Low carb diets lower the risk of heart disease compared to high carb diets

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in Lipids Volume 45, Number 10, 907-914 and a recipe for sweet potato cayenne battered sea bass.

Study title and author:
Atherogenic Dyslipidemia: Cardiovascular Risk and Dietary Intervention

Kiran Musunuru

Books:

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.springerlink.com/content/20u44k0741h4v375/

Atherogenic dyslipidemia comprises a triad of increased blood concentrations of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, and increased triglycerides. A typical feature of obesity, the metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherogenic dyslipidemia has emerged as an important risk factor for myocardial infarction and cardiovascular disease.

Low-carbohydrate diets appear to have beneficial lipoprotein effects in individuals with atherogenic dyslipidemia, compared to high-carbohydrate diets, whereas the content of total fat or saturated fat in the diet appears to have little effect.

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Recipe of the day

Sweet Potato Cayenne Battered Sea Bass

Food Mall: Sea Bass

Ingredients:

■1/2 pound fresh sea bass, without skin

■3/4 tbsp Irish or other organic butter
■pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt
■1/4 tsp cayenne –
■1/8 – 1/4 tsp cinnamon
■1/8 cup Sweet Potato flour

Instructions:
This will be best if you use a cast iron pan. Heat pan on medium – high and melt 1/2 tbsp butter. Rub cayenne and cinnamon very gently onto “only” one side of your sea bass, cautiously wet with some water sprinkles. (Make sure that you don’t rub the cayenne and the cinnamon off.)

Now batter sea bass with sweet potato flour and carefully pat to get rid of excess flour. Carefully place the fish into the golden bubbling butter, reduce heat to medium, cook for 3 – 5 minutes on each side and enjoy with some fresh vine ripe tomato and a Thai chili or your favorite side dish. Put the other 1/4 of the butter on top of the side that you’ll flip.

Sweet Potato Cayenne Battered Sea Bass

The case for high fat/low carbohydrate diets in diabetes management

This post contains a summary of a paper published in Nutrition & Metabolism 2005, 2:16 and a recipe for salmon and garlic spinach.

Study title and authors:
The case for low carbohydrate diets in diabetes management

Surender K Arora and Samy I McFarlane

Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203 NY 11203, USA

This paper can be accessed at:http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/2/1/16 
  
This paper reviewed the evidence of low fat/high carbohydrate diets and high fat/low carbohydrate diets in the management of diabetes.

The review found:
(a) Low fat/high carbohydrate diets raise blood glucose levels which increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
(b) The current epidemic of obesity and diabetes over the last 30 years has coincided with a significant decline in fat consumption and an increase in carbohydrate consumption.
(c) Evidence from trials has shown that the high fat/low carbohydrate diet is more effective than the low fat/high carbohydrate diet in the treatment of diabetes.
E.g. High fat/ low carbohydrate diets:
(i) Result in more weight reduction.
(ii) Have a greater improvement in various cholesterol values.
(iii) Control blood pressure.
(iv) Reduce triglycerides.
(v) Increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels.#
(d) Scientific evidence has shown the traditional low fat/high carbohydrate diet treatment for diabetes has an ambiguous record at best.
(e) The objections to a high fat/low carbohydrate diet have very little scientific basis.

The findings of the paper are that some form of high fat/low carbohydrate diet is a viable option for patients with diabetes.

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Recipe of the day

Salmon and Garlic Spinach

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Salmon Fillets

◦3T + 2T fat

◦2 salmon fillets
◦S&P
◦1/2 lb. fresh spinach
◦3-5 gloves garlic, finely chopped

Method:
In a saute pan over medium high heat, melt about 3 T fat. Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with S&P. Place the wing in the pan and saute for about 7 minutes, flip once you see a little bit of color and saute on the other side. You shouldn’t see any pink or redness, if you do, cook it longer.

For the spinach, use the same saute pan and saute the garlic in about 2 T melted fat. Add the spinach all at once and let it sit for about 2-3 minutes. Then use some tongs or a spatula to turn it over so the fresh spinach gets wilted. This should take less than 10 minutes.

Salmon and Garlic Spinach



Diets with increased protein and reduced carbohydrates shown to improve weight loss, cholesterol values, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes

This post includes a summary of a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 87, No. 5, 1571S-1575S, May 2008 and a recipe for pork loin and butternut squash stew.

Study title and authors:

Books:

Protein in optimal health: heart disease and type 2 diabetes1,2,3,4

Donald K Layman, Peter Clifton, Mary C Gannon, Ronald M Krauss and Frank Q Nuttall

1 From the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (DKL); CSIRO Health Sciences and Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia (PC); the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN (MCG and FQN); and the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA (RMK)

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/87/5/1571S
 
Diets with increased protein and reduced carbohydrates have been shown to improve weight loss, cholesterol values, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.

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Recipe of the day

Pork Loin and Butternut Squash Stew

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs pork loin chops, cubed

2 leeks, trimmed and sliced

4 celery stalks, chopped

Food Mall: Pork Loin Chops

2 shallots, diced

7-10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 cups cubed butternut squash
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:
Place the chopped veggies and cubed pork into your slow cooker. Cover with the spices and pour in the coconut milk, chicken broth, and lemon juice. Mix well and cook for either 5 hours on high or 7 hours on low.

Pork Loin and Butternut Squash Stew