Chapter 7: Nutrition Basics 89
by solid evidence. Certain Greek populations of the 1960s ate as much as 40
percent fat — primarily from olive oil — and their heart disease rates were
a remarkable 90 percent lower than those of Americans. There may be a
range of acceptable fat intake levels. Keeping your saturated fat to less than
10 percent of total calories appears to be the more important figure.Choose Your Carbs Carefully .......................................................................
Read some of the most popular low-carb diet books and you get the impres-
sion that carbohydrates are the root of all evil. Many of these books claim
that pasta, bagels, fruit, sweet potatoes, and other high-carbohydrate foods
trigger the body to store excess fat. But, as with many wacky diet theories,
this one takes a scientific theory and distorts it beyond recognition.In reality, carbohydrates are your body’s main source of fuel, and exercisers
need plenty of them. Sports nutritionists recommend that between 50 percent
and 70 percent of calories should come from carbohydrates.Choosing the best carbs .....................................................................
The key is to favor complex carbohydrates and natural simple sugars over
processed and nutritionally-void simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates have
sugar molecules strung together in long chemically bonded chains. These
carbs are found in beans, whole-wheat pasta, grains, veggies, and the like.
Most complex carbs are low in calories, low in fat, and high in fiber. The
sugar in complex carbohydrates is absorbed relatively slowly into your
bloodstream so that your blood-sugar level and energy level remain fairly
constant, and you feel full for a good while.Getting enough fiber ...........................................................................
Although most Americans eat just 12 to 17 grams of fiber per day, the federal
government recommends 20 to 35 — nearly double. Fiber comes from whole-
grain products (veggies, fruits, oats, whole-wheat bread), plus in dry beans,
peas, nuts, and seed. Check labels, of course, and you’ll find very little fiber
in processed foods. To get the most fiber, eat whole-grain flour-based prod-
ucts and the skin on vegetables and fruits.Perhaps the most well-known benefit of fiber is to keep your colon healthy
and keep your bowel movements regular. Fiber also plays a role in reducing
cholesterol. But the most tangible benefit? Fiber keeps you feeling full longer
throughout the day.