Postby CKinnard » Mon Jun 20, 2016 3:13 pm
Red and Black rice have higher nutrient quality than white, or brown.
But even moreso, reductionist studies of individual food items prove very little.
Longitudinal studies of large populations are more telling. Why? Because nutritional science is far too complex and unevolved to apply reductionist principles to health outcomes over a life time, or several generations.
Personally, I attach greater weight to observational studies carried out over many generations. And that favors blue zone experience. However, it is very likely that blue zone longevity advantage has as much to do with simple lifestyle and non diet related factors....and developed nations overall, have totally different life stressors to all but Loma Linda seventh day adventists.
So, when clients want my professional opinion, I summarize it thus:
from a reductionist perspective, a very low fat PBWF diet has been shown to reverse atherosclerosis, and most common morbidities are associated with high intake of animal produce and processed carbohydrates. health advantage is associated with a varied intake of unprocessed whole foods, the most important being a high intake of minimally processed fibrous carbohydrates and fruits. Legumes also have strong health advantages. There is much evidence that processed meats in particular, and animal flesh of any type has health disadvantages in moderate to high doses (methionine, homocysteine, IGF-1)
longitudinal studies show a longevity and low morbidity advantage associated with a primarily plant based whole food diet, with animal flesh and dairy/eggs taken more as an accompaniment rather than a staple, and a moderate to high intake of legumes and small intake of nuts and seeds.
On balance, it would seem judicious to make a diet primarily PBWF, and take animal produce as an accompaniment. Teasing out greater detail than this is confounded by race based genetic variation i.e. Asian lactose intolerance.
If one is serious about longevity however, one must also consider the benefits of non nutritional factors such as fasting (alternate day, intermittent, prolonged), managing life stressors, social life, and life meaning. Addressing these issues are very likely to be more important than micromanaging diet.
Last edited by
CKinnard on Mon Jun 20, 2016 3:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.