My Stanford instructor, Dr. Clyde Wilson, described a simple trick: It will come in handy for many who are unable to give up junk food but are at least a little concerned about their health. And Dr. Wilson knows what he's talking about: he has a Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University and also teaches at UCSF medical schools and heads the Sports Medicine Institute. In his article, Dr. Wilson explains how to continue to eat pizza and fast food and greatly reduce their harmful effects on our bodies. I hasten to share the secret with you.
"Today we take food like a drug because in busy schedules we need a quick fix to keep going. And the food industry provides us with tasty, inexpensive and convenient food that successfully satisfies our need for fat, sugar, calories. According to the World Health Organization, non-communicable diseases have outnumbered infectious diseases in the world, and this is mainly due to the consumption of refined, industrially processed foods and animal products. That is to say, our employment excuses have caused problems on a global scale: the epidemics of obesity and diabetes, not least of all.
In this regard, it is good news that we all have some kind of "parachute" to help slow down digestion of food "junk" and fast food. A 2011 study (*1) showed that eating crunchy vegetables right before simple carbohydrates (which are, for the most part, fast food) resulted in significantly better metabolism in type II diabetics compared to a comprehensive, healthy diet. These benefits became noticeable after 6 months and were noted for 2 years over the course of the study.
Of course, this does not mean that eating vegetables along with junk food is better than eating a healthy diet overall. But if you can change just one thing in your diet, change what will have the most tangible results.
In 2012, scientists determined how many vegetables it takes to get results: the metabolic rate increases significantly with the consumption of 200 grams of any vegetables per day or as little as 70 grams of green vegetables (*2). That's about 3 cups (240 ml dishes) of raw or lightly cooked vegetables (different colors) or greens. We process green vegetables thermally less often than others, because we mostly use them for salads. And since cooked vegetables are softer, they don't slow down stomach emptying and digestion, and their effect on metabolic rate is somewhat less. Raw green vegetables, on the other hand, are much harder for the stomach to cope with than soft and cooked ones. When eating green vegetables alone, patients have seen reductions in weight, fat mass, and waist circumference.
When exactly should you put on your "vegetable parachute"? Ten minutes before consuming fast carbohydrates: this way you will significantly slow down digestion. But vegetables eaten at least 10 minutes after a junk food will hardly slow down digestion, because you have already digested some of the food you have eaten.
Surprisingly, one-third of the carbs you eat are digested and enter your bloodstream just 10 minutes after eating. Fortunately, there are vegetables that can save us from the consequences of eating these unhealthy carbs - without getting rid of the very carbs we love so much at heart.
Scientists suggest that eating vegetables at the same time as unhealthy foods may be just as beneficial as they were before. But that has yet to be tested. I personally prefer to eat vegetables along with the rest of my food because it's easier to eat a lot of vegetables that way. Spinach tastes like pizza when you eat it with pizza. Kale tastes like a hamburger when you eat it with a hamburger.
Note: Blood sugar movement (speaks to the rate at which food is digested and blood sugar levels rise) has twice the impact on the risk of cardiovascular mortality among diabetics than the blood sugar level itself (measured on an empty stomach). This means that you can be diabetic but cut your risk of cardiovascular disease in half by slowing down your digestion rate. Eating the foods that got you to diabetes, but along with vegetables will also help cut your medications in half (*1).
Yes, adding lots of vegetables to your diet can be difficult for a variety of reasons, but what a comfort to know that you can eat all the other foods you love - and improve your quality of life.
Giving up the foods you love is difficult and nearly impossible in the long run. But adding something you may not particularly like (like vegetables) to it, while continuing to eat what you love (like pizza), is absolutely possible. Think of vegetables as a longer way to enjoy it."
For myself, I want to add that Dr. Clyde is not at all encouraging his patients and students to eat unhealthy fast food. As a realist and having counseled a large number of clients, he understands that getting them to give up their favorite junk food forever and to switch to a whole, mostly plant-based diet in the long run (not just for a period of treatment or dieting) is almost impossible and is better in some cases to give people a "parachute" that will reduce the risks of eating their favorite foods.
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