essay about dietary plan

Healthy Diet Essay

Consuming a healthy diet throughout a person’s life helps prevent malnutrition in all its forms, as well as a range of diet-related non-communicable diseases and conditions. But the increased consumption of processed food, rapid urbanisation and changing lifestyles have led to a shift in dietary patterns. People now consume fast food and do not eat enough fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and whole grains. So, to help students understand the importance of a healthy diet, we have provided a “Healthy Diet” essay.

Students can also go through the list of CBSE Essays on different topics. It will help them to improve their writing skills and also increase their scores on the English exam. Moreover, they can participate in different essay writing competitions which are conducted at the school level.

500+ Words Healthy Diet Essay

A healthy diet consists of simple, natural and/or well-cooked foods which promote health and protect us from diseases. It keeps our organ systems functioning well. The diet that we consume is decided by our socio-cultural norms, lifestyle patterns and the type of activities we are engaged in. A healthy diet includes nutrition, nutrients, food groups, a balanced diet and special dietary requirements.

Balanced Diet

A diet that contains all the essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins in the proportion required for the normal growth and development of the body is called a balanced diet. The important components of a balanced diet are cereals, pulses, milk, fruits and vegetables, fats and oil. A balanced diet constitutes a healthy diet. Thus, we all should try to follow a balanced diet.

Role of Nutrients

Nutrients that we obtain through food have vital effects on physical growth and development. It also helps in maintaining normal body function, physical activity and health. Nutritious food is thus needed to sustain life and activity. A healthy diet must provide all essential nutrients in the required amounts. Requirements for essential nutrients vary with age, gender, physiological status and physical activity. Dietary intakes lower or higher than the body requirements can lead to undernutrition or overnutrition, respectively.

Eating too little food during certain significant periods of life such as infancy, childhood, adolescence, pregnancy and lactation and eating too much at any age can lead to harmful consequences. An adequate diet, providing all nutrients, is needed throughout our lives. Eating a variety of foods from each food group is crucial for supplying the individual with all the essential nutrients that the body needs, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.

Special Dietary Requirements

The amount of food or nutrients required by a person in a day depends upon the need for energy. These needs are directly related to age and physical activity. During the rapid growth years, i.e. 12–22 years for boys and 12–18 years for girls, there is a gradual increase in daily food requirements. But as we grow old, our daily need for energy decreases. The amount of energy required by people engaged in low, moderate or high levels of physical activity differs. A sports person always needs to consume more calories than a non-sports person. Similarly, the dietary needs of a woman during pregnancy and lactation are higher.

Before we eat, we should think about what goes on our plate, cup, or bowl. Foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein foods should be part of our diet. These contain the nutrients that we need to maintain a heart-healthy eating plan. Eating a healthy diet will keep our body fit, healthy and free from all kinds of diseases. With a healthy body and mind, we can enjoy our life and can achieve whatever we want in our life.

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The Concept of Healthy Nutrition Essay

I have always been conscious of my eating habits and health. The reason behind my consciousness is that my lifestyle and personality dictates so. Vivacious, enthusiastic enterprising are words I would use to describe myself and my busy lifestyle confirms these qualities. This means that I need to be in shape and constantly check of my energy levels for optimum productivity. Early this year I realized that, my body was slowing me down and my health was not as good as I wanted it to be. This was the driving force behind enrolling for this course.

A healthy balance diet is crucial for ensuring good health. This implies the inclusion of both macronutrients and micronutrients. The former means nutrients that are needed in relatively large amounts while the latter means nutrients needed in small amounts. Carbohydrates, proteins, water and lipids constitute the macronutrients while vitamins and minerals constitute the micronutrients.

My diet consists of high energy giving foods particularly starches and lipids. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Therefore, what better way to kick-start my busy schedule than with a glass of fresh fruit juice, whole meal cereals and an egg? For lunch, I usually have vegetable and cheese sandwiches that I get from the fast food nearby the college. I always make sure that the bread is whole meal because I know that it contains dietary fiber. From my classes, I have learnt that dietary fibers aid in digestion and that they make a person feel fuller for longer..In order to overcome the fast food craze I usually carry a nutrient rich snack, which I indulge in whenever I feel an appetite for deep fried foods linger. Nuts and a fruit particularly come in handy at such a time. I suppose this is the strategy I use to avoid the drive-up fast food restaurants.

In addition, I have learnt the importance of drinking lots of water. Sixty percent of the human body is water and although it does not provide energy, it helps to flush out toxic waste from the body. It also helps to dissolve and transport nutrients throughout the body. I usually take nine glasses of water daily, which is the recommended amount. According to the National health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES), the intake of foods high in micronutrients is insufficient. (CC online, 1997)This course has enabled me to pay more attention to the presence of these nutrients in my diet; hence, I have incorporated more fruits and vegetables in my diet.

In response to a fellow students posting, I would start by applauding the decision to retake this course. Not only will your grades be better, but also your diet habits will change for the better. Lachlan is going to need you to be there for him as he grows up. You want to be in good health and have the energy to take part in activities that solidify your bond. Further, you might want to progress in your studies or build a career as well as be a full time mother. Balancing between the two would need you to be at optimum. Good nutrition contributes to this end. I gather that your diet does not include a lot of drive through window fast foods visits which is commendable although occasionally it can be quite fun. Your excuse to avoid restaurants sounded hilarious if I should say so myself! Trust me, you are not alone, most people share your paranoia. However, by visiting clean restaurants of good repute it is possible to overcome the doubt. Overall, home cooked meals are just as good if not better than restaurant foods. It enables you to choose what to eat and in what proportions. So continue with the course but most importantly practice what you learn and you will experience worthwhile results.

In summary, you are not what you eat rather the food you eat supplies the nutrients needed to function. By promoting healthy lifestyles among people, it is possible to reduce preventable diseases and probable death resulting from nutrient deficiency illnesses. (cerro coso community college, 1997)

Works cited

Nutrition: what you eat and why. (1997) Cerro coso community college.

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Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Concept of Healthy Nutrition." September 18, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-concept-of-healthy-nutrition/.

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Healthy Living Guide 2020/2021

A digest on healthy eating and healthy living.

As we transition from 2020 into 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect nearly every aspect of our lives. For many, this health crisis has created a range of unique and individual impacts—including food access issues, income disruptions, and emotional distress.

Although we do not have concrete evidence regarding specific dietary factors that can reduce risk of COVID-19, we do know that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is critical to keeping our immune system strong. Beyond immunity, research has shown that individuals following five key habits—eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, keeping a healthy body weight, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking— live more than a decade longer than those who don’t. Plus, maintaining these practices may not only help us live longer, but also better. Adults following these five key habits at middle-age were found to live more years free of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

While sticking to healthy habits is often easier said than done, we created this guide with the goal of providing some tips and strategies that may help. During these particularly uncertain times, we invite you to do what you can to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and hopefully (if you’re able to try out a new recipe or exercise, or pick up a fulfilling hobby) find some enjoyment along the way.

Download a copy of the Healthy Living Guide (PDF) featuring printable tip sheets and summaries, or access the full online articles through the links below. 

In this issue:

• Understanding the body’s immune system
• Does an immune-boosting diet exist?
• The role of the microbiome
• A closer look at vitamin and herbal supplements
• 8 tips to support a healthy immune system
• A blueprint for building healthy meals
• Food feature: lentils 
• Strategies for eating well on a budget
• Practicing mindful eating
• What is precision nutrition?
• Ketogenic diet
• Intermittent fasting
• Gluten-free
• 10 tips to keep moving
• Exercise safety
• Spotlight on walking for exercise
• How does chronic stress affect eating patterns?
• Ways to help control stress
• How much sleep do we need?
• Why do we dream?
• Sleep deficiency and health
• Tips for getting a good night’s rest

Essay on Healthy Lifestyle for Students and Children

500+ Words Essay on Healthy Lifestyle

It is said that it is easy to learn and maintain bad habits but it is very difficult to switch them back. The issue of a healthy lifestyle is very serious but the people take it very lightly. Often, it is seen that the people take steps to improve their lifestyle but due to lack of determination quits in the midway.

Moreover, for a healthy lifestyle is it important that you take small and one-step at a time. Also, do not go overboard with it. Besides, this healthy lifestyle will help you in life in a lot of ways.

Habits That Keeps You Healthy

For keeping your body and mind healthy you have to follow certain rules that will help you achieve your goal. Besides, there are certain measures that will help you to stay healthy.

First of all, for being healthy you have to plan and follow a strict diet. This diet should contain all the essential minerals and vitamins required by the body. Also, eat only healthy food and avoid junk and heavily carbohydrate and fatty food.

In addition, wake up early in the morning because first of all, it’s a healthy habit. Secondly, waking up early means you can get ready for your work early, spend some quality time with your family. Besides, this decides time for your sleep and sleep early because it de-stresses body.

Doing exercise regularly makes your body more active and it also releases the pent-up stress from the muscles.

Avoid the mobile- the biggest drawback of this generation is that they are obsessed with their mobile phones. Moreover, these phones cause many physical and mental problem for them. So, to avoid the negative effects of mobile the usage volume of them should be reduced.

Connecting with positive minds because the more you indulge with these people then less you will go to the negative side.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

The things that should be avoided for a healthy lifestyle

We knew that there are several bad habits that affect our healthy lifestyle. These habits can cause much harm to not only to the body but to the society too. In addition, these habits are also the cause of many evils of society. The major healthy lifestyle destroying habits are smoking, drinking, junk food, addiction , meal skipping, and overuse of pills.

All these activities severely damage body parts and organs which cannot be replaced easily. Besides, they not only cause physical damage but mental damage too.

Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle has many benefits not only for the body but for the mind too. Also, if you follow a healthy lifestyle then you can reduce the risk of having cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis.

To sum it up, we can say that there are various benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. Also, a healthy lifestyle has many benefits to your social as well as personal life. Besides, it improves the relationships in the family. Most importantly, the person who lives a healthy lifestyle lives longer as compared to those who do not.

FAQs on Healthy Lifestyle

Q.1 Give some tips to live a healthy lifestyle. A.1 Some tips for staying healthy are eating a balanced diet, maintain weight, having enough sleep, sleep early and wake up early, use mobile lesser, etc.

Q.2 What is good health? A.2 Good health means freedom from sickness and diseases. It is a costly gift of nature to us for living a purposeful life. Also, good health means that we can do more work than our capacity without getting tired.

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12.4 Annotated Student Sample: "Healthy Diets from Sustainable Sources Can Save the Earth" by Lily Tran

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Analyze how writers use evidence in research writing.
• Analyze the ways a writer incorporates sources into research writing, while retaining their own voice.
• Explain the use of headings as organizational tools in research writing.
• Analyze how writers use evidence to address counterarguments when writing a research essay.

Introduction

In this argumentative research essay for a first-year composition class, student Lily Tran creates a solid, focused argument and supports it with researched evidence. Throughout the essay, she uses this evidence to support cause-and-effect and problem-solution reasoning, make strong appeals, and develop her ethos on the topic.

Living by Their Own Words

Food as change.

public domain text For the human race to have a sustainable future, massive changes in the way food is produced, processed, and distributed are necessary on a global scale. end public domain text

annotated text Purpose. Lily Tran refers to what she sees as the general purpose for writing this paper: the problem of current global practices in food production, processing, and distribution. By presenting the “problem,” she immediately prepares readers for her proposed solution. end annotated text

public domain text The required changes will affect nearly all aspects of life, including not only world hunger but also health and welfare, land use and habitats, water quality and availability, energy use and production, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, economics, and even cultural and social values. These changes may not be popular, but they are imperative. The human race must turn to sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets with minimal environmental impact—and starting now. end public domain text

annotated text Thesis. Leading up to this clear, declarative thesis statement are key points on which Tran will expand later. In doing this, she presents some foundational evidence that connects the problem to the proposed solution. end annotated text

THE COMING FOOD CRISIS

public domain text The world population has been rising exponentially in modern history. From 1 billion in 1804, it doubled to approximately 2 billion by 1927, then doubled again to approximately 4 billion in 1974. By 2019, it had nearly doubled again, rising to 7.7 billion (“World Population by Year”). It has been projected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050 (Berners-Lee et al.). At the same time, the average life span also has been increasing. These situations have led to severe stress on the environment, particularly in the demands for food. It has been estimated, for example, that by 2050, milk production will increase 58 percent and meat production 73 percent (Chai et al.). end public domain text

annotated text Evidence. In this first supporting paragraph, Tran uses numerical evidence from several sources. This numerical data as evidence helps establish the projection of population growth. By beginning with such evidence, Tran underscores the severity of the situation. end annotated text

public domain text Theoretically, the planet can produce enough food for everyone, but human activities have endangered this capability through unsustainable practices. Currently, agriculture produces 10–23 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Greenhouse gases—the most common being carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor— trap heat in the atmosphere, reradiate it, and send it back to Earth again. Heat trapped in the atmosphere is a problem because it causes unnatural global warming as well as air pollution, extreme weather conditions, and respiratory diseases. end public domain text

annotated text Audience. With her audience in mind, Tran briefly explains the problem of greenhouse gases and global warming. end annotated text

public domain text It has been estimated that global greenhouse gas emissions will increase by as much as 150 percent by 2030 (Chai et al.). Transportation also has a negative effect on the environment when foods are shipped around the world. As Joseph Poore of the University of Oxford commented, “It’s essential to be mindful about everything we consume: air-transported fruit and veg can create more greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram than poultry meat, for example” (qtd. in Gray). end public domain text

annotated text Transition. By beginning this paragraph with her own transition of ideas, Tran establishes control over the organization and development of ideas. Thus, she retains her sources as supports and does not allow them to dominate her essay. end annotated text

public domain text Current practices have affected the nutritional value of foods. Concentrated animal-feeding operations, intended to increase production, have had the side effect of decreasing nutritional content in animal protein and increasing saturated fat. One study found that an intensively raised chicken in 2017 contained only one-sixth of the amount of omega-3 fatty acid, an essential nutrient, that was in a chicken in 1970. Today the majority of calories in chicken come from fat rather than protein (World Wildlife Fund). end public domain text

annotated text Example. By focusing on an example (chicken), Tran uses specific research data to develop the nuance of the argument. end annotated text

public domain text Current policies such as government subsidies that divert food to biofuels are counterproductive to the goal of achieving adequate global nutrition. Some trade policies allow “dumping” of below-cost, subsidized foods on developing countries that should instead be enabled to protect their farmers and meet their own nutritional needs (Sierra Club). Too often, agriculture’s objectives are geared toward maximizing quantities produced per acre rather than optimizing output of critical nutritional needs and protection of the environment. end public domain text

AREAS OF CONCERN

Hunger and nutrition.

annotated text Headings and Subheadings. Throughout the essay, Tran has created headings and subheadings to help organize her argument and clarify it for readers. end annotated text

public domain text More than 820 million people around the world do not have enough to eat. At the same time, about a third of all grains and almost two-thirds of all soybeans, maize, and barley crops are fed to animals (Barnard). According to the World Health Organization, 462 million adults are underweight, 47 million children under 5 years of age are underweight for their height, 14.3 million are severely underweight for their height, and 144 million are stunted (“Malnutrition”). About 45 percent of mortality among children under 5 is linked to undernutrition. These deaths occur mainly in low- and middle-income countries where, in stark contrast, the rate of childhood obesity is rising. Globally, 1.9 billion adults and 38.3 million children are overweight or obese (“Obesity”). Undernutrition and obesity can be found in the same household, largely a result of eating energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars. The global impact of malnutrition, which includes both undernutrition and obesity, has lasting developmental, economic, social, and medical consequences. end public domain text

public domain text In 2019, Berners-Lee et al. published the results of their quantitative analysis of global and regional food supply. They determined that significant changes are needed on four fronts: end public domain text

Food production must be sufficient, in quantity and quality, to feed the global population without unacceptable environmental impacts. Food distribution must be sufficiently efficient so that a diverse range of foods containing adequate nutrition is available to all, again without unacceptable environmental impacts. Socio-economic conditions must be sufficiently equitable so that all consumers can access the quantity and range of foods needed for a healthy diet. Consumers need to be able to make informed and rational choices so that they consume a healthy and environmentally sustainable diet (10).

annotated text Block Quote. The writer has chosen to present important evidence as a direct quotation, using the correct format for direct quotations longer than four lines. See Section Editing Focus: Integrating Sources and Quotations for more information about block quotes. end annotated text

public domain text Among their findings, they singled out, in particular, the practice of using human-edible crops to produce meat, dairy, and fish for the human table. Currently 34 percent of human-edible crops are fed to animals, a practice that reduces calorie and protein supplies. They state in their report, “If society continues on a ‘business-as-usual’ dietary trajectory, a 119% increase in edible crops grown will be required by 2050” (1). Future food production and distribution must be transformed into systems that are nutritionally adequate, environmentally sound, and economically affordable. end public domain text

Land and Water Use

public domain text Agriculture occupies 40 percent of Earth’s ice-free land mass (Barnard). While the net area used for producing food has been fairly constant since the mid-20th century, the locations have shifted significantly. Temperate regions of North America, Europe, and Russia have lost agricultural land to other uses, while in the tropics, agricultural land has expanded, mainly as a result of clearing forests and burning biomass (Willett et al.). Seventy percent of the rainforest that has been cut down is being used to graze livestock (Münter). Agricultural use of water is of critical concern both quantitatively and qualitatively. Agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of freshwater use, making it “the world’s largest water-consuming sector” (Barnard). Meat, dairy, and egg production causes water pollution, as liquid wastes flow into rivers and to the ocean (World Wildlife Fund and Knorr Foods). According to the Hertwich et al., “the impacts related to these activities are unlikely to be reduced, but rather enhanced, in a business-as-usual scenario for the future” (13). end public domain text

annotated text Statistical Data. To develop her points related to land and water use, Tran presents specific statistical data throughout this section. Notice that she has chosen only the needed words of these key points to ensure that she controls the development of the supporting point and does not overuse borrowed source material. end annotated text

annotated text Defining Terms. Aware of her audience, Tran defines monocropping , a term that may be unfamiliar. end annotated text

public domain text Earth’s resources and ability to absorb pollution are limited, and many current agricultural practices undermine these capacities. Among these unsustainable practices are monocropping [growing a single crop year after year on the same land], concentrated animal-feeding operations, and overdependence on manufactured pesticides and fertilizers (Hamilton). Such practices deplete the soil, dramatically increase energy use, reduce pollinator populations, and lead to the collapse of resource supplies. One study found that producing one gram of beef for human consumption requires 42 times more land, 2 times more water, and 4 times more nitrogen than staple crops. It also creates 3 times more greenhouse gas emissions (Chai et al.). The EAT– Lancet Commission calls for “halting expansion of new agricultural land at the expense of natural ecosystems . . . strict protections on intact ecosystems, suspending concessions for logging in protected areas, or conversion of remaining intact ecosystems, particularly peatlands and forest areas” (Willett et al. 481). The Commission also calls for land-use zoning, regulations prohibiting land clearing, and incentives for protecting natural areas, including forests. end public domain text

annotated text Synthesis. The paragraphs above and below this comment show how Tran has synthesized content from several sources to help establish and reinforce key supports of her essay . end annotated text

Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change

public domain text Climate change is heavily affected by two factors: greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration. In nature, the two remain in balance; for example, most animals exhale carbon dioxide, and most plants capture carbon dioxide. Carbon is also captured, or sequestered, by soil and water, especially oceans, in what are called “sinks.” Human activities have skewed this balance over the past two centuries. The shift in land use, which exploits land, water, and fossil energy, has caused increased greenhouse-gas emissions, which in turn accelerate climate change. end public domain text

public domain text Global food systems are threatened by climate change because farmers depend on relatively stable climate systems to plan for production and harvest. Yet food production is responsible for up to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions (Barnard). While soil can be a highly effective means of carbon sequestration, agricultural soils have lost much of their effectiveness from overgrazing, erosion, overuse of chemical fertilizer, and excess tilling. Hamilton reports that the world’s cultivated and grazed soils have lost 50 to 70 percent of their ability to accumulate and store carbon. As a result, “billions of tons of carbon have been released into the atmosphere.” end public domain text

annotated text Direct Quotation and Paraphrase. While Tran has paraphrased some content of this source borrowing, because of the specificity and impact of the number— “billions of tons of carbon”—she has chosen to use the author’s original words. As she has done elsewhere in the essay, she has indicated these as directly borrowed words by placing them within quotation marks. See Section 12.5 for more about paraphrasing. end annotated text

public domain text While carbon sequestration has been falling, greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing as a result of the production, transport, processing, storage, waste disposal, and other life stages of food production. Agriculture alone is responsible for fully 10 to 12 percent of global emissions, and that figure is estimated to rise by up to 150 percent of current levels by 2030 (Chai et al.). Münter reports that “more greenhouse gas emissions are produced by growing livestock for meat than all the planes, trains, ships, cars, trucks, and all forms of fossil fuel-based transportation combined” (5). Additional greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, are produced by the decomposition of organic wastes. Methane has 25 times and nitrous oxide has nearly 300 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide (Curnow). Agricultural and food production systems must be reformed to shift agriculture from greenhouse gas source to sink. end public domain text

Social and Cultural Values

public domain text As the Sierra Club has pointed out, agriculture is inherently cultural: all systems of food production have “the capacity to generate . . . economic benefits and ecological capital” as well as “a sense of meaning and connection to natural resources.” Yet this connection is more evident in some cultures and less so in others. Wealthy countries built on a consumer culture emphasize excess consumption. One result of this attitude is that in 2014, Americans discarded the equivalent of $165 billion worth of food. Much of this waste ended up rotting in landfills, comprised the single largest component of U.S. municipal solid waste, and contributed a substantial portion of U.S. methane emissions (Sierra Club). In low- and middle-income countries, food waste tends to occur in early production stages because of poor scheduling of harvests, improper handling of produce, or lack of market access (Willett et al.). The recent “America First” philosophy has encouraged prioritizing the economic welfare of one nation to the detriment of global welfare and sustainability. end public domain text

annotated text Synthesis and Response to Claims. Here, as in subsequent sections, while still relying heavily on facts and content from borrowed sources, Tran provides her synthesized understanding of the information by responding to key points. end annotated text

public domain text In response to claims that a vegetarian diet is a necessary component of sustainable food production and consumption, Lusk and Norwood determined the importance of meat in a consumer’s diet. Their study indicated that meat is the most valuable food category to consumers, and “humans derive great pleasure from consuming beef, pork, and poultry” (120). Currently only 4 percent of Americans are vegetarians, and it would be difficult to convince consumers to change their eating habits. Purdy adds “there’s the issue of philosophy. A lot of vegans aren’t in the business of avoiding animal products for the sake of land sustainability. Many would prefer to just leave animal husbandry out of food altogether.” end public domain text

public domain text At the same time, consumers expect ready availability of the foods they desire, regardless of health implications or sustainability of sources. Unhealthy and unsustainable foods are heavily marketed. Out-of-season produce is imported year-round, increasing carbon emissions from air transportation. Highly processed and packaged convenience foods are nutritionally inferior and waste both energy and packaging materials. Serving sizes are larger than necessary, contributing to overconsumption and obesity. Snack food vending machines are ubiquitous in schools and public buildings. What is needed is a widespread attitude shift toward reducing waste, choosing local fruits and vegetables that are in season, and paying attention to how foods are grown and transported. end public domain text

annotated text Thesis Restated. Restating her thesis, Tran ends this section by advocating for a change in attitude to bring about sustainability. end annotated text

DISSENTING OPINIONS

annotated text Counterclaims . Tran uses equally strong research to present the counterargument. Presenting both sides by addressing objections is important in constructing a clear, well-reasoned argument. Writers should use as much rigor in finding research-based evidence to counter the opposition as they do to develop their argument. end annotated text

public domain text Transformation of the food production system faces resistance for a number of reasons, most of which dispute the need for plant-based diets. Historically, meat has been considered integral to athletes’ diets and thus has caused many consumers to believe meat is necessary for a healthy diet. Lynch et al. examined the impact of plant-based diets on human physical health, environmental sustainability, and exercise performance capacity. The results show “it is unlikely that plant-based diets provide advantages, but do not suffer from disadvantages, compared to omnivorous diets for strength, anaerobic, or aerobic exercise performance” (1). end public domain text

public domain text A second objection addresses the claim that land use for animal-based food production contributes to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and is inefficient in terms of nutrient delivery. Berners-Lee et al. point out that animal nutrition from grass, pasture, and silage comes partially from land that cannot be used for other purposes, such as producing food directly edible by humans or for other ecosystem services such as biofuel production. Consequently, nutritional losses from such land use do not fully translate into losses of human-available nutrients (3). end public domain text

annotated text Paraphrase. Tran has paraphrased the information as support. Though she still cites the source, she has changed the words to her own, most likely to condense a larger amount of original text or to make it more accessible. end annotated text

public domain text While this objection may be correct, it does not address the fact that natural carbon sinks are being destroyed to increase agricultural land and, therefore, increase greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. end public domain text

public domain text Another significant dissenting opinion is that transforming food production will place hardships on farmers and others employed in the food industry. Farmers and ranchers make a major investment in their own operations. At the same time, they support jobs in related industries, as consumers of farm machinery, customers at local businesses, and suppliers for other industries such as food processing (Schulz). Sparks reports that “livestock farmers are being unfairly ‘demonized’ by vegans and environmental advocates” and argues that while farming includes both costs and benefits, the costs receive much more attention than the benefits. end public domain text

FUTURE GENERATIONS

public domain text The EAT– Lancet Commission calls for a transformation in the global food system, implementing different core processes and feedback. This transformation will not happen unless there is “widespread, multi-sector, multilevel action to change what food is eaten, how it is produced, and its effects on the environment and health, while providing healthy diets for the global population” (Willett et al. 476). System changes will require global efforts coordinated across all levels and will require governments, the private sector, and civil society to share a common vision and goals. Scientific modeling indicates 10 billion people could indeed be fed a healthy and sustainable diet. end public domain text

annotated text Conclusion. While still using research-based sources as evidence in the concluding section, Tran finishes with her own words, restating her thesis. end annotated text

public domain text For the human race to have a sustainable future, massive changes in the way food is produced, processed, and distributed are necessary on a global scale. The required changes will affect nearly all aspects of life, including not only world hunger but also health and welfare, land use and habitats, water quality and availability, energy use and production, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, economics, and even cultural and social values. These changes may not be popular, but they are imperative. They are also achievable. The human race must turn to sustainable food systems that provide healthy diets with minimal environmental impact, starting now. end public domain text

annotated text Sources. Note two important aspects of the sources chosen: 1) They represent a range of perspectives, and 2) They are all quite current. When exploring a contemporary topic, it is important to avoid research that is out of date. end annotated text

Works Cited

Barnard, Neal. “How Eating More Plants Can Save Lives and the Planet.” Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine , 24 Jan. 2019, www.pcrm.org/news/blog/how-eating-more-plants-can-save-lives-and-planet. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Berners-Lee, M., et al. “Current Global Food Production Is Sufficient to Meet Human Nutritional Needs in 2050 Provided There Is Radical Societal Adaptation.” Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene , vol. 6, no. 52, 2018, doi:10.1525/elementa.310. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.

Chai, Bingli Clark, et al. “Which Diet Has the Least Environmental Impact on Our Planet? A Systematic Review of Vegan, Vegetarian and Omnivorous Diets.” Sustainability , vol. 11, no. 15, 2019, doi: underline 10.3390/su11154110 end underline . Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Curnow, Mandy. “Managing Manure to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Government of Western Australia, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2 Nov. 2020, www.agric.wa.gov.au/climate-change/managing-manure-reduce-greenhouse-gas-emissions. Accessed 9 Dec. 2020.

Gray, Richard. “Why the Vegan Diet Is Not Always Green.” BBC , 13 Feb. 2020, www.bbc.com/future/article/20200211-why-the-vegan-diet-is-not-always-green. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Hamilton, Bruce. “Food and Our Climate.” Sierra Club, 2014, www.sierraclub.org/compass/2014/10/food-and-our-climate. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Hertwich. Edgar G., et al. Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production. United Nations Environment Programme, 2010, www.resourcepanel.org/reports/assessing-environmental-impacts-consumption-and-production.

Lusk, Jayson L., and F. Bailey Norwood. “Some Economic Benefits and Costs of Vegetarianism.” Agricultural and Resource Economics Review , vol. 38, no. 2, 2009, pp. 109-24, doi: 10.1017/S1068280500003142. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Lynch Heidi, et al. “Plant-Based Diets: Considerations for Environmental Impact, Protein Quality, and Exercise Performance.” Nutrients, vol. 10, no. 12, 2018, doi:10.3390/nu10121841. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Münter, Leilani. “Why a Plant-Based Diet Will Save the World.” Health and the Environment. Disruptive Women in Health Care & the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012, archive.epa.gov/womenandgirls/web/pdf/1016healththeenvironmentebook.pdf.

Purdy, Chase. “Being Vegan Isn’t as Good for Humanity as You Think.” Quartz , 4 Aug. 2016, qz.com/749443/being-vegan-isnt-as-environmentally-friendly-as-you-think/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.

Schulz, Lee. “Would a Sudden Loss of the Meat and Dairy Industry, and All the Ripple Effects, Destroy the Economy?” Iowa State U Department of Economics, www.econ.iastate.edu/node/691. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Sierra Club. “Agriculture and Food.” Sierra Club, 28 Feb. 2015, www.sierraclub.org/policy/agriculture/food. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Sparks, Hannah. “Veganism Won’t Save the World from Environmental Ruin, Researchers Warn.” New York Post , 29 Nov. 2019, nypost.com/2019/11/29/veganism-wont-save-the-world-from-environmental-ruin-researchers-warn/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

Willett, Walter, et al. “Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT– Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems.” The Lancet, vol. 393, no. 10170, 2019. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4. Accessed 6 Dec. 2020.

World Health Organization. “Malnutrition.” World Health Organization, 1 Apr. 2020, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

World Health Organization. “Obesity and Overweight.” World Health Organization, 1 Apr. 2020, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

World Wildlife Fund. Appetite for Destruction: Summary Report. World Wildlife Fund, 2017, www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2017-10/WWF_AppetiteForDestruction_Summary_Report_SignOff.pdf.

World Wildlife Fund and Knorr Foods. Future Fifty Foods. World Wildlife Fund, 2019, www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2019-02/Knorr_Future_50_Report_FINAL_Online.pdf.

“World Population by Year.” Worldometer , www.worldometers.info/world-population/world-population-by-year/. Accessed 8 Dec. 2020.

Discussion Questions

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Embracing a plant-based diet

Focusing on whole foods from plant sources can reduce body weight, blood pressure and risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes — and it can make your environmental impact more sustainable. Stanford Healthy Living instructor Dr. Reshma Shah offers simple ways to incorporate more plants into your diet.  

Your diet is one of the first places to start if you’re looking to manage your health and weight. Focusing on whole foods from plant sources can reduce body weight, blood pressure and risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes — and it can make your environmental impact more sustainable.

But how do we embrace plants in our diets if we’re so accustomed to including meat and dairy as primary nutrition sources?

We spoke with Dr. Reshma Shah, a physician, plant-based eating advocate, co-author of “Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families” and Stanford Healthy Living instructor, about simple ways to incorporate more plants into your diet and the benefits this can provide for both you and the planet.  

Focus on whole, minimally processed foods.

People use many different terms to describe a plant-based diet, including vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pescatarian, and flexitarian to name a few. The most restrictive is veganism, which  excludes all animal products, including meat, eggs and dairy. 

While there are health benefits to adopting a vegan diet, highly processed foods with little to no nutritional value, like Oreos or French fries, could still be a legitimate part of a vegan diet.

In contrast, a whole-foods, plant-based (WFPB) diet: 

• Emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods
• Limits or avoids animal products
• Focuses on plant nutrients from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts 
• Limits refined foods like added sugar, white flour and processed oils 

Recommendations from organizations including the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, World Health Organization, American Diabetes Association and American Cancer Society tout the benefits of plant-based whole foods and caution against high amounts of red and processed meats, saturated fats, highly refined foods and added sugar. 

The vast majority of what nutritional experts are saying reflects the mantra made famous by Michael Pollen in his book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” — eat food, mostly plants, not too much . 

Eating a plant-based diet helps the environment.

According to a report by the U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization, “The meat industry has a marked impact on a general global scale on water, soils, extinction of plants and animals, and consumption of natural resources, and it has a strong impact on global warming.” 

The meat and dairy industries alone use one third of the Earth’s fresh water , with a single quarter-pound hamburger patty requiring 460 gallons of water — the equivalent of almost 30 showers — to produce.

Reducing your meat and dairy consumption, even by a little, can have big impacts. If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 7.6 million cars off the road.

Plant-based diets prevent animal cruelty. 

Ninety-four percent of Americans agree that animals raised for food deserve to be free from abuse and cruelty , yet 99% of those animals are raised in factory farms, many suffering unspeakable conditions . 

If you would like to lessen your meat and dairy consumption due to animal welfare concerns but aren’t ready to eliminate all animal products from your diet, then you can start by taking small steps, like going meatless one day a week or switching to soy, almond or oat milk. Shah admits that initially she was not ready to give up animal products entirely. 

“I think it is a process and recommend that people go at the pace that feels comfortable for them.” 

Plant-based diets include all nutrients — even protein.

According to the American Dietetic Association, “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and for athletes.”

Shah says that there are a few key nutrients that strict vegans and vegetarians should keep in mind, including B12, iron, calcium, iodine, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, but all of these can be obtained through plant-based foods, including fortified plant-based milks, fresh fruits and vegetables or supplemental vitamins, if needed. 

“I think the number one concern for people is that they won’t be able to get enough protein eating a plant-based diet. I also think that people widely overestimate the amount of protein they need.”

All plant foods contain the nine essential amino acids required to make up the proteins you need, and many vegetarian foods like soy, beans, nuts, seeds and non-dairy milk products have comparable amounts of protein to animal foods. 

“Ninety-seven percent of Americans meet their daily protein requirements, but only 4% of Americans meet their daily fiber requirements . I’ve never treated a patient for protein deficiency. If you eat a wide variety of foods and eat enough calories, protein should not be a concern.”

Savor the flavor of plant-based foods. 

Adopting a plant-based diet does not mean subsisting on boring, tasteless food. Shah enjoys incorporating flavorful, varied dishes from around the world, including Ethiopia, Thailand and her native India. 

To get started on your plant-forward journey:

• Start small: Start with adding a “Meatless Monday” to your meal plan and investigate one simple and delicious recipe to try each week. Once you have identified a few favorites, you can add them to your rotation and maybe go meatless one or two days a week. You can learn a few easy techniques to incorporate in many dishes, like roasting vegetables or blending quick and easy soups. 
• Change your plate proportions: Instead of giving up your meat-based protein completely, try to reduce the space it takes on your plate. Instead of a quarter-pound sirloin steak or a full serving of roasted chicken, try a vegetable-heavy stir-fry with a few slices of beef or a salad with chicken. Once your palate and mindset have adjusted to the smaller quantity of meat, try replacing it occasionally with plant-based proteins like tofu, seitan or beans.  
• Be prepared when dining out: If possible, try to examine the restaurant menu ahead of your meal, so you’ll arrive with a plan of what you can eat. Ask for the vegan options and don’t be afraid to request substitutions or omissions for your dish. Fortunately, with more people choosing a vegetarian lifestyle, many restaurants now provide tasty, meat-free options to their customers. 
• Share a dish: Bring a dish to share at a party or potluck; this will lessen your worries about food options. Let your host know ahead of time that you are planning on bringing a dish or, if that is not possible, be upfront and find out if any modifications can be made to accommodate your preferences. Often a simple solution can be found with a little advanced planning.
• Accommodate family members: It can be tricky when one family member is ready to commit to a new diet and lifestyle while others are not. Shah recommends approaching this situation compassionately and allowing for flexibility, if possible. Hopefully your family will be willing to support you even if they are not ready to make the same commitments. Communication is key, and Shah says that the conversation is over the minute someone feels judged, so try to look for points of compromise to reach an amicable solution. 
• Feeling satisfied: A diet of nothing but lettuce and vegetables will leave you feeling hungry and unfulfilled. Be sure to bulk up your meals with filling, fiber-rich whole grains, plant-based proteins and healthy fats. Plant-based meat substitutes like Beyond Beef, seitan and veggie burgers can also be a satisfying choice when you are craving your favorite meat-based comfort food.

Remember that small, consistent changes can add up to big benefits for your health and the planet. Treat yourself and others with compassion as you embrace this new lifestyle, and take time to enjoy the different flavors and textures you discover in your journey.

“It is a really delicious, healthful, sustainable and compassionate way of eating. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just start simply, do what feels comfortable for you and your family, and don’t forget to celebrate the joy of eating and connection around food.” 

Dr. Reshma Shah will be teaching a plant-based online cooking class with Healthy Living this summer on Tuesday, July 13, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6518108/
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212371713000024 
•  https://www.portland.gov/water/water-efficiency-programs/save-water-home 
•   https://water.usgs.gov/edu/activity-watercontent.php  
• https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/a-meat-eaters-guide-to-climate-change-health-what-you-eat-matters/reducing-your-footprint/)  
• https://www.aspca.org/about-us/press-releases/aspca-research-shows-americans-overwhelmingly-support-investigations-expose 
•  https://www.sentienceinstitute.org/us-factory-farming-estimates
•  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19562864/ 
•   https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/8040053 0/pdf/0102/usualintaketables2001-02.pdf

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• v.30(1); 2021 Mar 30

Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance

Ju young kim.

Department of Family Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea

Obesity has become one of the most important public health problems worldwide, which suggests the need for evidence-based dietary strategies for weight loss and its maintenance. Weight management depends upon complex factors such as amount of food eaten, type of food eaten, and timing of meals. In this review, we identified evidence-based dietary strategies for weight management based on these three components. An energy deficit is the most important factor in weight loss. A low-calorie diet with a low fat or carbohydrate content has been recommended; however, in some cases, a very-low-calorie diet is required for a short period. Some macronutrient composition-based diets, such as the ketogenic diet or high-protein diet, could be considered in some cases, although the potential risks and long-term effectiveness remain unknown. Meal timing is also an important factor in weight management, and higher-calorie breakfasts in combination with overnight fasting may help to prevent obesity. Our review indicated that there is no single best strategy for weight management. Hence, strategies for weight loss and its maintenance should be individualized, and healthcare providers must choose the best strategy based on patient preferences.

INTRODUCTION

More than 650 million adults worldwide suffer from obesity, and the prevalence of this condition has increased rapidly during the past 50 years. 1 Obesity has become one of the most important public health problems globally and is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction and stroke; osteoarthritis; obstructive sleep apnea; depression; and some types of cancer, such as breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, kidney, and colon cancer. 2 , 3

Optimal diets for weight management have been a topic of debate not only among researchers, nutrition experts, and healthcare professionals, but also among the general public. 4 , 5 According to a meta-analysis of several diet programs, calorie restriction was the primary driver of weight loss, followed by macronutrient composition. 6 Another study examined the effects of popular diets without specific calorie targets and showed that the Atkins diet resulted in clinically meaningful weight loss after 6 months. 7 In contrast, another review revealed that the Atkins, Weight Watchers, and Zone diets resulted in modest and similar long-term weight loss after 1 year. 8 Recently, intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating have become popular and seem to be effective for weight loss. 9 However, several questions remain unanswered. Does a high-protein diet aid in weight loss and maintenance? Can a ketogenic diet burn fat? Do carbohydrates increase abdominal fat? Can intermittent fasting help one lose weight? New dietary information has only added to the current confusion due to several controversial dietary regimens, and there is no clear guidance on the optimal diet for weight loss.

Obesogenic environments and biological and psychological factors all contribute to obesity. 10 However, obesogenic environments, including social determinants, cultures, and food supply systems, are challenging to modify. Therefore, dietary interventions remain the cornerstone of weight-management strategies, and pharmacologic and surgical interventions also aim to improve dietary management.

Complex factors shape and influence diets, especially for weight management. However, amount of food eaten, type of food consumed (macronutrient composition), and meal timing of meals are the key components of weight-management strategies. In this review, we discuss several evidence-based dietary interventions for weight loss and weight-loss management based on these components.

AMOUNT OF FOOD INTAKE

Low-calorie diet vs. very-low-calorie diet.

The key component of diets for weight loss and weight-loss maintenance is an energy deficit. Under the “calories-in, calories-out” model, dietary management has focused on the concept of “eat less, move more,” and patients have been advised to consider and calculate their calorie balance whenever they eat. However, energy intake and energy expenditure are dynamic processes influenced by body weight and influence each other. 11 Thus, interventions aimed at creating an energy deficit through the diet are countered by physiological adaptations that resist weight loss.

A low-calorie diet involves consumption of 1,000–1,500 calories per day; deficits of 500–750 calories per day have been used for weight loss and are recommended by many obesity societies and guidelines. 12 - 15 Low-calorie diets typically restrict fats or carbohydrates, neither of which has been determined to be more important for weight loss if only a calorie deficit occurs. The 2018 the Diet Intervention Examining The Factors Interacting with Treatment Success (DIETFITS) study found no significant differences in weight loss between low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets. 16 However, meal planning and preparation take effort, and weight-loss maintenance requires a sustained low-calorie diet. Moreover, metabolic adaptations to decrease energy expenditure can lead to a plateau with this type of diet, which individuals may misinterpret as “failure” due to “lack of willpower.”

Traditionally, a very-low-calorie diet (VLCD), which provides <800 kcal a day, is not recommended for routine weight management and should only be used in limited circumstances along with medical monitoring according to obesity guidelines. 12 However, a recent review suggested that a VLCD used in combination with behavioral programs can provide greater long-term weight loss than behavioral programs alone, and that it is tolerable and has few adverse effects. 17 Additionally, a VLCD with meal replacement is effective for achieving diabetes remission in individuals with obesity lasting for at least 2 years. 18 , 19 Another form of the VLCD—the very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD)—has been proposed as a promising option for significant weight loss in a short duration of time and stability for 2 years. 20 The VLCKD consists of very-low-calorie (<700–800 kcal/day) and low-carbohydrate (<30–50 g/day) intake along with adequate protein consumption (equivalent to 0.8–1.2 g/day/kg of ideal body weight) for a short period, followed by a gradual switch to a low-calorie diet. The VLCKD program is recommended by the Italian Society of Endocrinology in cases of severe obesity, sarcopenic obesity, obesity associated with T2DM, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. 21 However, this program is contraindicated in pregnant women; those with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), kidney failure, or cardiac arrhythmia; and older patients with frailty.

Meal replacements

Meal replacements include not only products marketed as soups, shakes, and bars, but also portion-controlled, ready-made meals. Meal replacements are used instead of “normal” food for one or more meals to reduce the daily calorie intake. Meal replacements can be useful for calorie control because people tend to overestimate or underestimate the amount of calories in food. 22 A systematic review showed the usefulness of meal replacement in weight loss, demonstrating a mean difference of –2.22 to –6.13 kg compared with other diets involving support alone. 23 Despite their convenience and affordability, meal replacements are typically not successful for maintaining weight loss over a long duration.

In summary, evidence shows that an energy deficit is the most important factor for weight loss, but metabolic adaptations to decrease energy intake can also lead to reduced energy expenditure. Therefore, long-term strategies for inducing an energy deficit are needed. If traditional low-calorie diet programs do not work or when there is a need for significant weight loss, a VLCD and meal replacement diets can be useful options.

TYPES OF FOOD EATEN

Low-fat diet.

The strategy of reducing total fat intake is widely used for weight loss because a single gram of fat contains more calories than a gram of carbohydrates or protein. A low-fat diet usually consists of a dietary composition of fat ranging from very low (≤10% of calories from fat) to more moderate (≤30% of calories from fat and <7%–10% from saturated fatty acids). 24 However, randomized trials have failed to demonstrate better weight-loss maintenance by reducing energy intake from fat than other dietary interventions. 25 The results of a meta-analysis did not support use of low-fat diets over other dietary interventions for long-term weight loss. 26

In another study, although low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level was reduced among individuals with obesity who followed a low-fat diet, triglyceride level increased and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased. 27 Another review revealed that diets high in fat and saturated fatty acids could have unfavorable effects on the gut microbiota and are associated with an unhealthy metabolic state. 28 Consuming large amounts of energy-dense foods with a high saturated fatty acid content can cause dysbiosis in the gut and is associated with obesity and low-grade chronic inflammation. 29 Thus, diets low in saturated fatty acids, as well as those supplemented with good-quality fat and fibers, are a reliable and healthy strategy for people with obesity to achieve weight management and to prevent some types of cancer (including colorectal cancer and breast cancer)30,31 when combined with total calorie restriction.

Low-carbohydrate diet

Although an energy deficit is the most important way to lose weight, weight regain after successful weight loss is very common and may seem inevitable. Thus, alternative dietary approaches for weight loss and its maintenance have become an area of interest among researchers and healthcare professionals.

Low-carbohydrate (low-carb) diets have been widely used not only for weight reduction, but also to manage T2DM; many randomized controlled trials have been conducted. 32 , 33 A low-carb diet is defined as a carbohydrate intake below the lower boundary of the macronutrient distribution range for healthy adults (45%–65% of total daily energy)34 and encompasses a range of carbohydrate intake from 50–130 g/day or 10%–45% total energy from carbohydrates. 35 , 36 With carbohydrate intake <10% (or <20–50 g/day), nutritional ketosis can occur; this type of diet is called a ketogenic diet. In this situation, daily protein intake is usually 0.8–1.5 g/kg of ideal body weight to preserve lean body mass. 37

A systematic review and network meta-analysis that compared 14 dietary macronutrient patterns showed that most macronutrient diets resulted in modest weight loss over 6 months, but weight reduction and improvements in cardiometabolic factors largely disappeared after 12 months. 38 A review of macronutrient pattern-based diets without specific calorie targets suggested that the Atkins diet, which involves low carbohydrate intake and high protein intake, was effective for clinically meaningful weight loss at 6 and 12 months post-initiation. 7 Moreover, a recent review showed that the Mediterranean diet provided the strongest and most consistent benefits for both weight loss and improvement in cardiometabolic parameters. 39 It should be noted that adequate protein intake is extremely important in calorie restriction for preservation of muscle mass 40 regardless of diet.

Ketogenic diet

Ketogenic diet is characterized by an extreme reduction in carbohydrate intake (<50 g/day) and a relative increase in the proportions of protein and fat. 41 Ketogenic diets may decrease appetite and increase lipolysis, which may result in greater metabolic efficiency for fat consumption and can provide the same thermic effects as proteins. 41 There are several types of carbohydrate-restricted diets, some of which limit carbohydrates to certain levels without restricting dietary protein and fat (such as the Atkins diet), whereas others allow moderate carbohydrate intake as well as moderate protein and fat intake. 37

In one study, ketogenic diet showed mixed effects on LDL-C level and was not superior to other dietary interventions for weight loss. 37 Ketogenic diet can suppress hunger during calorie restriction and may have some therapeutic effects on T2DM, polycystic ovary syndrome, and cardiovascular and neurological diseases. However, more evidence is required to confirm its effectiveness and safety. 37 , 41 , 42 Similar to VLCKDs, ketogenic diet is contraindicated in pregnant women; those with T1DM, kidney failure, or cardiac arrhythmia; and in older patients with frailty.

High-protein diet

High-protein diet has been popularized as a promising tool for weight loss because it improves satiety and decreases fat mass. 43 Dietary guidelines for adults recommend protein intake of 46–56 g or 0.8 g/kg of ideal body weight per day. 44 Thus, if dietary protein consumption exceeds 0.8 g/kg/day, it is considered a high-protein diet. Usually, a high-protein diet refers to an increased protein intake to 30% of the total daily calories or 1–1.2 g/kg of the ideal body weight per day. The Atkins diet has gained popularity as a non-energy-restricting, low-carbohydrate, high-protein, and high-fat diet. 45 In addition, diets high in protein with normal amounts of carbohydrates have been used to improve metabolic parameters. 46 Diets with higher protein intake can provide significant benefits to prevent weight regain. 47 A satiating effect is most significant with high-protein diets, and this effect helps decrease energy intake and maintain successful weight loss.

The thermic effect of food, which is called diet-induced thermogenesis, is increased energy expenditure that results from nutrient processing; these values are highest for protein. 48 Secretion of gut neuropeptides that induce satiation, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 or cholecystokinin, is increased in high-protein diets. 49 These types of diets also may help preserve lean body mass during weight loss. 50 A meta-analysis showed that protein supplementation can help preserve lean body mass in adults and older adults, although the effects on muscle strength and synthesis were less clear. 51

Some studies have indicated that high intakes of protein and fat can increase the risk of T2DM. 52 In addition, diets high in protein pose a potential risk to the kidneys due to their associated protein-induced acid loads, such as the sulfuric acid produced from oxidation of methionine and cysteine. 53 High-protein diets do not adversely influence kidney function in healthy adults, though they are associated with increases in serum urea level and urinary calcium excretion, which might be related to a higher risk of kidney stone formation. 54 Protein from red meat consumption may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease; in contrast, low-fat dairy proteins, fish, and seafood do not have such an effect; proteins from fruits and vegetables actually might be renal protective. 55 Considering that obesity is associated with chronic kidney disease and a high prevalence of subclinical chronic kidney disease, 56 long-term high-protein intake, especially from animal sources, should be closely monitored in patients with obesity. 57

Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet involves high intake of fruits and vegetables, poultry, and fish and dairy products, and little to no consumption of red meat. 58 The effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet for weight loss and preventing cardiovascular disease is supported by sufficient evidence. 59 , 60 Its benefits may extend to the reduction in cancer risk and significant reduction in digestive cancer risk. 61 Additionally, adherence to a Mediterranean diet may improve cognitive function and decrease the risk of dementia, although the evidence supporting this association is weak to moderate. 62 One systematic review of the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss reported similar results to other diets despite greater weight loss than with a low-fat diet after 12 months. 63 Despite this finding, a recent review reported that the Mediterranean diet showed the strongest evidence for weight loss and improvements in cardiometabolic parameters ( Fig. 1 ). 39 The Mediterranean diet is food-based, nutrient adequate, and focused on vegetables, healthy fats, and fish; thus, it is a good strategy for maintaining long-term weight reduction.

Summary of the results reported by a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in adults according to dietary interventions. Green: evidence of a beneficial effect (i.e., a decrease in all outcomes except HDL-C); grey: no effect; red: evidence of a detrimental effect (i.e., an increase in all outcomes except HDL-C). The size of the circles reflects the number of unique meta-analyses available. BMI, body mass index; TC, total cholesterol; LDL-C, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; TG, triglycerides; HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; BP, blood pressure; GI, glycemic index; GL, glycemic load; ER, energy restriction; DASH, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Adapted from Dinu M, et al. Adv Nutr 2020;11:815-33, with permission from Elsevier. 39

Low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets are good options for initial weight loss; in some cases, a ketogenic diet could be a viable alternative. High-protein diets may be effective in weight loss maintenance, and the Mediterranean diet not only helps with weight loss maintenance, but also aids in improving cardiovascular risk factors, cognitive functions, and mood.

OTHER DIETARY STRATEGIES

Paleolithic.

The Paleolithic (Paleo) diet is also known as the hunter-gatherer diet, caveman diet, primal diet, or Stone Age diet; all these diets suggest that our bodies have not evolved to handle highly processed foods. 64 This diet follows the nutritional patterns of early humans who lived in the Paleolithic era, which began more than 2 million years ago and continued until about 10,000 years ago, when humans started to cultivate plants and domesticate animals. Estimates are that our ancestors took in 35% of their calories from fat, 35% as carbohydrates (mostly fruits and vegetables), and 30% from protein. 65 This diet advises consuming lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts while avoiding grains, dairy products, processed foods, and added sugar and salt. A review regarding the Paleo diet and its impact on cardiovascular risk factors suggested that it has favorable effects on lipid profile, blood pressure, and circulating C-reactive protein concentrations, but the evidence is not yet conclusive. 66 The Paleo diet emphasizes vegetables and unprocessed foods, but it is also high in saturated fats, which might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Low glycemic index/glycemic load diet

The glycemic index (GI) is a measurement system that ranks foods according to effect on blood glucose level; the rates at which different foods raise blood glucose level are ranked in comparison with absorption of 50 g of pure glucose as a reference (GI=100). 67 A low-GI diet emphasizes exchanging high-GI foods for low-GI alternatives. Nothing is strictly forbidden with the low-GI diet, but high-GI foods such as white bread, bagels, cereals, mashed potatoes, pasta, and noodles should be replaced by low-GI foods. The low-GI diet offers benefits in managing T2DM and decreasing body weight. 68 However, one study found no differences in weight among low-GI diets and a diet based on healthy nutritional recommendations among overweight adolescent girls. 69 The low-GI diet also does not provide a complete nutritional picture and does not include recommendations for daily intake of fat, protein, or fiber.

Nordic diet

The new Nordic diet is based on unprocessed whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, fish, low-fat dairy foods, lean meat of all types (beef, pork, lamb), beans and lentils, fruit, dense breads, tofu, and skinless poultry. 70 This diet recommends more calories from plant foods and fewer from meat and more foods from the sea, lakes, and the wild countryside. It is based on whole and minimally processed foods and is high in both fiber and omega-3 fats. A systemic review showed that adherence to the Nordic diet significantly improved body weight. 71 However, these types of food may be not easily accessible or affordable for everyone and may make the diet difficult to maintain.

Vegetarian diet

There are many reasons to adopt a vegetarian diet for health. These diets can lower the risk of ischemic heart disease, T2DM, and cancer. 72 Vegetarian diets can reduce blood pressure, 73 lipid profiles, 74 and inflammatory biomarkers 75 and improve glycemic control 76 and other cardiometabolic risk factors. 77 This diet excludes meat, fish, and poultry, but there are many variations of the diet, including lactovegetarians and lacto-ovo-vegetarians. Dietary guidelines recommend vegetarian-patterned diets. 78 A systemic review suggested that vegetarian diets reduce mean body weight, but the studies are few and of variable quality. 79 Since fish and seafood are excluded, this diet is low in omega-3 fats.

Dietary approaches to stop hypertension

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was originally developed to lower blood pressure without medication, but it is now considered one of the healthiest eating patterns. 80 The DASH plan includes many vegetables, fruits, and grains with an emphasis on whole grains. Low-fat or non-fat dairy foods, pulses, nuts, seeds, lean meats, poultry, and seafood are also allowed. The diet limits sodium intake to 2,300 mg/day and can reduce the risk of cancer, 81 cardiovascular risk factors, 82 and both all-cause and cause-specific mortality. 83 The DASH diet also aids in losing weight, but the differences were relatively small. 84

The Portfolio diet is a vegan plan that emphasizes a “portfolio” of foods or food components that lower cholesterol. 85 When these foods are eaten together as part of a healthy diet, they presumably lower LDL-C better than any one of the portfolio foods could alone. To include a portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods, the diet recommends daily consumption of 2 g of plant sterols, 50 g of nuts, 10–25 g of soluble fibers from plant foods, and 50 g of soy protein; meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, and eggs are not allowed. This diet also helps reduce LDL-C, 86 but its effects on weight loss were small (–0.8 kg to –1.2 kg). 87

TIMING OF MEAL CONSUMPTION

Intermittent fasting.

Recently, fasting has received interest not only from medical experts, but also from members of the general public with an interest in health. Intermittent fasting involves regular periods with no or very limited calorie intake. The three most widely used regimens are alternate-day fasting, 5:2 intermittent fasting (fasting or consuming 900–1,000 calories for 2 days each week), and daily time-restricted feeding (fasting for 16–18 hours a day). 88 The benefits of intermittent fasting come not only from reduction in calorie intake, but also from its effects on metabolic switching to reverse insulin resistance, strengthen the immune system, and enhance physical and cognitive functions. 88 Recent reviews on intermittent fasting have suggested that, as a weight-loss strategy, it could benefit patients with obesity and has effects comparable to daily calorie restriction. 89 However, little is known about the long-term sustainability and health effects of this type of fasting.

Intermittent fasting focuses on the time window of eating instead of calorie calculations or macronutrient composition, helping people to restrict food intake without having to count calories and to avoid late-night snacking. With this diet, careful attention should be paid to patients being treated with hypoglycemic agents because fasting might cause dizziness, general weakness, halitosis, headache, chills, and lack of concentration, although no serious adverse events have been reported. 89

Meal timing

Recently, much interest has focused on “when to eat.” Meal timing and the circadian rhythm have raised a novel issue in weight management. 90 Alterations in circadian rhythms produce biochemical, physiological, and behavioral circadian rhythm disruptions, which can be caused by the lack of change between day/night synchronization (such as being exposed to artificial light at night), eating at night, or a shift in time due to jet lag or shift work. 90 Eating late can cause circadian disruption, resulting in production of free cortisol, changes in daily rhythms of body temperature, decreased resting energy expenditure, and decreased glucose tolerance. 91 , 92 Thus, timing of meals could have serious implications not only for weight management, but also for development of cardiovascular disease. A recent review confirmed that skipping breakfast increased the risk of overweight and obesity. 93 Additionally, late-night eating was associated with obesity as well as metabolic syndrome. 94

The American Heart Association recommends distributing calories over a defined period of the day, consuming a greater share of the total calorie intake earlier in the day, and maintaining consistent overnight fasting periods. 95 Eating a high-calorie breakfast and overnight fasting could have positive effects on prevention of obesity, while intermittent fasting may help control calorie intake in people with obesity.

There is no single best strategy for weight management, although some evidence-based methods have been suggested ( Table 1 ). Reducing daily calorie intake is the most important factor for weight loss. Low-calorie recipes, especially those for low-fat or low-carbohydrate diets, have been suggested as the first dietary strategy, although in some cases, a VLCD is required for a short period. Except for energy deficit, there seems to be no significant difference between macronutrient composition-based diets. Improvement in cardiometabolic factors strongly depends on degree of weight loss. However, as in the Mediterranean diet, increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables and intake of healthy fats (including monounsaturated as well as polyunsaturated fats) can be a healthy strategy for weight loss and maintenance. Additionally, increased protein intake can help with weight loss maintenance.

Dietary strategies for weight loss

Eating breakfast and avoiding late-night eating should be considered important dietary strategies not only for weight loss, but also for metabolic health and are based on the physiologic clock. Time-restricted eating or intermittent fasting can be considered other options for weight loss and its maintenance. Maintenance of a low-calorie intake should be continued throughout an individual’s lifespan. Thus, the best diet for weight management is one that can be maintained in the long term. Healthcare providers should consult with patients before choosing the optimal diet strategy because successful weight loss and its maintenance depend on the patient’s choices, preferences, and long-term adherence to the diet plan.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Ju Young Kim is the Editorial Board member of the Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome. However, she is not involved in the peer reviewer selection, evaluation, or decision process of this article. Otherwise, no other potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.

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Best Food Essay Examples

Diet analysis essay.

1917 words | 6 page(s)

Introduction The aim of the paper is to evaluate my dietary consumption in order to gain an awareness of the food that I consume and to determine whether it is healthy and contributing positively to my overall health and nutrition. The paper will focus on my 7-day dietary food-log for the purpose of analysis in order to determine the kinds of food that are providing me with the required nutrients and how my dietary consumption can be altered to facilitate a healthier nutritional intake.

Personal profile I have comparatively healthy eating habits because all my meals are balanced, containing enough fresh fruit, and vegetables. But, my calorie consumption is insufficient for an individual of my age and activity level. According to the Calorie Calculator, I need 2361 kcla every day to maintain a healthy weight, but my average calorie intake over seven days was 1307kcal. This is a difference of 1054 calories. I am currently at a healthy weight with a BMI of 19.7 according to the BMI calculator. If I continue with the bad eating habits of skipping breakfast and lunch on some days, I will experience energy deprivation, unhealthy bingeing due to intermittent fasting, and I may become underweight. As such, I need to eat heavier snacks, more calorie-packed lunches and lighter dinners. I am working to get sixty percent of my calories from carbohydrates, thirty percent from fats and proteins. I am glad that my fiber intake is healthy with plenty of whole grain bread and rice, having consumed seventy-nine percent fiber in the one week period. However, this can always be increased by replacing the white rice with brown rice.

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Skipping Meals I have a bad habit of skipping breakfast because of getting up late in the morning and having no time to eat. On the days that I have skipped breakfast, I have struggled with very low energy levels even though I am accustomed to going on an empty stomach in the morning hours for two to three times per week. Considering that I am a college student, I understand that my brain and body need glucose in the morning so that I can function effectively.

Eating breakfast is an effective factor in a weight maintenance program. If I don’t make a habit of eating breakfast every day, I will become underweight. It is also true that people who do not eat breakfast are most likely going to snack on high-fat food or overeat at dinner. I can observe from my food chart that I had a heavy snack after my morning classes when I went without breakfast. I am glad, however, that the snack consisted of healthy wholemeal bread.

I also find that I have a more anxious and moody temperament on the mornings that I go without breakfast which is bad for my concentration and interaction with people. Additionally, not eating breakfast increases my chances of being hypoglycemic, or having low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia can cause physical symptoms such as headaches, weakness, shakiness, and a rapid heart rate, some of which I have experienced, especially the headaches and dizziness in extreme cases when I have skipped both breakfast and mid-morning snack.

Dietary changes After gaining a better understanding of my diet and food consumption, I will most certainly change my diet intake to a higher amount of carbohydrates and proteins, and increase the healthy fruit and vegetables. I will start and maintain a habit of going to bed early so that I can wake up early to allow enough time for a healthy breakfast to set me on a healthy and energized start to the day. To prevent losing too much weight, I will be accompanying my one fruit snack with nuts or a light sandwich that will also boost my caloric intake. I will substitute my Vegetarian Chili and Vegetarian Fajita with Meat Chili and Fajitas. I will instead eat my vegetables in the form of healthy salads during dinner or lunch, or both whenever possible.

To increase my carbohydrate intake, I will need to include more healthy starch in my diet such as yam, potatoes and a variety of breads such as seeded or granary bread. I will also increase my portions by one-third to increase my energy levels. This will be supplemented with an active lifestyle. As it is now, I am fairly active, living the typical college life. In my free time, I swim and take long walks. But on the weekends, I mostly sleep in to repay the week-long sleep debt. I will take more time away from my bed to increase movement, heart rate, and ultimately to spike up my energy levels.

My fluid intake is fairly good. I get most of my water from milk, and breakfast beverages, with the occasional glass of water when I get very thirsty. But I believe that I need to hydrate more, by increasing my fruit intake and plain water intake so as to aid in digestion and overall health. I need to cut out Coca Cola and replace it with fresh juice or succulent fruit such as grapefruit, oranges, mangoes, and tangerines. Coca Cola contains too much sugar, and although I am not trying to lose any weight, it is not a healthy food choice. Coffee is also a beverage that I can perhaps do without even though it contributes to my daily fluid requirement. But, coffee is a diuretic, meaning that it will make me urinate often, hence increasing my risk for dehydration. While it does not acutely affect my health and hydration considering that I take it occasionally, it may not be a significant issue in my dietary intake. All in all, water is my best option to keep hydrated. It is cheap and caffeine free! Instead of coffee in the morning, I will take fruit juice. On the mornings when I am in a hurry, I will have a quick cereal with whole milk.

My breakfast could use more whole grains, such as whole bran cereal, oats, and muesli, and less of black sweetened coffee, bagels, sweeteners, and bread. I could also do more with soft boiled eggs and meats once in a while, for example, one to two times per week. I could also incorporate an afternoon snack to my diet plan in order to maintain a healthy body weight. In addition to the afternoon snacks, I could use some dessert with my lunch or dinner a few times a week. The afternoon snacks may consist of nuts, smoothies, or light sandwiches made from thinly sliced whole bread, vegetables, and sauces such as mustard and tomato sauce. An afternoon snack would contribute to a higher calorie intake, which would prevent me from eating too much at night. A lighter meal at night would allow for more comfortable sleep and digestion.

Behavioral changes I need to regulate my meals by eating at the same time every day. To achieve this, I need to give structure to my eating habits so as to make eating an important and regular part of my daily living. Having a structured eating schedule will enable me to eat enough of the right foods. Once the habit of eating meals and snacks is firmly in place, I can then adjust the food content and sizes accordingly as opposed to simply eating impassively because it is time to eat or because I am really hungry. A regular food schedule will help me to combat skipped meals, irregular, or delayed eating. As such, it will help me to prevent binge eating because I will avoid the intense hunger that causes me to binge eat. Regular meals will keep my blood-sugar level stable to reduce the feeling of irritability and tiredness. Also, my metabolism will be steady. I understand that if I go for more than four to five hours without eating in the course of the day, my body will go into ‘starvation’, and it will go into stress mode to prepare for a lack of food. ‘Starvation’ lowers the metabolic rate to preserve energy. For that reason, the next meal consumed will be metabolized for the purpose of storing up energy which leads to weight gain.

After I have set s regular structure, I will be able to plan my meals in advance. I will know when my next meal or snack will be and I will have a plan as to what to eat at that time. I tend to blame a lack of time as my reason to skip breakfast or lunch. However, time is made for important things so I must make time to eat. To practice this, I need to consider my meals and my snacks as an important part of my day and to prioritize eating over doing other things such as reading, watching television, or sleeping. When I prioritize accordingly, I will not leave a space of more than four hours in between meals and snacks. Since my college schedule will not allow me to shorten the gaps between my eating because of some extremely tight schedules, I will make sure to increase my portions instead to supply me with the energy to run around during the day. I need to be sufficiently prepared for the frequent meals in the day. I will start to carry an easy-to-eat snack in my backpack or my car, for example, a bag of dried fruit or nuts, fruit, or a muesli bar.

Conclusion The outcome of my dietary evaluation indicates that my nutrient consumption is good but it could be better. Just because I eat a lot of whole grain does not necessarily mean that my diet is healthy overall. I need to increase fruit and vegetables and to eat regularly so that my digestive system is not always in shock, which could lead to issues such as constipation or calorie retention. Not having time for breakfast is not an excuse to skip breakfast altogether. I can always create time for breakfast by going to bed early enough so that that I have had enough sleep by morning.

A dietary analysis is a practice that should be carried out on a more regular basis because it is only by writing down our food habits that one can see clearly how they are treating their bodies by what they eat. Having awareness will make one think twice next time they reach for fast food or unhealthy beverages such as soda.

Based on my food intake, I am not consuming enough calories to fit my daily requirements. I need to increase my calories by one-third by including more variety to my snacks and by eating regular sizeable portions of foods rich in healthy starch. In the two days that I skipped breakfast and the one day that I skipped lunch too, my calorie intake was too low which translated into low energy levels and nutrient deprivation.

I must make these changes very soon so that I will not plunge into underweight and compromise my nutrient consumption. While the changes that I need to make are negligible, it will take discipline. I need to do is add on to what is already there, include more variety in my diet, increase my portions, maintain a regular eating schedule, avoid skipping meals, and add an afternoon snack and occasional dessert after lunch or dinner. This analysis has helped me to see that although I may be at a healthy weight with a good BMI, I may not be as healthy as I want to be.

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Healthy Eating Plan, Essay Example

Pages: 5

Words: 1406

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The nutrition results that were obtained will help me develop a suitable eating plan to make it healthier than it is currently.  While my budget constrains my ability to eat healthy, there are some easy ways that I think I can do to eat healthier.  The results provided some valuable insights into what I can do to improve in these areas.

Current Eating Habits

My current eating habits revealed what I was doing well in and how I need to improve.  Low-fat strawberry yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and bran checks represent the current nutrition-rich foods in my diet.  While these foods are good for me nutritionally, it obviously has some defining points as to my diet, which will be identified subsequently.

Recommendations

The results demonstrated areas in which I need to improve.  First the areas that are acceptable should be noted.  Grains, fruits, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol are among these areas of nutrition.  In these areas I come reasonably close or above the recommended amount, or goal.

The first of the four main areas of improvement is found in vegetables.  Of the 3.5 cups recommended, I only have 1.5 accounted for, which is of course less than half of the recommended amount.  This is one area that is notably constrained by my budget, though some ways to get around this must be considered if I wish to eat healthy.

The next area of improvement is that of milk.  Of the recommended three cups, I only drink one-third of this amount, with one cup.  This is another area that is related to my budget, as milk is certainly not inexpensive.  However, once again, milk must be taken into consideration for nutritional purposes.

Meats and beans represent the next area of improvement.  This is perhaps the most crucial area of improvement, at least in terms of how much more I need to intake to reach the recommended goal.  Less than 30% of this amount is reached, as I scored with 1.8 oz of the 6.5 oz recommended.

The final area of improvement is that of sodium.  I scored roughly 600 mg over the 2300 mg recommended over three days.  Other sources advocate a higher daily limit, such as the Canadian Government’s 1500 mg per day recommendation, which is argued to be necessary to “promote good health” (Canadian Government).  Perhaps this is not as big of a deal as the other recommendations.

Overall these four areas represent those that I need to improve in in terms of my diet.  Vegetables, milk, sodium, and meat and beans should be areas that I focus in when I outline changes to my diet.  These proposed changes will be identified in the subsequent section for my eating plan.

Implementation of Changes

My healthy eating plan must be accommodated to add these changes.  Nutritionally there are some ways that I believe I can allow myself to eat better.  I think identifying ways to add these items to my diet and implement them into my eating habits is a start.  Also, budget concerns are of course relevant for me as well, which I must also keep in mind while identifying such changes.

Addressing each area individually, vegetables as the first category will certainly not be easy.  There are many practical disadvantages with vegetables.  Shelf life and budget concerns are certainly seen.  Also, they must become a part of one’s diet to eat the right amount.

One way to eat more vegetables is to take into account budgetary concerns, at least in my situation.  Paying more attention to what is in season will allow me to purchase quality vegetables for a reasonable price.  Also, paying attention to those vegetables that are normally pretty reasonable will be valuable to me, such as carrots, onions, and cucumbers, at least generally speaking.

Practical considerations also apply, especially in eating the right amount of vegetables for me.  As I eat less than half of what is recommended in that of vegetables, incorporating them into snacks is one way to go.  Carrots make for a great snack.  Homemade salsa is also a great way to compound vegetables for a great-tasting snack, though of course I would need to be careful with sodium if I am eating chips.  Adding a meal on a consistent basis that has a good amount of vegetables, such as vegetable soup, will allow me to eat more vegetables on a consistent basis, I believe.

Milk is also another area in which I need to improve.  Price isn’t exactly negotiable here, such as different prices in vegetables.  However, if I can save money in other areas, perhaps I could buy milk more often.

Adding milk to my eating plan may not be that difficult.  As a snack and for breakfast, cereal would be a healthy choice to consume more milk.  There are also healthy shakes that I could try to enhance my milk intake.  Of course, just simply being more cognizant of drinking milk may be the best way to drink more milk.

Meat and beans represents the main final area in which I need to accommodate in my eating plan, at least in regards to actual foods.  In terms of budgetary concerns, I may just have to be more careful in terms of eating meat, by cutting out unnecessary purchases.  Beans can be reasonably priced, which I could include more into my meals.  In terms of implementing it into my diet, there are not as many options as in the case of vegetables, in my opinion; I will have to get used to having meals centered on these two important areas.

Sodium must also be taken into consideration in my diet.  Although sources vary, I should be careful to eliminate those foods that are high in sodium in my diet.  Perhaps I could exchange these meals and snacks for low-sodium alternatives, such as those that incorporate missing food groups, like vegetables, meat, and beans.

Generally speaking, I would love to transform my diet if money was no option.  Eating an organic low-sodium diet would be ideal to my preferences.  However, that is not feasible for me right now, in regards to my finances.

At any rate one way to improve where I am right now is to make a budget.  I think this can help me considerably, by seeing what I am spending money on every time I shop for food.  Perhaps if I keep better track of what I am spending money on, I will be able to incorporate higher quality foods for my diet.

Other general changes can help me accommodate a better eating plan.  For instance, limiting the amount I eat out would be great.  The money saved there alone could allow me to buy foods that I wouldn’t previously.  Though it is a more general consideration, I think keeping an eye out for prices would help me considerably.  Even something as simple as buying frozen vegetables would be good, which are almost as good as fresh vegetables.  These types of general considerations could help me take into account all of these factors, and not put too many constraints on my budget.

Implementing these changes could go a long way to transforming my current diet for the better.  Even simple changes, such as eating carrots as a snack can help me each much healthier.  It is interesting to note how many of these considerations has a lot to do with discipline, such as found in budgeting, eating out, and planning healthier meals.

The results obtained offered some unique insights into my current eating habits.  Vegetables, milk, sodium, and meat and beans are the areas in which I need to concentrate for my diet.  After examining some easy ways to implement them into my eating plan, I should be able to eat healthier.

Although I can’t currently change to my desired low-sodium organic diet, by virtue of finances, there are some ways I can easily make these changes.  Being more conscious of reasonably-priced foods in these categories is one certain way to make these changes.  Also, I think that planning more meals for me that incorporate these foods will be helpful.

Overall these changes should help my eating plan, while taking into account practical considerations that make it difficult at times.  These recommendations have certainly helped me pinpoint and recognize some of my diet’s strengths and weaknesses.  Perhaps I will be able to implement these changes to my eating plan soon, to be able to eat much healthier.

Canadian Government.” It’s Your Health – Sodium.” 2008. Web. May 29, 2010.

United States Department of Agriculture. “MyPyramidTracker.” N.D. Web. May 29, 2010.

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Diabetes is a major disease that has significant side effects and complications. The worldwide incidence of diabetes is high and every year there are more people who are diagnosed with diabetes. People who have diabetes have a shorter lifespan than people in the normal population. However, clinical studies have shown that nutritional therapy can reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications. Therefore, a management plan for diabetes should also include a diet plan for the control of diabetes and its symptoms.

Nutrition Therapy for Diabetes

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Michael Pollan's deliciously simple meal plan to avoid ultra-processed foods — and where it falls short

Michael Pollan is probably best known for the seven simple words of diet advice he first used to open a New York Times essay in 2007, which later became the backbone of a bestselling book :

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants ."

He knows it's really not so simple.

"We all make compromises," Pollan told Business Insider ahead of the release of his latest documentary, Food, Inc. 2 , out April 12. "We do the best we can, and people pick out the issues they want to deal with, and can deal with."

At home, Pollan tries his best to avoid eating industrial meat, eggs, or any other product from big factory farms.

He and his wife have set up their life to make healthy eating easy and affordable. They keep a stash of well-sharpened knives, ready to chop and cook a rainbow of veggies for dinner most nights. Lately, his table's featured stir-frys and pasta dishes, as well as some wild salmon, since they happen to be running in Alaska this season. Pollan also enjoys cooking a firmer, more protein-rich form of tofu I'd never heard of called yuba, which is essentially a soymilk skin. Hearty stews , perhaps with Indian or Moroccan-inspired spices, are some of the other fan favorites simmering around his kitchen island in Berkeley, California.

It sounds very healthy, very delicious, very aspirational … and pretty impossible. Because it is.

The reality is that Pollan does participate in America's industrialized food system. He's spent the better part of two decades investigating the way food corporations combine chemicals, plants, and animals in some very toxic ways, and as a result he feels "really uncomfortable participating in a system that was so brutal, not just to the animals, but to the workers in it," he told BI. But he knows that, ultimately, if you want to participate in US society, some amount of toxic and unethical food is unavoidable.

"If you had me over to your house and you were cooking a pork shoulder, I wouldn't be rude I would eat it," he said. "I'm not so zealous about it."

Still, he might have some intrusive thoughts while eating store-bought sliced white bread or fruit salad. He worries about the glyphosate that's doused on industrial wheat right before harvest and the harsh pesticides often sprayed on thin-skinned fruits like strawberries (he opts for organic whenever he can, but even that's not a guarantee of safety). "I think that the more you know about food, the more it shapes your diet," he said.

'Plant-based' is just a marketing trick from Big Food

Pollan's new documentary (in select theaters now, and streaming on Amazon Prime) is a follow-up to his Academy Award-nominated 2008 release "Food, Inc." "Food, Inc. 2" focuses on the few mega-companies that dominate our grocery stores and often end up deciding what we put in our mouths.

The film explores what happened at a Tyson meat processing plant in Waterloo, Iowa, during the first days of the COVID-19 outbreak (spoiler alert: it wasn't great.) It also features the voices of tomato pickers in Florida fighting for fair pay, Taco Bell employees asking for the same, one inventive farmer bringing a regenerative gizmo called the "clustercluck " to his cornfields, and Democratic Senator Jon Tester, who (when he's not in Washington) works an organic farm in Montana.

Over 90 minutes, the documentary takes you on a rather bleak journey through time, highlighting the many ways our food system has actually gotten worse since the release of the first Food Inc. 16 years ago.

And yet, it ends on a head-spinningly optimistic note. The shift is so stark it's almost funny. Just before the credits roll, the film encourages viewers to join the "movement" on its website, which encourages us to (surprise, surprise) eat fewer ultra-processed foods, support our local farmers by shopping at their markets when we can, reduce meat and dairy consumption, and then in our spare time, lobby for more antitrust law enforcement against the handful of big food companies that dominate the market for baby formula , meat, cereal, and other staples. Simple.

"The industry has a strong interest in complicating our relationship to food, creating problems that it can then solve — but it's a lot simpler than people think," Pollan says.

Is it though? Speaking to Pollan made me feel even more strongly than before that, even in a best-case scenario , for the thin slice of Americans who have the time, money, plus institutional and cultural support to adopt all of these grand ideas, some of the worst parts about our big, bad food system cannot be avoided. The emulsifiers that may mess with our gut bacteria in weird and poorly understood ways are sorely needed to keep food shelf-stable. And even if we stick to organics, the soil quality ain't what it used to be around here, meaning we derive less nutrients from the foods we eat.

"If you do eat food, not too much, mostly plants, you're going to be fine," Pollan tells me, doubling down on his old phrase.

But even he admits some caveats with his next breath. He's frustrated by the misleading "aura of health" that has sprung up around everything plant-based. That's a whole new game of whack-a-mole we have to play in the grocery store aisles. After all, sugar cane is a plant, and so is the corn that so many of our stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, flavors, and added ingredients come from. Plant-based diets aren't necessarily a beacon of health.

"I don't regard a lot of the stuff in the supermarket as food," he tells me.

But it's what we have.

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NPR suspends veteran editor as it grapples with his public criticism

David Folkenflik

NPR suspended senior editor Uri Berliner for five days without pay after he wrote an essay accusing the network of losing the public's trust and appeared on a podcast to explain his argument. Uri Berliner hide caption

NPR suspended senior editor Uri Berliner for five days without pay after he wrote an essay accusing the network of losing the public's trust and appeared on a podcast to explain his argument.

NPR has formally punished Uri Berliner, the senior editor who publicly argued a week ago that the network had "lost America's trust" by approaching news stories with a rigidly progressive mindset.

Berliner's five-day suspension without pay, which began last Friday, has not been previously reported.

Yet the public radio network is grappling in other ways with the fallout from Berliner's essay for the online news site The Free Press . It angered many of his colleagues, led NPR leaders to announce monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage, and gave fresh ammunition to conservative and partisan Republican critics of NPR, including former President Donald Trump.

Conservative activist Christopher Rufo is among those now targeting NPR's new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the network. Among others, those posts include a 2020 tweet that called Trump racist and another that appeared to minimize rioting during social justice protests that year. Maher took the job at NPR last month — her first at a news organization .

In a statement Monday about the messages she had posted, Maher praised the integrity of NPR's journalists and underscored the independence of their reporting.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," she said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

The network noted that "the CEO is not involved in editorial decisions."

In an interview with me later on Monday, Berliner said the social media posts demonstrated Maher was all but incapable of being the person best poised to direct the organization.

"We're looking for a leader right now who's going to be unifying and bring more people into the tent and have a broader perspective on, sort of, what America is all about," Berliner said. "And this seems to be the opposite of that."

Conservative critics of NPR are now targeting its new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the public radio network last month. Stephen Voss/Stephen Voss hide caption

Conservative critics of NPR are now targeting its new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the public radio network last month.

He said that he tried repeatedly to make his concerns over NPR's coverage known to news leaders and to Maher's predecessor as chief executive before publishing his essay.

Berliner has singled out coverage of several issues dominating the 2020s for criticism, including trans rights, the Israel-Hamas war and COVID. Berliner says he sees the same problems at other news organizations, but argues NPR, as a mission-driven institution, has a greater obligation to fairness.

"I love NPR and feel it's a national trust," Berliner says. "We have great journalists here. If they shed their opinions and did the great journalism they're capable of, this would be a much more interesting and fulfilling organization for our listeners."

A "final warning"

The circumstances surrounding the interview were singular.

Berliner provided me with a copy of the formal rebuke to review. NPR did not confirm or comment upon his suspension for this article.

In presenting Berliner's suspension Thursday afternoon, the organization told the editor he had failed to secure its approval for outside work for other news outlets, as is required of NPR journalists. It called the letter a "final warning," saying Berliner would be fired if he violated NPR's policy again. Berliner is a dues-paying member of NPR's newsroom union but says he is not appealing the punishment.

The Free Press is a site that has become a haven for journalists who believe that mainstream media outlets have become too liberal. In addition to his essay, Berliner appeared in an episode of its podcast Honestly with Bari Weiss.

A few hours after the essay appeared online, NPR chief business editor Pallavi Gogoi reminded Berliner of the requirement that he secure approval before appearing in outside press, according to a copy of the note provided by Berliner.

In its formal rebuke, NPR did not cite Berliner's appearance on Chris Cuomo's NewsNation program last Tuesday night, for which NPR gave him the green light. (NPR's chief communications officer told Berliner to focus on his own experience and not share proprietary information.) The NPR letter also did not cite his remarks to The New York Times , which ran its article mid-afternoon Thursday, shortly before the reprimand was sent. Berliner says he did not seek approval before talking with the Times .

NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

Berliner says he did not get permission from NPR to speak with me for this story but that he was not worried about the consequences: "Talking to an NPR journalist and being fired for that would be extraordinary, I think."

Berliner is a member of NPR's business desk, as am I, and he has helped to edit many of my stories. He had no involvement in the preparation of this article and did not see it before it was posted publicly.

In rebuking Berliner, NPR said he had also publicly released proprietary information about audience demographics, which it considers confidential. He said those figures "were essentially marketing material. If they had been really good, they probably would have distributed them and sent them out to the world."

Feelings of anger and betrayal inside the newsroom

His essay and subsequent public remarks stirred deep anger and dismay within NPR. Colleagues contend Berliner cherry-picked examples to fit his arguments and challenge the accuracy of his accounts. They also note he did not seek comment from the journalists involved in the work he cited.

Morning Edition host Michel Martin told me some colleagues at the network share Berliner's concerns that coverage is frequently presented through an ideological or idealistic prism that can alienate listeners.

"The way to address that is through training and mentorship," says Martin, herself a veteran of nearly two decades at the network who has also reported for The Wall Street Journal and ABC News. "It's not by blowing the place up, by trashing your colleagues, in full view of people who don't really care about it anyway."

Several NPR journalists told me they are no longer willing to work with Berliner as they no longer have confidence that he will keep private their internal musings about stories as they work through coverage.

"Newsrooms run on trust," NPR political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben tweeted last week, without mentioning Berliner by name. "If you violate everyone's trust by going to another outlet and sh--ing on your colleagues (while doing a bad job journalistically, for that matter), I don't know how you do your job now."

Berliner rejected that critique, saying nothing in his essay or subsequent remarks betrayed private observations or arguments about coverage.

Other newsrooms are also grappling with questions over news judgment and confidentiality. On Monday, New York Times Executive Editor Joseph Kahn announced to his staff that the newspaper's inquiry into who leaked internal dissent over a planned episode of its podcast The Daily to another news outlet proved inconclusive. The episode was to focus on a December report on the use of sexual assault as part of the Hamas attack on Israel in October. Audio staffers aired doubts over how well the reporting stood up to scrutiny.

"We work together with trust and collegiality everyday on everything we produce, and I have every expectation that this incident will prove to be a singular exception to an important rule," Kahn wrote to Times staffers.

At NPR, some of Berliner's colleagues have weighed in online against his claim that the network has focused on diversifying its workforce without a concomitant commitment to diversity of viewpoint. Recently retired Chief Executive John Lansing has referred to this pursuit of diversity within NPR's workforce as its " North Star ," a moral imperative and chief business strategy.

In his essay, Berliner tagged the strategy as a failure, citing the drop in NPR's broadcast audiences and its struggle to attract more Black and Latino listeners in particular.

"During most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding," Berliner writes. "In recent years, however, that has changed."

Berliner writes, "For NPR, which purports to consider all things, it's devastating both for its journalism and its business model."

NPR investigative reporter Chiara Eisner wrote in a comment for this story: "Minorities do not all think the same and do not report the same. Good reporters and editors should know that by now. It's embarrassing to me as a reporter at NPR that a senior editor here missed that point in 2024."

Some colleagues drafted a letter to Maher and NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, seeking greater clarity on NPR's standards for its coverage and the behavior of its journalists — clearly pointed at Berliner.

A plan for "healthy discussion"

On Friday, CEO Maher stood up for the network's mission and the journalism, taking issue with Berliner's critique, though never mentioning him by name. Among her chief issues, she said Berliner's essay offered "a criticism of our people on the basis of who we are."

Berliner took great exception to that, saying she had denigrated him. He said that he supported diversifying NPR's workforce to look more like the U.S. population at large. She did not address that in a subsequent private exchange he shared with me for this story. (An NPR spokesperson declined further comment.)

Late Monday afternoon, Chapin announced to the newsroom that Executive Editor Eva Rodriguez would lead monthly meetings to review coverage.

"Among the questions we'll ask of ourselves each month: Did we capture the diversity of this country — racial, ethnic, religious, economic, political geographic, etc — in all of its complexity and in a way that helped listeners and readers recognize themselves and their communities?" Chapin wrote in the memo. "Did we offer coverage that helped them understand — even if just a bit better — those neighbors with whom they share little in common?"

Berliner said he welcomed the announcement but would withhold judgment until those meetings played out.

In a text for this story, Chapin said such sessions had been discussed since Lansing unified the news and programming divisions under her acting leadership last year.

"Now seemed [the] time to deliver if we were going to do it," Chapin said. "Healthy discussion is something we need more of."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Eating Habits — My Goal For Healthy Eating Lifestyle

My Goal for Healthy Eating Lifestyle

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Internet service has ‘nutrition labels’ now. Here’s how to use them.

Basic information about costs, add-on fees and quality of service is becoming easier to find.

• Before you sign up for Xfinity internet service, you’ll know that you might pay at least $10 extra each month if you use a bunch of data.
• You can see upfront that an internet service offer from Optimum costs $65 a month for the first year, and then it goes up “in periodic increments” until you’re paying $90 a month.
• You’ll know that an AT&T internet plan at your address has “typical” speeds for watching Netflix or surfing the web that range from a relatively pedestrian 75 megabits a second to three times faster.

It’s often been confusing to find basic facts about the costs and quality of home internet service. Now the information is at your fingertips thanks to a new requirement from the Federal Communications Commission .

Starting this week, most companies that sell internet service must show you a standard list of information — modeled on the nutrition labels on packaged food — that includes the monthly cost, internet speeds you should expect and extra fees for things like installation, renting a modem and taxes.

These internet “nutrition” labels aren’t perfect and won’t fix the many maddening things about internet service. But we have precious little power when it comes to internet service in the United States. The information labels are a huge win in giving you a dose of power back.

I’ll explain how to find the internet labels, what they’re useful for and their shortcomings.

How to use the internet ‘nutrition’ labels

As of Wednesday, most of the country’s internet service providers — including Xfinity, Spectrum, Optimum, Cox, AT&T and Verizon — must now include the information labels where you buy service. That’s typically on their websites.

Companies generally sell their internet service only in select areas — or even just in certain neighborhoods or individual apartment buildings.

It’s worth checking your potential options for internet providers by entering your address into this handy, but imperfect, FCC interactive map .

Most people should only consider companies that are listed under the technology category as “cable,” “fiber to the premises” or “NGSO Satellite.” (That last one is Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service beamed via satellite .) Remember, this information may not be completely accurate.

Also peek at the 5G options in the “mobile broadband” tab. That’s a fast-growing option leaning on cellphone networks for home internet service. It’s a great and (for now) relatively affordable choice for some people . It doesn’t work well for everyone.

Once you’ve compiled the companies selling service where you live — it could be only one or two — you can look up their information labels online.

Find the company’s website and enter your address. Once you see options for available internet service packages, you’re looking to click on “broadband facts.” That’s the FCC-mandated information labels.

(A provider probably won’t show you an information label if it doesn’t offer internet service where you live. In at least one case, I had to click as though I were buying internet service before I could see the information label.)

In theory, you should see the “introductory rate” for new service and price increases to expect over time. You might see extra fees that sometimes surprise you on your bill.

You should also see “typical speeds.” In real life, your home WiFi may not be as consistently zippy as the speeds advertised to you.

The shortcomings of the information labels

I said “in theory” because not all of that information was spelled out in the internet labels that I saw.

Almost half of the internet information labels are not complying so far with the FCC’s disclosure requirements, according to Sascha Meinrath , a Penn State University telecommunications professor who helped analyze information labels this week.

If you see information labels that you believe are missing disclosures, file a complaint with the FCC here . The rules are murky, and some of the incomplete information could get filled in over time.

Shira Ovide

The information labels also only apply to internet service. You don’t get the same details if you buy a package of services like TV, phone and internet. You might wind up paying less than the information labels disclose.

Chhaya Kapadia , chief of staff for New America’s Open Technology Institute, said it would be better if the information labels were on your monthly bill so you don’t have to hunt for them online.

Dane Jasper, CEO of well-regarded internet provider Sonic , wants you to be easily able to compare different providers’ information labels side-by-side. (That might be available soon.)

But it was remarkable in my conversations that people who rarely agree — representatives of big internet providers, smaller providers like Sonic and consumer advocates — all said the internet labels are useful and a win for you.

You’re finally getting easier-to-find answers to basic questions: Which companies offer internet service where I live? What will it cost me? Is the service good? What’s the catch?

“There are so many ways we can do these things better but this is a big deal for consumer transparency,” Kapadia said. “We should celebrate."

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J.D. Vance: The Math on Ukraine Doesn’t Add Up

By J. D. Vance

Mr. Vance, a Republican, is the junior senator from Ohio.

President Biden wants the world to believe that the biggest obstacle facing Ukraine is Republicans and our lack of commitment to the global community. This is wrong.

Ukraine’s challenge is not the G.O.P.; it’s math. Ukraine needs more soldiers than it can field, even with draconian conscription policies. And it needs more matériel than the United States can provide. This reality must inform any future Ukraine policy, from further congressional aid to the diplomatic course set by the president.

The Biden administration has applied increasing pressure on Republicans to pass a supplemental aid package of more than $60 billion to Ukraine. I voted against this package in the Senate and remain opposed to virtually any proposal for the United States to continue funding this war. Mr. Biden has failed to articulate even basic facts about what Ukraine needs and how this aid will change the reality on the ground.

The most fundamental question: How much does Ukraine need and how much can we actually provide? Mr. Biden suggests that a $60 billion supplemental means the difference between victory and defeat in a major war between Russia and Ukraine. That is also wrong. This $60 billion is a fraction of what it would take to turn the tide in Ukraine’s favor. But this is not just a matter of dollars. Fundamentally, we lack the capacity to manufacture the amount of weapons Ukraine needs us to supply to win the war.

Consider our ability to produce 155-millimeter artillery shells. Last year, Ukraine’s defense minister estimated that the country’s base-line requirement for these shells was over four million per year but that it could fire up to seven million if that many were available. Since the start of the conflict, the United States has gone to great lengths to ramp up production of 155-millimeter shells. We’ve roughly doubled our capacity and can now produce 360,000 per year — less than a tenth of what Ukraine says it needs. The administration’s goal is to get this to 1.2 million — 30 percent of what’s needed — by the end of 2025. This would cost the American taxpayers dearly while yielding an unpleasantly familiar result: failure abroad.

Just this week, the top American military commander in Europe argued that absent further security assistance, Russia could soon have a 10-to-1 artillery advantage over Ukraine. What didn’t gather as many headlines is that Russia’s current advantage is at least 5 to 1, even after all the money we have poured into the conflict. Neither of these ratios plausibly leads to Ukrainian victory.

Proponents of American aid to Ukraine have argued that our approach has been a boon to our own economy, creating jobs here in the factories that manufacture weapons. But our national security interests can be — and often are — separate from our economic interests. The notion that we should prolong a bloody and gruesome war because it’s been good for American business is grotesque. We can and should rebuild our industrial base without shipping its products to a foreign conflict.

The story is the same when we look at other munitions. Take the Patriot missile system — our premier air defense weapon. It’s of such importance in this war that Ukraine’s foreign minister has specifically demanded them. That’s because in March alone, Russia reportedly launched over 3,000 guided aerial bombs, 600 drones and 400 missiles at Ukraine. To fend off these attacks, the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, and others have indicated they need thousands of Patriot interceptors per year. The problem is this: The United States only manufactures 550 per year. If we pass the supplemental aid package currently being considered in Congress, we could potentially increase annual production to 650, but that’s still less than a third of what Ukraine requires.

These weapons are not only needed by Ukraine. If China were to set its sights on Taiwan, the Patriot missile system would be critical to its defense. In fact, the United States has promised to send Taiwan nearly $900 million worth of Patriot missiles, but delivery of those weapons and other essential resources has been severely delayed, partly because of shortages caused by the war in Ukraine.

If that sounds bad, Ukraine’s manpower situation is even worse. Here are the basics: Russia has nearly four times the population of Ukraine. Ukraine needs upward of half a million new recruits, but hundreds of thousands of fighting-age men have already fled the country. The average Ukrainian soldier is roughly 43 years old , and many soldiers have already served two years at the front with few, if any, opportunities to stop fighting. After two years of conflict, there are some villages with almost no men left. The Ukrainian military has resorted to coercing men into service, and women have staged protests to demand the return of their husbands and fathers after long years of service at the front. This newspaper reported one instance in which the Ukrainian military attempted to conscript a man with a diagnosed mental disability.

Many in Washington seem to think that hundreds of thousands of young Ukrainians have gone to war with a song in their heart and are happy to label any thought to the contrary Russian propaganda. But major newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic are reporting that the situation on the ground in Ukraine is grim.

These basic mathematical realities were true, but contestable, at the outset of the war. They were obvious and incontestable a year ago, when American leadership worked closely with Mr. Zelensky to undertake a disastrous counteroffensive. The bad news is that accepting brute reality would have been most useful last spring, before the Ukrainians launched that extremely costly and unsuccessful military campaign. The good news is that even now, a defensive strategy can work. Digging in with old-fashioned ditches, cement and land mines are what enabled Russia to weather Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive. Our allies in Europe could better support such a strategy, as well. While some European countries have provided considerable resources, the burden of military support has thus far fallen heaviest on the United States.

By committing to a defensive strategy, Ukraine can preserve its precious military manpower, stop the bleeding and provide time for negotiations to commence. But this would require both the American and Ukrainian leadership to accept that Mr. Zelensky’s stated goal for the war — a return to 1991 boundaries — is fantastical.

The White House has said time and again that it can’t negotiate with President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This is absurd. The Biden administration has no viable plan for the Ukrainians to win this war. The sooner Americans confront this truth, the sooner we can fix this mess and broker for peace.

J.D. Vance ( @JDVance1 ), a Republican, is the junior senator from Ohio.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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