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0518-Carbs-Simple-Complex-Feature

What Are Carbohydrates?

When trying to lose weight carbohydrates are usually first on the list to be eliminated, but should they be avoided? Here we’ll breakdown what carbohydrates are, why you need them, and our recommendations for how much to consume.
Carbohydrates Defined

Carbohydrates are one of three macronutrients (protein and fat being the others) that are an important energy source for our bodies. We often think of carbs as breads, pastas, rice, and desserts, but fruits, vegetables and legumes are carbohydrates too. Carbohydrates are not an “essential” nutrient since the body can convert protein into them, but you need a moderate amount in your diet since the brain relies primarily on glucose (a breakdown product of carbohydrates) in order to survive.

Zone Diet Macronutrients

Simple Carbohydrates vs. Complex Carbs

Not all carbohydrates are created equal. While it is true that once carbohydrates are broken down to glucose in the body they are treated the same way, the rate at which this happens depends on the type of carbohydrate consumed. Quality and quantity are important.

Simple carbohydrates are those that breakdown quickly to glucose. Since they are easy to digest, they rapidly raise blood sugar and insulin too. While many of the foods that fall in this group should be limited due to being rich in added sugars or refined carbohydrates (fiber and nutrients have been removed during processing), not all simple carbohydrates are bad. Nutrient rich foods like fruits and non-starchy vegetables fall in this group too. Though the types of sugars found in fruits and vegetables makes them easy to digest, the fact that many are rich in fiber (a non-digestible carbohydrate) helps to slow down how quickly this takes place.

Complex carbohydrates enter the blood as glucose much more slowly than simple or refined carbohydrates. This is because their chemical structure takes more time to break down in our body. Complex carbs consist of three or more sugar molecules linked together. Foods in this group consist of starchy vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.                            

Zone Diet Carbs

Fiber 

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that can’t be digested in the body. It helps slow down how quickly carbohydrates are broken down into sugar. This is beneficial when it comes to simple carbs like vegetables and fruit. Fiber can either be soluble, dissolving in water (think oatmeal), or insoluble (e.g. vegetables). Soluble fiber is what has been linked to improvements in blood cholesterol levels and healthy blood sugar whereas insoluble is often linked to improvements in gut health.

Non-digestible fiber is found naturally in foods like leeks, asparagus, artichokes, but can also be added to foods during processing such as inulin and oligosaccharides. Since this type of fiber isn’t fully digested it is able to reach the colon where it is fermented by good bacteria. This is why we refer to it as fermentable fiber. The result of this fermentation is that it produces beneficial changes in the composition or activity of the bacteria in our gut helping to improve our overall health and well-being.

Glycemic Index 

Categorizing carbohydrates as simple or complex doesn’t give the full picture on how a food will impact your blood sugar levels. Each carbohydrate containing food enters the blood at a different rate. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale that ranges from 0-100 and rates how slowly or how quickly a food raises blood sugar. The scale is based on consuming 50 grams of carbohydrate in one particular setting and its rate of entry into the blood. The 100 on the scale is for pure glucose, so the higher the glycemic index of a food is to that, the faster that food raises your blood sugar and insulin secretion (e.g boiled potato has a GI of 87 whereas an apple has a GI of 36).

Glycemic Load

Since the GI is based on 50 grams of carbohydrate from one particular food, it doesn’t take into account the total carbohydrate consumed in a meal. This is where the glycemic load comes in. Glycemic Load is a more precise measure as it factors in the rate of entry of carbohydrates into the bloodstream as well as the total amount of carbohydrates you consume in a sitting. This predicts how much insulin your body will produce in response to the carbohydrates actually consumed.Zone Diet Glycemic Load

Zone Diet Glycemic Load

Too much math? Don’t worry we’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you.

The Amount of Carbohydrates You Need

Ideally your carbohydrate intake should primarily come from non-starchy vegetables, limited amounts of fruits, and small amounts of legumes to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Choosing these foods as your main source of your carbohydrates helps to lower the glycemic load of meal. Glycemic load is a measure of how the quality and quantity of your carbohydrates choices at a meal impact the blood glucose and insulin response to that meal. To find out how many carbohydrates you should consume each day and what carbohydrate choices fit within the Zone check out our Body Fat Calculator and Food Block Guide.

Why Carbohydrates Need to be Balanced with Protein

The rate at which carbohydrates raise blood glucose varies depending on the carbohydrates you choose and whether there is fat and protein in the meal too. Even though vegetables and fruit are the best carbohydrates choices, they still raise blood glucose levels when consumed alone. To further stabilize blood glucose and minimize its rise you want to balance your carbohydrate intake with lean protein found in low-fat dairy, eggs, and lean meats. This is the foundation of the Zone Diet. When making a Zone meal we recommend aiming for one that is under 400 calories, has less than 12 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein and about 35 grams of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber).  If you have the right balance of protein to the glycemic load at a meal, you will not be hungry or fatigued for the next five hours.

Zone Diet Meal

Zone Diet Blood Sugar Response

Why Moderate Carbohydrate Intake is Better than Low or High 

Carbohydrates are commonly blamed for weight gain, but in actuality it is constantly elevated insulin levels that lead to weight gain and prevent us from getting the weight off. Consuming excess carbohydrates coupled with an increased intake of omega-6 fatty acids promotes the development of insulin resistance which causes the body to secrete more of the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance promotes the storage of excess calories as increased body fat and also makes it more difficult to release existing stored body fat for energy.

Alternatively consuming too few carbohydrates like a ketogenic diet (high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets) makes the body secrete the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol signals the breakdown of our muscle mass in an effort to give the brain enough glucose to function and increases insulin resistance. Between those extremes lies the Zone where your intake of carbohydrates is moderate, coming primarily from colorful vegetables and fruits, and balanced with adequate amounts of lean protein and a dash of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.  The result is that insulin and blood sugar levels are both stabilized, helping you combat hunger and fatigue.

0518-Carbs-Simple-Complex-Blog3

Find yourself having a hard time cutting out refined carbohydrates like pasta? Consider PastaRx as your protein source for a meal. Although it looks and tastes like traditional pasta, it has been clinically shown to significantly reduce insulin resistance.  It is insulin resistance that makes you gain weight and keeps the weight on.

Try our Cheesy Spinach Fusilli recipe made with Zone PastaRX.

Zone Diet Cheesy Spinach Fusilli Recipe

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Zone PastaRx Fusilli according to package directions. Add spinach for the last 2-3 minutes.
  2. Drain pasta, reserve 1/2 cup of liquid and set aside.
  3. Add the pasta back into the saucepan along with the tomatoes, spices, cheeses and as much reserved pasta water as you want to the saucepan. Stir until warm.
  4. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

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062524---Keto-Blog

Ketogenic Diets and Aging

Chances are, you or someone you know has tried the keto diet at some point in time. This high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan appeals to many due to its promise of rapid weight loss. In this blog, Dr. Sears explores some of the latest scientific findings on ketogenic diets and provides caution before hopping on this trend. What is a Ketogenic Diet? The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate eating plan. This significant reduction in carbohydrates to induce a metabolic state is called ketosis. This only occurs when there is not enough carbohydrates in your liver to completely convert fatty acids to carbon dioxide and water. The normal conversion generates the chemical energy (ATP) that keeps us alive. In the absence of ketosis, each fatty acid generates 108 molecules of ATP when oxidized in the mitochondria. Ketone bodies make less ATP when they are metabolized by mitochondria. How much less? About five times less. This is like switching the gasoline in your car from high-octane fuel to low octane fuel as ketone bodies increase in the blood. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, ketones are not an ideal energy source for the brain, as glucose remains the preferred fuel for ATP production in brain cells. Lack of blood glucose is a highly stressful situation for the brain. This is why the body secretes the stress hormone cortisol from the adrenal glands during ketosis to breakdown protein and convert the amino acids into glucose for the brain. This explains why even under complete starvation for 38 days, the blood glucose levels never dropped below 68 mg/dL. This is still considered as a normal blood sugar level. Where did this blood glucose come from if there was none in the diet for 38 days? The answer is neo-glucogenesis primarily using lean body mass. Ketogenic Diets Pros and Cons Interest in ketogenic diets rises and falls about every 20 years. They’re very low-carbohydrate diets that claim that carbohydrates make you fat and keep you fat. This is simply not true. It is not carbohydrates per se but a disrupted metabolism that makes you fat. To be more specific, it is the inhibition of AMPK, the master regulator of your metabolism that makes you fat. Why? As AMPK activity increases, you burn stored fat faster. Frankly, I’ve always been amazed by the re-emergence of ketogenic diets. Eighteen years ago, I published the premier clinical study demonstrating that, under equal calorie intake in which all the food was provided to the subjects for six weeks, the Zone Diet was better than a ketogenic diet in reducing total weight, excess body fat, and inflammation. Now, a recent study revealed some more very concerning findings about the long-term effects of ketogenic diets. This new study indicated that following a keto diet causes a rise in senescent cells, popularly known as “zombie cells.” Zombie Cells are damaged cells that no longer divide but don't die. That’s bad enough, but zombie cells continue spreading inflammation throughout the body. As the number of zombie cells increases in your body, they become a living nightmare. Why? Zombie cells accelerate aging because they cause the earlier development of many chronic diseases. In this study they found that zombie cells in the animals began to appear while they were on a ketogenic diet. The zombie cells then disappeared when researchers changed the diet to a “non-ketogenic diet” (i.e., the Zone diet). And when the animals were given a Keto diet again, the zombie cells reappeared. Notice a trend? If you want to hear more about this study you can listen to our recent podcast at Dr.Sears.com. Based on earlier blogs, this adds to the list of downsides for following a ketogenic diet versus the Zone Diet. PROS Rapid initial weight loss: This is primarily due to the loss of retained water from the glycogen stores in the liver, which is rapidly used up to maintain blood sugar levels. Since these glycogen stores in the liver contain significant levels of retained water, much of the initial weight loss is water rather than stored body fat. If your main goal is loss retained water, this can be seen as a benefit. Of course, going to a sauna would also work. Reduced hunger: Ketogenic diets are rich in protein. Any increase in protein intake can help reduce hunger. CONS Production of acetone: One of the ketone bodies produced during ketosis is acetone, which is also the main chemical in nail polish. Increased calcium loss: A ketogenic diet can lead to higher calcium loss from bones. Limited fat utilization: High levels of dietary fat reduce the likelihood of using stored body fat for energy unless you also significantly restrict calories. Reduced energy levels: The lack of ATP production on a ketogenic diet can lead to easier fatigue during mild exercise. Damage from cheat meals: After seven days on a keto diet, a single high-carb cheat meal can damage blood vessels. Lack of polyphenols: This makes it difficult to activate genes that optimize metabolism by improving mitochondrial efficiency in converting fat into ATP. No long-term weight loss advantage: Long-term studies show no difference in weight loss between a ketogenic diet and a low-fat, high-carb diet. No short-term metabolic advantage: Careful studies demonstrate that fat loss on a ketogenic diet is the same as on a low-fat, high-carb diet with the same caloric intake. Compromised gut health: A lack of fermentable fiber from carbohydrates can lead to poor gut health and an increased risk of developing a leaky gut, which can cause significant inflammation. Furthermore, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) are the metabolic product of fermentable fiber. These SCFA are powerful epigenetic signaling agents that enhance gene transcription. Ketosis generates a different type of hydroxylated short fatty acid (3-hydroxyl butyrate, that has no effect on gene transcription. In addition, the lack of SCFA has significant negative consequences on the gut-brain axis. Cortisol build-up: To produce glucose for the brain, cortisol levels increase to breakdown protein to make sufficient glucose via neoglucogenesis. Excess cortisol can lead to insulin resistance that cause regain of some of initially loss body fat. In addition, increased cortisol levels cause a depressed immune system as well as destruction of memory cells in the hippocampus. The initial benefits of following the ketogenic diet result in some initial weight loss (primarily water weight rather than fat loss), long-term studies show no significant differences in overall weight loss. Now new findings show a ketogenic diet may lead to significant adverse health consequences by accelerating the formation of zombie cells. Call me crazy, but I feel the key to longevity and wellness comes down to better metabolic control instead of living in a constant state of ketosis. Following Metabolic Engineering® for a lifetime provides that pathway of losing body fat without ketosis. References 1. Johnston CS, Tjonn SL, Swan PD, White A, Hutchins H, and Sears B. “Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over nonketogenic low-carbohydrate diets.” Am J Clin Nutr 2006 83:1055-61. 2. White AM, Johnston CS, Swan PD, Tjonn SL, and Sears B. “Blood ketones are directly related to fatigue and perceived effort during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss: a pilot study.” J Am Diet Assoc. 2007 107:1792-1796. 3. Sung-Jen Wei, Joseph R Schell, E Sandra Chocron, Mahboubeh Varmazyad, Guogang Xu, Wan Hsi Chen, Gloria M Martinez, Felix F Dong, Prethish Sreenivas, Rolando Trevino Jr , Haiyan Jiang, Yan Du, Afaf Saliba, Wei Qian, Brandon Lorenzana, Alia Nazarullah, Jenny Chang, Kumar Sharma, Erin Munkácsy, Nobuo Horikoshi, David Gius. Ketogenic diet induces p53-dependent cellular senescence in multiple organs. Sci Adv. 2024 May 17;10(20):eado1463. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1463. 4. Owen OE, Felig P, Morgan AP, Wahren J, Cahill GF Jr. Liver and kidney metabolism during prolonged starvation. J Clin Invest. 1969 Mar;48(3):574-83. doi: 10.1172/JCI106016. 5. Chriett, S., Dąbek, A., Wojtala, M. et al. Prominent action of butyrate over β-hydroxybutyrate as histone deacetylase inhibitor, transcriptional modulator and anti-inflammatory molecule. Sci Rep 9, 742 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36941-9. 6. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020 Jan 31;11:25. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.00025. 

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050824---Tofu-Blog

Tofu: Tips and Recipes Ideas

I have been eating tofu for a very long time, much longer than the 30 or so years I have been following the Zone Diet. Back then many of my favorite recipes came from the Tassajara cookbooks by Edward Espe Brown, the celebrated chef from the kitchen at California’s famous Zen Mountain Center, and cookbooks by Louise Hagler, a.k.a. Wendy Louise, a well-known authority on vegetarian cooking who is associated with a community in Tennessee known as The Farm. Those books are still among the best resources for tofu recipes. My mantra has always been if you don’t like something, don’t eat it. Keep this in mind if you’re new to tofu, start slowly by combining it with flavors and foods you like.    Tips and Suggestions    Firm-sprouted tofu is my preference for the Zone Diet. Unlike traditional tofu, which contains significant amounts of both protein and carbohydrate, sprouted has almost no carbohydrates. It’s lighter tasting, refreshing, and very filling.   Freezing tofu results in a chewy, sponge-like texture. I don’t recommend freezing, but some people prefer it when using tofu to substitute for meat in a recipe.    Baked tofu comes in a variety of flavors and makes an excellent quick meal with some vegetables and fruit added. It’s also great in salads.     Tofu made it into the book “The Top 100 Zone Foods” by Barry Sears.    Some recipes call for draining the tofu first. I find that usually isn’t necessary.   Tofu takes on the flavor of whatever is added to it.    Add nutritional yeast flakes to give a cheesy flavor to vegan tofu scrambles and dips. It’s also rich in protein and vitamin B12.   Cherry Vanilla Tofu “Ice Cream”   Tip: This doesn’t freeze or store well, so prepare only the amount you plan to serve immediately.   Using an immersion blender or a food processor blend equal parts of frozen dark cherries and firm tofu, plus some vanilla extract (preferably alcohol-free for best flavor). Serve immediately.  Tofu Scramble  This is great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and we’ve even brought it on long day hikes for a snack.   Crumble some firm tofu and stir in a generous amount of seasonings, taking care not to overdo it with the salt. Heat in a well-seasoned or nonstick skillet with a little Zone-friendly oil to the desired doneness.    Optional: If time allows, sauté some chopped onion in the skillet before adding the tofu and seasonings.    My favorite seasoning combination for this dish at my house is onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, paprika, some oregano or thyme, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. The yellow color of the turmeric makes it somewhat like scrambled eggs.   Tofu Veggie Almond Pasta Salad   Dressing: Thin some smooth almond butter by stirring in some water, a little vinegar, and either soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (an unfermented soy sauce found in the health food section of most grocery stores).    Toss together cooked Dr. Sears’ Zone PastaRx Fusilli, tofu cut into cubes, matchstick cut red bell pepper, chopped green parts of scallions (a.k.a. green onions), and the almond butter dressing. Serve immediately or chill to serve later. It will keep well in the fridge for two or three days.   Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.  Experiment and have fun with it. Try using tofu to make cheesecakes, whipped desserts, tofu chocolate pudding, tofu “cream” based soups, tofu pot pie (think chicken pot pie), tofu burgers, tofu burritos, Buffalo tofu (like Buffalo wings), layered Mediterranean dips, tofu “meatballs”, grilled tofu, and more.    Enjoy! 

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