In this new study conducted in Brazil, dairy products emerge as an important source of different nutrients, containing only a small amount of added sugars.
142 grams per day
Dairy consumption was estimated for different age groups: 10-18 years, 19-59 years and 60+ years. It covered milk (including flavored milk), cheese and yogurt. The average consumption over 10 years and in all age groups has been evaluated at 142 g per day. In the 10-18 and 60+ age groups, yogurt consumption is higher in urban areas than in rural areas.
Vitamins and minerals
Despite a modest consumption of dairy products, the study shows that this category of products plays a significant role on nutritional intakes. It covers 6.1% of the total energy, supplies 7.3% of the protein intake and between 10.2% and 37.9% of the daily intake of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, Vitamin A and potassium. Furthermore, it has to be noticed that dairy products contribute only 4.3% to the intake of added sugars.
Dr. Drapeau’s research work focuses on eating behaviors associated with weight management and prevention of obesity, nutrition and health education.
1. Global public healthcare is challenged by alarming rates of obesity incidences, how sever is the situation today in Canada and how can this be linked to local (yogurt) consumption trends?
The prevalence of adult overweight and obesity has increased drastically since the three last decades and is now reaching 60% of the adult population. This has not only important health consequences in adult (e.g. hypertension, type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases) but also impact on the future generation. Children who have an obese parent are more likely to become overweight or obese adults and thus more likely to suffer from these health consequences. Latest Canadian survey indicated that more than one out of three children are overweight or obese. While the causes of obesity are complex and multi-factorial, unhealthy eating habits have been implicated as one important of the causative factors. This includes a reduced consumption of traditional foods such as dairy (including yogurt) and increased consumption of highly processed foods and beverages. According to the Canadian Community Health Survey, most children and adolescents do not meet the daily dairy recommendations.
2. In your new research on yogurt, body weight and metabolic profile, why do you focus on children/adolescents, susceptible to obesity? And do you have recommendations to improve yogurt intake in this young target group?
Most observational studies in adults have shown an inverse association between dairy consumption and body weight. Despite some beneficial, albeit inconsistent, effects of dairy products on weight-related and metabolic health in adults, few studies have been conducted in children and adolescents, particularly concerning the specific effect of yogurt consumption on weight variables and metabolic profiles. Moreover, the few studies conducted in children/adolescents are inconsistent. Their rapid growth and pubertal changes make it difficult to ensure that the changes are due to yogurt and other dairy products and not developmental changes and other factors may be implicated in the relationship. The inconsistent findings suggest a possible association between dairy intake and body weight but that hidden factors may be implicated in the relationship between yogurt/dairy intakes and body weight in children and youth. Genetics susceptibility to obesity may potentially be one factor. One cross-sectional study found that only milk consumption and parental obesity remained significant predictors of child BMI z-scores, indicating that both factors independently influenced the child’s body weight (Barba et al. 2005). This information is important as parental obesity implies genetic susceptibility to obesity in children, which may moderate the dairy products-body weight relationship. Body weight status could represent another independent factor moderating the yogurt/dairy and body weight association. In line with this, we also observed that overweight and obese adults appear to obtain the most weight-related benefits from increased yogurt intake.
We think that more research related to the impact on yogurt consumption on body weight and metabolic health will help health professional to recognize the value of yogurt, in addition to a healthy diet and lifestyle, particularly in children and adolescents at risk for obesity and to promote yogurt consumption as a healthy food choice for reasons that are in addition to nutrient content including better weight management and metabolic profile. Research in this area could also help to increase public awareness of the importance of yogurt as part of a healthy diet and that consumption of yogurt should increase to at least comply with dairy recommendations.
Reference: Barba G, Troiano E, Russo P, et al. (2005) Inverse association between body mass and frequency of milk consumption in children. Br J Nutr 93: 15-9.
3. As yogurt consumption is associated with less weight gain over time, which specific mechanisms contribute to this correlation and how differs the preventive effect of yogurt, compared to other dairy foods?
Several potential mechanisms have been suggested to explain the association between dairy consumption and indicators of body weight and composition. Although milk and yogurt are similar in their nutrient composition, yogurt possesses unique properties that may provide additional health benefits on body weight management and metabolic profile. These include:
high nutrient density (e.g. proteins, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B12);
high digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients;
lactic acid bacteria content which may affect gut microbiota, its food form and the replacement of less healthy foods;
high quality dairy proteins content (whey protein and casein) which increase satiety, reduce energy intake, contribute to glycemic control and maintain skeletal muscle mass in weight loss.
In addition to yogurt composition, calcium has also been shown to play a role in body weight management by correcting the calcium content in adipose tissue and preventing the cascade of events leading to lipogenesis (fat synthesis) and inhibition of lipolysis (fat degradation and utilisation). Calcium has also been shown to reduces energy absorption in the gut and increases fecal fat excretion.
Reference: Albala C, Ebbeling CB, Cifuentes M, et al. (2008) Effects of replacing the habitual consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages with milk in Chilean children. Am J Clin Nutr 88: 605-11.
4. According to your previous research, can you describe how yogurt consumption is associated with healthy eating and other lifestyle habits?
Studies from our research group showed that an increase in milk intake was associated with decreased weight gain in adults over 6 years (Drapeau et al., 2004) and low calcium consumption in participants from the QFS was associated increased adiposity in women (Jacqmain et al., 2003). Among different mechanisms implicated in this inverse association between dairy consumption and body weight, diet quality could be one of them. Accordingly, we showed in two different cohorts (QFS and INFOGEN) that adults yogurt consumers have lower body weights, improved metabolic health parameters and higher diet quality compared with non-consumers (Hubert et al., 2015 and Pahahi et al., unpublished). More specifically, yogurt consumption was a significant contributor to the Prudent dietary pattern (reflecting healthy eating pattern) along with other healthy items such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Also, yogurt consumption was associated with lower anthropometric indicators and a more beneficial cardio-metabolic risk profile in overweight/obese individuals. These results suggest that yogurt is a good source of several macronutrients, micronutrients and bioactive peptides that may help to maintain metabolic well-being and improve body weight control. It also seems to be a good indicator of a healthy diet, which can also contribute to these positive effects.
References:
Jacqmain M, Doucet E, Despres JP, et al. (2003) Calcium intake, body composition, and lipoprotein-lipid concentrations in adults.Am J Clin Nutr77: 1448-52.
Drapeau V, Despres JP, Bouchard C, et al. (2004) Modifications in food-group consumption are related to long-term body-weight changes.Am J Clin Nutr80: 29-37.
Cormier H, Thifault É, Garneau V, et al. (2015 March) Association between yogurt consumption, dietary patterns, and cardio-metabolic risk factors.Eur J NutrEpub ahead of print.
Panahi S, Doyon C, Bouchard C, et al. (2015 (in preparation)) Yogurt consumption and metabolic health: Findings from the Québec Family Study.Am J Clin Nutr.
Adequate coverage of the recommended calcium intake is a common public health concern. Studies show that of all the dairy products, milk and yogurt are particularly beneficial sources of calcium.
120mg of calcium
What is the price of a portion of 120 mg of Ca (i.e. 15% of the daily value) and what is the quantity of energy and nutrients that should be limited (fatty acids, added sugars and sodium) associated with calcium? This is what Adam Drewnowski et al. investigated by using a large sample of 837 dairy products: 101 milk and 326 fermented milk products, yogurts and other fresh dairy products, 162 desserts, 248 varied cheeses. Energy and nutrient values were obtained from industry sources and the French national nutrient composition database. Retail prices were from Paris supermarkets.
Calcium cost and calories
The category of milk products, followed by yogurt and fermented milk, whole or skimmed, head up the sources of calcium that combine low cost, low caloric intake and the low content of nutrients that should be limited. Sweetened yogurts and flavoured milk were ranked as the third group. Disparate results were found for cheese: double cream, soft and goat cheeses were the least beneficial. Hard cheeses (Comté) provided the most Ca per serving. Semi-hard cheeses (Camembert) and cream and blue cheeses (Roquefort) provided Ca at a cost comparable with sweetened yogurts and flavoured milks.
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Irish whole milk typically contains only 3.5% fat – and low fat options are also available. Remember, the calcium content of lower fat milk, yogurt and cheese is relatively similar to their whole milk products.
Milk, yogurt and cheese not only contain protein for maintaining normal muscle and bone, but they are also a natural source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iodine, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12!
Selected for you this week: Fermented foods may be going bad, but they do a young body good, an original article about yogurt and stress from ABC Radio.That’s the finding from a new study released by the University of Baltimore. Psychologists found that teenagers who ate more fermented foods with probiotics in them, like yogurt, kimchee or pickles, were less stressed than teens who didn’t.The effect was strongest for teens who have genetic risk factors for social anxiety.
“It is likely that the probiotics in the fermented foods are favorably changing the environment in the gut, and changes in the gut in turn influence social anxiety,” said William and Mary Psychology professor and study author Matthew Hilimire. “I think that it is absolutely fascinating that the microorganisms in your gut can influence your mind.”
The results of the study were based on a self-report survey of 700 college students researchers conducted in the fall of 2014. Students who self-reported more exercise also had less stress. But the researchers will need to conduct more experiments to be sure the self-reports are accurate.
“Assuming similar findings in the experimental follow-up, what it would suggest is that you could augment more traditional therapies with fermented foods — dietary changes — and exercise, as well,” Hilimire said.
Researchers are interested in exploring even more mind-gut connections. The scientists will be looking into whether there are any connections between probiotics and autism next.
7,038 participants at high risk of CVD were examined in the PREDIMED study (PREvencion con DIeta MEDiterranea) with a 6-year follow-up. Unsurprisingly, monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid intakes were associated with a reduction of CVD risk (- 50% and -32% respectively between extreme quintiles), whereas the intakes of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and trans-fats are associated with increased risk (+81% and +67% respectively).
Less risk with SFA from dairy
The purpose of this study was to go further in studying the different sources of SFAs separately. As a result, it appears that SFAs from dairy products have a tendency to be associated with a reduced risk, whereas SFAs in pastries and other processed foods (cookies, donuts, bakery, sauces, pizza and other) are significantly associated with an increased risk of CVD (+46%). According to the authors, the beneficial effects of dairy products on CVD are mainly attributed to other nutrients, such as calcium, potassium, peptides, and some vitamins, instead of only the type of SFA.
This Digest is all about #Yogurt and #WeightManagement
Overweight and obesity are vital, global, public health issues. According to the World Health Organization, obesity has more than doubled worldwide since 1980, and in 2014, 39% of adults were overweight and 13% were obese (Figures 1 and 2) (1).
Figure 1: Worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity in 2014 (1).
Figure 2: Obesity and overweight prevalence increase in adults and children between 1980 and 2013 (2).
Obesity not only has serious implications for individuals’ health and well-being (see Figure 3), but for health services and the wider economy. So, why do we have an obesity crisis? Is a simple case of us eating more and moving less?
Figure 3: Health implications of overweight and obesity.
Changes in eating habits and physical activity patterns, as a result of wider environmental and societal changes have been proposed as key factors behind the obesity epidemic. We appear to be eating more foods that are lower in nutrients and higher in energy density, our portion sizes have grown, and we’re increasingly eating outside the home – which often means exposure to higher calorie foods (2, 3). The displacement of nutrient rich foods and drinks with nutrient-poor items may be influencing childhood obesity, which in turn impacts adulthood obesity (4-6). Add to this the fact that we’re working in a more sedentary capacity and we begin to see a pattern of association between the rise in obesity and lifestyle changes.
Obesity is complex, but in our food-filled environment, any eating pattern that can give weight management a helping hand could be beneficial for people of all ages. For example, eating more yogurt, nuts, fruit, whole grains or vegetables was associated with gaining less weight over a 4 year period amongst 120,000 adults, followed up for more than 16 years – with the association being strongest for yogurt (0.82lb less weight gain for each additional serving per day) (7).
Kant AK. Consumption of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods by adult Americans: nutritional and health implications. The third National Helath and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 72(4):929-36.
Frary CD et al. Children and adolescents’ choices of foods and beverages high in added sugars are associated with intakes of key nutrients and food groups. Journal of Adolescent Health 2004; 34(1):56–63
Ballew C et al. Nutrient intakes and dietary patterns of young children by dietary fat intakes. J Pediatr 2000; 136:181–187.
Bowman SA, et al. Effects of fast-food consumption on energy intake and diet quality among children in a national household survey. Pediatrics 2004; 113:112-132.
Mozaffarian D, Hao T, Rimm EB, Willett WC, Hu FB. Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men. NEJM 2011; 364(25):2392-404.
Can yogurt reduce your chances of being overweight?
There is a wide-ranging body of scientific evidence suggesting a beneficial relationship between a regular intake of dairy foods and weight, as well as body fat (8, 9). A systematic review of 22 studies suggested that yogurt consumption is associated with lower Body Mass Index (BMI), lower body weight and weight gain, smaller waist circumference and lower body fat (10).
Six cross-sectional studies have examined the relationship between yogurt and BMI. Five found a beneficial association (yogurt consumers had a significantly lower BMI than non-consumers) in females only for two of these studies (11, 12), and in both genders for three studies (13-15), while one showed no effect of yogurt on BMI (16).
In addition, in one of these studies (13), it was found that people who ate more than three servings of yogurt a week gained about 55% less weight over a year compared to those who ate less than one serving per week. When it came to waist size, higher yogurt consumers gained 20% less than lower yogurt consumers.
A Mediterranean cohort study found that high yogurt consumption (seven or more servings per week) at baseline was associated with a 20% lower risk of overweight or obesity after 6 years. This inverse association was stronger if consumption was coupled with high fruit intake (32% risk reduction) (17).
The CARDIA study (a prospective cohort study amongst a large group of young adults) showed that total dairy intake significantly reduced the risk of overweight people becoming obese. However, there was no significant association between yogurt intake per se (18).
References:
8. Jacques PF, Wang H. Yogurt and weight management. Am J Clin Nutr 2014; 99(5 Suppl):1229S-34S. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/99/5/1229S.full.pdf.
9. Astrup A, Chaput JP, Gilbert JA, Lorenzen JK. Dairy beverages and energy balance. Physiol Behav 2010; 100(1):67-75.
10. Eales J, Lenoir-Wijnkoop I, King S, Wood H, Kok FJ, Shamir R, Prentice A, Edwards M, Glanville J, Atkinson RL. Is consuming yoghurt associated with weight management outcomes? Results from a systematic review. International Journal of Obesity, advance online publication nov 2015. http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ijo2015202a.html
11. Gugger C, Joshi N, Albertson A. Yogurt consumption is associated with lower body weight status and improved nutrient intakes in adult women. FASEB Journal 2014; 1.
12. Joshi NA, Albertson AM, Bell E. Yogurt intake is associated with favorable nutrient intake and healthy body measures in US women: Results from NHANES 2007-08. FASEB Journal 2011; 25.
13. Wang H, Troy LM, Rogers GT, Fox CS, McKeown NM, Meigs JB, Jacques PF. Longitudinal association between dairy consumption and changes of body weight and waist circumference: the Framingham Heart Study. Int J Obes 2014; 38(2):299-305.
14. Beydoun MA, Gary TL, Caballero BH, Lawrence RS, Cheskin LJ, Wang Y. Ethnic differences in dairy and related nutrient consumption among US adults and their association with obesity, central obesity, and the metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr 2008; 87(6):1914-25.
15. Wang H, Livingston KA, Fox CS, Meigs JB, Jacques PF. Yogurt consumption is associated with better diet quality and metabolic profile in American men and women. Nutr Res 2013; 33(1):18-26.
16. Murphy KJ, Crichton GE, Dyer KA, Coates AM, Pettman TL, Milte C, et al. Dairy foods and dairy protein consumption is inversely related to markers of adiposity in obese men and women. Nutrients 2013; 5(11):4665-84.
17. Martinez-Gonzalez MA, Sayon-Orea C, Ruiz-Canela M, de la Fuente C, Gea A, Bes-Rastrollo M. Yogurt consumption, weight change and risk of overweight/obesity: The SUN cohort study. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases. NMCD 2014; 24(11):1189–1196.
18. Pereira MA, Jacobs DR, Jr., Van Horn L, Slattery ML, Kartashov AI, Ludwig DS. Dairy consumption, obesity, and the insulin resistance syndrome in young adults: the CARDIA Study. JAMA 2002; 287(16):2081-9.
Can yogurt give you curves in the right places?
A large Spanish cohort study found that whole fat yogurt consumption (7 or more servings per week) was associated with a 15% reduced risk of developing central adiposity (waist circumference ≥102 cm in males and ≥88 cm in females) (19).
Two other cohort studies provide evidence for a negative association between yogurt consumption and waist circumference in overweight people over a follow-up period of 6 or 12.9 years (13, 20).
A significant negative association between yogurt consumption and waist circumference for both sexes has also been reported by three cross-sectional studies (14, 16, 21). And, in a study of Canadian adults, yogurt consumption was associated with lower body weight, waist to hip ratio, waist circumference and tended to be associated with a lower BMI (22).
References:
19. Sayon-Orea C, Bes-Rastrollo M, Martí A, Pimenta AM, Martín-Calvo N, Martínez-González MA. Association between yogurt consumption and the risk of Metabolic Syndrome over 6 years in the SUN study. BMC Public Health 2015; 15:1518.
20. Vergnaud AC, Peneau S, Chat-Yung S, Kesse E, Czernichow S, Galan P, et al. Dairy consumption and 6-y changes in body weight and waist circumference in middle-aged French adults. Am J Clin Nutr 2008; 88(5):1248-55.
21. Albertson AM, Holschuh NM, Eldridge AL. Yogurt consumption in the United States: Effect on nutrient intakes and body measures in adults 19+ years. FASEB Journal 2007; 21(6):A1061.
22. Cormier H. Thifault E, Garneau V, Tremblay A, Drapeau V, Pérusse L, Vohl MC. Association between yogurt consumption, dietary patterns, and cardio-metabolic risk factors. Eur J Nutr 2015; Mar 15.
Yogurt consumption and weight and fat loss
There is only a very small amount of evidence relating to yogurt consumption and weight and fat loss.
A randomised controlled trial (RCT) by Zemel and colleagues (23) indicated that when yogurt is part of an energy-restricted diet for overweight/obese people, yogurt supplementation can help to significantly reduce body weight compared to a placebo control (sugar-free gelatine dessert) over 12 weeks. However, two other RCTs found no weight loss differences between yogurt and control groups (24, 25).
References:
23. Zemel MB, Richards J, Mathis S, Milstead A, Gebhardt L, Silva E. Dairy augmentation of total and central fat loss in obese subjects. Int J Obes 2005; 29(4):391-7.
24. Shlisky JD, Durward CM, Zack MK, Campbell JK, Jonnalagadda SS, Gugger C, et al. Effects of an energy-restricted, moderate-protein diet plan with non-fat dairy on weight changes: 12 weeks of weight loss (WL) followed by 12 weeks of WL maintenance. FASEB Journal 2012; 26.
25. Thomas DT, Wideman L, Lovelady CA. Effects of a dairy supplement and resistance training on lean mass and insulin-like growth factor in women. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism 2011; 21(3):181-8.
Three Yogurt Weight Management Facts
There are a number of theories about how yogurt may effect body fat and give a helping hand to weight management:
1. Yogurt is a good source of calcium and protein, containing more than an equivalent volume of milk. Several studies have shown that dietary calcium can bind fat and decrease its absorption from the intestinal tract (26). Calcium and dietary proteins such as whey and casein proteins, peptides and amino acids such as leucine may facilitate loss of weight and fat mass. For example, adequate calcium intake decreases levels of calcitriol, a calcium-regulating hormone, leading to decreases in intracellular calcium and less fat being stored in adipocytes which may result in weight loss (27, 28).
2. Yogurt as a fermented food that can contain live and active cultures may be able to change colonic bacteria that might influence weight gain (8, 29).
3. Yogurt, especially protein-rich yogurt, has a potential role in promoting satiety. Studies suggest that protein enhances satiety and satiation and can lead to a reduction in appetite (Digest 2).
It is also possible that people who increase or decrease their yogurt consumption may have other linked weight-influencing behaviours that have not as yet been measured or identified in reported studies (7).
26. Christensen R, Lorenzen JK, Svith CR, Bartels EM, Melanson EL, Saris WH, Tremblay A, Astrup A. Effect of calcium from dairy and dietary supplements on faecal fat excretion: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Obes Rev 2009; 10(4):475-86.
27. Zemel MB. Role of calcium and dairy products in energy partitioning and weight management. Am J Clin Nutr 2004; 79: 907S–912S0.
28. Zemel MB. The role of dairy foods in weight management. J Am Coll Nutr 2005; 24:537S–46S.
29. Kallus SJ, Brandt LJ. The intestinal microbiota and obesity. J Clin Gastroenterol 2012; 46:16–24.
Science to spoon
A successful weight management plan can be built around a range of healthy foods, incorporating a realistic physical activity plan, behaviour-change techniques and support. Ideally, a programme should be managed within a multi-disciplinary team of experts with an aim to achieve and keep to a healthy weight as part of a long-term lifestyle change.
At the end of this Digest, you’ll see a hand-out for your patients and clients: examples of mindful eating techniques, healthy eating tips and menu suggestions for incorporating dairy foods (including yogurt) into a balanced meal plan.
Eating for a healthy weight needn’t be about counting calories; check out these practical hints and tips to help you enjoy a wide range of tasty foods, including yogurt, whilst keeping a watchful eye on your weight.
Five foodie tips
1. Eat regular meals, especially breakfast. Missing meals can make you give in to temptation and you
might reach for unhealthy snacks that don’t offer you nutrients or a feeling of fullness.
2. Fill up on fibre. Fruit and vegetables are typically low in calories, high in fibre and low in fat – they also provide essential nutrients for health, and are low in energy density (calories per bite!). Aim for at least five servings of fruit and veg a day. High fibre foods help promote satiety – whole grains like oats, brown rice, pasta and bulgur wheat; and vegetables such as beans and pulses.
3. Cut down on unwanted fat, for example by avoiding fried foods, choosing lean cuts of meat and lower fat cooking methods like grilling and steaming. As a general rule, choose high protein lower fat dairy foods to help fill you up and provide essential nutrients including calcium and phosphorus. Lower fat dairy foods still have the same amount of calcium as full fat varieties. Aim for 3 servings of lower fat dairy a day (3-4 dairy servings seem to be the usual amount used in RCTs) (Figure 6).
4. Keep to within the recommended alcohol limits and ideally have no more than one unit of alcohol a day to keep your calorie intake down.
5. Watch portion sizes – using a smaller plate and checking recommended portion sizes on packaged foods helps.
Menu ideas for breakfast
Eating for a healthy weight needn’t be about counting calories; check out these practical hints and tips to help you enjoy a wide range of tasty foods, including yogurt, whilst keeping a watchful eye on your weight.
Menu ideas for lunch
Eating for a healthy weight needn’t be about counting calories; check out these practical hints and tips to help you enjoy a wide range of tasty foods, including yogurt, whilst keeping a watchful eye on your weight.
Menu ideas for in between meals
Eating for a healthy weight needn’t be about counting calories; check out these practical hints and tips to help you enjoy a wide range of tasty foods, including yogurt, whilst keeping a watchful eye on your weight.
Menu ideas for dinner
Eating for a healthy weight needn’t be about counting calories; check out these practical hints and tips to help you enjoy a wide range of tasty foods, including yogurt, whilst keeping a watchful eye on your weight.
Eating Mindfully
Your mind-set can make or break your healthy weight goals. We eat for many different reasons, for example, in response to emotions, the sight of food, social situations, boredom, habit and hunger. Here are some suggestions that could help you get your brain in gear.
Make conscious choices
Always try to stop, think, and make a conscious choice before you eat. Really choosing whether you eat something, or not, not only keeps you focused but can stop you feeling deprived. Keeping a food diary can help you to make conscious choices, as you’re more aware of what you’re eating and when.
Follow an eating plan
See the menu on Figure 5 as an example of a structured menu plan.
Decide on the times that you will have each meal, and when you will eat 2-3 wise, planned snacks, such as fruit, yogurt, handful of nuts, over the day. If you think you feel hungry, drink some water, and try to wait until the next planned time to eat, and distract yourself by doing something else. This is a good way to tell the difference between real hunger and other triggers for eating. You will often find that the urge to eat has passed.
Choose satisfying foods
Foods that have a low energy density (foods that are lower in calories compared to other foods of the same weight) may help you to feel fuller for longer and, in turn, help you eat more mindfully and stay on track. These tend to be foods that give you protein and/or bulky fibre, for example, yogurt, fruit, vegetables, pulses, seafood and soup. Further, emerging research seems to suggest that full fat dairy products may be beneficial in weight management (30).
Beware ‘all or nothing’ thinking
If you can’t fend off a craving or snack attack, you haven’t ‘failed’ or ‘ruined everything’. Instead, see it as a learning experience. Plan how you might deal with it differently next time, forgive yourself and move on. Don’t let lapses push you off course. Ups and downs like these are normal. Enlisting support from a friend, partner, healthcare professional, group or on-line community can help too.
Figure 5: Time to eat mindfully.
Reference:
30. Mozaffarian D, Ludwig DS .The 2015 US Dietary Guidelines: Lifting the Ban on Total Dietary Fat. JAMA. 2015 Jun 23-30;313(24):2421-2
Selected for you this week: Tips for nutritious and healthy snacking by The Irish National Dairy Council.
Snacking gets plenty of bad press. But it’s worth knowing that snacking can actually play an important role in the diet. This may be especially relevant to some children who, due to their relatively small body size, may only be able to eat small amounts in one sitting.
Attention should be given to food choices, however. Snack foods should be nutritious – providing essential nutrients without excessive amounts of energy, fat, sugar or salt. For this reason, ‘treat foods’ should only be eaten occasionally (not every day) and in small amounts. Snacks should be selected based on your child’s overall diet and lifestyle.
SUITABLE SNACKS INCLUDE:
Fresh fruit – whole fruits or a mixed fruit salad
Yogurt
Small scone
Unsalted crackers/crispbread served with hummus or cheese
Bite-size vegetable pieces e.g. chopped carrots, cherry tomatoes
Vegetable sticks with a natural yogurt or hummus dip – try a variety of vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, green/red peppers
Controlling appetite and maintaining the level of satiety are crucial challenges when it comes to controlling food intake and body weight. This new study shows that a whey-protein-enriched snack, such as yogurt, may be efficient in reducing food intake.
Afternoon snack
In this randomized crossover study, 20 healthy women aged 20-30 years and with a BMI between 20 and 24.9, consumed 3 different snacks in the afternoon separately: yogurt with addedwhey protein (PSL) biscuits and chocolate. Each time the snack was consumed 3 hours after lunch, which was a standardized menu. The perceived feelings of hunger and fullness were evaluated during the afternoon until the voluntary ad libitum dinner intake. Each snack was tested 3 times.
Whey protein prolonged satiety
The results show that yogurt with PSL leads to a reduction in appetite, which was significantly greater than after the consumption of biscuits and chocolate. In addition, the time between the yogurt snack and eating dinner was 45 minutes longer, compared with the two other snacks, and showed a significant reduction in the caloric intake during that meal.
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