Best Nutritional Buys are Low-Carb

[tortoise]

Note: I freely admit that this is shameless self-promotion! I recently started as About.com's Low Carb Diets Guide. This is a short news piece I wrote last week. Laura

Best Nutritional Buys are Low-Carb

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/news/a/nutricost.htm

Low Carb Foods Have Most Nutrition for Least Expense
Earlier this year, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, released by the U.S. government, recommended that consumers emphasize “nutrient-dense foods” in their diets. These means that they should choose foods containing more of the key nutrients (vitamins, minerals and other essentials) relative to the calories the foods contain. Examples of nutrient-dense foods are vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. There has been some concern that these nutrient-dense foods are more expensive than their low-nutrient counterparts, such as foods with a lot of added sugar and processed grains.

This month, a report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association* compared foods on cost per calorie as well as cost per nutritional density. (This was done on prices primarily in France, with correlations to overall U.S. prices. The authors are currently working on conducting a similar study using food prices in various U.S. cities.)

The upshot is that when you compare cost on a nutritional basis – that is the cost of getting all the vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients needed in our food – the best buys are vegetables and fruits, with lean meat and low fat dairy not far behind**. This is very good news for followers of reduced-carbohydrate diets, because it implies that getting adequate nutrition need not be overly expensive.

The trouble is that on a per calorie basis, the starchy and sugary foods are much less expensive, while being among the poorest sources of nutrition per calorie. This, of course, is one of the main reasons that it’s hard for people with lower incomes to get adequate nutrition – when money is tight, people are going to sacrifice nutrition for calories. (Also, in some lower income areas, fresh foods are more difficult to obtain and transport.)

What is the answer for low carbers? Focus mainly on the high nutrition foods, most of which are low in carbohydrates. Then, fill in the rest of your calorie needs with “good” fats. Olive oil, for example, is being shown to have nutritional benefits as well as being a source of healthy monounsaturated fat.


*Darmon N, Darmon M, Maillot M, Drewnowski A., A nutrient density standard for vegetables and fruits: nutrients per calorie and nutrients per unit cost. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Dec. 2005 105(12):1881-7. Abstract

**From communication with author

[LilithD]

"The trouble is that on a per calorie basis, the starchy and sugary foods are much less expensive, while being among the poorest sources of nutrition per calorie."

Useful only for people who need lots of empty calories and don't mind developing metabolic syndrome.

[tortoise]

Yes, but my point was that people who are just scraping by will sacrifice their health to keep their kids from going hungry. Plus, the subsidies mostly go for the high carb/low nutrition stuff.

[littlejohn]

I think you are right. But LC can be cheap. Stick with the plain vegetables (green cabbage not Nappa cabbage). Buy frozen. And use eggs and chicken as your main meats. What does a 3 egg omlet cost - even with cheese and avacado - $.75?

[bsheets]

I think LC pays for itself by being so filling. There's no point saving $2 on a meal if you're eating 6 of them a day versus paying $2 more and eating thrice a day.

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[kebaldwin]

What does a 3 egg omlet cost -

I don't know. But I can tell you about 6 and 9 egg omeletes ;-)))

Sorry, I may eat like a pig -- but at least it is very low carb.

This, of course, is one of the main reasons that it’s hard for people with lower incomes to get adequate nutrition – when money is tight, people are going to sacrifice nutrition for calories

I have been preaching the same thing. The schools have been offering free healthy breakfasts to lower income kids, which this morning was fruit loops, carton of sugar water (juice), another carton of sugar water (chocolate milk), and bread. Then the kids will have a high glycemic snack at school and then a high glycemic (free) lunch at school and then since their parents are probably having to work 2 jobs each, snack and dinner will be from a box, instant, etc (more high glycemic foods).

And teachers wonder why the kids can't sit still and concentrate ?!?

Although I agree with the general ideas of the article, I am disappointed in
1. no mention of eggs? -- nature's most perfect, and nutrient dense, food
2. why harp on fat? -- my fat consumption soared and so did my health
3. No mention of organic / grass fed / free roaming / cage free type of foods? Although their price may be twice as much -- their nutritional value might be 2X also.

I hate to sound critical -- because I do agree with the underlying concept.

[LilithD]

I always amazes me how healthy and energetic children and young adults look when they eat such an inadequate diet. Where are they getting the essential nutrients from???

[kebaldwin]

I always amazes me how healthy and energetic children and young adults look when they eat such an inadequate diet. Where are they getting the essential nutrients from???

There are adults like that also -- but there is a large percentage of kids that do not look, or act, healthy.

[tortoise]

Although I agree with the general ideas of the article, I am disappointed in
1. no mention of eggs? -- nature's most perfect, and nutrient dense, food
2. why harp on fat? -- my fat consumption soared and so did my health
3. No mention of organic / grass fed / free roaming / cage free type of foods? Although their price may be twice as much -- their nutritional value might be 2X also.

The report of the study that I was writing about didn't mention eggs. Maybe in their new one they will - I can write the author.

Fat is not going to be a big nutrient supplier per dollar, but my point at the end of the article is that low carbers can get their nutrients inexpensively (as the study shows) and then add fat instead of adding starch and sugar.

The study I was reporting on only looked at typical grocery store foods that most people have access to. They wanted to find out how best people should spend their money to get the full range of nutrients. Turns out to be low carb foods. I am planning to write many articles about nutrition, though, and I will be talking a lot about grass-fed animals, etc.

Thanks -

[Galliard]

Great article, Laura! I'm glad to finally see this angle on the supposedly high cost of low carb. I would also point out that there is a lot of writing out there on the nutritional benefits of fats; it's just not fashionable right now to see the nutrients fat provides as important. It's not just filler.

I'm baking Chex Mix (Chex cereal, pretzels and Cheezits) for my husband and kids right now and some nuts with Chex Mix flavoring for myself. I made twelve cups of Chex Mix and six cups of nuts and I'm looking at the two pans in the oven and the juxtaposition of the two makes my stomach turn a little bit because I think how quickly they'll devour the Chex and how I couldn't possibly eat that many nuts in one sitting. The Chex Mix won't last a day, while the pan of nuts just looks so unbelievably substantial and filling.

(And no, I don't usually endulge them in this kind of junk -- it's just a Christmas treat!)

[judyr]

I have been preaching the same thing. The schools have been offering free healthy breakfasts to lower income kids, which this morning was fruit loops, carton of sugar water (juice), another carton of sugar water (chocolate milk), and bread. Then the kids will have a high glycemic snack at school and then a high glycemic (free) lunch at school and then since their parents are probably having to work 2 jobs each, snack and dinner will be from a box, instant, etc (more high glycemic foods).

And teachers wonder why the kids can't sit still and concentrate ?!?



Even worse are some of the home packed lunches - warm soda and Hot Cheetos!

[Kristine]

Congrats on your new writing position! :D

I'm as frugal as all heck. A lot of LCers don't realize that even though the food looks more expensive initially, you're almost guaranteed to save money in the bigger picture. You'll only spend more money if you were eating really poorly: subsiding off 'taters and ramen noodles; or if you insist on steak and asparagus every night. ;)

[tortoise]

Congrats on your new writing position! :D

I'm as frugal as all heck. A lot of LCers don't realize that even though the food looks more expensive initially, you're almost guaranteed to save money in the bigger picture. You'll only spend more money if you were eating really poorly: subsiding off 'taters and ramen noodles; or if you insist on steak and asparagus every night. ;)

Thank you - I'm really excited about it. And thanks to Galliard's encouraging words as well. Right now I just have to focus on getting "the basics" up there, so I'm really writing for people new to the diet, but as time goes on it will get more "advanced".

And yes, I agree about the expense - except for my penchant for experimenting with new foods and products, that has been my experience as well. It was nice to see it borne out in a study.

[Trinigirl]

Hi Everyone,

I have four children, I found that I fell into the hold of purchasing cereal for my children. Did not buy the high sugar ones, but it was easy to give them a bowl when they were wanted a snack, it made a quick and easy breakfast. My children only ate whole wheat bread, but again it was easy to give them a peanut butter sandwish when they wanted a snack so be used alot of bread and cereal. Since I started with new WOL I have started making Eggs etc for breakfast for the family. They must have an egg, Banana, then they can have a small bowl of cereal. It works. I felt that I could not cut them off cold turkey...
I am lucky, that I live in the country we grow all our summer vegetables and freeze lots, we make many bottles of pure tomatoe sause (No sugar) we normally have frozen vegetable until March, this is the first time in years that I have been buying salad vegetables in Winter. We even have our own Chickens for eggs....
I am trying to come up with a way to grow lettuce in my basement under lights.
I must say I knew better about feeding my children, but I did not do better, now I do. I think it's lack of education that makes people feel it easier to purchase Mac and cheese than to make it themselves etc. I know that children are picky eaters but they will not grow hungry, when my kids now say I don't want to eat that I say ok, but remember that there will not be any cereal before Bed. They eat what they can... The next night they do better. I use to give them too many snacks in their lunch kit, and still expect them to eat their sandwishes or Dinner, now I keep it simple. Just fruit and one small chocolate. Pure chocolate. They eat their whole wheat sandwishes and fruit as well and still feel hungry enough for Supper. I don't worry anymore about what they eat at school. I know what they eat for breakfast and what they eat for supper. We talk about eating well, enjoyment of family time at the table about fun and being a family. That is what meals are about. Not so much about the food.

Sorry to be so long winded but I think when we as Moms and Dad eat poorly we also feed our children poorly, I know that before LC I did not have the strenght to make a good dinner some days so out came thoes boxes and soups,and when I was snacking on Ice cream and chocolates or buying lots of cookiees and cakes my children were all doing that also. Now that I have changed my eating habits and I am not soo tired at the end of the day I can plan meal times better, make things for my family and me to eat from start to finish. We have all benifits from my new and only WOL.
Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say.
Warmest Regards,
Joy