Very low-carbohydrate diets can help to lose a significant amount of fat

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2004; 1(2): 7–11 and instructions on how to make beef tallow.

Study title and author:
Metabolic Effects of the Very-Low-Carbohydrate Diets: Misunderstood "Villains" of Human Metabolism
Anssi H Manninen
Advanced Research Press, Inc., New York, USA

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2129159/

Books:

In this review Manninen investigated the effects of a very low carbohydrate intake. He explains that ketones are produced with a very low carbohydrate intake which causes a harmless physiological state known as dietary ketosis. These ketones flow from the liver to other tissues (e.g., brain) for use as a fuel.

Manninen found:
(a) In comparison with glucose, ketones are actually a very good fuel, and there is no clear requirement for dietary carbohydrates for human adults.
(b) Ketones may offer therapeutic potential in a variety of different common and rare diseases.
(c) Very low-carbohydrate diets cause a significant reduction in fat mass and a concomitant increase in lean body mass.

To conclude: Very low carbohydrate diets produce ketones. Ketones are a very good fuel for the brain, may be useful in treating various diseases and can help to lose a significant amount of fat.

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Recipe of the day

How To Render Tallow

Equipment:

Beef Tallow

Cast iron or enamel pan or stockpot, or crockpot
Metal strainer
Coffee filter, paper towel or cheesecloth
Wide-mouth mason jars

Ingredients:

Grass-fed beef, lamb, bison or pork fat, also called suet - ground or cut into small pieces.

Method 1: How to RenderTallow on the Stovetop

1. Place the pan on the stove.

2. Add the ground fat.

3. Add the water (optional).

4. Set the heat on the lowest possible setting. Cover and let cook, stirring occasionally.

5. Cook until you’re left with mostly clear or golden liquid with bits of hardened stuff on top.

6. Remove from heat and strain into a mason jar through a metal strainer lined with a coffee filter, paper towel or cheesecloth.

Method 2: How to Render Tallow in the Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

2. Place the fat into the pan.

3. Add the water (optional).

4. Cook until you’re left with mostly clear or golden liquid with bits of hardened stuff on top.

5. Remove from heat and strain into a mason jar through a metal strainer lined with a coffee filter, paper towel or cheesecloth.

Method 3: How to Render Tallow in the Crockpot

1. Place the fat into the crockpot.

2. Add the water (optional).

3. Set the crock pot on low heat.

4. Cook until you’re left with mostly clear or golden liquid with bits of hardened stuff on top.

5. Remove from heat and strain into a mason jar through a metal strainer lined with a coffee filter, paper towel or cheesecloth.

Beef Tallow



Researchers question the validity of present-day (low-fat, high carbohydrate) dietary guidelines

This post contains a summary of a paper published in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2004 Jul;7(4):485-92 and a recipe for green chicken masala.

Study title and author:
Carbohydrate and weight control: where do we stand?
Acheson KJ.
Nutrition and Health Department, Nestlé Research Center, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland. kevin.acheson@rdls.nestle.com

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15192454

Books:

Acheson notes that the Atkins diet has been criticized and vilified by much of the scientific community since it was proposed 30 years ago, because it challenged nutritional recommendations and dietary guidelines for a healthy diet. However, in spite of such recommendations the prevalence of obesity continues to rise. The present review evaluates recent scientific evidence and attempts to reach consensus on the confusion of weight-reducing diets.

The review found that low-carbohydrate, Atkins-type diets have been demonstrated to have positive effects on weight loss and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, which has prompted some researchers to question the validity of present-day (low-fat, high carbohydrate) dietary guidelines.

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Recipe of the day

Green Chicken Masala

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Chicken Thighs

•2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces;

•1 cup full-fat coconut milk;
•1 onion, finely chopped;
•1/4 cup lemon juice;
•1/2 cup water or chicken stock;
•4 garlic cloves, minced;
•2 cups fresh cilantro leaves;
•1 cup fresh mint leaves;
•1 jalapeño pepper, chopped coarsely;
•1 1/2 tsp turmeric;
•1/2 tsp cinnamon;
•1/2 tsp ground cardamom;
•1/8 tsp ground cloves;
•3 tbsp coconut oil or clarified butter;
•Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation:
1.Heat a large skillet over a medium heat and add the onion with the cooking fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.

2.Add the chicken thighs as well as the turmeric to the skillet and continue cooking, still while stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, place the lemon juice, water or stock, cilantro, mint, jalapeño and garlic in a blender or food processor and process to obtain a smooth puree.

4.After the chicken has cooked for about 7 minutes, add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Cook for another minute.

5.Pour in the coconut milk, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the herb puree.

6.Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is well cooked and tender.

Green Chicken Masala



Low carbohydrate diets diets are a viable option in reversing diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and the epidemic of obesity

This post includes a synopsis of a paper published in Nutrition in Clinical Practice 2011 Jun;26(3):300-8 and a recipe for ground lamb and pumpkin.

Study title and authors:
Low-carbohydrate diet review: shifting the paradigm.
Hite AH, Berkowitz VG, Berkowitz K.
Valerie Goldstein-Berkowitz, 7 West 51st Street, New York, NY 10019;

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21586415

Books:

This review examined and compared the safety and the effectiveness of a low carbohydrate diet as an alternative to a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, which is the current standard for weight loss and/or chronic disease prevention.

The review found:
(a) In short-term and long-term comparison studies, low carbohydrate diets performed as well as or better than comparable low fat diets with regard to weight loss, cholesterol levels, glucose and insulin response, blood pressure, and other important cardiovascular risk markers in both normal subjects and those with metabolic and other health-related disorders.
(b) The metabolic, hormonal, and appetite signaling effects of carbohydrate reduction suggest an underlying scientific basis for considering it as an alternative approach to the low fat, high-carbohydrate recommendations in addressing overweight/obesity and chronic disease.

Hite concludes: It is time to embrace low carbohydrate diets diets as a viable option to aid in reversing diabetes mellitus, risk factors for heart disease, and the epidemic of obesity.

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Recipe of the day

Ground Lamb and Pumpkin

Food Mall: Ground Lamb

Ingredients:

1 lb ground lamb

1 zucchini, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp allspice

Instructions:
Black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet, add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add lamb and cook until the lamb is almost done. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, cover and let simmer together for 2 minutes or until the zucchini is tender but not mushy.

For the pumpkin, use 1 small sugar pumpkin. Cut the pumpkin in 1/2 and remove the seeds (save them to roast)! Place the pumpkin in your pressure cooker with about 2 cups of water and cook for 6-7 minutes.

Scoop out the pumpkin and serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon with the lamb.

Ground Lamb and Pumpkin



In older adults with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, very low carbohydrate diets, even in the short term, can improve their memory function

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in Neurobiology of Aging 2010 Dec 2 and a recipe for lamb and mint kebabs.

Study title and authors:
Dietary ketosis enhances memory in mild cognitive impairment
Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Dangelo K, Couch SC, Benoit SC, Clegg DJ.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21130529

Books:

In this study 23 older adults with mild cognitive impairment were assigned to either a (i) high carbohydrate or (ii) very low carbohydrate diet for 6 weeks.

The study found after 6 weeks:

(a) Improved verbal memory performance for the low carbohydrate subjects.
(b) Reductions in weight in the low carbohydrate subjects.
(c) Change in calorie intake, insulin level, and weight were not correlated with memory performance for both groups.
(d) Higher ketone levels were positively correlated with better memory performance.

To conclude: In older adults with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease, these findings indicate that very low carbohydrate consumption, even in the short term, can improve their memory function.

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Recipe of the day

Lamb and Mint Kebabs

Ingredients:

450g/1lb boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 2.5cm/1inch cubes

30ml/2tbsp freshly chopped mint or oregano

Food Mall: Boneless Lamb Leg

Salt and freshly milled black pepper

15ml/1tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

15ml/1tbsp olive oil

Method:

1.Place all the kebab ingredients into a large, shallow dish, toss gently, cover and leave to marinate for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

2.Thread the lamb on to 8 short or 4 long wooden (previously soaked in water) or metal skewers.

3.Cook the kebabs on a prepared barbecue or preheated grill for 12-16 minutes, turning occasionally until any meat juices run clear.

Lamb and Mint Kebabs



Diabetics and non diabetics on a higher fat/low carbohydrate diet lose over 3 times as much weight as those on a "healthy-eating" (high carbohydrate/lower fat) diet

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in Diabetic Medicine 2007 Dec;24(12):1430-5 and a recipe for Tomato, chili pepper, and sweet onion frittata.

Study title and authors:
A low-carbohydrate diet is more effective in reducing body weight than healthy eating in both diabetic and non-diabetic subjects.

Dyson PA, Beatty S, Matthews DR.

Books:

Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK. pam.dyson@orh.nhs.uk

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17971178

This study of 13 diabetic and 13 non diabetic subjects evaluated whether a low carbohydrate diet could allow diabetic and non diabetic subjects to lose weight.

Subjects followed either a higher fat/low carbohydrate diet or a "healthy eating" (higher carbohydrate/lower fat) diet following Diabetes UK nutritional recommendations.

After 3 months both diabetics and non diabetics on the low carbohydrate diet lost over 3 times as much weight as those on the "healthy-eating" (high carbohydrate) diet.

Obesity is linked to diabetes so the weight reducing higher fat/low carbohydrate diet is more effective at treating diabetes than the Diabetes UK "healthy eating" diet.

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Recipe of the day

Tomato, Chili Pepper, and Sweet Onion Frittata

Ingredient list:
1 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes and chilies

Food Mall: Eggs

Three fresh eggs

Sweet yellow onion
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Dried cilantro
Salt
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop enough onion to cover the bottom of a small frying pan. Open can and transfer tomatoes and chilies to an air-tight container to refrigerate leftovers. Crack three eggs into a small mixing bowl. Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried cilantro to taste. I’ve been on a cilantro-kick lately and have been adding it heavily. Stir with a fork or whisk to mix well.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in the bottom of a small frying pan over medium heat on the stove top. Add onion and let cook in the hot oil. Add tomatoes and chilies to the frying pan using a fork or slotted spoon to reduce the transfer of liquid. I need 2 fork full’s to cover the surface of the skillet. Let the mixture cook a bit, and then pour eggs over the vegetables and let cook until the edges begin to brown and can be edged away from the sides of the pan with a spatula (one or two minutes). Move the frying pan to the oven and let bake about six minutes until the eggs set fully and the top becomes firm to the touch. When done, remove from the oven and transfer to a plate.

Tomato, Chili Pepper, and Sweet Onion Frittata

Review of six studies finds that reduced carbohydrate diets are safe and effective for people with type 2 diabetes

This post includes a summary of a paper published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2008 Dec;21(6):530-8 and a recipe for chili colorado.

Study title and author:

Books:

A review of low and reduced carbohydrate diets and weight loss in type 2 diabetes.

Dyson PA.

Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK. pamela.dyson@ocdem.ox.ac.uk

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18759958
 
This review of six studies found that reduced carbohydrate diets are safe and effective for people with type 2 diabetes.

All six studies also reported reductions in body weight.

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Recipe of the day

Chili Colorado

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Beef Stew Meat

4 cups water

7 dried New Mexico chilies
3 dried California chilies
3 dried Chile de Arbol
1 yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced or 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2.5 lbs beef stew meat
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 cups beef broth
2 – 6oz cans of tomato paste
Black pepper and sea salt to taste

Instructions:
Rinse the dried chilies and place them in a pot with the 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat off and let the chilies soak in the water for 30 minutes. While the chilies are soaking, dice your onion and garlic. Heat the oil in a large soup pot and add the onions. Cook the onions until they start to brown. Add the garlic and the beef to the onions and brown the beef for 7-10 minutes. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper to the beef. Bring to a boil, turn down to medium low or low and let simmer. While the beef is simmering, it’s time to prepare the peppers. Remove the stems from the peppers and place the peppers in a food processor with half of the liquid that the peppers were boiling in. Pulse the peppers until smooth. Using a sieve, pour the ground peppers through the sieve and into the pot with the beef. Use a spoon to help the contents through the sieve, leaving behind the seeds and any of bits of pepper skin. Pour the remaining cooking liquid through the sieve as well into the pot. Bring to a boil, turn back down to low and let the Colorado simmer for 2 hours or until your meat is tender. Serve with avocado and cilantro.

Chili Colorado



34% more weight loss on a low carb diet compared to a low fat diet

This post includes a summary of a paper published in Cardiovascular diabetology 2009 Jul 18;8:36 and a recipe for chicken and chard.

Study title and authors:
A randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of carbohydrate-reduced or fat-reduced diets in patients attending a telemedically guided weight loss program.

Books:

Frisch S, Zittermann A, Berthold HK, Götting C, Kuhn J, Kleesiek K, Stehle P, Körtke H.

Klinik für Thorax- und Kardiovaskularchirurgie, Herzzentrum NRW, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. sfrisch@hdz-nrw.de

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19615091

The study revealed that the carbohydrate-reduced diet was more beneficial with respect to weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors compared to the fat-reduced diet.

Subjects lost 34% more weight on the low carb diet compared to the low fat diet.

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Recipe of the day

Chicken and Chard

Food Mall: Boneless Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

5 garlic cloves, minced
½ red onion, diced
2 bunches of rainbow chard, roughly choped
1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 – 4oz can of roasted diced green chile’s
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon of ground all spice
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Small handful of raisins and raw sliced almonds for garnish

Instructions:
In a large wok or skillet heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until they start to turn translucent. Add the chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes or until almost cooked through. Add the garlic and saute together with the chicken and onions for another 2-3 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, allspice, and the can of chile’s and mix well. Add the chard and cook until the chard is wilted, about another 3-4 minutes. Serve with a sprinkle of raisins and almonds.

Chicken and Chard