~Guest Post- Jennifer Sygo, registered dietitian

In the battle of the bulge, does a slice of bread in the morning affect you differently than one eaten at night?

While almost every diet plan on the market right now encourages you to eat most of your carbohydrates in the morning — the theory goes that eating your carbs early in the day gives you time to “burn them off” throughout the rest of the day — there has actually been relatively little evidence to support this popular notion. And now a new study has the potential to turn this piece of conventional wisdom on its head.

In the study, published in the October issue of the journal Obesity, 78 obese (Body Mass Index, or BMI, greater than 30) police officers were assigned to two similar weight loss diets for six months. In the first (or control) diet, the subjects were put on a calorie-reduced diet that provided between 1,300 and 1,500 calories per day, depending on individual need. The percentage of calories from protein (20 per cent; slightly higher than a typical Canadian diet), fat (30 to 35 per cent; about average for Canadians), and carbohydrates (45 to 50 per cent; slightly less than typical) were kept steady throughout the study, and carbohydrates were evenly distributed throughout the day.

In the experimental group, the calorie, protein, fat and carbohydrate intakes were kept the same as the control group, but the majority of the carbohydrates were reserved for the evening meal.

At the end of the six-month experimental period, both groups lost weight, but the carbs-in-the-evening group did better: They lost an average of 11.6 kg (25.5 lbs.) versus the control group’s 9.1 kg (20 lbs.). The experimental group also saw their waist circumference, a tool for estimating disease risk, shrink by 11.7 cm, versus 9.4 cm for the control group, and their body fat percentage drop by 7 per cent, versus 5.3 per cent for controls, though these differences were not pronounced enough to be considered statistically significant, meaning the result could have been because of chance.

Aside from physical changes, the carbs-at-night group also reported feeling less hungry after six months on the diet, and were less preoccupied with food than their counterparts. They also saw greater improvements in insulin levels (a hormone that helps to control blood sugar), and trends toward larger improvements in fasting blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Some of these surprising findings could be explained by differences in two key hormones, leptin and adiponectin, observed between the two groups. Leptin is a hormone that helps us to feel full; when levels decline, either in the short-term between meals, or in the long-term during weight loss, we feel more hungry. While most weight loss studies have shown that leptin levels drop as we lose weight, the trend was not observed in the experimental group in this study. In other words, while weight loss usually breeds hunger, those who ate most of their carbs at dinner did feel the effect.

Similarly, while adiponectin, a hormone that helps to speed carbohydrate and fat metabolism, tends to be lower in obese individuals, those who reserved their carbs for dinner saw levels of the hormone rise throughout the study, more so than those who spread their carbs throughout the day.

So what does this all mean for the average person? Because the study was conducted on obese individuals who were generally healthy, it’s not possible to say whether we would see the same effect in a regular gym-goer who wants to shed body fat, or for an overweight person with type two diabetes or heart disease. But the results are intriguing, in large part because they clearly buck the popular trend to avoid carbs at night, and should lead to more research in the area.

It’s also worth noting that, while the experimental group did eat most of their carbohydrates at night, their total carbohydrate intake was still lower than most people would typically eat. While their daytime routine consisted of very few carbohydrates (largely from vegetables or vegetable soup as well as plain yogurt), their dinnertime meal included one to two cups of cooked pasta, corn or legumes, or two to four slices of bread, along with some fruit or fruit yogurt or a small dessert — quantities that are still far less than you would find in an average restaurant meal.

If you are thinking of experimenting with this diet regime (which, incidentally, was inspired by metabolic changes observed during the Muslim fasting period of Ramadan), realize that this is not an excuse to carb-load (or overload on anything) when you sit down to dinner tonight.

Jennifer Sygo is a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic Canada, which offers executive physicals, sports medicine and wellness counselling in Toronto.

Recently I had the opportunity to tour Nutrilite’s Center for Optimal Health. Nutrilite is the world’s leading supplement maker, but I learned that they are also leaders in more than just selling vitamins. They also have a world-class research department and everyone I met there was passionate about helping people become healthier and fitter (what a refreshing change for a large company to actually appear to care about people).

Before I went down to their facility in California I asked our Twitter friends for their nutrition questions. For example, do you ever wonder about proper nutrition for athletes, such as soccer superstars Ronaldinho and Marta? Well I was at the right place, as Nutrilite actually works with both stars on nutrition (they also sponsor the AC Milan soccer team and work with all the players on their nutritional needs).

But Nutrilite’s research benefits regular people, too. Regular people like me – that is, if being an unfit, unprofessional and undernourished amateur athlete defines me as a regular person…?

Anyway, I stalked asked Nutrilite’s Kerry Grann this question on vegetables and she was peased to answer it.

Q: I hate vegetables. Are there any acceptable substitutions for them such as juices or vitamins?

KG: There is nothing that can 100% replace vegetables in a person’s diet. However, drinking vegetable juice is the next best thing. You will still get the plant nutrients but the amount of fiber may be lower and some of these drinks contain quite a bit of salt so be mindful.

Dietary supplements that contain concentrated plant materials are another good option. Like vegetable juice, they can provide important plant nutrients but they will not have all of the fiber that vegetables have. Also, due to size constraints, supplements can not provide the same amount of plant nutrients that eating the real thing does.

Rather than eating vegetables by themselves, you can also try to incorporate them into foods you like. For example, people who don’t like vegetables may be willing to eat them in foods like pizza, pasta, or casseroles. You can also puree vegetables and add them to foods. Often you can’t even realize they are there!

Kerry Grann lettuce ask more questions too. I’ll be posting them over the next few days (but will you read them after my 2 rotten vegetable puns? Did you find them both?)

Do you start getting hunger pangs at 11:50 a.m. in anticipation of lunch? We’ve all been there. The cause is the hormone ghrelin; released when the stomach is empty, it sets off a chain reaction in the body to make you hungry. In general, you want to keep levels of ghrelin low during the day so you can keep hunger in check. Apart from an empty stomach, there are several factors that can raise ghrelin levels, including drinking alcohol, eating too few calories, and eating greasy, fatty foods. Here are some strategies that will help you manage these triggers and keep your ghrelin levels from rising:

Have a substantial breakfast. One study showed that people who ate a higher-calorie breakfast produced 33 percent less ghrelin throughout the day and felt satisfied for a longer period of time. Try a whole-wheat English muffin with organic peanut butter, a cup of strawberries, and some low-fat yogurt.

Choose complex carbs and get more fiber. Insulin and ghrelin go hand in hand. When insulin goes up after you eat, ghrelin goes down. If you eat the wrong kind of carbohydrates — refined carbs such as white bread and pasta — your blood sugar rises dramatically. In response, your body releases a surge of insulin to clear that sugar from the bloodstream. The insulin does its job very efficiently, and the resulting low blood sugar causes hunger sooner. These constant blood sugar ups and downs can wreak havoc on your metabolism, so it’s best to eat complex carbs and fiber, which delay the release of sugar into the bloodstream so that insulin levels are kept stable and you feel full longer.

Eat on a schedule. Research has found that ghrelin levels rise and fall at your usual mealtimes, so eating on a schedule prevents spikes in ghrelin. If you’re running errands and are away from the kitchen at one of your typical mealtimes, carry a small bag of almonds or other nuts with you — you can eat a little something to keep your stomach satisfied until you can get home and have a real meal.

Emphasize high-volume, low-calorie foods. Levels of ghrelin remain high until food stretches the walls of your stomach, making you feel full. High-volume, low-calorie foods, such as salads and soups, reduce ghrelin levels long before you’ve overeaten. All green veggies and any foods with a high water content count as high-volume, low-calorie foods.

Eat protein. Protein-rich foods can also suppress ghrelin levels — they help create a long-lasting feeling of fullness. Try adding whey protein to a low-calorie smoothie. (If you’re sensitive to gluten, just be sure to check the ingredients list; some whey protein products contain gluten.) One study found that whey brought about a prolonged suppression of ghrelin.

(Source)

I can’t believe the 12 week Soy Simple campaign has come to an end. I have learnt so much about soy and I hope you have too.  I’m going to miss this weekly #SoySimple campaign.

Some more fun facts about soy, you may have missed:

Soy is:

■High-quality, plant-based protein, equivalent in protein quality to that of meat, dairy and eggs
■As a high-quality protein source, soy protein supports muscle development, sustained energy and satiety
■Lactose-free, dairy-free, relevant to certain consumer targets with lactose intolerance or dairy protein allergy
■Heart-healthy and cholesterol-free, supported by FDA heart-health claim
■Low in saturated fat and refined carbohydrates
■Vegetarian

Here is a re-cap of the 12 week #soysimple post:

• Week 1- Finding Soy in the Store
• Week 2-Soy at Breakfast
• Week 3-Workout Nutrition with Soy
• Week 4-Incorporating Soy in your Thanksgiving Dinner
• Week 5-Soy Snacks
• Week 6-Protein Shakes – Make them or Buy Then
• Week 7-Surviving Holiday Eating – choosing Lean Protein
• Week 8-Holiday Meal Makeover
• Week 9-Holidays – bye
• Week 10-Are you Getting Enough Protein
• Week 11-10 Ideas for Protein on the Go
• Week 12- Wrap-Up

Check out all of the #SoySimple Contest winners here….

But you are in luck…we still have one more giveaway for the wrap-up!

GIVEAWAY TIME! - CLOSED

Yipeeee…..!

To enter:

Please answer “Share your thoughts on what you learned from the Soy Simple posts in the comments section by Sunday, January 22, (midnight PST) to be entered to win a gift card to Sports Authority to help kick your fitness routine into high gear!”

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Solae. The opinions expressed by me do not necessarily reflect the view of the Solae.

I made these cabbage rolls last week.  I had a huge craving that I could not put out of my mind.  I decided that I did not want to add rice or beef but wanted to increase the vegetables.  These were so good that I have made them twice since than.  Each time I vary the spices and seasonings.  Sometimes you just crave comfort food and these do the trick.  You don’t even miss the ground beef or the rice.  Next time I make them I think I will try tomato sauce  instead of the canned soup, due to the high sodium content in canned soup.   

• 12 cabbage leaves
• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg and 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pinch garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 2 grated carrots
• 1/2 cup or more of frozen peas
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup

Directions:

1. Bring a large, wide saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cabbage leaves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until softened; drain.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, carrots, peas, onion, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of tomato soup. Mix thoroughly.
3. Divide the turkey mixture evenly among the cabbage leaves. Roll and place seamed side down on grease casserole dish.
4. Repeat until all rolls are wrapped up.  Pour the remaining tomato soup over the top. Cover with tin foil. Place in over at 375 for about one hour until the turkey is cooked through. 

YUM!  How do you make your comfort food more healthy?

Since it is the new year, here is another new favorite quote to leave you with….