What Is In The Food You Eat?

Kosher Diet Supplements.

When it comes to food I’m always amazed, when I find out how little people know how little I knew when I began to learn about foods-about thinking yourself thin. Even now, each day I learn something new. And as new food discoveries are made, I hope I’ll go on learning new things.

So I can tell you what scientists and specialists believe- as of today. Tomorrow, the newspapers may contain new facts about food-even new ways to grow thin.
Today, the high-protein diet is considered by far the best diet for weight reduction, and for the maintenance of correct weight, once the reduction is complete. Certainly, every diet requires some carbohydrates and some fat-and all good diets contain those in the right proportion, as well as vitamins and minerals. By lessening your carbohydrate and fat intake, and increasing your protein intake, you lose weight, providing the right amounts of the right foods are eaten. Of course, water and salt are important.

In the stomach, proteins are broken down by pepsin and hydrochloric acid to proteoses and peptones, and, finally, in the intestines, to amino acids. There are about twenty-two amino acids-and ten of these are essential to health. Some very good proteins contain all of the amino acids. These are perfect for health and reduction. Others are incomplete, and do not contain all of the amino acids, though they are good, too.

Proteins are the “building blocks” of the body, though that terminology, of course, is inexact, as the body isn’t a fixed, solid structure. The value of protein is determined by the completeness with which it supplies all the amino acids needed to build the body.

If a person gets enough proteins, his body has a nitrogen balance. If the proteins do not provide enough, then he is in negative balance. A nitrogen equilibrium is a real factor in a good diet-and can be attained even if a person is losing weight, if enough protein is taken.

The chief function of carbohydrates in nutrition is to give energy. They are the most rapidly utilized of all food materials. When too much carbohydrates are taken into the body, they form fat. If not enough are taken, the body draws on its own tissues-and a person loses weight.

Fat, as part of the diet, was considered, in the past, to have only high caloric value. But fat also gives energy and provides substances necessary for animal economy. Some fat is needed in every diet.

However, protein not only provides building blocks. It does more than that. It stimulates the metabolism so much that instead of 100 calories, there will be a rise to 130 calories. This is known as “specific dynamic action” -and means that you may eat more protein and not gain, but actually lose weight.

Today, practically all authorities recognize the need for a liberal protein diet, especially in reduction. The “low-protein era” was introduced by Chittenden, following his experiments with a group of young men, and is now considered to be without too much value because there was no “control” group upon whom the experiment could be measured, and because his experiments were too short. Further experiments by many physicians, both in reduction and in regular diets, have proved the value of high protein in every good diet, for the maintenance of continued health, as well as for weight reduction.

To reduce weight, an obese person must burn his own body fat. It’s as simple as that. He must eat himself up! A bit cannibalistic? I’m afraid so. But it’s the only way to lose weight. Eating less-and increasing food utilization by exercise. And, while dieting, care must be taken against protein loss, by increasing the protein intake; against mineral and vitamin deficiency, by eating the right foods and taking extra vitamins when necessary; and against hunger, by eating satisfactory and satisfying foods.