Healthy Living - Is your diet up-to-date?

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Is your diet up-to-date?

Where does protein fit in my diet?

The body can function properly on as little as 10 percent of calories from protein. However, a number of studies suggest that protein reduces appetite more effectively than fat or carbs. So modestly increasing protein intake may help control weight.

People who take advantage of the more flexible dietary allowances by getting the maximum allotment of fat and minimum of carbs will end up consuming about 20 percent of calories from protein. And the IOM report lets you get even more protein if you consume less fat--up to 35 percent of calories from protein if as little as 20 percent comes from fat. If you want to follow that relatively high-protein, low-fat regimen, you will need to choose mainly lean sources of protein, notably beans, soy foods, fish, skinless chicken, and lean cuts of red meat.

The Atkins and several other popular diets require consuming lots of protein in lieu of carbs; some restrict carbs to a scant 5 percent of calories. That promotes weight loss not only by tending to limit caloric intake but also by stimulating the body to burn stored fat. While no study has determined the long-term impacts of such a diet, our nutrition consultants say it's probably unwise: This type of diet leaves little room for fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, the cornerstones of a healthful diet; and evidence suggests that too much protein may trigger bone loss, damage the kidneys, and cause kidney stones.

Can I really indulge my sweet tooth?

That's probably unwise. The new guidelines say it's possible to get 25 percent of calories from added sugar and still obtain enough vitamins and minerals to avoid deficiency, provided the rest of your diet is exemplary. (For a standard 2,000-calorie diet, 25 percent from sugar equals the amount in two 12-ounce sodas plus a Snickers bar.)

But saying it's possible to avoid deficiency is a long way from saying that gorging on sweets is a good idea. People who eat lots of sugar are unlikely to compensate by making consistently healthful choices in the rest of their diet. Even if they did manage to cram in the 5 to 9 daily servings of fruits and vegetables and 6 to 11 servings of grains recommended for optimal health, they'd end up with a staggering 80 percent or so of calories from carbs. That diet would probably be unwise for insulin-resistant individuals and, for everyone else, unrealistically spartan because it leaves so little room for tasty fat and protein.

Moreover, added sugars provide nothing but nutritionally empty calories.

And surveys have shown that most people consume far more calories than they need. (To determine how many you need, see chart.) So to lose weight, it makes sense to cut back on the added sugars first. (The other key step: Choose smaller portions. As described above, you may be satisfied with smaller servings if you consume mainly wholesome carbohydrates and a judicious amount of fat and protein.)

>> Should I cut back on salt? >>

How many calories do you need?

A new dietary pyramid