Healthy Eating – Fructose Malabsorption

Does an apple a day REALLY keep the doctor away? Below you will find a bunch of random websites. I’m going to post this now, but may add to it over time.

You can read what Stephen wrote over at WholeHealthSource regarding this article: “Fructose intake at current levels in the United States may cause gastrointestinal distress in normal adults.” 

I must admit that most of the article makes my head absolutely spin. Here is what I learned… for me (one who has a messed up gut because of eating the recommended 6-8 servings of grains for the past 40 years)… a high fructose diet is a bad idea.  

Read the post at EvolutionaryPsychiatry for dietary eating strategies regarding fructose. Here are a few fruits with an imbalance of fructose to glucose:

Apple, pear, guava, melon, mango, papaya, watermelon, star fruit

After reading CoolingInflammation I believe that if you have a good gut, then you can eat these items occasionally and that we probably need to (ie. few apple slices for inulin.) Work on the gut issues by eating yogurt, kefir, variety of veggies.

An article from TrackYourPlaque states:

“Add to this the data that show that fructose increases uric acid (that causes gout and may act as a coronary risk factor), induces leptin resistance, causes metabolic syndrome (pre-diabetes), and increases appetite, and it is clear that fructose is yet another common food additive that, along with wheat, is likely a big part of the reason Americans are fat and diabetic.”

An article from Nutritional-Healing states:

“In fructose malabsorption a persons ability to absorb fructose, fruit sugar, is impaired. This results in fructose passing through the intestines and being fermented by bacteria, causing both gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal bloating/cramps, constipation, loose stools, diarrhea or flatulence) and increased proliferation of certain intestinal bacteria and yeast which metabolise fructose.”

Similar to my last post, there are a lot of controversies regarding fructose malabsorption. However, I had never even considered the possiblity that you could eat the wrong fruit. Until I did just that and ended up having a huge gut ache from my “healthy food”. Not all  fruits and vegetables are created equally. The best way to find out if you are affected or not is to keep a food journal.

One question I have is this:  There are properties in raw honey that are supposed to help with allergies…is it worth it to eat a bit for that? Too funny – right after I wrote that I found this comment that Stephen wrote to another person that had the same question: 

 Jenny,

In my opinion, raw honey is one of the best sweeteners, if not the best. It’s somewhat nutritious, it’s fairly easily assimilated, and it tastes damn good. As with fruit, I don’t see anything wrong with using honey in moderation.

I’m adding this link in so I don’t lose it about fatty liver disease. ??? Why is this a problem now and it wasn’t back in the primal era?  They didn’t eat apples 365 days a year?!?!

Healthy Eating – Controversies

YES! Pick the right fat though:

1. Mark Sisson says that while not all fats are created equal, ”saturated fats serve critical roles in the human body.” 
2. The Weston A Price organization has a list of guidelines and dangers of eating low fat.
3. Sue Gregg says Nourishing Traditions/The Weston A Price organization,  has an incorrect balance of fats. 

NOPE – not a good idea:

1. Fiona Haynes writes for About.Com regarding the benefits of low fat cooking.
2. Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition states that “The “bad” fats—saturated and trans fats—increase the risk for certain diseases.”

Interesting books/article on the subject:

1. Gary Taubes wrote the book “Good Calories, Bad Calories.” ABC News had a few interesting things to say about the book. 
2. Dr. Bruce Fife wrote several books about the health benefits of coconut.
3. NY Times

A few bloggers and their point of views:

1. Katie at Kitchen Stewardship
2. Laura at Heavenly Homeakers
3. Kelly at The Kitchen Kop
4. Melissa McEwen Hunt Gather Love

Depends:

1. Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D.from the Mayo Clinic  
2. WebMD

Don’t eat raw eggs:

1. Scooby Werkstatt

Eggs are a good choice:

1. Jonny Bowden
2. Journal of American College of Nutrition
3. Healthy Skeptic  

Cholesterol Issues:

1. The China Study
2. The China Study Refuted
3. The China Study Refuted 
4. Momma Blogger Food Renegade

White Bread

1. Three Experts say White Bread  
2. Marginally better to eat white, but why eat poison (see the comments)

Wheat Bread, Soaked

1. Mamma Blogger – Kelly the Kitchen Kop

NO!

1. Mark Sisson
2. Kurt G. Harris, M.D.
3. Fitness Spotlight

Yes:

1. American Cancer Society
2. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

It’s not ideal:

1. Paleo Hacks
2. Marks Daily Apple

Sure, it’s okay if it’s white rice:

1. Dr. Ben Kim
2. Konstantin Monastyrsky
3. The Healthy Home Economist

No:

1. Don Matesz
2. Mark Sisson

Soaked Rice Only:

1. Sue Gregg

Yes, soaked oats:     High on Health

Yes:   Healthy Food

Based on my research, I have come to the conclusion that NOBODY knows for sure what I should be eating. Personally, I’ve found that doing an elimination diet has helped me the most. I started eating just meat and vegetables for one week and then I started adding one new food in at a time. Using a journal, I wrote down what I ate and then recorded how different foods affected my energy levels, my sugar and/or salt cravings and noted any digestion issues.

I’ve noticed that when I eat meat, I have amazing amounts of energy. If I eat fat with my meat I have amazing amounts of energy and I don’t need to eat every two hours. If I eat oatmeal and no meat, then I’m tired a few hours later and STARVING/EATING – ALL DAY LONG! I plan to continue testing different foods. It takes some time to do this plan, but it’s the best diet plan available and it’s FREE!

Here are some posts about the elimination diet:

about.com

Wholehealthsource

Eatwithoutguilt    

Thehealthyhomeeconomist 

P.S. I forgot to mention the controversies about eating Sugar vs. Natural Sugar vs. No Sugar. Cooling Inflammation has quite a few interesting posts to read.

Healthy Eating – Make ONE Small Change

Health

Do you care about your health? Of course you do. Whether you are 400 pounds or 80 pounds, we all care!

Who determines what healthy eating looks like? You do of course! Unless you live at home and your parents are buying you food.

The primal diet?   The paleo diet?   What do they mean? Check out Marks Daily Apple for a ton of information!

If you make just one change today, you will be better off. I know how easy it is to get overwhelmed with all of the information out there. Make it a goal to make one small change a day, a week or a month. Next year at this time, you will be better off!!!

Let healthy eating become a habit for you TODAY!