Christopher D. Gardner, director of nutrition research at the Stanford Center for Prevention Research and chairman of the committee that wrote the report, said the amount of misinformation circulating on social media sites had reached “significant levels.” It states that
“The public and many health professionals are likely to be confused about a heart-healthy diet, and it’s no surprise,” he added. They may feel that they do not have the training or time to assess important characteristics.”
Ranking of foods for heart health
report released Thursday in the journal Circulationwas drafted by a team of nutritional scientists, cardiologists, nutritionists, and other health professionals who analyzed different dietary patterns.
See how well these diets align with heart-healthy dietary guidelines based on evidence from decades of randomized controlled trials, epidemiologic studies, and other studies. was rated for The report also took into account factors such as whether the diet allowed flexibility so that people could adjust based on their cultural and personal preferences and budgetary constraints.
of Heart Association Guidelines It includes advice to eat protein and heart-rich foods such as a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as brown rice, bulgur, and steel-cut oats, lean meats, olive and vegetable oils, and seafood. -Healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
The group recommends limiting foods that are salty, high in sugar, highly processed, or made with white flour or other refined grains. , white pasta, cookies, cakes, pastries, hot dogs, sausages, and processed meats such as cold cuts.
When it comes to alcohol, the evidence that it benefits cardiovascular health is questionable.
Popular low-carb diets scored lowest
Using a scale of 0 to 100, the Heart Association gave some of the most talked about diets widely promoted on social media the lowest ranking. points), and ultra-low-carbohydrate regimens such as the Paleo diet (53 points).
Following such a diet typically requires limiting carbohydrate intake to less than 10% of daily calories. Diets are widely promoted for weight loss and are endorsed by many celebrities.
“People are very carb-phobic, and that’s one of the things you see on Instagram — that carbs are bad,” said Lisa Young, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University. That’s false information.Fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains are healthy carbohydrates.These foods are the foundation of a healthy diet.”
The report noted that the Atkins and Keto diets have several beneficial features. However, they generally limit many “healthy” carbohydrates that are in line with the Heart Association’s dietary principles, such as beans, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and many fruits. They also typically have high intakes of fatty meats and foods rich in saturated fats.
Some studies have found that ultra-low-carb diets can help with weight loss and improve certain markers of metabolic health, such as blood sugar and triglyceride levels. Ultra-low-carbohydrate diets often cause elevated LDL cholesterol levels, which can increase the risk of heart disease.
The report found similar problems with the Paleo diet, which excludes grains, vegetable oils, most dairy products, and legumes such as peanuts and soybeans. The theory behind the diet is that it allows foods such as fruit and honey that were accessible to our hunter-gatherer ancestors, but excludes grains and other foods associated with modern agriculture.
It has also been criticized for its diet, which is often interpreted as an all-you-can-eat stance on red meat, from steaks and burgers to bacon and processed deli meats. TikTok’s “Liver King,” for example, gained popularity by advocating a controversial meaty “ancestral” diet consisting primarily of organ and muscle meat.
The low ranking of ketogenic and paleo diets is expected to be controversial. In 2019, three doctors Essay published in JAMA Internal Medicine It warned that enthusiasm for the ketogenic diet has outstripped the science.
Colette Heimowitz, Atkins’ vice president of nutrition and education, said the new report did not adequately describe Atkins’ diet. 3 approaches Different carbohydrate restrictions.
One approach, usually used short-term for weight loss, allows only 20 grams of carbs per day. Another version of Atkins allows 40 grams of carbs per day, and a third approach is up to 100 grams of carbs per day, including small amounts of fruit, starchy vegetables, beans and whole grains. can. “Evidence suggests that Americans have varying tolerances to carbohydrate loads.
4 winning cardio diets
The Heart Association gave the highest possible score (100 points) to the dietary DASH pattern, which stands for “diet to stop high blood pressure.” Developed by researchers at the National Institutes of Health in the 1990s, the DASH diet is widely endorsed by doctors, nutritionists, and other nutrition professionals.
But among celebrities and social media influencers, it’s not always topical. The diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and low-fat dairy, and encourages people to consume less salt, fatty meats, added sugars, and refined grains. We urge you to limit the
The DASH diet and three other high-scoring diets were grouped into what the Heart Association called Tier 1. Other groups in the tier 1 group included a pescatarian diet (92 points), a Mediterranean diet (89 points) and a vegetarian diet (86 points). ).
These diets have small differences, but they also have something in common. Some commonalities — Promoting fresh produce, whole grains, beans and other plant and whole foods. The pescatarian diet is similar to the vegetarian diet but allows seafood. The Mediterranean diet promotes moderate drinking, while the DASH diet allows but discourages alcohol.
“The conclusion we made during these diets is that they’re all fine and very consistent with a heart-healthy diet,” Gardner said.
Gardner said the report was based not necessarily on how some people actually practice or interpret diets, but on how diets are “intended” to be. I emphasized my decision.
For example, a vegetarian can drink Coca-Cola and have potato chips and McDonald’s Egg McMuffins for breakfast. said.
“When people say they should follow a plant-based diet, that’s not what we have in mind,” he added. I know they’re not on a diet, they’re misinformed.”
This report included two other tiers of dietary patterns. Vegan and low-fat diets were classified as the second tier because they encourage eating fiber-rich plants, fruits, and vegetables and limiting sugary foods and alcohol. , points out that they are very restrictive and can be difficult for many to follow. .
The third tier of meals received the second lowest score range. This group includes low-carb approaches, such as the South Beach Diet and the Zone Diet, which limit carbohydrates to 30-40% of your daily calories, and ultra-low-fat diet plans, such as the Ornish, Esselstyn, and Pritikin programs, which limit fat. was included. Consume less than 10% of your daily calorie intake.
These meals scored lower for the following reasons. The report found that many healthy foods are restricted or eliminated. For example, people on low-carb diets tend to be low in fiber and high in saturated fats, while those on ultra-low-fat diets tend to eat healthy unsaturated fats found in olive oil and avocados. You should cut down on all types of fat, including , nuts and seeds.
Despite giving some diets lower scores, the report found that all diets across all strata had a score of 4 Positive Commonalities: They encouraged people to eat whole foods, more non-starchy vegetables, less added sugar, and less refined grains.
“If we could get Americans to do these four things, it would go a long way toward helping everyone eat healthier,” Gardner said.
Questions about healthy eating? Email [email protected] I may answer your question in a future column.
