An Interaction Of All Its Nutrients Determines A Food's Health Benefit
People with a wholefoods mindset will not be surprised by the conclusions of an international panel of doctors, nutritionists, and scientists.
In its report the panel recommends we determine a food’s value by its entire nutritional content, and not by the known effect of each nutrient it contains. This recommendation is based on the belief that the entire composition of a food influences the effects of its individual nutrients.
To put in another way, a food’s impact on our health likely involves the relationship between its nutrients, plus the methods of food preparation and production employed.
“Researchers have become more skillful over the years, and we have acquired more methods for exploring what specific nutrients mean for digestion and health,” says first author of the report, Tanja Kongerslev Thorning, Ph.D., from the University of Copenhagen. “But when we eat, we do not consume individual nutrients. We eat the whole food, either alone or together with other foods in a meal. It therefore seems obvious that we should assess food products in context.”
The panel noted, for instance that foods such as cheese have a more beneficial effect on body weight, and cardiovascular health than we would expect based on its sodium and saturated fat content.
“In contrast to current recommendations that essentially ban full-fat cheese, current research clearly demonstrate important health benefits of cheese for prevention of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers,” said University of Copenhagen professor Arne Astrup. “All the positive effects are due to a complex interaction between beneficial bacteria, minerals and bio-active cheese ingredients.”
Another example cited are almonds, which contain considerable fat, but release less fat than anticipated during digestion.
Though panel members suggest more studies are required, they believe certain areas of nutrition need rethinking since focusing on individual nutrients gives us an inaccurate picture of a food’s health benefits.
Source: University of Copenhagen
Photo credit: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
More Articles
With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.
Farro...
Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....
With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...
If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...
In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.
When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...
More Articles
If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....
For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.
A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...
According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...
Eleven Clinical Studies
After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...
Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...
Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...
Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...
Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...
Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....
When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...
Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.
The...
Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...
Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...
Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...
One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...