Your delicious, new secret weapon in the battle of the bulge

 

So, it looks as if the mainstream medical journals may finally be paying attention to some of the things you and I care so dearly about. For example, a new study published in the British Medical Journal revealed that eating certain foods can help prevent the “slow creep” that happens to so many people’s weight during middle-age.

The study included 24 years’ worth of data on over 124,000 people from three different well-known, large-scale studies that have already provided a great deal of nutritional information: the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS).

The researchers found that, in general, women gained an average of 2.9 to 4.4 lbs and men gained an average of 2.2 lbs every 4 years.

There it is in a nutshell  — the 10 lb.-per-decade weight gain that happens when you’re not paying attention. And this slow creep isn’t as innocent as it seems. As the years go by, even a 10 or 20 lb. weight gain can substantially impact your risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer or diabetes.

But, the good news is…

The researchers consistently found that people who ate more flavonoid-rich foods tended not to gain weight over time. In fact, they even experienced a modest weight loss. And even a small decrease in weight can be significant as you enter middle age and beyond.

Researchers found seven different types of flavonoids were responsible for helping subjects maintain a healthy weight: flavanones, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols, proanthocyanidins, flavonoid polymers, flavonols, and flavones.

The strongest links to weight loss came from:

  • Anthocyanins, which are found in blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, grapes, radishes, and blackcurrants
  • Flavonoid polymers, found in tea and apples
  • Flavonols, found in tea, beans, and onions
  • Proanthocyanidins, found in hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios and unsweetened cocoa

There you have it. Mother Nature provided us with the tools to stay lean and healthy. Unfortunately, most people in the U.S. eat less than 1 cup of fruit, and less than 2 cups of vegetables a day.

I just wish people truly understood that their overall health depends on eating whole, real foods.

Of course, food manufacturers have done a great job of tempting us otherwise. Which is precisely why a study like this one is so important. It provides a simple, clear-cut strategy to help fend off weight gain as we age.

Berries, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, cocoa, green tea…These are all delicious foods. And ones you can eat every day when you follow my New Hamptons Health Miracle. No deprivation necessary.

 

Resources:

http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i17

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/85795


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