The Foods That Keep You Slim As You Age
US researchers found that men and women who ate lots of yogurt, seafood, skinless chicken and nuts were more likely to lose weight while those who eat red meat, processed meat and carbs are more likely to pile on the pounds.Interestingly enough, eating dairy products like whole milk, low fat milk and full fat cheese did not make a difference in weight gain. How you combine your food at meal time also seems to make a difference. Eating red meat with cabohydrates increased the likelihood of weight gain while red meat with vegetables mitigated some of it. Metabolism slows as we age and many (although not all) are less active as they age but their diet remains the same which is why nutritionists recommend that people over 45 eat 200 fewer calories per day. Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, at Tufts University in at Boston, was senior author of the study. He said:
Our study adds to growing new research that counting calories is not the most effective strategy for long-term weight management and prevention. Some foods help prevent weight gain, others make it worse. Most interestingly, the combination of foods seems to make a big difference. Our findings suggest we should emphasise specific protein-rich foods like fish, nuts, and yogurt to prevent weight gain. But we should also focus on avoiding refined grains, starches, and sugars in order to maximize the benefits of these healthful protein-rich foods, create new benefits for other foods like eggs and cheese, and reduce the weight gain associated with meats.
After studying the data from 3 long term studies, the researchers found that diets with a high glycemic load, which means they cause a rise in blood sugar, were associated with weight gain. The data also showed that an increase in red meat intake was also linked to weight gain.
What are your thoughts on the results of these studies? Will you be changing your eating habits?