Fats composition of foods.
Fots and oils—which omega?
Which carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates should make up the major part of your diet, accounting for two-thirds of the calories you consume. Since there are more calories per gram of both protein and fat, this means that, by weight, carbohydrates should make up more than two-thirds of your diet.
The type of carbohydrate is as important as the amount. Some carbohydrates, such as sugar, are “fast releasing,” which means they raise your blood sugar level quickly. Others, such as oats, are “slow releasing.” The most accurate way to gauge whether or not you should eat a food is by checking the glycemic load (GL) of a food, which is a calculation based on both the quantity of carbohydrate in a food and the quality of that carbohydrate.
A GL of 10 or less is good, shown in bold
A GL of 11–14 is okay, shown in normal text
A GL of 15 or more is bad, shown in italics
However, even this is only a guide, because the amount you eat of a food will obviously alter its effect on your blood sugar, and hence your weight. So, while I generally say liberally eat the foods in bold text with a low GL, limit the foods in normal text, and avoid the foods in italics, what is most important is to limit the total GL of your diet. Eat no more than 50 GL points a day, or 15 with each meal.
If you want to lose weight, eat no more than 40 GL points a day. This means roughly 10 for breakfast, 10 for lunch, 10 for dinner, and 5 in each of two snacks, midmorning and midafternoon. If you choose the good, low-GL foods, you’ll be able to eat more food. If you choose the bad, high-GL foods, you’ll have to eat much less.
In the chart below, mainly select from the bold foods, then use the right-hand column to work out how much to eat for 10 GL points. Foods containing no carbohydrate, composed entirely of protein or fat (meat, fish, eggs, cheese, mayonnaise) have, in effect, a GL of 0, and are not included in this chart.
GLYCEMIC LOAD (GL) OF COMMON FOODS
GLYCEMIC LOAD (GL) OF COMMON DRINKS
The GI and GL values of foods listed here are derived from research published by K, Foster-Powell, S. H. Holt, and J. C. Brand-Miller. 2002. International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 76 (1): 5–56.
Foods marked “E” are estimated values, while other foods have measured values. As the GLs of more foods are calculated, this table is updated on www.theholforddiet.com.
NOTES
Serving size notes:
All pasta serving sizes are for cooked food. For the equivalent of dry weight, halve the score. So, if you’re cooking spaghetti and the serving size is 120 g (4 oz.), that means you put 60 g (2 oz.) in the pot. Portion guide at a glance:
All servings provide 7 GLs.
How much fiber?
Foods vary in both the amount of fiber they contain and its quality. One measure of quality is the amount of water that the fiber absorbs, which indicates to what extent it can make fecal matter lighter, bulkier, and easier to move through the digestive tract. The ideal intake of fiber is not less than 35 grams a day. The following table shows you how much of given foods provides 10 grams of fiber (or the equivalent effect of 10 grams of grain fiber if the type of fiber is substantially more absorbent and therefore the amount you need in comparison is less). All measures are based on raw or dry foods. Please note that cooking decreases the fiber content of foods. So four servings of any of these foods will provide an ideal intake of fiber. All foods are raw, unless otherwise stated.
FOOD AMOUNT
FOR EQUIVALENT OF
10 G GRAIN FIBER
Wheat bran 23 g/½ cup
All-Bran 37 g/½ cup
Apricots, dried 42 g/1 cup
Figs, dried 54 g/⅓ cup
Oats 95 g/1 cup
Peas 83 g/1 cup
Cornflakes 91 g/3½ cups
Almonds 107 g/¾ cups
Whole wheat bread 115 g/5 slices
Peanuts 125 g/1 cup
Baked beans 137 g/small can
Prunes 146 g/1 cup
Sunflower seeds 147 g/1 cup
Rye bread 160 g/6 slices
Rice Krispies 222 g/8 cups
Lentils, cooked 70 g/2 cups
Carrots 310 g/3 carrots
Broccoli 358 g/1 large head
White bread 370 g/15 slices
Baked potato (skin on) 400 g/11 large
Coleslaw 400 g
Oranges 415 g/3 oranges
Cabbage 466 g/1 medium
Cauliflower 475 g/1 large
Apple 500 g/3–4 apples
New potatoes, boiled 500 g/7 potatoes
Bananas 625 g/3 bananas
Peaches 625 g/6 peaches
Balancing add and alkaline foods
When foods are metabolized by the body, a residue is left that can alter the body’s acidity and alkalinity Depending on the chemical composition of the “ash,” the food is called “acid forming” or “alkaline forming.” This is not to be confused with the immediate acidity of a food. Oranges, for example, are acid due to their citric acid content. However, citric acid is completely metabolized and the net effect of eating an orange is to alkalize the body, hence it is classified as alkaline forming. Roughly 80 percent of our diet should come from alkaline-forming foods and 20 per cent from acid-forming foods. The table below shows which foods are which.
WHICH FOODS ARE ACID, ALKALINE, AND NEUTRAL
Which foods are rich in phytoestrogens?
Phytoestrogens are plant-based estrogen-like chemicals that appear to protect against hormone-related cancers. There are many types of phytoestrogen—more than eight hundred in total. One of the most potent forms that is used in a lot of the cancer research is called isoflavones—in particular compounds called genistein and daidzein—and these are found in highest concentrations in soybean products. Others called ligands are abundant in flaxseeds, black and green tea, coffee, fruit and vegetables, split peas, lentils, and beans. And another common category called coumestans is found in alfalfa, beans, split peas, and lentils.
Cultures whose diets include such foods have much lower risk for prostate cancer, breast cancer, and menopausal symptoms. I recommend you aim for around 15 mg (15,000 mcg) a day, which is equivalent to an Asian diet, ideally eating a phytoestrogen-rich food source twice a day, as they are only in circulation for about six hours. This is easily achieved by a small portion of tofu (a 3.5 oz. serving provides 78 mg), half a cup of soy milk or soy yogurt (11 mg), or a portion of chickpeas, perhaps as hummus (2 mg). Eating rye bread, bean sprouts, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds helps.
The table below is adapted from the Phytoestrogen Database 2004, compiled by Dr. Margaret Ritchie, Bute Medical School at the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) and reproduced with her kind permission. It provides a measure of the isoflavone phytoestrogen level in common foods per 100 g, which is roughly per serving.
PHYTOESTROGEN CONTENT OF COMMONLY EATEN FOODS
Food
mcg per 100 g
Soy flour, full-fat
166,700
Soybeans
142,100
Miso
126,500
Tofu
78,700
Soy cheese
33,000
Vegetarian sausages
26,300
Tofu burger
24,200
Soy milk, plain
11,815
Soy yogurt, plain
11,815
Soy sauce
1,800
Multigrain crispbread
1,187.30
Whole wheat bread
829.80
Bean sprouts
758.20
Rye bread
757.20
Frankfurter sausages
676
Premium sausages
620
Pita bread
320.70
Currants
250
Runner beans
>
221.90
Brown rice
132.60
Chickpeas
124.10
Mixed nuts and raisins
100
Ice cream, dairy
91
Sage and onion stuffing
90
Muesli, Swiss style
51.70
Red kidney beans
40
Turkey burgers, breaded
40
Green beans
38.40
Black-eyed peas
32
Hazelnuts
24
Kidney beans
23.60
Peanuts, plain
23.50
Noodles, wheat
23.30
Lentils, green and brown
22.30
Mung beans
20.62
Eggplant, stuffed with lentils and vegetables
19
Passion fruit
17.40
Prunes
12.79
Apples
12
Brown rice and red kidney beans
12
Hummus
11
Which antioxidant-rich foods?
The total antioxidant power of a food can be measured by a test developed at Tufts University in Boston that determines a food’s “oxygen radical absorbance capacity,” known as ORAC for short. Each food can now be assigned a certain number of ORAC units. Foods that score high in these units are especially helpful in countering oxidant, or free radical, damage in your body.
We should all obtain 3,500 ORAC units a day, although 5,000 to 6,000 will give you even more protection against aging. You’ll also be better protected against many diseases, including cancer and heart disease. What this means in practice is eating a cup of blueberries (3,240 ORAC units), a quarter of a cup of raisins, and three prunes; or a half pint of strawberries and two servings of kale, Broccolini, or broccoli. Alternatively, you could eat five servings of fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WITH ANTIOXIDANT POWER
The best fruits and vegetables
The charts below show the best five fruits and vegetables, based on five key health factors: the ORAC rating, glucosinolate content (a key phytonutrient), zinc, folic acid, and vitamin C. Make sure these are staple foods in your diet.
THE TOP FIVE VEGETABLES
THE TOP FIVE FRUITS
Recommended Reading
Chapter 2
Cheraskin, E. What Is Optimum? ION Press, 1994.
D’Adamo, P. Eat Right for Your Type. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1997.
Chapter 3
Williams, R. Biochemical Individuality. Texas University Press, 1969.
Chapter 4
Crawford, M., and O. Marsh. Nutrition and Evolution. Keats, 1995.
Chapter 6
Colborn, T., J. P. Myers, and D. Dumanoski. Our Stolen Future. T. Little, Brown, 1996.
Holford, P., and P. Barlow. How to Protect Yourself from Pollution. ION Press, 1990.
Chapter 9
Erasmus, U. Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill Alive Books, 1987/1994.
Chapter 11
Institute of Optimum Nutrition. The Vitamin Controversy. ION Press, 1987.
Chapter 12
Holford, P. Elemental Health. ION Press, 1983.
Chapter 14
Holford, P. Living Food-The Key to Health and Vitality. ION Press, 1996.
Chapter 16
Braly, J., and P. Holford. The H Factor. Piatkus Books, 2003.
Chapter 17
Holford, P. Improve Your Digestion. Piatkus Books, 1999.
Chapter 18
Holford, P. Say No to Heart Disease. Piatkus Books, 1998.
Pauling, L. Unified Theory on the Cause and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease (video). ION Press, 1995.
Chapter 19
Meek, J., and P. Holford. Boost Your Immune System. Piatkus Books, 1998.
Chapter 20
Neil, K., and P. Holford. Balancing Hormones Naturally. Piatkus Books, 1998.
Lee, J., with V. Hopkins. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause. Warner Books, 1996.
Chapter 22
Holford, P. Say No to Arthritis. Piatkus Books, 1999.
Chapter 26
Klatz, R., and R. Goldman. Stopping the Clock. Keats, 1996.
Chapter 27
Lee, J., D. Zara, and V. Hopkins. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Breast Cancer. Warner Books, 2003.
Passwater, R. Cancer Prevention and Nutritional Therapies. Keats, 1996.
Plant, J., and G. Tidey. The Plant Programme. Virgin Books, 2003.
Chapter 28
Meek, J., and P. Holford. Boost Your Immune System. Piatkus Books, 1998.
Chapter 29
Holford, P. The Holford Diet. Piatkus Books, 2004.
chapters 30 and 31
Holford, P. Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. Piatkus Books, 2003.
chapters 32 and 33
Holford, P., and S. Lawson. Optimum Nutrition Before, During and After Pregnancy. Piatkus Books, 2004.
Chapter 34
Carruthers, M. Male Menopause. HarperCollins, 1996.
Lee, J., with V. Hopkins. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You about Menopause. Warner Books, 1996.
Chapter 35
Bland, J. The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program. Keats, 1997.
Chapter 37
Herrin, M. Nutrition Counselling in the Treatment of Eating Disorders. Brunner-Routledge, 2003.
Chapter 38
Cheraskin, E. What is Optimum?. ION Press, 1994.
Chapter 42
Vitamins and Minerals-How Much Is Safe? ION Press, 1991.
Part 7
Werbach, M. Nutritional Influences on Illness. Keats, 1987/1988.
Resources
STAY INFORMED
Subscribe to my Wellness Advisor newsletter for monthly guidance on achieving super health, including review and analysis of the latest research. A one-year subscription (12 issues) is $39.95. Call 800-809-9610 or order online at www.holfordhealth.com. Sign up for my free health e-letter at www.holfordhealth.com.
BRAIN BIO CENTRE
The Brain Bio Centre is an outpatient clinical treatment center, specializing in the “optimum nutrition” approach to mental health problems. The center offers comprehensive assessment of biochemical imbalances that can contribute to mental health problems and advice on how to correct these imbalances as a means to restore health. For more information visit www.foodforthebrain.org or call +44 (0)20 8332 9600.
INSTITUTE FOR OPTIMUM NUTRITION
ION is a U.K. charitable trust whose mission is to help people reach their maximum potential through optimum nutrition. It offers personal consultations with ION-qualified nutrition consultants in the U.K. Training courses include Optimum Nutrition Workshops, a Homestudy Course, and the three-year Nutrition Consultants Diploma course. ION membership entitles you to the Optimum Nutrition Magazine, Nutrition Updates, a Nutrition Resource Center and Information Service which you can access by fax or mail, plus discounts on books and courses. The annual membership fee is $45. For further information write to ION, Blades Court, Deodar Road, London SW15 2NU, England.
Tel: 011 44 181 877 9993
Fax: 011 44 181 877 9980. Visit the website at www.optimumnutrition.co.uk.
NUTRITION CONSULTATIONS
One-on-one nutrition consultations are available in the U.S. through naturopathic physicians, nutritionists, and physicians trained in the optimum nutrition approach. The following organizations can help you find a practitioner in your area.
Healthcomm International Inc.
5800 Soundview Drive
Gig Harbour, WA 98335
Tel: (253) 851 3943
Fax: (253) 851 9749
Bastyr Naturopathic University
14500 Juanita Drive
North East Bothell, WA 98011
Tel: (425) 823 1300
/> Fax: (425) 823 6222
American Association of Naturopathic Physicians
2366 Eastlake Avenue, Suite 322
Seattle, WA 98102
Tel: (206) 323-7610
American Holistic Medical Association
4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 201
Raleigh, NC 27607
Tel: (919) 787-5146
American College of Alternative Medicine
PO. Box 3427
Laguna Hills, CA 92654
Tel: (800) 532-3688
American Preventive Medical Association
P.O. Box 2111
Tacoma, WA 98401
Tel: (206) 926-0551
Fax: (303) 417-9378
For consultations in the U.K. or for postal and telephone consultations with my team of clinical nutritionists, visit my UK website www.patrickholford.com.
FULL-SPECTRUM LIGHT BULBS PSYCHOCALISTHENICS®
Psychocalisthenics is an excellent exercise system that takes less than twenty minutes a day and develops strength, suppleness, and stamina and generates vital energy. The best way to learn it is to do the Psychocalisthenics training. The Arica Institute offers one-day training’s in the exercise system Psychocalisthenics, plus other trainings. Arica Institute Inc., 145 Palisade Street, Suite 401, Dobbs Ferry, New York 10522-1617. Tel: (914) 674-4091 Fax: (914) 674-4093
A good source for full-spectrum bulbs and lamps is Verilux Full Spectrum Lighting at 800-786-6850 or www.verilux.net. Verilux products are carried at some retail stores, including Sharper Image, Brookstone, Ace Hardware, and True Value.
The New Optimum Nutrition Bible Page 52