# RKS: VEGETARIANS & VEGANS (IV): END-GAME - NON-VEGETARIANISM
# RKS: VEGETARIANS & VEGANS (IV)
END-GAME - NON-VEGETARIANISM
CUT CARBS
DREAM TO REVERSE DIABETES
Dear Reader,
Only three macronutrients can give calories - proteins and carbohydrates (carbs) and fats. The other 3, namely vitamins and minerals and water are of ZERO calorific value. One consumes daily in meals:
- Macronutrients: 500 gms / day
- Micronutrients: 20.3 gms / day (minerals: 20 gms; vitamins: 300 mg)
Indians drink 8-10 glasses of water daily i.e. 1.5-2.0 litres (minimum required to prevent dehydration is 1.5 litres per day). That means one consumes throughout the 24 hours 1.5-2.0 kgs of water. All this sums up to an average of 1.8 kgs of intake of food and water per day.
Graph: Weight-wise split of daily consumed water and food nutrients.
Thus, in terms of contributing to body mass macronutrients dominate since these not only constitute 22% of what we consume daily, but also provide calories for energy and storage, if consumed in excess. Therein lies the key ...
DIABETES IS AN INSULIN-RESISTANCE MALADY
RESTORE INSULIN SENSITIVITY IF THE DREAM SHOULD COME TRUE
There are only 3 reasons for insulin to stop functioning efficiently:
There are only 3 reasons for insulin to stop functioning efficiently:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity
- Excess carbs
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity
- Excess carbs
Joining gym or playing active sport games or engaging in outdoor activity require devoting 2.5 hours per week, or 1 hour per week if the activity is vigorous [like high-intensity interval training (HIIT)], and the ideal frequency is thrice in a week.
The other factor that needs attention is, of course, the sensitive 'food' which, along with health, is one of the most discussed, besides politics and travel, topic in all social gatherings.
Joining gym or playing active sport games or engaging in outdoor activity require devoting 2.5 hours per week, or 1 hour per week if the activity is vigorous [like high-intensity interval training (HIIT)], and the ideal frequency is thrice in a week.
The other factor that needs attention is, of course, the sensitive 'food' which, along with health, is one of the most discussed, besides politics and travel, topic in all social gatherings.
OBESITY
EXCEPT FOR CALORIFIC FOODS NOTHING ELSE CONTRIBUTES TO PUTTING ON WEIGHT IS THE BOTTOM LINE. Anyone obese is because of excess adipose tissue containing fats (in the form of triglycerides), and it is a researched information that 1 kg of weight is because of having accumulated 7700 calories - from consumed either fats or the precursor carbs. The latter is because excess carbs are converted to triglycerides - lipogenesis.
Indians consume an average of 2,300 calories daily of which carbs contribute 64%, fats 24% and proteins 12%.
Graph: Weight-wise daily consumed macronutrient.
Thus, carbs consumed are 368-393 gms, proteins are 69-74 gms whilst fats constitute 31-33 gms to the daily weight of an average Indian.
EXCEPT FOR CALORIFIC FOODS NOTHING ELSE CONTRIBUTES TO PUTTING ON WEIGHT IS THE BOTTOM LINE. Anyone obese is because of excess adipose tissue containing fats (in the form of triglycerides), and it is a researched information that 1 kg of weight is because of having accumulated 7700 calories - from consumed either fats or the precursor carbs. The latter is because excess carbs are converted to triglycerides - lipogenesis.
Indians consume an average of 2,300 calories daily of which carbs contribute 64%, fats 24% and proteins 12%.
Graph: Weight-wise daily consumed macronutrient.
Thus, carbs consumed are 368-393 gms, proteins are 69-74 gms whilst fats constitute 31-33 gms to the daily weight of an average Indian.
CARBS - CARBS - CARBS
Carbs are implicated in not only causing Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) but also being responsible for the complications of diabetes.
Nature has provided us:
- Forests
- Rivers
- Oceans
- Soils
Plants and trees grow on the soil, and some bear fruits. Vegetables are a human introduction with the ancestors developing skills to cultivate these in the soil. Vegetables have not been 'naturally' provided by nature.
Fruits develop from flower of plants and have seeds; vegetables could be roots, stems or leaves. Fruits have a sweet or tart flavor whilst vegetables have a mild or savory taste. Some of the fruits that are mistaken as vegetables include: cucumber, eggplant, olive, pumpkin, pea pod and zucchini.
Nature has given fruits to the animal kingdom, which includes the human race, because they contain fibre and antioxidants, and many fruits contain even more fibre than vegetables!
It is but time to go back to our roots and remove the man-made carbs from food items if there is an intent to maintain weight balance and shoot down diabetes and its complications.
Diets, CARBS-WISE, could be - based on consumption as food nutrient:
- High carb diet: >200 gms carbs per day
- Moderate carb diet: 100-200 gms carbs per day
- Low carb diet: 50-100 gms carbs per day
- Very low carb diet: 30-50 gms carbs per day
- 'Zero' carb diet: <30 gms carbs per day
It is but evident that lesser the carbs in diet more the prospects of increasing insulin sensitivity and attaining the dream of reversing one of the top 10 causes of death, namely diabetes.
CAN CARBS BE MINIMIZED 'HAPPILY'?
The Satiety Index-tool ranks different foods on their ability to satisfy hunger. The concept of the Satiety Value and Satiety Index (SI) was developed by Australian researcher and doctor, Susanna Holt. Highest satiety value is expected for the food ingredient that remains in the stomach for the longest period.
The SI of white bread has been set at 100. Foods scoring higher than 100 are more filling than white bread and those under (<) 100 are less filling. Hence, one needs restrict foods with SI of <100. When food items with SI more than (>) 100, preferably >150, are consumed, the quantity of calorie intake is by default curtailed.
List: The foods and their SI values.
It needs to be noted that:
- SI does not indicate whether a food is carbs rich or having more fats, etc.
- SI has nothing to do with the calorific values of food items. Potatoes has thus far been claimed to have the highest SI (of 323% in boiled potatoes).
- Based on a higher SI (>100) the foods with low carbs, or / and high in proteins or fats can be opted for.
It is very apparent that the choice of non-veg food items and fruits of high SI of >100 at least could ensure satiation and hence curtail the culprit carbs. Vegetarians and vegans could enjoy bran-based food items, porridge / oatmeal, grain plus whole wheat bread, some fruits, baked beans as well as lentils and popcorns (to some extent), and non-vegans can feast on cheese but need to keep a check on the total calorie intake.
The non-vegetarians are comfortably placed as far as options of satiety-inducing food items are considered. Fish, beef and eggs have a SI of >150 and also ensure that the non-vegetarian is by default deprived of excess carbs. Thus, consuming non-vegetarian items with a high SI makes one stop eating quickly enough to curtail imbibing of calories which otherwise lead to insulin resistance - the forerunner of T2DM and its attendant complications.
CONCLUSIONS
It is time we re-discover and revisit our roots. 6 out of 1,000 people suffer from T2DM in the world and, at present, over 10 crore Indians have confirmed diabetes!
Fig: Incidence of T2DM country-wise (2015 - adults upto 80 years).
Globally, the incidence of insulin resistance is anywhere between 15-50%! High blood pressure as well as heart disease are present equally in vegetarians / vegans as well as non-vegetarians - since the latter, in India, are essentially following a 'flexitarian' diet and do not actually exclude carbs from their diets. That the flexitarian diets are the culprits is evident from the fact that 11% of the Americans and Indians are diabetic, whilst only 1-6% of Africans suffer from T2DM since their diet is most of the times restrictive to non-veg food items. Even in Europe, the prevalence of diabetes is around 6%.
Food matters and when it comes to the most dreaded disease diabetes, it could be either the saviour or the perpetuator. The cancer incidence is Americans - 48%, Europeans - 25%, Indians - 10% whilst for Africans - 6%. Both cancer and T2DM are the most important health concerns because these two diseases can involve multiple organs and sites of the body. Hence, the battling with diabetes and cancer is never an easy task, and for such maladies prevention is always better than cure.
Omit carbs or restrict these at the most to 50 gms daily. Ensure that in the food items consumed the carbs has more fibre than starches or sugars. Supplementing diet with omega-3 fatty acids, chromium and berberine could help prevent insulin resistance.
Those having a higher glycemic load, and / or consuming carbs with a higher glycemic index have an increased risk of cancer. For those cancer-prone, including on account of being unable to restrict carbs in diet, the supplements that can help strengthen body to ward off cancer could be turmeric and moringa, besides antioxidants.
Global warming destroys the ecosystem of the Planet Earth, but carbs destroy the body's ecosystem - it's homeostasis - which includes the nerves, arteries, heart, brain, eyes, kidneys, and even muscles!
The non-vegetarians are better placed to face the challenge after having realised, or even after becoming aware, of the folity of consuming carbs.
DR R K SANGHAVI
Prophesied Enabler
Experience & Expertise: Clinician & Healthcare Industry Adviser
For The Optimal Turmeric Content:
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