Intermittent Fasting: What the Research Shows

By Sam Scardigli

Source: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/logo-of-intermittent-fasting-clock-face-vector-23297574

Intermittent fasting has become an increasingly popular diet of choice for many Americans looking to improve their health, but is it effective?  Is it practical?  Let’s jump into some of the most recent research to find out how effective intermittent fasting is for weight loss and overall health, while also evaluating its practicality.  

What is an Intermittent-Fasting diet?

First, the numerous different ways to intermittently fast will be discussed.  Intermittent fasting can be defined as eating patterns where individuals go extended periods of time with little or no caloric intake, with intervening periods of normal food intake, on a recurring basis3.  The logic behind intermittent fasting is that current regular eating patterns of three meals per day plus snacks is likely to lead to overconsumption of food, ultimately leading to weight gain and/or chronic disease.  By shortening the time window in which people eat, it makes it more difficult to overeat.  As mentioned previously, there are multiple different ways to intermittently fast.  The three most common forms from recent research are alternate day fasting, 5:2 intermittent fasting, and daily time-restricted feeding.  Alternate day fasting involves alternating fasting days (no calories consumed) with eating days (food and beverage consumed as desired)4.  5:2 intermittent fasting allows individuals to eat what they desire for 5 days per week while severely restricting their intake on 2 nonconsecutive days during the week.  Lastly, daily time-restricted feeding allows individuals to consume food as desired during a set time window each day while fasting for the remainder of the day.  A typical daily time-restricted feeding regimen is consuming all calories between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm and fasting the other 16 hours of the day.  

Weight Loss

The driving force for many people wanting to start intermittent fasting is for weight loss.  Research has shown that humans tend to behaviorally reduce their food intake when performing daily

intermittent fasting (daily time-restricted feeding)1.  A small recent study that lasted 8 weeks resulted in an average of 9% weight loss in obese individuals 1.  It was noted that participants in the study tended to struggle to meet energy requirements when eating in a more restricted time window.  

Overall, studies on all three types of intermittent fasting have proved to be effective for weight loss in normal and overweight individuals.  However, lots of research is showing that alternate day fasting and 5:2 intermittent fasting are difficult to sustain long-term 4.  During fasting days, many participants reported extreme and persistent hunger, causing discomfort 1,4.  Individuals performing daily time-restricted feeding, however, seem to deal with fewer hunger issues 1.  

Source: https://www.clipart.email/clipart/weight-loss-scale-clipart-60706.html

Effects on Chronic Disease

Intermittent fasting has not only shown promise for weight loss, but also in improving chronic disease measures.  Cardiovascular disease risk seems to improve during intermittent-fasting 2.  Intermittent fasting has shown to improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose control, all of which contribute to a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease 2.  Improved glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes has been observed during intermittent fasting when compared to those who are on a regular diet as well 1.  Additionally, intermittent fasting has also shown reduced markers of inflammation in the body 2.  The evidence on improving chronic disease risk through intermittent fasting isn’t as strong as the evidence for weight loss.  However, recent research is promising that intermittent fasting can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease while also providing an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.  

Ramadan

Interestingly, many Muslims throughout the world practice a form of intermittent fasting each year during the month of Ramadan.  Muslims taking part in Ramadan typically do not eat or drink anything during daylight hours and will consume one meal just before dawn and another after sunset 5.  This would be considered daily time-restricted feeding.  Many researchers saw the unique eating habits during Ramadan as an opportunity to research this form of intermittent fasting.  A recent research article stated that 60% of studies on fasting during Ramadan indicated significant weight loss, averaging around 3 pounds 4.  Additionally, improvements in cholesterol, blood glucose, and inflammation were noted in numerous studies 4.  This research further strengthens evidence that intermittent fasting can help aid in weight loss and may provide other beneficial health outcomes.  

Summary

Intermittent fasting appears to be a good option for weight control for those who struggle with overconsumption of food.  In addition to weight loss, some research is showing other potential benefits such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and lower levels of inflammation.  Although, types of intermittent fasting such as alternate day fasting and 5:2 intermittent fasting require periods of 20-36 hours with either no food or very little food intake1.  The ability to sustain these types of intermittent fasting is reported to be very difficult1.  Time-restricted daily feeding, however, seems to cause less of a hunger burden and may be the more practical option.  Time-restricted daily feeding typically includes 8 hours of eating time and 16 hours of fasting time, but slight changes can still allow for better weight control.  For some people, a 12-hour fast and a 12-hour eating time will help reduce consumption.  Overall, nutrition and eating habits are very individualized and intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone, but research indicates that certain types of intermittent fasting are reasonable options.    

References:

Antoni, R., Johnston, K. L., Collins, A. L., & Robertson, M. D. (2017). Effects of intermittent fasting on glucose and lipid metabolism. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 76, 361-368.

De Cabo, R. & Mattson, M. P. (2020). Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. The New England Journal of Medicine, 381, 2541-2551.

Mattson, M. P., Longo, V. D., & Harvie, M. (2016). Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Aging Research Reviews, 39, 46-58.

Patterson, R. E. & Sears, D. D. (2017). Metabolic effects of intermittent fasting. Annual Review of Nutrition, 37, 371-393. (2018). A healthy Ramadan. British Nutrition Foundation.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

By Macia Noorman

As nutrition professionals, we are constantly spreading the message to eat healthy. Eat more fruit! Eat more vegetables! But we sometimes forget that, for many people, that just sounds like dollar signs. Many people want to eat healthy, but don’t know how to do that on a tight budget.

I’ve found myself on a tighter budget than usual this year, and I am here to tell you that you can still eat healthy on a tight budget! It takes a little extra work and time getting started, but once you’ve built some new habits, it will feel like second nature. Here are a few tips to get you started!

Plan Ahead

Have you ever gone to the grocery store and started putting stuff in your cart and get home to realize that you have lots of odds and ends and no clue how to put them together? Or maybe you grabbed a whole bunch of fruits and vegetables that were still sitting there a week later, attracting fruit flies? All that food equals money sitting in a cabinet or landing in the trash.

It’s a lot easier to stick to a budget if you know exactly what you are going to buy and how you are going to use it before you ever set foot in a store. Start by finding a time every week that you can spend some time planning your menu for the next week and building your grocery list. I usually do my menu planning on Thursday or Friday during lunch and in the evening (because I rarely have enough time to get it all done in one sitting).

Building a collection of your favorite recipes and food blogs can make the planning step easier because you won’t have to come up with everything on your own. My two favorite blogs for menu planning are Skinnytaste.com (which even has weekly menu plans if you want to simplify this step even more) and BudgetBytes.com (because budget is right in the name!). And don’t forget to check the ads for your grocery store while you’re planning! Steak may be too expensive to have every week, but it might fit your budget once in a while when it goes on sale!

Shop Smart

You’ve got your list, now stick to it. But how can you do that for the lowest price? You could go to every grocery store around and price compare, but that would take all day! Chances are, one of your area grocery stores promotes itself as a lower cost option. Mine is Ruler Foods (their slogan used to be “measure the savings”). It’s a rare week that I can get everything on my list there, but I can usually get most of my items there and pick up just a few items at the more expensive grocery chain down the street.

A typical Ruler Foods bill for me is between $25 and $45 for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for five days for two people. I pick up the handful of items I couldn’t get at Ruler Foods (usually some produce and the occasional international ingredient) at Schnucks for another $25 to $30. That means, my weekly grocery bill is usually about $50 to $75. For three meals a day. For five days. For two people. That comes out to $1.66 to $2.50 per meal. I’m paying McDonald’s prices for healthy, home cooked meals!

COOK

Here’s the kicker. To eat healthy on a budget you have to be willing to do some of your own cooking. I happen to take that to the extreme and even make my own breads and marinara sauce most of the time (I also have a food allergy that makes that a necessity, but that’s another blog post).

Cooking doesn’t have to be a huge chore that takes over your entire life. The two blogs I mentioned earlier (skinnytaste.com and budgetbytes.com in case you forgot) have tons of very easy recipes that anyone could make with some very basic skills and kitchen supplies. If you’re busy during the week and just don’t have the time to cook dinner every night, try to set aside some time on the weekend to prepare for the week ahead. And become a fan of leftovers! A lot of recipes are designed to make four servings. That means you can cook once and eat four meals!

You may be saying, “This is all well and good theoretically, but the proof is in the pudding.” So, here’s my proof!

Sample One-Week Menu

I only plan a menu for Monday through Friday. We eat whatever is leftover on the weekends and are more likely to go out with friends.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner
Monday	6 oz Greek yogurt ½ cup blueberries 1 teaspoon honey Schnucks bakery muffin	Skinnytaste Chickpea Tuna Salad 1 slice bread	BudgetBytes Chili Lime Shrimp Bowls
Tuesday	Skinnytaste Breakfast Pizza 1 banana	Leftover Chili Lime Shrimp Bowls	Skinnytaste Pressure Cooker Pozole
Wednesday	Leftover Breakfast Pizza 1 banana	Leftover Pressure Cooker Pozole	BudgetBytes Lemon Ricotta Pasta
Thursday	3 Skinnytaste Petite Quiches 1 cup cantaloupe	Leftover Lemon Ricotta Pasta	BudgetBytes Carnitas & Pickled Red Onions 3-4 tortillas (tacos!)
Friday	3 Leftover Petite Quiches 1 cup cantaloupe	Leftover Carnitas &Pickled Red Onions 3-4 tortillas	BudgetBytes Spring Rolls & Quick Peanut Sauce

And here are my receipts! My grocery total for the week was $63.62 for two people. That includes three meals a day for five days. Our per meal price for the week is $2.12.

 

It takes some dedication and time to eat healthy on a budget, but it can be done! Decide to make a plan and stick to it, and you and your bank account will start to feel healthier soon!

Plant Forward Diets and Why They Shouldn’t Be a Trend

By Madeline Nathe

            If you follow food trends you’ve probably heard of the phrase “plant based.” Even if you don’t follow food trends I’m guessing you’ve heard your doctor, dietitian, or mom tell you to eat more fruits and vegetables. But is that all that a plant based diet is? I want to dive headfirst into the idea of plant based diets and explore how you might be able to incorporate this into your lifestyle.

            First off is the “why.” Why would you as an individual and food consumer want to take up a plant based diet. As a dietitian whose SLU education taught her that evidence based practice is best, I found some research to support this. And as someone who knows that research articles aren’t the most exciting thing to read, I’ve boiled it down to the nitty gritty for you. Both the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association recommend following a diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, poultry, fish, and vegetable oils.^1,2 All but 2 of the items on that list are plant based. Fruits and veggies also have high contents of phytochemicals, antioxidants, and phytoestrogens which can help reduce inflammation, inhibit oxidation of bad fatty acids, and lower blood pressure.³ Plant based foods are high in dietary fiber, a component of foods that is very important for our health in various ways. Fiber gets fermented in our gut and provides a healthy microbiome – this plays an important role in our immune system, our brain health, and perhaps even body weight.^4,5 Some other reasons to go plant based include environmental and sustainability reasons, cost purposes, and a desire to eat less processed foods – each of these reasons could be a series of blog posts on their own, so we’ll just focus on the basics today.

Source: https://www.plantforwardkitchen.org/

            Now that we’ve got a good idea of why and how this can be a good practice for our health, I want to think of it in a slightly different light. The word “diet” often scares people and makes them thing of cutting out sweets, bread, or entire food groups (I’m looking at you, keto diet). In actuality, the word diet literally means “the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats.”⁶  I’d also like to think of plant based diet as a plant “forward” diet. The word “forward” in general sounds more optimistic to me, which is something I like when thinking about food, but it is also makes me think of plants being at the forefront of my meal, plate, or menu.

Beet and Orange Salad with Crispy Chickpeas from my popup dinner – delicious, filling, and 100% plant forward [photo by Karly Wilson]

As Americans and especially Midwesterners, we often think of dinner as what meat or protein we’re going to have and then what do we eat as sides, which is where we add in our veggies. If you are making a plant forward meal, you might be planning your meal around what fruits and vegetables are in season and what protein would complement it, versus the other way around. Thinking of meat as a supplement to your meal and not the main focus, is one way to practice a plant forward diet. Another option you can do in practicing plant based diet would be to swap meats for beans, tofu, or other plant proteins. You could also do half meat and half plant based. Something I saw during one of my food service rotations was using half ground beef and half mushrooms in tacos and meatloaf recipes. Mushrooms still provide a meaty flavor and texture but overall you are cutting back on the amount of meat you’re using. However, the best advice I can give when cooking vegetables and fruits is to properly season and highlight them. Use spices, acids, vinegars, seeds, herbs to complement the fruit or veggie so they shine and become truly delicious. I hosted a popup dinner last year for my capstone project and served a beet salad (see picture above). The salad was simple and had 6 ingredients: beets, oranges, cumin, sumac, chickpeas, cilantro, plus olive oil and salt (absolute staples you need in your kitchen). Many people at the dinner told me they never liked beets until they tried that – and I attribute it all to the power of using tangy acids, spices, and bright oils to elevate the beets.

Crispy Cauliflower with Charred Scallion Salsa Verde and Whipped Tahina from my popup dinner [photo by Karly Wilson]

But how else can we make this fit in our lifestyles successfully so that it’s not just a short term trial like so many other diets? In the US we’ve seen a decline in home cooking and a rise in eating out, buying convenience food items, and premade fast casual options. Perhaps plant forward for you means cooking at home because you won’t purchase and consume as much meat. Or maybe it means finding less processed, convenient snacks and swapping them with a homemade plant forward option. Challenging yourself to do meatless Mondays, or simply eating a smaller portion of meat is one way to ease into plant forward eating. Figure out what you could play with and know what you will not change in your diet. For me, its dairy. I know that dairy is a great source of protein and nutrients for me. I see this as a nutrient dense food in my plant forward diet. Because of that, I choose to go plant forward in other areas of my diet.

Source: https://www.aeb.org/incredible-egg-trends/incredible-egg-trend-plant-forward

Stepping into a plant forward lifestyle and diet can be intimidating at first. Just simply walking around the farmers market always inspires me and gets the wheels turning about what plant forward meals I want to make. The produce is beautiful, it is always buzzing with people, and during peak summertime there’s usually too many delicious fruits and veggies to bring home at once. This is a trendy “diet” right now, so I’m seeing lots of food bloggers, magazines, and Instagram accounts developing plant forward recipes. Seeing a picture of a beautiful dish can usually get me in the kitchen to try it out for myself. Finding your own way to practice plant forward eating will lead to health benefits and a new found exploration for ingredients, meals, and menus. And as Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”⁷ Happy eating!

Bonus:

Here are some Instagram accounts, blogs, and cookbooks that I gravitate to for plant forward eating:

• https://www.bonappetit.com/ - at the beginning of 2020 they said 30% of new recipes they would develop would be meatless (https://www.bonappetit.com/story/ba-test-kitchen-sustainability) in addition to the many meatless recipes they already have developed
• https://www.instagram.com/halfbakedharvest/?hl=en – a food blogger with lots of plant forward options for everyone in the family
• https://www.instagram.com/karlys.kitchen/ - a undergrad senior in SLU’s dietetics and culinary program who shares her eats following a vegan diet
• https://michaelpollan.com/books/ - Michael Pollan has written several books about diets in the US and how we should strive to shape ours in the best way for the environment and our health
• https://www.joshuamcfadden.com/sixseasons - Six Seasons is a beautiful and interesting cookbook that will challenge you to cook seasonally and make delicious plant forward dishes

Sources:

1. The American Heart Association Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/aha-diet-and-lifestyle-recommendations
2. Healthy Food Choices Made Easy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.diabetes.org/nutrition/healthy-food-choices-made-easy
3. Slavin, J. L., & Lloyd, B. (2012). Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables. Advances in Nutrition, 3(4), 506–516. doi: 10.3945/an.112.002154
4. Willis, H. J., & Slavin, J. L. (2019). The Influence of Diet Interventions Using Whole, Plant Food on the Gut Microbiome: A Narrative Review. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2019.09.017
5. Cani, P. D. (2018). Human gut microbiome: hopes, threats and promises. Gut, 67(9), 1716–1725. doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2018-316723
6. Diet: Definition of Diet by Lexico. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/diet
7. Pollan, M. P. (2007, January 28). Unhappy Meals. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html

All About Nixtamal

By Sarah Morrissey

While the flavor of sweet corn is delicious it is own right, there is a something different to the flavor and texture of corn-based foods like corn tortillas and grits. The commonality in flavor of these familiar foods can be credited to a process called nixtamalization.

What is Nixtamalization?

Local Aztec blue whole corn for hominy. | PHOTO BY DAN BREWER

Nixtamalization is an ancient Mesoamerican technique where whole dry corn kernels are mixed with an alkaline solution, heated, and soaked overnight. Extensive soaking the dry corn in a basic solution, typically slacked lime (calcium hydroxide) or wood woodash (potassium hydroxide) softens the corn. Once washed it can be more readily consumed as hominy or ground into masa.

Historical Context

Local Aztec blue whole corn one hour into nixtamalization. | PHOTO BY SARAH MORRISSEY

The earliest evidence of maize, or corn, processing in Latin America dates back to 1500 -1200 BC. The softness of the corn was likely the appealing attribute as it was practically easier to chew. Retrospectively, it is now understood that this process enhances the flavor and aroma, reduces the susceptibility to common molds and fungi,  and improves the overall nutritional quality of the corn.

Lasting Nutritional Relevance

Nutritional comparison of whole corn to nixtamalized whole corn. | GRAPHIC BY SARAH MORRISSEY

Without nixtamalization, niacin (vitamin B3) is bound in the corn so our body is unable to digest it. However, with nixtamalization, niacin is released, therefore, preventing pellagra. Not only does nixtamalization free bound niacin, it increases the overall protein content of whole corn and increases the bioavailability of calcium, iron, copper and zinc. In a culture where dietary intake of calcium is relatively limited, the integration of calcium hydroxide has historically filled the nutritional gap. Overall, the cumulative effect of this basic process allowed ancient civilizations to thrive.

Nixtamalization Seen Today

 Fresh masa dough ready for the tortilla press. | PHOTO BY DAN BREWER

The most widespread culinary application of nixtamalization is masa, which is freshly ground hominy. Masa which can be made into corn tortillas, tostadas, tamales, among other dishes central to Mexican food and culture. For detailed pozole verde and handmade tortilla recipe inspiration, visit the Small Circle blog.

The Future of Nixtamalization

 Bloody butcher corn. | PHOTO BY DAN BREWER

Since the beginning of time, evolution has predominantly been driven by food and technology available for preparation. As technology has allowed food production to be more time-efficient and motivated convenience, it is important to be cautious when accepting these practices as inherently better. While much can be learned from the globalization of food, it is imperative to slow down and consider ancient techniques like nixtamalization that have sustained past civilizations to understand how they can benefit all aspects of the modern food system.