Certain well accepted health beliefs have been disproven, and are now regarded as “uncommon sense!” Here, we’ll provide fresh insights from Dr. Toshiro Ikeya to make dieting easier for you. Are the claims that “low-calorie drinks won’t make you fat” and “if you cool your rice (make it cold rice), you will not gain weight” true or false?
5 new common sense tips from doctors for those who want to lose weight easily
1. It’s a myth that “low-calorie drinks won’t make you fat.”
There are many “low-calorie drinks” on the market that are sweet but low in calories, but the reason they are sweet despite being low in calories is because they contain artificial sweeteners .
Sucralose, an artificial sweetener, is 600 times sweeter than sugar, but is not metabolized in the body and is excreted as is. In other words, it does not become energy.
Furthermore, even after consuming low-calorie drinks, it keeps blood sugar levels from rising, so there are probably many people who “consume low-calorie drinks when they feel like eating something sweet.”
However, there are problems with artificial sweeteners. The sweetness of artificial sweeteners such as sucralose stimulates the brain . If consumed habitually, it is possible that the brain will begin to crave even stronger sweetness.
In fact, it has been pointed out that people who habitually consume low-calorie beverages are more likely to be obese . Although they are low in calories, it is important to be careful about the frequency and amount of intake.
2. Calorie-focused diets lead to weight gain
If you continue to restrict your calories, you will certainly lose weight.
However, this will lead to the loss of not only fat but also muscle. When your body recognizes that it is in a state of starvation due to the lack of energy caused by calorie restriction, it will start to use muscle as energy .
Losing muscle leads to a loose, flabby body line . Many people who are happy to lose weight through calorie restriction end up with a sloppy body due to muscle loss.
Success in dieting is not just about losing weight, but also about creating a beautiful body line, right? While a certain degree of calorie restriction is necessary, extreme dietary and calorie restriction is not recommended. It is important to diet in a way that does not cause muscle loss while also incorporating exercise .
3. There’s a pitfall with the canned mackerel diet—it can lead to over-consumption of calories!
Diets that incorporate canned mackerel have attracted attention because the EPA contained in canned boiled mackerel promotes the secretion of a hormone called GLP-1, which suppresses the rise in blood sugar levels.
However, canned mackerel is high in fat and salt , so you must be careful about the amount you consume. Mackerel contains a lot of EPA, and can be said to be a food that allows you to effectively consume EPA, but the more you eat it, the less likely you are to lose weight .
One can of canned mackerel (190 g) contains 327–515 kcal and about 2 g of salt. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s dietary intake guidelines state that EPA and DHA should be at least 1000 mg per day, so about 1/3 of a can of canned mackerel is enough. You should be careful not to overeat, taking into consideration not only EPA intake, but also calorie and salt intake .
In addition, research has shown that the combination of EPA intake and exercise increases the effectiveness of dieting , so canned mackerel can be said to be a great ally for dieters. It is important to incorporate it wisely.
| component | Intake | Intake Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| EPA | 1540-3040 mg | Over 1000mg |
| DHA | 2,200–4,750 mg | |
| calorie | 327-515kcal | – |
Reference: “Health common knowledge: Yes and no, if you want to live a long life”
4. Chilled carbohydrates are less likely to make you fat
If you eat hot rice and cold rice, cold rice is less likely to make you fat. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you won’t gain weight no matter how much cold rice you eat. If you eat the same amount of rice, cold rice is less likely to make you fat than hot rice
. The same can be said not only for rice, but also for carbohydrates such as pasta and potatoes.
The reason why eating cold rice is less likely to make you gain weight is because the starch contained in the rice changes into ” resistant starch .” (Resistant: difficult to digest, starch: starch)
Resistant starch acts like dietary fiber, suppressing the absorption of sugar and fat , making it less likely to make you gain weight. It can also help regulate your intestinal environment and make you feel less hungry until your next meal .
If you incorporate dishes that taste good when cold into your diet, you can effectively incorporate resistant starch into your diet. Examples of dishes that taste good when cold include cold pasta , cold potato soup , and cold Chinese noodles .
However, no matter how effective it may be for your weight loss, you should still be careful because eating only cold foods can cause your body to become cold.
5. Meat doesn’t make you fat
I often hear people say, “I’m on a diet, so I’m avoiding meat,” but it’s a mistake to think that “meat = fattening.”
Of course, meat that is high in fat can cause weight gain, but not eating any meat at all will make you lose weight.
Meat is a good source of protein, and not only is it high in protein content, it is also highly bioavailable. Meat is not the only food that contains protein, but different foods have different amino acid compositions and bioavailability. It is
not enough to simply consume protein; it is necessary to consume high-quality protein and a well-balanced amount of amino acids.
If muscle mass decreases due to a lack of protein, not only will you end up with a flabby body line as mentioned above, but you will also develop a constitution that is difficult to burn fat. It is also important to eat meat to avoid losing muscle mass
through dieting and creating a constitution that is prone to gaining weight . It is a good idea to incorporate low-fat meats such as chicken breast and pork tenderloin into your diet.
Are you still believing in old common sense? Check your knowledge!
- Turmeric and Shijimi clams are effective against hangovers
- Collagen has been proven to have skin-beautifying effects
- Supplements can be harmful to your health
- The health of your blood vessels influences the health of your skin
Can you answer with confidence? The answers are 1. False, 2. False, 3. True, and 4. False.
“Good and Bad Health Things You Should Know If You Want to Live Longer” introduces many of these new health common sense.
The health common sense you believe in may be outdated…!? It’s important to learn new common sense for an effective diet.
