The Real Mayo Clinic DietPosted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010 For over thirty years, the Mayo Clinic has been combating the rumor that they recommend a version of a quick weight loss diet that touts the consumption of grapefruit, vegetables, fruits and unlimited portions of meat and fat. The clinic has repeatedly issued statements that the so-called 'Mayo Clinic Diet' did not originate at the Mayo Clinic and is not endorsed by them. In fact, they have gone so far as to state that it may be unhealthy for some people. Weight loss results from expending more calories than you consume. The only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than you use in your daily activities. The only way to achieve permanent weight loss is by adopting a balanced, healthy diet with portions that fit your lifestyle, and engage in regular physical activity. 1. Eat more fruit and vegetables. Carbohydrates Carbs are the body's main energy source. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes and dried beans and grains are a staple of the Mediterranean diet, where heart disease, diabetes and obesity are extremely low. Recommendation: 45 to 65% of your daily calories should be from carbohydrates. Focus on the complex carbohydrates, milk and fruit, and keep your intake of sugar, white flour and candy low. Your body uses cholesterol to build and help cells function properly. Typically, our bodies make all the cholesterol needed, and additional cholesterol is deposited on the sides of arteries and organs. Cholesterol is found in meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products and seafood. Recommendations: Limit intake of cholesterol to no more than 300 milligrams daily One of the most concentrated sources of energy?fat?has more calories than protein or carbohydrates. Your body needs it to absorb some vitamins and build healthy cells and neural pathways. The kind of fat is important, though. Trans and saturated fats (from red meats, among other things), can raise your cholesterol level and heighten your risk of heart attacks. Recommendation: Aim for 20 to 35% of daily calories from fat. Focus on vegetable oils, nuts and fish oils rather than most animal sources. Fiber is the bulky part of vegetables. There are two types of fiber - soluble and insoluble. Your body needs both. Fiber is derived from bran, oats, wheat, green vegetables, apples and other fruits. Recommendations: For women: 21 - 25 grams fiber daily As you can see, the real Mayo Clinic diet emphasizes a balanced diet derived largely from complex carbohydrates, fresh vegetables, little meat, and careful choice of fat. They advocate slow, steady weight loss rather than quick, take-it-off-now methods, and strongly suggest that the best eating plans are those that can become the basis for a lifelong change in eating habits. Along with those general recommendations, the clinic's Nutrition Center makes specific recommendations for each food group. Specifically: Protein is an essential nutrient for nearly every system in the body. It's contained in your skin, bones, muscles, blood, organs, hormones and enzymes. The major sources of dietary protein are meat, seafood, poultry, legumes, seeds and nuts. Between 10 and 35% of your daily caloric intake should be from protein-rich sources. One of the contentions of the Mayo Clinic is that one-size fits all diets won't work for everyone. One of the most helpful parts of their Nutrition Center is their Daily Calorie Calculator. A link on the home page will take you to a Healthy Diet Calculator that will help you calculate a personalized eating plan to help you lose weight. Here?s an example of what your personalized plan could look like: Daily calorie goal for weight loss: 1200 calories The Mayo Clinic defines energy density as the number of calories in food vs. the amount of food. A sugary dessert may have extremely high energy density ? in other words, a small serving provides a lot of calories. Consequently, it takes far more of that food to make your body feel full. Foods like broccoli have a much less energy density - 15 calories in a regular portion. You eat far less of it and feel full more quickly. Like it? Share it!More by this author |