Cancer Experts Warn Against Eliminating Either Fat or Carbs to Lose Weight

American Institute for Cancer Research
Thursday, 15 August 2002

New Brochure Explains Healthy Proportions on the Plate

What's making Americans overweight - the fat or the carbs? The answer is neither or both - or rather too much of either or both, say experts at the American Institute for Cancer Research.

"The answer is too many calories. If you want to lose weight and stay healthy, you have to eat less and exercise more, not simply cut whole categories of foods out of your diet," says Melanie Polk, R.D., AICR Director of Nutrition Education.

The stakes in this debate are high because certain kinds of fat are still linked to higher risk of chronic disease. Conversely, certain carbohydrates - particularly vegetables and fruit - are clearly linked to lowering that risk.

"People who respond to the many recent articles exonerating fat and indicting carbohydrates by switching to a high protein and high fat diet are doing long-term damage to their health," says Polk.

New Information Creates Confusion

Originally, health experts recommended reducing overall fat intake for heart health and lower weight. As the research continued, however, this simple advice was forced to adapt to new revelations.

Some fats, when used in moderation, actually began to show certain health benefits: monounsaturated fats like olive and canola oil, for example, may help protect against heart disease, and omega-3-fatty acids (found in fatty fish, soy and flaxseed) are now showing some cancer-protective properties in the laboratory.

As the take-home message about fats became more complex, many in the public became increasingly confused at the lack of a single, unequivocal "Fat is Bad" message. There is, however, one point of advice that has remained unchanged: to prevent chronic disease, research still supports reducing the intake of saturated fat - the chief type of fat found in tropical oils and animal products.

At the same time, new thinking about the role of carbohydrates is attracting scientific and popular interest. This hotly debated hypothesis suggests that refined carbohydrates such as those found in white sugar, white rice and processed cereals raise insulin levels for some people, which in turn initiates a sequence of events leading to overeating and storage of excess fat at the waist and hips.

"Even if this theory about insulin level proves to have merit, abandoning all carbohydrates for high protein diets makes little sense. A more sensible response is to eat less refined carbs and more carbs that do not produce a spike in insulin levels (whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans) in conjunction with small amounts of lean meat, poultry and fish," Polk says.

Managing Proportion and Portion Size

In September 2000, AICR launched the New American Plate program, which called for a change in the proportion of food on the plate and a reduction in portion size for those concerned about overweight. At this point more than one million people have requested free brochures describing the New American Plate program.

The traditional American plate contains a large slab of meat, a small serving of a vegetable and some form of potatoes, white rice or pasta. It provides too many calories to help most people maintain a healthy weight and too few nutrients to prevent chronic illnesses.

That is why the New American Plate program urges people to change the proportion of food on their plate to 2/3 (or more) vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans to 1/3 or less meat, chicken or fish. The higher percentage of plant food is intended to crowd the animal protein and fat to the periphery of the plate.

Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans contain phytochemicals (unique plant substances), vitamins and minerals that help the body fight cancer and other chronic diseases. These substances strengthen the body's natural mechanisms for combating disease.

Some eliminate free radicals that damage DNA. Others help rid the body of carcinogens. They all seem to boost each other's effectiveness.

Although plant food tends to be rich in these nutrients and phytochemicals, they are relatively low in calories. So the "2/3 to 1/3" ratio should help people maintain a healthy weight.

Eyeballing Portion Size

For those concerned about losing weight, however, the New American Plate program advises an additional strategy. That is assessing and, if necessary, gradually reducing the size of portions on the plate.

Experts at AICR believe marketing practices in the food industry have confused people about reasonable portion sizes and as a result they are consuming approximately 148 more calories per day than they were two decades ago. If not corrected, these added calories could amount to a weight gain of 15 pounds per year.

The New American Plate program advises a three-step process called "eyeballing your portion size" in order to raise awareness of the oversized quantities being consumed today.

Pour out your usual portion of a favorite food on your own plate or bowl. Note how much of the surface of the plate or bowl it covers.

Pour out a standard serving size as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (A chart of USDA standard serving sizes is included in each New American Plate brochure.) Compare the standard serving size with your usual portions.

Ask yourself how many standard serving sizes should go into the portion you normally eat. If you are concerned about your weight, consider gradually reducing the number.

"The first step in any weight reduction program should be reducing the amount of food consumed and increasing the amount of physical activity. But remember: the right proportion of plant-based food to animal food is important to your long-term health. So gradually reduce the portion size on your plate, while maintaining the 2/3 to 1/3 proportion," Polk advises.

New Brochure Tells How

Veggies, the latest brochure in the New American Plate series, explains how to prepare vegetables so they play a starring role on the dinner plate. It reviews the New American Plate program and it covers the basics like selection, storage and preparation of vegetables.

More significantly, Veggies suggests how to use both robust and delicate herbs to season vegetable dishes and offers models for creating low-fat sauces to enhance their flavor. In addition, it contains 22 recipes for novel ways to prepare and combine vegetables.

Veggies can be read online at www.aicr.org. A free copy can be ordered on the website or by calling 1-800-843-8114 ext. 74.

For more information, or to contact American Institute for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.aicr.org