Mom was right: Eat your veggies, cut the fat - for good health

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service

May 23, 2005

Source: http://http300.edge.ru4.com/smartserve/ad?...3B%7Esscs%3D%3f

(KRT) - The following editorial appeared in the Dallas Morning News on Friday, May 20:

Low fat, low calorie or low carb?

Nutrition experts and dieters everywhere go back and forth on the optimal mix for good health and weight control, but three recent studies make a strong case for one thing: balance. Now that's a common-sense approach we can wrap our appetites around.

A balanced diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and nutrient-packed whole grains, and low in fat and sugary processed foods. Science has linked a balanced diet to weight loss and maintenance for years; the most recent findings reveal its impact on three other aspects of health:

Cancer: In a large, groundbreaking study by the National Cancer Institute unveiled last week, researchers said that a low-fat diet can reduce the risk of breast-cancer recurrence by about 24 percent. The women in the study also received nutrition counseling and increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables, and along the way lost, on average, 4 pounds.

Cholesterol: A study in the May 3 Annals of Internal Medicine found that a conventional low-fat diet reduces LDL cholesterol by 4.6 percent. Adding vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and nuts to the diet doubled that reduction.

Blood pressure: A balanced diet helps reduce blood pressure in adults, and a study in Epidemiology earlier this year found that the same goes for kids, too. Young children who ate four or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day and two or more servings of dairy had lower blood pressure in adolescence, regardless of their weight.

In a time when Americans are caught up in counting for our health - grams, calories, pounds - it's reassuring to have something we can count on: old-fashioned balance.

---

Amen. No fads, just facts.