Deciphering between dietary preferences.

Diet is arguably the oldest medicinal system in existence. Some foods have proved incredibly beneficial to the survival of our species, while others we have learned to avoid. There are even theories that the addition of omega-3s, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), to our prehistoric diet played a huge role in the rapid development of our brain and complex neurological system.

With the invention of refrigerators and grocery stores, our dietary choices have changed more now than in any other point of known human history. We have been able to shift away from survival mode—hunting and/or gathering every meal—to a life of modern conveniences. We’ve seen the rise of junk food and fast food, which is an unfortunate side effect of food industrialization. On the flipside, our dietary options now have the ability to be more individualized and help us thrive, instead of just survive.

So what is the perfect diet? Well, I believe a large part of that has to do with every individual’s specific needs. It’s largely agreed upon that a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, healthy fats, and low in sugar is optimal for most people. Nowadays, it seems like a new diet pops up on the internet every few weeks touting it is the latest and greatest (with little evidence to support its bold claims).

There are countless ways to achieve dietary balance. I think health-focused dietary choices are best combined with moderate exercise to promote longevity. Many common diets have a plethora of research validated health benefits, along with some challenges as well.

Here is a short list of dietary terms that will be explained in greater detail:

• Vegetarian (including lacto- and ovo-vegetarian)
• Pescatarian
• Vegan
• Mediterranean
• Ketogenic
• Kosher
• Halal

A broad classification for people who do not consume meat, fowl or fish is vegetarian. Many vegetarians eat a plant-based diet that may include eggs and dairy. A plant-based diet also encompasses fruits, vegetables, oils, legumes, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, etc.

• Positives: There are numerous studies suggesting the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Research has shown that a vegetarian diet can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and help balance cholesterol levels.

• Drawbacks: Nutrient deficiencies like calcium, iron and zinc can occur with an unbalanced vegetarian diet.

There are also subgroups within the vegetarian diet category. A lacto vegetarian consumes dairy but not eggs. An ovo vegetarian consumes eggs but not dairy.

There is a term that sounds very similar to vegetarian, called pescatarian, which is ascribed to someone who adds some seafood to the vegetarian diet, while still abstaining from meat or poultry. One of the primary nutrient deficiencies in the vegetarian diet is omega-3s. Plant sources such as flax and chia provide alpha linolenic acid (ALA), a precursor to the omega-3s DHA and EPA. Unfortunately, the conversion rate of ALA into EPA and DHA in a study of healthy young men found percentages as low as 8 percent and 0 to 4 percent, respectively. Young women appear to have an increased ability to convert ALA into EPA at a rate of around 21 percent and DHA at a rate of 9 percent. This may be partly related to the hormonal influences of estrogen and the necessity of DHA and EPA for the developing fetus during pregnancy.

Another term that you may have seen or heard is vegan. Vegans differ from vegetarians in the fact that they do not eat any animal byproducts—so no eggs, dairy, cheese or honey. Veganism is not just a diet for many, but encompasses their lifestyle as well. A lot of vegans opt for cruelty free clothing, shoes, body care products, and textiles, etc. Vegan diets also have literature supporting their health benefits.

• Positives: In addition to many of the same health benefits of a vegetarian diet, vegan diets have been shown to provide even more cancer protection.

• Drawbacks: Nutrient deficiencies can be common in a vegan diet, if not properly addressed. One of the hardest nutrients to come by in a vegan diet is often vitamin B12. A literature review examining vegetarian and vegan diets showed that up to 86 percent of adults and elderly were deficient in this critical vitamin (with vegans being even more at risk than vegetarians). Supplementation with the active form of vitamin B12, known as methylcobalamin, can be very useful for vegans and vegetarians.

A diet that is fairly similar to the vegetarian diet is the Mediterranean diet. The key difference is that the Mediterranean diet incorporates small to moderate amounts of meat and seafood and, of course, red wine. The Mediterranean diet also focuses on the addition of healthy fats like olives, olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.

• Positives: There is a lot of clinical research supporting the Mediterranean diet for its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Reductions in hypertension, metabolic syndrome, unfavorable cholesterol and inflammation have all been demonstrated in human studies.

• Drawbacks: One of the main staples of the Mediterranean diet is olive oil. Olive oil that is organic and extra virgin should always be the top choice. In lower quality olive oils, there can be adulteration with unfavorable oils like soybean and corn, which can promote inflammation and obesity. Therefore, it is incredibly important to know where the olive oil you choose is coming from and how it is produced.

Personally, I feel the best on a ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet generally means less than 50 grams per day of carbohydrates, shifting the caloric focus drastically onto healthy fats and protein. In my opinion, the ketogenic diet offers some of the most profound health benefits for just about everyone. The extreme interest in the ketogenic diet has been steadily increasing, especially over the last year. However, the ketogenic diet is actually an idea that is almost 100 years old. In the 1920s, the ketogenic diet was suggested as a beneficial diet for people with epilepsy, refractory epilepsy in particular.

• Positives: There is new and exciting research coming out favoring the ketogenic diet for neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and others. The ketogenic diet is also useful for weight loss, energy and endurance, blood sugar control, triglyceride reduction and cancer.

• Drawbacks: Because of the drastic carbohydrate reduction, some people find it difficult to adhere to the ketogenic diet.

Kosher and halal are dietary laws governed by the Jewish and Islamic religions, respectively. The three kosher food categories include meat, dairy, and pareve. There must be a separation between dairy products and meat, both in preparation and consumption. Pareve foods can be included with meat or dairy. Kosher meats can only come from certain animals like cows, goats and chickens. Of the kosher animals, there are laws set forth in the Torah that dictate how an animal may be slaughtered (only by a trained rabbi) and the parts that may be eaten. Any dairy products must be from a kosher animal, not contain any meat derivatives, and be processed on equipment that is kosher. Pareve foods like fruit, nuts, vegetables and eggs must be inspected thoroughly by a kosher certifying rabbi. There is a lot of care, oversight and diligence that is involved in all aspects of food cultivation, production and consumption.

Many of the same principles that constitute a kosher food apply to halal as well. A few of the differences include: no alcohol is allowed in any halal foods, meat and dairy may be consumed together, some animals consumed for meat are halal but not kosher, and there must be a blessing before each animal is killed.

How we nourish ourselves can be under the influence of many aspects of life—religious, personal beliefs, convenience, financial and accessibility, to name a few. I think the bottom line is sensible eating habits go a long way on our journey to health and wellness. We are all unique and have different nutritional requirements. Fortunately, we have the ability to work with independently or with a health care practitioner to find a diet that helps us feel our best. I think it’s a good idea for anyone with a chronic health condition to work with an integrative practitioner to find a dietary pattern that is right for them. Also, it’s ok to find a way to nourish yourself that combines elements of many diets, or changes from day-to-day. Diet is one of the largest modifiable disease risk factors, so it’s important to do our best to eat for health as often as we can. VR

References:

Azevedo de Lima P, Pereira de Brito Sampaio L, Damasceno NRT. Neurobiochemical mechanisms of a ketogenic diet in refractory epilepsy. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2014 Oct;69(10):699-705.

Bueno NB, et al. Very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet v. low-fat diet for long-term weight loss: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Br J Nutr. 2013 Oct;110(7):1178-1187.

Burdge G. Alpha-linolenic acid metabolism in men and women: nutritional and biological implicaitons. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 Mar;7(2):137-144.

Burdge GC, Wootton SA. Conversion of alpha-linolenic acid to eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids in young women. Br J Nutr. 2002 Oct;88(4).

Chamberlain JG. The possible role of long-chain, omega-3 fatty acids in human brain phylogeny. Perspect Biol Med. 1996 Spring;39(3):436-445.

Champ CE, et al. Targeting metabolism with a ketogenic diet during the treatment of glilblastoma multiforme. J Neurooncol. 2014 Mar;117(1):125-131.

Deol P, et al. Soybean Oil Is More Obesogenic and Diabetogenic than Coconut Oil and Fructose in Mouse: Potential Role for the Liver. PLoS One. 2015;10(7):e0132672.

Dinu M, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A, Sofi F. Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Nov 22;57(17):3640-3649.

Giltay EJ, Gooren LJ, Toorians AW, Katan MB, Zock PL. Docosahexaenoic acid concentrations are higher in women than in men because of estrogenic effects. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Nov;80(5):1167-1174.

Jabeur H, et al. Detection of Chemlali extra-virgin olive oil adulteration mixed with soybean oil, corn oil, and sunflower oil by using GC and HPLC. J Agric Food Chem. 2014 May 28;62(21):4893-4904.

Ma S, Huang Q, Yada K, Liu C, Suzuki K. An 8-Week Ketogenic Low Carbohydrate, High Fat Diet Enhanced Exhaustive Exercise Capacity in Mice. Nutrients. 2018;10(6):673.

Neal EG, et al. The ketogenic diet for the treatment of childhood epilsepy: a randomized controlled trial. Lancect Neurol. 2008 Jun;7(6):500-506.

Paoli A, Bianco A, Damiani E, Bosco G. Ketogenic Diet in Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases. BioMed Research International. 2014; Article ID 474296, 10 pages.

Pawlak R, Lester SE, Babatunde T. The prevalence of cobalamin deficiency among vegetarians assessed by serum vitamin B12: a review of the literature. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014 May;68(5):541-548.

Pills W, Stec K, Zych M, Pilis A. Health benefits and risk associated with adopting a vegetarian diet. Rocz Panstw Zakt Hig. 2014;65(1):9-14.

Rathod R, Kale A, Joshi S. Novel insights into the effect of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids on brain function. J Biomed Sci. 2016;23:17.

Shen J, et al. Mediterranean Dietary Patterns and Cardiovascular Health. Annu Rev Nutr. 2015;35:425-429.

www.ok.org. What is Kosher? OK Kosher. Information accessed on 9/26/2018.

A highly regarded leader in the natural products industry, Terry Lemerond is founder and president of EuroPharma, Inc. He also founded Enzymatic Therapy, Inc. and PhytoPharmica, Inc. and is currently co-owner of the Terry Naturally Health Food Store in Green Bay, WI, which recently won its sixth consecutive consumer choice award as “Best of the Bay.” With more than 40 years in the natural products industry, Lemerond has researched and developed more than 400 nutritional and botanical formulations that continue to be top-selling products in the market. Lemerond shares his wealth of experience and knowledge in health and nutrition through his educational programs, including the Terry Talks Nutrition website, newsletters, podcasts, webinars and personal speaking engagements. He is the author of two books: Seven Keys to Vibrant Health and the recently updated Seven Keys to Unlimited Personal Achievement.