Thinnest People Eat a Lot of This food

A four-nation study of more than 4,000 men and women ages 40 to 59 has produced a stunning conclusion in our Atkins diet-fueled society: The thinnest people on Earth eat the most carbohydrates. Even more alarming, the people who eat the most Protein are actually the heaviest.

"Without exception, a high-complex-carbohydrate, high-vegetable-protein diet is associated with low body mass," study leader Linda Van Horn of Northwestern University said in a news conference reported by Reuters. "High-protein diets were associated with higher body weight."

Before you reach for the nearest doughnut, realize that the carbs that do a body good aren't from french fries and white bread that contain lots of sugar. They are complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

In the Northwestern study, more than 4,000 people from the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and China wrote in a food diary everything they had eaten during two 24-hour periods. "Lo and behold, what we did find is that without exception, a high complex-carbohydrate, high-Fiber, high vegetable-protein diet was associated with low body mass index Van Horn explained. A low body mass index or BMI is a standard measure of healthy weight.

But also notable is this finding: The more animal protein that was consumed, the higher the person's weight. And the greater risk to his or her health. "I think any diet that recommends increasing the amount of saturated fat poses a risk," said Randal J. Thomas of the Mayo Clinic. "There may be good things about the diet...but any diet that recommends increases in saturated fat could be increasing the risk in the population."

Neat article. I found it all pretty believable too. I always was kind of skeptical of the atkins high protein type of diet. I recall an interview of a man who wanted to live as long as he possible could and he designed this special food concoction that he ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It looked hideous but consisted of soy beans and a lot of other very fiberous low calorie foods. He was as thin as a rail and looked great for his age. Of course I like to live a little, and couldn't do anything nearly that extreme but I do try to keep some carbs in my diet. I need to get better choosing some of the healthiest ones though. Anyway great article, Teresa

wow that was neat...opened my eyes...time for some whole wheat toast!~

Do I like this? well YA..

I had the hardest concept of atkins, not to put it down but I'm a big vegi/fruit lover. That's the first thing about some diets I could'nt understand..

I understand sugars in natraual foods but when they said fruits had carbs I was thrown for a loop...I could never do atkins for that reason.

So here we are told to eat maxium protien...know as saturated fats (not always but really think about it)

Megan thanks for setting my head straite??

a high complex-carbohydrate, high-fiber, high vegetable-protein diet ...I can do this

Vera-

Thanks kind of what I thought...I can eat lean meats and veggies and fruit (most with skin peeled, of course!)...seems much more sane than all meat all the time. We need the Vitamins in fruits and veggies. Plus, I think the whole atkins craze gave good carbs a bad name too! If I didn't eat my shredded wheat every evening...I'm constipated as all get out. It's not ALL about losing pounds...but more about gaining moderation and eating healthy things.

Glad you all found the article useful...

I'm going to bed now.

Megan

Megan... I could just kiss ya! Can I think of anything I would rather hear???? Nope.

Jack... I eat veggies... raw ones... cooked ones... itty bitty skinny ones... they go down without a fight!

I'm working up the courage to try the wheat flour Pasta... it doesn't look very appealing... hmmmm...

Darcy

Darcy - I will have to find the name of the one I use, you actually can't tell the difference in the wheat and the white. I'll see if I have a box at home.

Jack-

You'll note I said that I eat my bowl of shredded wheat in the evening....that's the only time I can manage anything like that. I don't even try fruits or veggies until after 3...so I end up getting in most of my Protein in the morning (a glass of milk and then an egg mixed with cottage cheese) and lunch (tuna salad, a chicken leg, a fish stick) and then I eat my complex carbs at mid day and evening. I had to PB quite a few times to get the hang of eating the more fiburous stuff...but the key really is to cut it into pieces about the size of a piece of chiclet's gum.

Darcy-

I LOVE whole wheat Pasta. I wouldn't go back to the boring, taste-free white stuff if you paid me. The thing is, I have to chew it like crazy and take little bites...and I can't eat very much...so sometimes I get hungry an hour or so after eating it... Try it thought...then let me know what you think!

Megan

Shredded Wheat is fantastic. Although I decided to change it up a bit and I threw some Raisin Bran into the diet. Works as well as the Shredded Wheat, if you know what I mean. :-)

How's the mushy stage treating you?

Megan