my revelation
Published by Bronwyn Schweigerdt on May 13, 2009 at 5:15 PMI've recently had a revelation that has helped me understand why Americans eat the way they do: instead of Americans being more ignorant than the rest of the world (or compared to previous generations), I'd like to suggest that there are plenty of brilliant people in the U.S.
However, I think many of them work in marketing and media.
Which means that some of the best American minds are behind the advertising campaigns that promote ridiculous products such as vitamin water, supplements, and processed foods. I also think some of these smarty-folks work at the FDA, ensuring that animal products containing hormones and antibiotics are completely legal, and never regarded as a possible source of cancer and fat cells in those who consume them.
Unfortunately, smart doesn't mean wise, and seldom I find the two together.
So if any of you are still wasting your money on supplements and/or vitamin water (a fantastic marketing idea, but zippo nutritional value), I advise you to give your money instead to a charity that feeds needy people - those who are truly malnourished.
Now for the latest study finding:
A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 89, No. 5, 1343-1349, May 2009), has found that eating a high-fiber breakfast cereal lowered blood sugar levels both before and after lunch. Those who ate the high-fiber cereal also consumed fewer total calories when in the breakfast/lunch period.
These findings are further evidence that high fiber foods protect against diabetes (and reverse Type II diabetes) and promote weight loss.
Speaking of which, I have had the privilege of receiving feedback from someone who attended my seminar on diabetes last fall. John told me that at age 48, he has now lost 31 pounds and been taken off his diabetes medication due to a high fiber diet. What an inspiration. A high fiber diet works miracles.
6 comments:
What do you think of products like E-mergency and Airborne? Do people swear by that stuff due to a placebo effect, or do they really help?
So if any of you are still wasting your money on supplements and/or vitamin water (a fantastic marketing idea, but zippo nutritional value),
I'm not pretending for an instant to be an expert, but based on what I've read why other vegan RDs make the recommendations that they do that quote seems extreme.
Yes, products like vitamin water are garbage.
However, I would never say supplements don't have value. Particularly vitamin D, calcium, b-12, and omega 3 EFAs.
New research has shown that the need for Vitamin D among Americans has shot way up and it is even more true for vegans who can only use the less efficient vitamin D2. Getting more sun isn't always an option given skin cancer risks, latitude and season.
I read accounts all of the time of vegans not getting enough calcium and with modern food production techniques it is difficult to get enough vitamin b-12 from natural sources.
Additionally, there are people who can eat all of the flax in the world but they will not be able to make enough of a particular kind of omega 3 EFA.
DJ: I don't know about those products. For Airborne, I suspect the nutrients help people get well (or stay well) because they are quite deficient. A good diet makes them unnecessary!
Before Wisdom: I have covered all these nutrients and why we don't need supplements in this blog over the past few years. I agree, saying we don't need any supplements sounds extreme, but I believe that's because we've been brainwashed to believe we need them for so long. Please visit the former posts to see why even vegans don't need supplements (except for B-12).
Hi! I'm wondering what high fiber cereal breakfasts you are recommending. Do you mix your own grains, put them with fruit or pour soy milk over the top? Just looking for some good ideas. We already have juice smoothies (3 oranges, 1 banana, and any other fruit I might have and throw in, and a carrot as well as some super green/green powder and flax oil. I'm not sure if I could be doing better)
Bronwyn, I think YOU are a smarty-folk who could earn a boat-load and do a lot of people a huge service if you would do some nutritional consulting on an individual basis.
Kudos gal!
thanks for the scientific info here. I have been raw vegan taking B12 and now raw superfoods for optimal mineralization and enzymes, and I can vouch for a raw vegan diet feeling so amazing. Gabriel Cousens has a healing center in AZ that has cured people of diabetes with 30 days of low sugar raw diet. much love..
Thanks Mary,
Unfortunately, I despise nutritional counseling on an individual basis. People either tell me all their reasons for not eating how they should, or pretend they eat better than they do, or it ends up being a therapy session. Uggh.
Your breakfasts sound awesome. Don't worry about getting more fiber - just share the wealth!