If I Reduce Calorie Intake, What Nutrition becomes Important?
One of the common questions we get is: "what nutrition is important while suppressing appetite on intermittent fasting (IF)." Given the growing evidence for the benefits of reducing caloric consumption and of fasting, many people are choosing to improve their health and lose unwanted fat with this approach. As a consequence, proper nutrition is even more important because your body is operating on lower overall intake. Maintaining a baseline nutritional program to ensure a complete diet is fundamental to good health.
We went over the health benefits of caloric restriction and intermittent fasting in an earlier post. The success of this approach is likely because it's easier for people to maintain discipline when they fast for small periods of time and then go back to eating normally (with some basic limits obviously.) Studies show that by periodically limiting food consumption, weight loss results are just as effective as with full time diet restriction, and health benefits can even be more impressive. One study showed that IF leads to less muscle loss than full fasting programs (Obes Rev. 2011 Jul; Intermittent versus daily calorie restriction: which diet regimen is more effective for weight loss? Varady KA.)
Research suggests that of the 4 common methods, the 5-2 works best -- 5 days a week of normal eating and 2 days of fasting (around 700 calories a day) --, although arguably individual physiology comes into play. Given the popularity of our APPETITE AWAY as an aid to getting through the fast period, helping avoid the dangerous cravings that can sabotage your efforts, and supplying key nutrients for health, it makes sense to talk about other basic nutrition for the fasting process.
If you are eating less, what foods and nutrients are critical?
First of all, we are not discussing the entire fasting diet here, but just focusing in on key foods and nutrients that are important to maintain at proper levels while following the restrictive program. As a general rule, the best diet is a nutrient dense one, because if calories are limited, their quality becomes more important. There are actual physiological impacts to restricting calories, such as reduced brain function (even though, overall, fasting is neuro-protective), so with some planning, we can manage these.
On a broad dietary scale, try to stick with lean proteins, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables -- foods all rich in key nutrients for their caloric value. Take a whole-food veggie supplement like GREEN 33 to supply the broad range of crucial nutrition without adding unwanted calories. This is fundamental, especially during fasting days! Make sure that you take all supplements with your food, particularly during the fast. Don't be too worried about supplementing most vitamins as IF is actually going to improve micro-nutrient absorption to some extent during their temporary absence. Hormesis is operating here to the overall benefit of our body.
Key Foods / Nutrition to Include in a Healthy Fasting Program:
If you pay attention to these foods, you are likely to ensure successful IF results.
Omega-3's - the benefits to cardiovascular protection and the anti-obesity effects from omega fatty acids are well studied in research. Eating fatty fish, or taking a high-grade fish oil supplement is an excellent way to feed your brain the perfect nutrition to stave off caloric-restriction side-effects (particularly vitamin D).
Vitamin C and D - on the subject of fish, fasting often results in depleted levels of these vitamins, so it is important to get them into your fasting diet. For the caloric value, fish is an excellent source of D, and berries an excellent source of C. Resveratrol is also highly anti-inflammatory and protective, so include a supplement like RESVERAYOUTH that combines berries and resveratrol.
Calcium, chromium, sodium, and potassium - these particular micro-nutrients tend to significantly deplete while fasting. Eggs are calcium-rich, nutritious, and effective at satiating hunger for little caloric intake. A great snack while fasting, nuts are densely packed with chromium, potassium, and other key nutrition, and can also send satiety signals to the brain preventing hunger. Berries are, again, a powerful weapon in the nutritional arsenal.
Probiotics - one bothersome effect of fasting is your microbiome letting you know it is unhappy being hungry, which can lead to stomach irritation, constipation, and more issues. Yoghurt and kefir are foods rich in probiotics to mitigate these problems, keeping your tummy happy, and all for very little calories. Fermented cabbage like kim-chee or sauerkraut are also health-busters that will do the trick and provide fiber and nutrients in the mix.
CoQ10 - is a perfect adjunct to IF due to their similar effects on mitochondrial functioning.
AMPK-rich foods also stimulate the metabolism, which is fundamental to the entire process. We want our bodies to switch into fat-burning survival mode, which is at the root of fasting benefits. Pound-for-pound, the best metabolic activators are berries, especially maqui berries. These super foods pack a real nutrient punch for their calories. Rich in phytonutrients, immune-boosting compounds, eating berries while fasting not only supplies AMPK for improved metabolic function, but also supplies a whole range of critical vitamins and minerals. If you could only eat one food while fasting, berries may be the perfect choice.
Curcumin is very useful as an anti-inflammatory during the fasting period, has some weight-loss effects, and boosts the bodies ability to handle stress, which is particularly useful during IF. Curcumin and resveratrol both act in similar fashions and are excellent adjuncts to fasting.
Obviously everyone has different dietary needs, so this is a general guide and by no means exhaustive. You may want to get a baseline blood workup before a fasting program, and absolutely make sure to consult your primary doctor to avoid any issues. The point of this post is that it may be good to deprive your body of fuel at times, but you also need to be even more mindful of what you eat during the process. Watch out for these few basic requirements. You will notice a common pattern: immune and metabolic-enhancing, anti-inflammatory, protective foods and nutrition. Focus on these to ensure healthy vitality and longevity.
The opinions expressed in this article are of the author. Content and other information presented on the site are not meant to be medical advice or any substitute for professional advice, counseling, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard professional medical or mental health advice from your physician or other qualified health provider.
