Last summer, a group of Harvard researchers led by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian released a list of habits that led to weight gain (or weight loss) over the course of 20 years after analyzing health records and surveys of about 120,000 mostly middle-aged people. On average, the subjects had gained an average of almost 4 pounds every 4 years, or about 17 pounds over those 20 years.
One of the researchers' findings was that regular physical activity led to some weight loss over those 20 years. Also, people sleeping 6 to 8 hours at night gained less weight than people who slept more than 8 hours or less than six. The most interesting finding of Dr. Mozaffarian and his team’s research was that of 5 foods associated with the most weight gain, and 5 foods associated with weight loss.
Here’s the list of 5 foods most associated with gaining weight over 20 years (click "read below"):
One of the researchers' findings was that regular physical activity led to some weight loss over those 20 years. Also, people sleeping 6 to 8 hours at night gained less weight than people who slept more than 8 hours or less than six. The most interesting finding of Dr. Mozaffarian and his team’s research was that of 5 foods associated with the most weight gain, and 5 foods associated with weight loss.
Here’s the list of 5 foods most associated with gaining weight over 20 years (click "read below"):
(1) Potato chips
(2) Other potatoes
(3) Sugar-sweetened beverages
(4) Unprocessed red meats
(5) Processed meats
And here’s the 5 foods most associated with actually losing weight over 20 years:
(1) Vegetables
(2) Whole grains
(3) Fruits
(4) Nuts
(5) Yogurts
So how does this apply to you, lover of Indian food? Well, simply follow these 4 rules to avoid adding pounds. The awesome thing is following these 4 rules will make you feel better starting today.
1. Eat fresh vegetables (like salads or sauteed medley) at least once a day
2. Snack on fruits and nuts
3. Switch to brown rice and Indian breads made of coarsely ground wheat (atta in Hindi) or millet such as roti, debra or oats-and-brown-rice dosa
4. Have yogurt (dahi in Hindi, perugu in Telegu, thayir in Tamil) most days of the week
These 4 simple rules for weight control are also rules for following a healthy Indian diet!
To learn more information about this study, see Mozaffarian D et al. Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men. New England Journal of Medicine 2011; 364: 2392-2404. Here's a good article on this study on WebMD.
(2) Other potatoes
(3) Sugar-sweetened beverages
(4) Unprocessed red meats
(5) Processed meats
And here’s the 5 foods most associated with actually losing weight over 20 years:
(1) Vegetables
(2) Whole grains
(3) Fruits
(4) Nuts
(5) Yogurts
So how does this apply to you, lover of Indian food? Well, simply follow these 4 rules to avoid adding pounds. The awesome thing is following these 4 rules will make you feel better starting today.
1. Eat fresh vegetables (like salads or sauteed medley) at least once a day
2. Snack on fruits and nuts
3. Switch to brown rice and Indian breads made of coarsely ground wheat (atta in Hindi) or millet such as roti, debra or oats-and-brown-rice dosa
4. Have yogurt (dahi in Hindi, perugu in Telegu, thayir in Tamil) most days of the week
These 4 simple rules for weight control are also rules for following a healthy Indian diet!
To learn more information about this study, see Mozaffarian D et al. Changes in Diet and Lifestyle and Long-Term Weight Gain in Women and Men. New England Journal of Medicine 2011; 364: 2392-2404. Here's a good article on this study on WebMD.
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