogen stores will be depleted and you will lose significant amounts of water. In addition, low-carbohydrate diets lead to a significant reduction in insulin levels. When insulin levels drop, the kidneys excrete excess sodium and water from the body (3, 4). For this reason, low-carbohydrate diets lead to a substantial and almost immediate reduction in water weight.

This is often used as an argument against low-carbohydrate diets and it is claimed that the only reason for the weight loss advantage of these diets is such a reduction in water weight. However, this is not the case. Low-carbohydrate diets do reduce water weight, but studies also show that they cause a greater reduction in body fat - particularly in the liver fat and abdominal area, where unhealthy belly fat is located (5, 6).

A six-week study on low-carbohydrate diets showed that subjects lost 3.4 kilos of fat while gaining 1.1 kilos of muscle (7). Furthermore, reducing water weight is a positive thing. It makes no sense to use this as an argument against low-carb diets. Who wants to carry around 5 to 10 pounds (or more) of excess water if they don't have to?

Summary: People who start a low-carb diet initially excrete larger amounts of water. However, they also lose body fat, particularly in the liver and abdominal area.

4. low-carb diets are bad for your heart

Low carbohydrate diets tend to be high in cholesterol and fat - including saturated fat. For this reason, many people claim that these diets must increase cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.

However, recent studies have shown that neither dietary cholesterol nor saturated fat has a significant effect on heart disease risk (8, 9, 10, 11). Contrary to what is often claimed, low-carbohydrate diets can actually improve most of the major risk factors for heart disease (12):

Blood triglyceride levels decrease significantly (13, 14).
The levels of the "good" HDL cholesterol increase (15, 16).
Blood pressure tends to fall (17, 18).
Existing insulin resistance decreases, which leads to reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels (19, 29).
Inflammation can decrease (21).

LDL cholesterol levels do not increase on average and LDL particle size tends to change from small and dense (which is bad) to large LDL particles - a pattern that has been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease (22, 23).

However, studies mainly look at averages and there are some individuals who experience significant increases in LDL cholesterol levels while on a low-carbohydrate diet. These individuals should take steps to lower their cholesterol levels.

Summary: There is no evidence that dietary cholesterol and saturated fat are harmful, and studies conducted with low-carbohydrate diets show that they can improve several risk factors for heart disease.

5. low-carb diets only work because people eat fewer calories

Many people claim that the only reason people lose weight on low-carb diets is because they reduce their calorie intake. While this is true, it doesn't tell the whole story. The primary weight loss benefit of low-carb diets is that the weight loss is automatic.

People feel so full that they end up eating less food without counting calories or controlling their portion sizes. This appetite-reducing effect is so strong that studies comparing low-carb and low-fat diets often only need to actively reduce calories in the low-fat group to get comparable results.

And even when calorie intake is restricted in the low-fat group, the low-fat group usually loses more weight...sometimes up to two to three times as much (24, 25)!

In addition, people sometimes don't realize that low-carb diets are not just about weight loss. These diets are also very effective when it comes to reducing/relieving certain health problems such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and epilepsy (26, 27, 28). In these cases, the health benefits go far beyond calorie restriction.

It should also be noted that low-carbohydrate diets have a slight metabolic advantage. They tend to be high in protein, which boosts metabolism (29, 30).

Summary: It is true that low-carbohydrate diets lead to a reduction in calorie intake. The fact that this happens subconsciously is a major advantage. Low-carbohydrate diets also have metabolic benefits that go far beyond calories.

6. low carbohydrate diets reduce your consumption of healthy plant foods

A low-carb diet is not a carbohydrate-free diet. It's a myth that reducing your carbohydrate intake means you need to eat less plant foods. In fact, you can eat a large amount of vegetables, berries, nuts and seeds without exceeding 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Apart from that, eating 100 to 150 grams of carbohydrates per day is still considered low-carb. This amount leaves plenty of room for several portions of fruit a day and can even allow for small amounts of healthy starches such as potatoes or oatmeal.

Personally, I never eat as many vegetables as I do during a low-carb eating phase. This meets my body's needs for vitamin C, potassium, fiber and other key nutrients found in large quantities in plants. Pretty much every book on low-carb diets recommends eating large amounts of healthy plant foods, especially vegetables.

Summary: It is possible to consume large amounts of low carbohydrate plant foods as part of a low carbohydrate diet, even with a very low carbohydrate intake. Vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds are all good examples of healthy plant foods that are low in carbohydrates.

7 "Ketosis" is a dangerous metabolic state

There is a lot of confusion about the state of ketosis. When we eat very little carbohydrate (such as less than 50 grams per day), our insulin levels drop and a lot of fat is released from fat cells. When the liver is flooded with fatty acids, it starts to convert them into substances called keto bodies or ketones.

These are molecules that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and provide the brain with energy during periods of starvation or when we are not eating carbohydrates.

However, many people seem to confuse the state of ketosis with ketoacidosis. The latter is a dangerous metabolic state that mainly occurs in uncontrolled type 1 diabetes. It involves flooding the bloodstream with massive amounts of ketones - enough to make the blood acidic. Ketoacidosis is a very serious thing and can be fatal.

However, this has no relevance to the type of ketosis caused by low-carbohydrate diets, as ketosis is a healthy metabolic state. For example, such ketosis has been shown to have therapeutic effects in epilepsy and is also being investigated as a potential treatment for brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and as a supportive treatment for cancer (27, 28, 29).

Ketoacidosis is a very dangerous thing, but ketosis is a good thing. They are completely different things.

Summary: A very low carbohydrate diet leads to a beneficial state called ketosis. This is not the same as ketoacidosis, which is dangerous and only occurs in uncontrolled diabetes.

8. the brain needs glucose (carbohydrates) to function

Many people mistakenly believe that the brain cannot function without carbohydrates during a diet. It is claimed that carbohydrates are the preferred energy source for the brain and that the brain needs about 140 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is partly true. Some cells in the brain cannot use any other energy source than glucose.

However, other parts of the brain are very capable of using ketones for energy. When carbohydrate intake is reduced sufficiently to induce ketosis, a large part of the brain stops using glucose and starts using ketones instead.

However, this still means that even when there are large amounts of ketones in the blood, some parts of the brain still need glucose. This is where a metabolic pathway known as gluconeogenesis comes into play. If we do not consume enough carbohydrates, then the body (primarily the liver) can produce glucose from protein and by-products of fat metabolism.

Due to ketosis and gluconeogenesis, we do not need to consume a single gram of carbohydrate - at least not to supply the brain with energy.

And after the initial adaptation phase, many people even report better brain function during a low-carb diet.

Summary: During a low-carb diet, part of the brain can use ketones for energy. The body can also produce the small amounts of glucose that are still needed by other parts of the brain.

9. low carbohydrate diets will ruin your physical performance

Most athletes eat a high carbohydrate diet and many people believe that carbohydrates are essential for physical performance. It is true that a reduction in carbohydrate intake can initially lead to reduced performance. However, this condition is usually only temporary. It can take some time for the body to get used to burning fat instead of carbohydrates.

Many studies have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can even have a positive effect on physical performance, especially in endurance sports, as long as people are given a few weeks to adapt to this new way of eating (30, 31, 32, 33).

There are also studies showing that low-carbohydrate diets can have positive effects on muscle mass and strength (34, 35).

Summary: Low-carbohydrate diets do not have a devastating effect on physical performance for most people. However, it can take a few weeks for the body to adapt to this type of diet.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, low-carb diets can have significant health benefits. They are very effective for obese people and those suffering from metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes.

However, while low-carb diets can be beneficial, they are not the perfect answer for everyone. Different people may require different dietary approaches.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-myths-about-low-carb-diets

Jul 18, 2019

Is "starvation mode" real or a myth?

Weight loss is generally seen as a positive thing. It can improve health and appearance and bring all kinds of physical and mental benefits. However, your brain won't necessarily see it the same way. Your brain is more concerned about preventing you from starving yourself and will do everything it can to make sure you (and your genes) survive.

If you lose a lot of weight, your body will start to conserve energy and reduce the amount of calories you burn (1). It will also make you hungrier and lazier and increase your cravings for food. This can cause you to stop losing weight and feel so miserable that you give up your weight loss efforts and put the lost weight back on.

This phenomenon is often referred to as starvation mode, but it's really just your brain's natural mechanism to keep you from starving yourself. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to prevent this from happening so that you can continue to lose weight without torturing yourself in the process.

But before we get to that, let me first explain what starvation mode is and how it works.

What does 'starvation mode' imply?

What most people refer to as 'starvation mode' (and sometimes 'metabolic damage') is the natural response to long-term calorie restriction. This involves the body's response to reduced calorie intake by reducing calorie expenditure in an attempt to maintain energy balance and prevent starvation.

This is a natural physiological response and is not really controversial. It is widely accepted by scientists and the technical term for it is "adaptive thermogenesis" (2). I will use the term starvation mode in this article, even though this term is inaccurate, as true starvation is something that is almost completely irrelevant in most weight loss discussions.

Starvation mode was something useful in our evolutionary past, but does more harm than good in our modern age where overweight and obesity are out of control.

Calorie intake and calorie expenditure

Obesity is a disorder caused by an excessive accumulation of energy/calories. The body stores energy (calories) in its adipose tissue for later use. When more calories enter adipose tissue than calories leave adipose tissue, we build up fat. If more calories leave the adipose tissue than enter it, we lose fat. This is a fact.

Pretty much all weight loss diets cause a reduction in calorie intake. Some do this by directly controlling calorie intake (by counting calories, weighing portions, etc.), while others reduce appetite so that people automatically eat fewer calories. When this happens, the amount of calories leaving the fat tissue exceeds the amount of calories entering the fat tissue and we lose fat.

However, the body does not see this in the same way as you do. In many cases it sees this as the beginning of starvation. For this reason, it starts to fight against this and does everything it can to prevent you from losing fat.

The body and brain can respond by making you hungrier (so you eat more and increase calorie intake), but what is most relevant to this discussion is what happens to the amount of calories you consume. Starvation mode implies that your body is reducing calorie consumption to try to restore energy balance and prevent you from continuing to lose weight despite a calorie deficit.

This phenomenon is very real, but whether this response is so strong that it can actually prevent you from continuing to lose weight or even starting to gain weight despite continued calorie restriction is debatable.

Summary: What is commonly referred to as starvation mode is the body's natural response to prolonged calorie restriction and involves a reduction in the amount of calories your body burns, which can slow down your weight loss.

The amount of calories you burn can change

The amount of calories you burn throughout the day can be broken down into four areas:

Basal metabolic rate: this is the amount of calories your body uses to maintain its basic vital functions such as breathing, heart rate and brain function.
The thermic effect of food (TEF): The calories used during the digestion of food. This usually accounts for about 10% of calorie intake.
The thermic effect of exercise (TEE): The calories burned during physical activities such as exercise.
Non-exercise-induced thermogenesis: Calories burned by "fidgeting", changes in body position, etc. These activities usually occur unconsciously. These activities usually take place unconsciously.

Calorie expenditure in all four of these areas can decrease as you reduce your calorie intake and lose weight. This includes a reduction in exercise (both conscious and unconscious), as well as major changes in the nervous system and various hormones (2, 3). The most important hormones in this context are leptin, thyroid hormones and norepinephrine, all of which can decrease in the context of calorie restriction (4, 5).

Summary: There are several ways in which the body burns calories. All of these can be reduced in volume if you reduce your calorie intake over a longer period of time.

Studies show that calorie restriction can reduce calorie consumption

Studies have clearly shown that losing weight reduces the amount of calories you burn (6). According to a large study review on this topic, this amounts to 12.8 kcal for every kilogram of weight you lose (7). So if you lose 20 kilograms of weight, you will burn about 250 kcal less per day.

However, this reduction in calorie consumption can be far greater than predicted purely on the basis of weight changes. For example, some studies show that losing 10% body weight can reduce the amount of calories burned each day by 15 to 25% (8, 9).

This is one of the reasons why weight loss tends to slow down over time and why it is so difficult to maintain the lower weight achieved. The latter may well require you to eat fewer calories for the rest of your life.

In this context, keep in mind that this reduction in metabolic rate may be even more pronounced in some groups, such as postmenopausal women, who find it difficult to lose weight.

Muscle mass tends to decrease

Another side effect of weight loss is that the amount of muscle mass also tends to decrease (10). As you may know, muscle mass is metabolically active tissue that burns calories around the clock.

However, the reduction in calorie consumption is greater than can be explained simply by a reduction in muscle mass alone. The body becomes more efficient at doing work, so less energy is needed to do the same amount of work (11).

Calorie restriction therefore makes you burn fewer calories for the physical activities (whether they are conscious or unconscious activities) that you perform.

Summary: Weight loss and reduced calorie intake can lead to reduced calorie expenditure. This adds up to an average of 12.8 kcal per kilo of weight lost per day.

How you can prevent a reduction in metabolic rate

Keep in mind that a slowdown in your metabolic rate is nothing more than a simple, natural reaction of your body to a reduced calorie intake. As such, some level of reduced calorie consumption will be unavoidable, but there are a number of things you can do to mitigate these effects.

Train with weights

By far the most effective measure you can take is to perform resistance training. The obvious choice would be to train with weights, but bodyweight-only exercises can also work.

Studies have shown that resistance training, where your muscles have to exert force against resistance, can have great benefits during a diet. In one study, 3 groups of women were put on an 800 kcal diet. One group did no training, one group did aerobic training (cardio) and the third group did resistance training (12).

Both the group that did not exercise and the group that performed aerobic exercise lost muscle mass and showed a significant reduction in metabolic rate. However, the women who did resistance training were able to maintain their metabolic rate, muscle mass and strength levels.

This has been confirmed by many other studies. Weight loss reduces muscle mass and metabolic rate and resistance training can (at least partially) prevent this (13, 14).

Keep your protein intake high.

Protein is the most important macronutrient when it comes to weight loss. A high protein intake can both reduce appetite (and therefore calorie intake) and increase metabolic rate (and therefore the amount of calories burned) by 80 to 100 kcal per day (15, 16).

In addition, a high protein intake can reduce cravings and the urge to eat late at night, leading you to eat hundreds of calories less per day (17, 18). Keep in mind that this involves increasing your protein intake without consciously restricting anything else.

Your protein intake is also important to reduce unwanted side effects of long-term weight loss. If your protein intake is high, your body will be less inclined to break down muscle for energy. This can help maintain your existing muscle mass, which can at least partially prevent a reduction in metabolic rate associated with weight loss (18, 19, 20).

Taking a diet break can help

Some people routinely take so-called refeeds, where they break their diet for a few days. On these days, they eat slightly more calories than they consume and resume their diet a few days later.

There is evidence that this can temporarily increase levels of hormones such as leptin and thyroid hormones, which tend to fall during prolonged weight loss (22, 23).

It may also be useful to take longer breaks of a few weeks. However, you should make sure that you eat consciously during these breaks. Eat your maintenance calorie intake or slightly more calories, but don't increase your calorie intake so much that you start to gain fat.

Be prepared to gain a few pounds from the extra food and increased water weight. This is nothing to worry about as you will lose the weight quickly if you continue your diet.

Summary: Training with weights and a high protein intake are two scientifically proven ways to prevent muscle loss and a reduction in metabolic rate during weight loss. A short break in the diet can also be useful.

A weight loss plateau can be caused by many things

When people start dieting, progress can be quite rapid at the beginning. During the first weeks and months, weight will drop without much effort. Later on, however, progress will slow down. In some cases, weight loss can slow down so much that several weeks can pass without any visible changes on the scales.

Such a weight loss plateau can have many different causes (and solutions) and it does not necessarily mean that you are not losing weight. Water retention, for example, can give you the impression that you are not losing any more body fat.

Starvation mode is real

Starvation mode is real, but its effects are nowhere near as strong as many people might think. It can slow down your weight loss over time, but it won't cause you to gain weight despite calorie restriction.

It is also not an "on and off" problem as some people seem to think. Rather, starvation mode represents a whole spectrum of adaptations the body makes to reduced or increased calorie intake.

The term starvation mode is a terribly inaccurate term. Something like "metabolic adaptations" or "slowing metabolic rate" would be much more appropriate. In purely technical terms, this phenomenon is simply the body's natural physiological response to a reduced calorie intake. Without these adaptations, humanity would have died out thousands of years ago.

Unfortunately, at a time when excessive food intake is a much greater threat than starvation, this protective mechanism can do more harm than good.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/starvation-mode#section6

Jul 12, 2019

The 11 foods with the highest nutrient density

You can only eat a limited amount of food per day. To maximize the amount of nutrients you consume, it makes sense to spend your calorie budget wisely. The best way to do this is to eat the foods that contain the greatest amount and variety of nutrients.

Here are the 11 foods with the highest nutrient density you'll find on the planet.

1. salmon

Not all fish is created equal. Salmon - and other oily fish species - contain the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely important for your body to function optimally. They are associated with increased well-being and a lower risk of many serious diseases (1).

Although salmon is primarily known for its beneficial composition of fatty acids, it also contains massive amounts of other nutrients. 100 grams of wild salmon provides 2.8 grams of omega-3 fatty acids in combination with plenty of high quality animal protein and numerous vitamins and minerals including large amounts of magnesium, potassium, selenium and B vitamins (2).

It's a good idea to eat oily fish at least once or twice a week to get all the omega-3 fatty acids your body needs. Studies show that people who regularly eat oily fish have a lower risk of heart disease, dementia, depression and many other common diseases (3, 4, 5, 6).

Salmon also tastes good and is easy to prepare. It also tends to fill you up well with relatively few calories. If you can, choose wild salmon over farmed salmon as it contains more nutrients, tastes better, has a better omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio and is less likely to be contaminated (7, 8).

Summary: Fatty fish like salmon is packed with healthy fatty acids, protein, vitamins and minerals. It's a good idea to eat oily fish every week.

2. cabbage

Of all the healthy green leafy vegetables, cabbage tops the list. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and numerous bioactive compounds.

100 grams of cabbage contain (9):

Vitamin C: 200% of the daily requirement
Vitamin A: 300% of the daily requirement
Vitamin K1: 1,000% of the daily requirement
Large amounts of vitamin B6, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper and manganese

The same amount of cabbage contains 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and only 50 kcal.

Cabbage could be even healthier than spinach. Both are highly nutritious, but cabbage contains fewer oxylates, which can bind minerals like calcium in the gut and prevent their absorption (10).

Cabbage and other green vegetables are also rich in various bioactive compounds including isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol, which have been shown to fight cancer in test tubes and animal studies (11, 12).

Summary: Cabbage is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables and contains high amounts of vitamins, minerals and health-promoting compounds.

3. algae

The ocean has more to offer than just fish and seafood. It also contains massive amounts of vegetation. The ocean is home to thousands of different plant species, some of which are highly nutritious. These include seaweed (13), which is used in Asian dishes such as sushi. Many sushi dishes contain a type of seaweed known as nori, which is used as an edible coating.

In many cases, seaweed is even more nutritious than vegetables grown on land. Algae are particularly rich in minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium and manganese (14). They are also packed with bioactive compounds including phycocyanins and carotenoids. Some of these substances are antioxidants with powerful anti-inflammatory properties (15).

Where seaweed really shines, however, is its high iodine content - a mineral your body uses to make thyroid hormones. Eating iodine-rich seaweed a few times a month can be enough to meet your body's iodine needs.

If you don't like the taste of seaweed, you can also take it in the form of supplements. Dried kelp tablets are cheap and overloaded with iodine.

Summary: Sea plants and algae are very nutritious, but are rarely consumed in the western world. They are particularly rich in iodine, which is essential for optimal thyroid function.

4. garlic

Garlic is an amazing food. Not only can it add flavor to all kinds of dishes, but it is also very nutritious. Garlic is rich in vitamins C, B1 and B6, as well as calcium, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium (16). In addition, garlic contains beneficial sulphur compounds such as allicin.

Many studies have shown that allicin and garlic can lower blood pressure and levels of total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease (17, 18, 19, 20).

In addition, garlic also appears to have anti-cancer effects. At the very least, studies have shown that people who eat a lot of garlic have a lower risk of several common cancers, particularly cancers of the stomach and intestines (21, 22).

Raw garlic also has significant antibacterial and antifungal properties (23, 24).

Summary: Garlic is both delicious and healthy. It is highly nutritious and the bioactive compounds it contains have confirmed disease-fighting effects.

5 Shellfish

Many sea creatures are rich in nutrients, but shellfish are among the most nutritious of all. Typically consumed shellfish include mussels, oysters and shrimp.

Clams are one of the best sources of vitamin B12 and just 100 grams provides sixteen times the daily requirement of vitamin B12. They are also overloaded with vitamin C, various B vitamins, potassium, selenium and iron (25).

Oysters are also very nutritious. Just 100 grams provide 600% of the daily requirement of zinc, 200% of the daily requirement of copper, as well as large amounts of vitamin B12, vitamin D and other nutrients (26).

However, even though shellfish is one of the most nutritious foods in the world, few people eat shellfish regularly.

Summary: Shellfish are among the most nutritious animals in the oceans. They are rich in important nutrients such as vitamin B12 and zinc.

6. potatoes

Potatoes are rich in potassium, magnesium, iron, copper and manganese and also provide vitamin C and most of the B vitamins (27). They contain a little bit of pretty much every nutrient you need. There are reports of people eating potatoes exclusively for very long periods of time.

Potatoes are also one of the most satiating foods. When scientists compared the satiety value of different foods, boiled potatoes scored better than most other foods studied (28).

When you let potatoes cool after cooking, resistant starch forms - a fiber-like substance with many health benefits (29).

Summary: Potatoes contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need. They are also surprisingly filling and can provide large amounts of resistant starch.

7 Liver

Humans and their ancestors have been eating animals for millions of years. However, in the modern Western diet, red muscle meat is usually preferred to offal, even though muscle meat is relatively low in nutrients compared to offal.

Of all offal, the liver is the most nutritious. The liver is an amazing organ that performs hundreds of tasks related to metabolism.

100 grams of liver provides 30:

Vitamin B12: 1176% of the daily requirement
Vitamin B5, vitamin B6, niacin and folate: over 50% of the daily requirement
Vitamin B2: 201% of the daily requirement
Vitamin A: 634% of the daily requirement
Copper: 714% of the daily requirement
Iron, phosphorus, zinc and selenium: Over 30% of the daily requirement
High-quality animal protein: 29 grams

Eating liver once a week is a good way to ensure you're getting optimal amounts of these important nutrients.

Summary: Liver is highly nutritious and contains large amounts of B vitamins and other healthy substances.

8. sardines

Sardines are small, oily fish that can be eaten including the head and bones. Considering that the innards are the most nutritious part of an animal, it is not surprising that whole sardines are so nutritious.

Sardines contain a little bit of just about every nutrient your body needs, and they are nearly perfect nutritionally (31). Like other fatty fish, sardines also contain large amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Summary: Small, fatty fish like sardines, which can be eaten whole, provide you with offal, bones, brains and other nutrient-rich components. They contain a little bit of almost every nutrient you need.

9. blueberries

When it comes to the nutritional value of fruit, raspberries are in a league of their own. Even though they are not as rich in vitamins and minerals as vegetables in terms of calorie content, they are packed with antioxidants. They contain numerous powerful antioxidant substances including anthocyanins and other plant compounds, some of which can cross the blood-brain barrier and exert protective effects in the brain (32).

Several studies have investigated the health benefits of blueberries in humans. One of these studies found that blueberries can improve memory performance in older people (33).

Another study found that obese men and women suffering from metabolic syndrome had lower blood pressure and lower levels of markers of oxidized LDL cholesterol when they included blueberries in their diet (34). These results are consistent with research suggesting that blueberries may increase antioxidant levels in the blood (35).

Several test tube and animal studies also suggest that blueberries may help fight cancer (36, 37, 38).

Summary: Blueberries are highly nutritious compared to most other fruits and are packed with powerful antioxidants, some of which may increase antioxidant levels in the blood and protect the brain.

10. egg yolks

Egg yolks have been unfairly demonized for a long time due to their cholesterol content. However, studies have now shown that dietary cholesterol is nothing to worry about in general. Eating moderate amounts of cholesterol does not increase the levels of "bad" cholesterol in the blood (39).

Egg yolks are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Whole eggs are so nutritious that some people refer to them as "nature's multivitamin". Eggs are packed with vitamins, minerals and important nutrients including choline (40).

Eggs are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin - antioxidants that can protect your eyes and reduce the risk of eye diseases including cataracts and macular degeneration (42, 43).

In addition, eggs are cheap, tasty and easy to prepare. If possible, you should buy omega-3 enriched eggs as they are healthier and more nutritious than regular eggs from the supermarket (44, 45).

Summary: Whole eggs are highly nutritious and most of the nutrients in an egg are found in the yolk.

11. dark chocolate (cocoa)

Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. It's packed with fiber, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese (46), but its greatest benefits lie in the amazing range of antioxidants it contains.

One study showed that cacao and dark chocolate contained more antioxidants than other foods tested, including acai berries (47). In addition, several human studies show that dark chocolate may have strong health benefits including improved blood flow, lower blood pressure, reduced LDL oxidation and improved brain function (48, 49, 50).

One study found that people who consumed chocolate more than five times a week had a 57% lower risk of heart disease (51). Considering that heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, these results have implications for millions of people.

When buying dark chocolate, make sure it has a cocoa content of at least 70%, with 85% and above being best.

Eating a little dark chocolate every day could be one of the best ways to add extra antioxidants to your diet.

Summary: Dark chocolate and cocoa are very rich in minerals and antioxidants. Regular consumption can bring numerous health benefits.

Conclusion

If you want to get a lot of nutrients with few calories, the most obvious strategy is to use supplements. However, supplements cannot replace a healthy diet. A better way to get all the nutrients you need is to eat more nutrient-dense foods.

Such foods are very rich in nutrients relative to their calorie content and include foods such as vegetables, fruits, cocoa, seafood, eggs and liver, among others.

References:

Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-most-nutrient-dense-foods-on-the-planet#section12

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Intermittent Fasting for Women A Beginner's Guide

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting may have different effects on men and women

Health benefits of intermittent fasting for women

Intermittent fasting and heart health

Intermittent fasting and diabetes

Intermittent fasting and weight loss

Intermittent fasting could help you eat less

Other health benefits of intermittent fasting

The best types of intermittent fasting for women

How to get started with intermittent fasting

Safety and side effects of intermittent fasting

Conclusion

References:

What influence do ketogenic / low-carbohydrate diets have on training performance?

What are low-carb and ketogenic diets?

Low-carbohydrate diets and the body's adaptation to fat as a primary energy source:

Low-carbohydrate diets and muscle glycogen

Low carbohydrate diets and endurance performance

How carbohydrates affect muscle growth

Studies on low-carbohydrate diets for athletes

Are there any benefits for athletes?

Conclusion

References:

9 myths about low-carb diets

1. low-carb diets are purely fad diets

2. it is difficult to stick to low-carb diets

3. most of the weight lost is water

4. low-carb diets are bad for your heart

5. low-carb diets only work because people eat fewer calories

6. low carbohydrate diets reduce your consumption of healthy plant foods

7 "Ketosis" is a dangerous metabolic state

8. the brain needs glucose (carbohydrates) to function

9. low carbohydrate diets will ruin your physical performance

Conclusion

References:

Is "starvation mode" real or a myth?

What does 'starvation mode' imply?

Calorie intake and calorie expenditure

The amount of calories you burn can change

Studies show that calorie restriction can reduce calorie consumption

Muscle mass tends to decrease

How you can prevent a reduction in metabolic rate

Train with weights

Keep your protein intake high.

Taking a diet break can help

A weight loss plateau can be caused by many things

Starvation mode is real

References:

The 11 foods with the highest nutrient density

1. salmon

2. cabbage

3. algae

4. garlic

5 Shellfish

6. potatoes

7 Liver

8. sardines

9. blueberries

10. egg yolks

11. dark chocolate (cocoa)

Conclusion

References:

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