Corn oil, margarine, steak . . . if these items make a regular appearance in your diet, you may need more &quot;3s.&quot;

That&#39;s omega-3s&mdash;found in foods like fatty fish, peanuts, and flaxseeds. Your body needs them to balance out the omega-6s in foods like red meat and certain vegetable oils.

Balancing act 
Omega-3s and omega-6s are both healthy, unsaturated fats. (How can you know how much you&#39;re getting of each? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/omega-3-fatty-acids/best-amount-of-omega-3-and-6-fats">Check out this video.</a>) But omega-3s are considered healthiest. Besides keeping your arteries clear, omega-3s boost your immunity. And the right 3s-to-6s dietary ratio is important; it helps keep health-hampering inflammation in check.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/article/unsaturated-fats-unhealthy-kinds-types">Read this article to learn how striking the right balance between 3s and 6s may help thwart metabolic syndrome.</a>

Super &quot;3&quot; sources 
You can boost your intake of heart-healthy omega-3s by eating more of these foods:

<ul>
	<li>Flaxseeds or flaxseed oil</li>
	<li>Walnuts</li>
	<li>Oily fish, such as cod, halibut, and trout</li>
	<li>Omega-3-enriched eggs or margarines&mdash;check labels</li>
</ul>

Medically reviewed in October 2019.

All About YOU: Getting More Better-for-You Fats

Perhaps you&rsquo;ve seen the headlines: Americans eat too much protein. But the truth is more complicated than that. The amount you need depends on many factors including your age, gender, and weight. And contrary to those headlines, some people may not be getting enough.

Current U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that average-sized men age 19 and older eat 56 grams (g) of protein each day, while women should aim for 46g. (This is based on the recommended daily dietary allowance of 0.36g of protein per pound of body weight.) Conventional wisdom is right about young and middle-aged men: most do eat more protein than is recommended. Meanwhile, most women in these age groups are right on target. But this tends to change over time.

Once men and women reach their 70s, getting enough protein can become a struggle for many people. And that&rsquo;s a problem, because according to many experts, you actually need more protein as you age.

Why protein needs change over time 
An April 2019 study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health &amp; Aging found that anywhere from one-third to one-half of Americans older than 50 did not eat the recommended amount of protein each day.

The researchers suggested that this could be the result of a variety of issues. The older people involved in the study reported skipping meals, which affected their overall daily protein intake. The study&rsquo;s authors also noted that as people age, their appetite and energy requirements tend to decline. Financial, physical and mental limitations, dental issues and problems swallowing could also play a role.

Inadequate protein intake could take a toll on people&rsquo;s health in several ways:

<ul>
	<li>In the study, those who weren&rsquo;t getting enough protein were also more likely to have lower intakes of more than a dozen other nutrients.</li>
	<li>When consumption of protein and other essential nutrients declines, the risks for osteoporosis, hip fractures, and even death increases.</li>
	<li>Inadequate protein intake also contributes to sarcopenia&mdash;an age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function, which can make even walking down the street more difficult.</li>
</ul>

Although government guidelines don&rsquo;t specify a higher daily intake for people older than 65, numerous studies have found that 0.36g per pound doesn&rsquo;t cut it.&nbsp;

In 2013, an international team of researchers suggested that older people actually need 0.45 to 0.54g of protein per pound each day instead, along with two to three days of resistance-training exercise (the kind that strengthens muscles) each week, and about 30 minutes of daily aerobic activity.

Their recommendations, which were published in JAMDA, are based on the idea that older people need to consume more protein to maintain their strength and mobility, recovery from illness, and offset age-related changes in protein metabolism. For a person weighing 150 pounds, that works out to 68 to 81g of protein a day. The researchers noted, however, that people with severe kidney disease are an exception and should limit their protein intake as directed by their doctor.

More isn&rsquo;t necessarily better 
The muscle loss that leads to sarcopenia starts years earlier. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3 to 5 percent per decade. Strength training can help slow and protect against sarcopenia but age-related muscle loss is another good reason to be mindful of your protein intake over time.

Keep in mind, however, that eating more than is recommended isn&rsquo;t necessarily better.

&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no benefit for anyone who&rsquo;s generally healthy to eat excessive protein,&rdquo; says Mark Jakubicki, MS, RD, chief dietitian at <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/group/st-francis-medical-center">St. Francis Medical Center</a> in Trenton, New Jersey. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll see someone in a restaurant eating a 20-ounce steak. Nobody needs that.&rdquo; As delicious as it may be, a jumbo portion of steak provides more than twice the amount of protein most of us need in an entire day.

Some endurance athletes may be an exception to this rule. Those who train regularly and intensely (think marathon runners) may have higher protein needs. While training, these athletes should aim to get 0.54 to 0.64g of daily protein per pound of body weight. If you&rsquo;re a bodybuilder, you may need even more: 0.54 to 0.77g per pound. It&rsquo;s important to talk to your doctor about what level of protein intake is safe and appropriate for you.

How you get protein also matters 
Some people may automatically associate protein with ribs and burgers on the grill. But eating excessive amounts of animal protein does bring some dangers. That&rsquo;s bad news for men in particular, who tend to eat more meat, poultry, and eggs than the dietary guidelines recommend.

For middle-aged people, in particular, excessive animal protein intake is associated with increased risk of cancer and diabetes. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/diet-nutrition/article/red-meat-really-that-bad-for-you">Red meat</a>, for example, is higher in artery-clogging saturated fats than lean protein sources, like fish or poultry. Red and processed meats have also been shown to increase the odds of developing heart disease. So, save the marbled steak for special occasions and go for the salmon if you can. If you must have meat, go for a petite filet.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/live-to-one-hundred/article/why-you-should-cut-down-meat-consumption">Choosing plant proteins</a> like soy, nuts, and legumes over red and processed meat, could help lower your risk of several diseases and early death. Plant-based protein sources provide other valuable nutrients, such as <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/nutrition-diet/article/what-not-eating-hurting-you">fiber, which offers myriad health benefits</a>.

How to improve your protein balance 
If red meat and other animal proteins are a regular part of your current diet, consider these tips to help you incorporate more plant-based proteins:

<ul>
	<li>Until you get used to eating less meat, write down when and how much you&rsquo;re eating. It will make it easy to spot patterns and opportunities for small shifts.</li>
	<li>Think of restaurant dining as a chance to try new things. Order a stir-fry dish with tofu instead of meat next time you go for Chinese food, for example. Once you find something you like, add it to your repertoire at home.</li>
	<li>Big fan of chili? Instead of going with an all-beef version, replace half of the meat with canned kidney, pinto, or black beans.</li>
	<li>Top your salad with beans or nuts rather than meat.</li>
	<li>Opt for a handful of nuts as a snack.</li>
	<li>Swap protein-filled quinoa for white rice.</li>
	<li>Have peanut butter on whole-wheat toast for breakfast instead of bacon.</li>
</ul>

Does taking specific steps like that feel daunting? You can always embrace an eating plan that encourages less animal protein. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m a big advocate of the Mediterranean diet,&rdquo; says Jakubicki. &ldquo;Seafood twice a week, plenty of beans and nuts, and red meat only once or twice a month. Try to treat meat like a condiment, not the main course.&rdquo;

Are You Eating Enough Protein?

In the 2009 comedy Slammin&rsquo; Salmon, a desperate restaurant owner comes up with a contest to see which waiter can reel in the most money in a night&mdash;so, they&rsquo;re serving as much salmon as possible.

Not a hard sell&mdash;Americas eat around 350,000 pounds annually. But buying (or ordering) salmon can be confusing. On June 10th, 2019, Dr. Oz is talking with Julia Collin-Davison from America&rsquo;s Test Kitchen to help you understand your options. Tune in for all the details, but here&rsquo;s what you need to know about <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-recipes-healthy-meals/article/oven-toasted-salmon-recipe">salmon</a> that&rsquo;s wild caught vs. farm-raised.

Farm-raised means an aquaculture business herded the fish to market. Some farms are sectioned off in the ocean (most harmful to the environment), some are pens; some load the salmon with antibiotics, some don&rsquo;t. In 2016, Chile used 530 grams of antibiotics per ton of farm-raised salmon; Norway, 1 gram per ton in 2008. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/inflammation/article/tip-5-salmon">Farmed salmon</a> often contains more contaminants, including pesticides.

Wild salmon is red-orange and leaner with a more complex flavor. But beware! One report used DNA typing to reveal that 43 percent of salmon labeled &ldquo;wild&rdquo; is farm-raised. So&hellip;

<ul>
	<li>Buy fish from a shop that&rsquo;s a member of the Better Seafood Board&mdash;it&rsquo;s less likely to be mislabeled.</li>
	<li>Consider wild salmon that&rsquo;s flash-frozen immediately after harvest and vacuum sealed. It&rsquo;s tasty and less expensive than wild fish sold at the counter, which is often just thawed frozen fish. Dr. Mike&rsquo;s choice: Wild salmon that&rsquo;s caught, then frozen, during the Alaska salmon run.</li>
</ul>

Medically reviewed in November 2019.

Are You Wild for Salmon?

Found in everything from coffee creamers to frozen pizza dough, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/trans-fats/why-should-avoid-trans-fats" target="_blank">trans fats</a> are extremely prevalent in America. And while they extend the shelf life of prepared foods, they reduce the shelf life of people. Taking in these artificially made fats increases your risk for obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Plus, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/article/trans-fat-damaging-to-memory" target="_blank">they aren&rsquo;t too good for your memory either</a>.

A University of California San Diego study found the more trans fats men 45 and younger ate the worse their memory was. And it doesn&rsquo;t take much to do damage. Every additional gram&mdash;that&rsquo;s just one fifth of a teaspoon!&mdash;of trans fats in a guy&rsquo;s diet, measurably reduces his ability to recall words.

Although there were no women in the study, rest assured these evil fats have a similar effect on the female brain. So, remember: Read the ingredients list on every package and make sure there are no trans fats, also listed as hydrogenated oils, of any kind. However, be warned that the nutrition label won&rsquo;t give you the whole story. Listing zero trans fats doesn&rsquo;t really mean there are no trans fats in the product; foods can be listed as having zero trans fats if there&rsquo;s 0.5g or less of it per serving. To be safe opt for fresh foods prepared at home from scratch.

Medically reviewed in August 2018.

Avoid Trans Fats for Your Memory's Sake

Plan that summer picnic around bean salads instead of brats and you may enjoy a smaller waist -- even if you eat the same number of calories as the brat lovers!

In a recent study, the biggest meat eaters tended to gain pounds over time -- almost an extra pound a year. But a diet with the same number of calories -- just less meat -- wouldn&#39;t cause the same weight gain, according to the researchers.

Bean Lovers, Rejoice 
It&#39;s not clear from the study results why eating less meat might help keep off excess pounds, but the data suggest that it&#39;s not simply about calories. Perhaps the waist-widening effects have something to do with the type of fat found in meats -- mainly saturated fat. More research is needed to solve the riddle. But whatever the cause, it&#39;s one more tasty reason to make plant-based foods your favorite protein source. Beans make an excellent meat substitution because they&#39;re ultra low in fat and calories yet high in protein and filling fiber. Beans also are a great source of health-promoting phytochemicals. (Get ready for a tasty heatwave with this recipe -- <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-recipes-healthy-meals/whats-recipe-black-bean-salad">Black Bean Mango Salad.</a>)

Why Beans Are Even Better 
And the really, really great news with beans is that if you&#39;re using them in place of meat, you probably won&#39;t eat as many calories as people diving into the equivalent meat-based dish. That&#39;s because you&#39;d have to eat a lot more beans to get the same number of calories. For example, you&#39;d have to munch 2 full cups of kidney beans -- more than a jumbo 15-ounce can! -- to equal the number of calories in a steak. So making beans the focus of soups, summer salads, and tacos is a natural, easy way to take in fewer calories with lots of dishes. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/health-value-of-foods/what-are-health-benefits-legumes">(Find out which beans are highest in phytochemicals.)</a>

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/digestive-health/how-cook-beans-produce-gas">Toot-proof your next bean-filled meal with this trick.</a>

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/cooking-and-health/what-is-soaking">Learn how to cook tender, low-sodium, economical beans.</a>

Medically reviewed in March 2019.

Eat This Protein for Calories That Don't Count

Feeling frazzled? Have another helping of the main course&mdash;if the main course is turkey.

Thankfully, skinless turkey is chock-full of B vitamins that help boost your energy and cinch stress&mdash;something many of us could probably use today. And every day.

Tallying the Talents 
Think of the B vitamins in turkey&mdash;niacin, B6, and B12&mdash;as your psyche&#39;s little bodyguards. These nutrients also help patch up DNA and keep your cells in good repair. And best of all, with turkey, your B vitamins get served up in one of the leanest meat sources around. A 3-ounce portion of skinless turkey breast has just 0.2 grams of saturated fat. That&#39;s nothing compared with the 4.5 grams found in the same amount of flank steak or the killer 5.5 grams found in 3 ounces of fresh ham. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/vitamins-supplements/what-good-sources-vitamin-b">Find other food sources high in B vitamins.</a>

Turkey Tips 
Need help getting your turkey on the table? Here are some tips and recipes you&#39;ll want to check out.

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/food-storage-health/how-safely-thaw-a-turkey">Get turkey-prep help.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/holiday-health/what-safe-way-make-stuffing">Find out the rules on stuffing and safe meat temps.</a></li>
	<li><a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-recipes-healthy-meals/what-recipe-food-healthier-thanksgiving">Tips for a healthier Thanksgiving menu.</a></li>
</ul>

Medically reviewed in November 2019.

Breeze Through Today with This Festive Protein

If you don&#39;t do dairy -- or dairy doesn&#39;t agree with you -- it&#39;s easy to get your calcium in pills. But you miss the extras that you get by eating foods that are good calcium sources and rich in other nutrients that do your body good. So here&#39;s a quick shopping list. And don&#39;t miss the bonus at the end: It will help your body get the most out of every calcium-rich bite you feed it.

Go fishing: One tin of sardines (about 3.75 ounces) supplies about 370 mg of calcium. That&#39;s about a third of the daily 1,000 mg you need. (After age 50, make that 1,200 mg.) And these little fish are bursting with healthy <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/omega-3-fatty-acids" target="_blank">omega-3 fatty acids</a> and vitamin D, which help your body absorb calcium.

Drink the other bottled calcium: Mineral waters contain as much as 108 mg of calcium per cup -- not as much as milk, but, hey, there&#39;s a big bonus: no calories! Just check the label to be sure your fave has the right stuff.

Build a smarter lunch salad: Salad bars are full of calcium, if you know what to pick, and we&#39;re not talking cheese cubes. Start off with 1 cup each of spinach (30 mg of calcium), romaine (15 mg), and broccoli (43 mg). Then add 1/2 cup of navy beans (62 mg) and 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds (176 mg), plus whatever else floats your lunch boat. Total: around 325 mg of calcium; lots of fiber; vitamins C, A, and E; some protein; and a healthy, filling, good-for-all-of-you meal.

Get juiced: A medium orange has -- surprise -- about 55 mg of calcium, and calcium-fortified OJ has a hefty 300 mg per cup, or more. Not to mention all those sunny <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/vitamin-c/how-does-vitaminc-work" target="_blank">citrus vitamins</a>.

Bonus: Take a walk -- even if you&#39;re getting plenty of calcium, your body may be slow on the uptake. Vitamin D is required in order to deposit calcium where it&#39;s most needed, but very few foods contain D. Your skin, however, quickly makes lots of D when it&#39;s exposed to sunlight. About 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a few times a week is all that&#39;s needed. That&#39;s the main reason something as simple as getting a safe amount of sun can make your RealAge as much as 1.7 years younger.

Calcium Where You Least Expect It

King Henry VIII is renowned for having six wives, two of whom he executed. But he is also an infamous glutton. He expanded the kitchens at Hampton Court Palace to 55 rooms, had over 200 on his kitchen staff and offered guests meals with up to 14 courses.

While you&rsquo;re probably no King Henry, chances are you like to have a rich meal now and then. The problem is even one high-fat meal can guillotine yesterday&rsquo;s &ndash;and tomorrow&rsquo;s&mdash;best intentions. When an international team of researchers gave a small group of men the amount of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/cancer/article/shocking-truth-favorite-chocolatey-spread">palm oil</a> that&rsquo;s equivalent to what would be found in a fatty meal, the guys&rsquo; health immediately took a turn for the worse:

<ul>
	<li>Their <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/type-2-diabetes/article/lean-protein-blood-sugar-control">insulin sensitivity</a> went down by 25 percent (this increases the risk for diabetes and promotes weight gain).</li>
	<li>Triglyceride levels skyrocketed by 35 percent.</li>
	<li>There were measurable increases in blood levels of glucagon, a hormone that boosts glucose levels.</li>
</ul>

Keep eating high fat meals and you&rsquo;re at risk for <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fatty-liver-disease/article/what-need-know-fatty-liver-disease">non-alcoholic fatty liver disease</a>, which can lead to inflammation, trigger irreversible scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and clog hardened arteries.

Unfortunately, almost half of the everyday foods most Americans eat contains tropical oils like coconut and/or palm oil. No wonder lousy LDL cholesterol levels are elevated for 73.5 million U.S. adults, doubling their risk for heart disease. So, read all ingredient labels; dodge bad-for-you saturated and trans fats; and start treating yourself like the Duchess of Cambridge&rsquo;s version of royalty.

Medically reviewed in August 2018.

The Danger of a Fatty Meal

The urban dictionary defines &quot;Fat-Head Syndrome&quot; as someone who acts like a blowhard. But researchers at Louisiana State University Inflammation and Neurodegeneration Laboratory have found that a diet high in <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/what-risks-eating-saturated-fat">saturated fat</a>&mdash;more than 13% of calories from sat fat&mdash;can cause a lot more than a bad case of know-it-all-itis! It affects your brain and that leads to anxiety, memory problems and other not-so-great changes in behavior.

Working in the lab, researchers transplanted gut bacteria from mice that ate a high sat-fat diet into thin mice that ate a lowfat diet. Lo and behold, the thin mice developed brain inflammation and had behavior changes that were the same as those of their sat-fat-munching buddies.

What does this mean for you? There&rsquo;s every reason to think that&mdash;even if you&rsquo;re not overweight&mdash;eating a high saturated fat diet throws your gut bacteria way off balance and puts you at risk for body-wide <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/inflammation">inflammation</a>. That means you&rsquo;re in for heart and immune system problems, and brain inflammation that can affect your behavior and emotional wellbeing.

A moderate amount of fat is essential for your good health, but it has to be the right kind: mono- and polyunsaturated and the odd fatty omega acids 3 and 9. So aim for at most 25% percent of your daily calories from healthy fats. And make sure in a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet that no more than 2% to 6% of your calories (max 120) <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/how-much-saturated-fat-safe-to-eat">come from saturated fat</a>. You&rsquo;ll be healthier and happier!

Medically reviewed in August 2018.

Don’t Be a Sat-Fathead

On July 15, 1972 Fat Furnace Creek in Death Valley, CA, had a ground temp of 201&deg;F. And in late July of 2013 in Siberia the temperature hit 89.6&deg;F, melting the not-so-permafrost. But those extremes don&rsquo;t come close to the over-the-top number hit by Whole Hog Burger with sides from Uno Pizzeria &amp; Grill: 2,850. Yup, 2,850 <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/weight-loss/quizzes/quiz-calories-count">calories</a> in one horrifying heap of hamburger, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, prosciutto, four&nbsp;types of cheese, mayonnaise, fries&nbsp;and&nbsp;onion rings&mdash;plus three days&rsquo; worth of saturated fat (62g) and 9,790mg of sodium.

That humongous lump came in as numero uno in the Center for Science in the Public Interest&rsquo;s Extreme Eating Awards. But other chains made the list with offerings that also read like an engraved invitation to fatty liver disease, diabetes, heart attack, obesity, cancer, brain inflammation and dementia. Take Sonic&rsquo;s RT 44 Grape Slush with Rainbow Candy that contains 970 calories and the equivalent of 11/4 cups of sugar!

FYI: A moderately active 50-year-old guy, five-foot-ten, 165 pounds, should take in 1650-2550 calories daily; a moderately active woman, 50, five-foot-six, 142 pounds, 1340-2075 calories.

If you have diabetes, heart disease or kidney problems, it&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/video/dr-oz/heart-health/how-much-salt-in-the-diet-is-too-much">1,500mg sodium a day, max</a>. In the 0.5 percent who are salt sensitive? Dodge it altogether. The rest of you? Just be careful.

And for everyone&mdash;no trans and few saturated fats; lots of 100 percent whole grains, healthy fats (olive oil) and omega-3s (salmon); and 5-9 servings of produce daily. Then you won&rsquo;t become inflamed like Fat Furnace Creek!

Medically reviewed in August 2018.

Don’t Go to Food Extremes!

When Star Trek: Deep Space Nine&rsquo;s shape-shifting Odo (Ren&eacute; Auberjonois) decides to change the way his body looks, he morphs from a gelatinous blob to a sleek, spandex-clad sheriff in an instant. He never worries that his physique is a hazard to his health. But humans aren&rsquo;t so lucky. Not only are you born with a predisposition to a certain body type, but your lifestyle choices, like eating a <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-and-weight-loss/avoid-high-fat-diet">high-fat diet</a>, can morph your body into shapes that cause a whole universe of health problems.

Everyone knows that you can have a younger RealAge, more energy, a sharper brain, and a better sex life if you get 30-60 minutes of physical exercise, eat nine servings of fruits and veggies daily, don&rsquo;t smoke, go easy on alcohol, and meditate for 10 minutes every day. But did you know you can change where and how much fat is deposited on your body if you switch from <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/what-is-saturated-fat">saturated fats</a> (in four-legged animal protein, two-legged skin, and palm and coconut oils) to <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/what-is-unsaturated-fat">unsaturated fats</a> (in canola, olive, and sunflower oil)? Turns out the saturated fat you eat adds fat to your liver (associated with heart disease and diabetes) and your abdomen. That <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/belly-fat/what-is-visceral-fat">visceral fat</a> makes big trouble. Unsaturated fat helps build muscle!

Here&#39;s how to cut saturated fats out of your diet: Eat only nonfat diary; avoid red meat; stick with lean, skinless poultry and fish; cook with mono- and polyunsaturated vegetable oils; and eat a handful of walnuts or almonds daily. &nbsp;Watch things take a new shape.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-and-weight-loss/bad-fat-good-fat">Related: How Good Fats and Bad Fats are Different</a>

Medically reviewed in August 2018.

How Saturated Fats Make You Fatter

Protect your heart health&mdash;and much more&mdash;by choosing the right fatty foods.

The Best (and Worst) Fats for Your Body

Keep your skeleton strong and fracture-free by serving that calcium supplement with a healthy salad on the side.

Salad? Yep, salad. A 4-year study found that older adults with the highest intakes of carotenoids -- think tomatoes, carrots, and leafy greens for major sources -- retained more bone mineral density than folks eating fewer fruits and veggies.

Antioxidant Bone Protection 
Fruits and vegetables are bursting with antioxidants called carotenoids -- including compounds like lycopene, beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, to name a few. Don&#39;t bother trying to pronounce them. Just know that a veggie-stacked healthy salad will probably provide your daily needs and then some. (Not a fan of raw? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/diet-nutrition/article/steamed-veggies-or-raw-veggies-for-healthy-cholesterol">Here are some veggies that are actually better for you when steamed.)</a>

How They Work 
Carotenoids may protect bones by stymieing the oxidative stress thought to play a role in age-related weakening of bones. They may also act synergistically with vitamin D to boost bone-cell growth. Still need more reasons to eat a healthy salad packed with carotenoids? Try these:

<ul>
	<li>They give you a more brilliant smile. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/dental-oral-health-teeth/article/eat-your-way-to-pearly-whites">Here&#39;s how to eat your way to whiter teeth.</a></li>
	<li>They give you better breath.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>They help slim you down.</li>
</ul>

Is there a difference between low bone mineral density and osteoporosis? <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/osteoporosis/what-is-osteoporosis">Find out here.</a>

Medically reviewed in February 2020.

Carotenoids: The Calcium Side Your Bones Crave

By now, you&rsquo;ve probably heard the hype (and the truth) surrounding the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/live-to-one-hundred/article/why-you-should-cut-down-meat-consumption">health benefits</a> of eating less meat. It&rsquo;s true that vegans, those who don&rsquo;t eat any animal-based foods, and vegetarians are typically at a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, certain cancers, like breast cancer and prostate cancer, and obesity. Of course, vegetarians tend to have healthier lifestyles in other ways, too, and more research is needed to sort out which benefits are due to diet or other factors such as exercise.

But how will your mind and body react when you reduce the amount of meat you consume, or stop eating it completely, especially if you&rsquo;ve been eating it your entire life? Interventional cardiologist <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-nishant-kalra">Nishant Kalra, MD</a>, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, explains some of the changes you might notice, like increased energy levels and a better mood. Plus, he shares the number one way he helps his patients wean themselves off of meat-based proteins. &nbsp;&nbsp;

At first, you may still feel hungry 
For the first week or two of going meatless, psychologically, you&rsquo;ll probably feel like you&rsquo;re still hungry, says Kalra. &ldquo;Even if you&rsquo;ve consumed all the food components&mdash;protein, carbohydrates and calories&mdash;you may feel unfulfilled.&rdquo; Why? &ldquo;If you&rsquo;re accustomed to eating meat and a side of small vegetables at most meals, and you&rsquo;re shifting yourself to mostly vegetables, you&rsquo;ll probably feel like you haven&rsquo;t eaten your main course,&rdquo; says Kalra. And since some vegan diets may be lower in fat and protein, the unsatisfied feeling may be related to that, too.&nbsp;

Kalra says this feeling may continue for a week or so, but your mind will get used to your new eating patterns in a few weeks. Foods like, avocado, nuts, quinoa, lentils and tofu are protein-packed vegetarian foods that will fill you up.

Your taste buds may change 
Zinc, a mineral that assists in immune function and wound healing, can also affect your sense of taste and smell. Zinc is found in oysters, beef and crab, so if you&rsquo;re not eating meat or fish, you may not be getting as much zinc as you need. And some vegetarian foods, like legumes and whole grains, contain phytates, acids that may reduce the body&rsquo;s absorption of zinc.

&ldquo;Some people say that they lose their taste for meat after having gone without it, and that may be the case. Zinc is an important mineral that helps with taste buds and the sensitivity of the taste buds, and on a vegetarian diet you&rsquo;re not getting as much of it,&rdquo; says Kalra.

Vegans and vegetarians should be aware of daily zinc recommendations. Adult women should aim for 8 milligrams of zinc per day, while men should aim for 11 milligrams per day. If your foods don&rsquo;t have enough, dietary supplements can help, too. Fortified cereals, yogurt, cashews and oatmeal are some of the vegetarian-friendly foods that can help up your zinc intake.

Your gut will love you 
The microorganisms that live in your body are called your microbiome. These organisms contribute to proper digestion, a healthy immune system and healthy gut tissue. The dietary fiber in vegetables, fruits and whole grains help your body maintain a healthy intestinal microbiome by contributing to the growth of &ldquo;friendly&rdquo; bacteria. That means a vegetarian diet may improve your digestive tract health, regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.&nbsp;

When you first start adding more plant-based foods to your diet, you may feel like you&rsquo;re going to the bathroom more than usual. But if you&rsquo;re going once a day, you&rsquo;re actually becoming more regular.

You&rsquo;ll increase your life expectancy 
Eating less meat is naturally going to lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and obesity, and doing so will help you live longer.

This theory was put to the test when National Geographic magazine, longevity researchers and best-selling author Dan Buettner joined together to gather lifestyle secrets from the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/live-to-one-hundred/article/secrets-from-people-who-live-longest">world&rsquo;s longest living communities</a>. What did they find? The world&rsquo;s healthiest communities adopted a plant-based diet, low in high-fat animal products like beef and chicken. The people within these communities mostly eat plant-based foods like legumes, tofu and leafy greens, and limit their meat consumption to five or fewer servings per month. &nbsp;

Preliminary research presented at a 2018 American Heart Association conference supports this, as well. Scientists found eating lots of plant-based foods full of monounsaturated fatty acids&mdash;like avocado and nuts&mdash;was linked to a reduced chance of dying from heart disease or other causes. Comparatively, diets rich in monounsaturated fatty acids from meat sources&mdash;like eggs, full-fat dairy and red meat&mdash;were connected to a higher risk of the same.&nbsp;

To reach their conclusions, researchers analyzed data from more than 90,000 people over an average of 22 years, about 4,600 of whom died of heart disease. They also estimated that swapping out animal sources of monounsaturated fatty acids for plant sources could drop your odds of dying from heart disease&mdash;or any cause&mdash;by about 25 percent.

You may notice the number on the scale drop &nbsp;&nbsp; 
Simply reducing&mdash;or nixing meat from your diet completely&mdash;can help your weight loss efforts. &ldquo;Studies show that people who stick with a vegetarian diet consume less fatty food, and are thinner than people who eat meat,&rdquo; says Kalra.

And a study from Loma Linda University showed that vegetarians, despite having the same calorie intake as non-vegetarians, tended to have a lower body mass index than those who ate meat. The study also found that vegans had the lowest percentage of people who were obese, just 9.4 percent, while meat eaters had the highest percentage of people who were obese, at 33.3 percent.

Researchers believe these findings are largely due to the difference in nutrients vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters consume. In general, meat eaters consume less plant proteins, beta carotene, fiber and magnesium, and more fatty acids known to contribute to heart disease. On the other hand, vegetarians typically consume more fiber, potassium and vitamin C.

While these findings indicate a link between a vegetarian lifestyle and a lower body weight, further studies need to examine other lifestyle factors such as exercise and how that plays into the equation.

It&rsquo;s important that you start small 
If you make drastic changes all at once, it&rsquo;s going to be difficult to maintain. &ldquo;I tell my patients to start by doing away with red meat first. It&rsquo;s okay to indulge once a month or so, but I like to see them concentrate on lean meats like chicken, turkey and deer meat,&rdquo; says Kalra. After that, he recommends they gradually stop eating lean meats, too. &ldquo;I especially recommend a meat-free diet to those who have peripheral vascular diseases, blockages in the arteries, stroke, high blood pressure and diabetes,&rdquo; says Kalra.

<a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/live-to-one-hundred/slideshow/easy-ways-eat-less-meat">Here are some easy ways to get started</a>.

Medically reviewed in February 2019.

5 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat

Think you&rsquo;ve rid yourself of <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/what-is-saturated-fat" target="_blank">saturated fats</a>? Even if you&rsquo;re avoiding red meat, whole diary, gooey cheese, crunchy bacon, tropical oils, and creamy butter, you&rsquo;re likely munching more saturated fat than you know. There are lots of sat-fat traps out there you may not be aware of. Here are our top five.&nbsp;

Sat-fat Trap #1: Cakes, cookies, muffins, and biscuits. After cheese and pizza, flour-based desserts are the third-largest source of saturated fat in the American diet. Instead, enjoy your favorite fruit: try juicy peaches, sweet berries, flavorful mangoes and pineapples.

Sat-fat Trap #2: Chicken. North Americans eat lots of fried chicken with skin (think buffalo wings), and this sheer quantity -- plus fatty cooking styles -- bumps chicken ahead of hot dogs or burgers as your #1 sat-fat source! Keep chicken lean by keeping it out of the fryer; skipping the skin saves a couple of fat grams, too.

Sat-Fat Trap #3: Pasta dishes. We get more sat fat from creamy, cheesy, or meaty sauces than from butter. One-fourth cup of Alfredo sauce can pack more than 15g of sat fat. Swap such sauces for veggie-filled ones, seasoned with garlic, fresh basil and oregano.

Sat-Fat Trap #4: Condiments. Just a scoop, shake, or dip -- seems so harmless. But 1 tablespoon (T) of mayo has 1.5g sat fat and there&rsquo;s probably at least 2T of mayo in your chicken salad sandwich. Then you shake that bottle of salad dressing -- and out comes 3T of creamy blue cheese with 16.5g sat fat. And dipping that chip into tasty tzatziki sauce? Two tablespoons delivers 2.5g sat fat.

Sat-Fat Trap #5: Processed foods and restaurant meals. From frozen breakfast entrees with a day&rsquo;s worth of sat fat to sandwiches, appetizers, and oversized entrees packed with enough fat for two or three people, prepared foods are major fat traps -- and major agers. Go for grilled fish or chicken, fresh veggies, whole grains and fruit at home and when you eat out.

Why are we so adamant that eating saturated fat is one of the most serious health-damaging, <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage" target="_blank">RealAge</a>-upping, nutritional mistakes you can make? Because despite all the recent hoopla about how it isn&rsquo;t that bad for you, new studies keep coming out that demonstrate just how much damage it can do.

<ul>
	<li>Saturated fat fuels body-wide inflammation. By flipping molecular switches, saturated fat increases inflammation. And inflammation boosts cancer risk, heart disease and interferes with the body&rsquo;s ability to respond to insulin, boosting your risk for diabetes.</li>
	<li>Saturated fat encourages overweight tendencies and obesity. People with a genetic risk for packing on extra pounds are more likely to become overweight if they eat saturated fat, says a new Tufts University study of around 2,800 people. Saturated fat may do its dirty work by interfering with the brain&rsquo;s ability to pick up &ldquo;I&rsquo;m full&rdquo; signals, so you keep eating, even though you&rsquo;ve had plenty.</li>
	<li>Saturated fat adds body fat to all the wrong places. There&rsquo;s new evidence that saturated-fat-fueled weight gain builds up deposits of body fat in and around your abdomen and liver. By adding to these so-called visceral fat stores, saturated fat increases risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. &nbsp;</li>
	<li>Saturated fat may weaken immunity. There are battalions of immune-system cells that patrol the body using special sensors to ID invading bacteria, so other parts of the immune system can mount an attack. But an overload of saturated fat seems to confuse this early-warning system.</li>
	<li>Saturated fat may increase risk for common types of breast cancer. High-fat diets, particularly those full of saturated fat, boost odds for estrogen receptor-positive and progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer, says a recent Italian study of more than 300,000 women.</li>
</ul>

So get that sat-fat off your plate -- you&rsquo;ll feel better, dodge those health hazards and have a younger RealAge.

Medically reviewed in October 2019.

Top 5 Hidden Sat-Fat Traps

Year after year, polls put weight loss among Americans&rsquo; top aspirations. It&rsquo;s a worthwhile goal, but not if you opt for a crash diet&mdash;a sudden, drastic reduction of daily calories. Studies have shown crash diets can lead to fast weight loss, but also fast weight gain once the diet is over, which may also lead to yo-yo dieting. This yo-yo of loss and gain is not only ineffective, it could be dangerous to your overall health&mdash;and possibly contribute to heart disease.

In November 2016, a team led by Somwail Rasla, MD, of Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island presented research to the American Heart Association that followed nearly 160,000 women past childbearing age for a period of just over 11 years.

If a woman began the study at a normal weight and repeatedly lost and gained weight over the 11-year time period, she was three and a half times more likely to die of a sudden heart attack. She was also 66 percent more likely to die of heart disease. A regime of 500 to 1,000 calories a day&mdash;in other words, a crash diet&mdash;led to shifts in body fluids that threw off the balance of potassium, calcium and magnesium. This imbalance, researchers concluded, could be behind sudden cardiac death in susceptible middle-aged women. On the other hand, if a woman simply gained weight, she wasn&rsquo;t more likely to die of heart disease.

The appeal of crash diets is simple to understand. They make it easy to quickly lose 10 to 20 pounds, and you get a little honeymoon when you celebrate that achievement. But these diets hurt you in three ways:

1. You lose muscle 
Your body normally uses fat for energy. When you cut your calories or carbohydrates too low, your body is forced to break down muscle, as well. The lower number on the scale reflects a loss of muscle as well as fat. If you regain, you&rsquo;ll get back the fat but not the muscle.

2. Your metabolism slows down 
When we cycle through yo-yo diets, most of us eventually lean back on our old habits and the pounds creep on. According to a 2009 study by a Texas team published in the&nbsp;International Journal of Exercise Science, the ratio of fat and muscle not only tips towards more fat, but we also experience more overall inflammation and a less desirable cholesterol profile.

Because you have less muscle, which uses more energy than fat, your metabolism begins to slow down. Another 2009 study published in&nbsp;PLoS One&nbsp;by researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge found that your body reacts as if you were living through a period of famine. You naturally become less active, which makes sense for survival in wartime or a drought. But in modern life, it means that you&rsquo;re less healthy. It also means that it will be harder to lose weight the next time, which is an all-too-familiar experience for people struggling with a lifetime of yo-yo dieting.

3. You feel stressed 
A team of psychologists reported in the May 2010 issue of&nbsp;Psychosomatic Medical Journal&nbsp;that the wear and tear on your body from yo-yo dieting triggers a rise in cortisol, a hormone associated with stress and anxiety. In the long run, this anxiety will hurt your goal of a stable, healthy weight.

Change your life instead 
Getting off the yo-yo dieting roller coaster doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re doomed to an unhealthy weight. The key is deciding that you&rsquo;re going to live a healthy life. In validated research, Dr. Dean Ornish and his team have established that a low-fat, whole food, plant-based diet, along with regular exercise, stress management and social support, is a successful strategy for sustainable weight loss.

The average patient in the 12-week Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program loses 14 pounds over that period and reports being 20 pounds thinner after a year. At the same time, patients protect themselves against heart disease, early stage prostate cancer and diabetes. Ornish Lifestyle Medicine also promotes longevity by increasing the length of your telomeres, which are the ends of chromosomes that control cell aging.

Looking for other ways to live more healthily? Reverse heart disease and diabetes, lose weight and reduce your risk of cancer with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ornish.com/zine/the-foundation-of-a-successful-exercise-program/" target="_blank">these tips from Dean Ornish</a>.

Originally published on Ornish Living.

Medically reviewed in June 2018. Updated in February 2021.

3 Reasons to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting

These recipes deliver brain-healthy nutrients to keep your mind sharp.

Dr. Amen’s Top Recipes for Better Brain Health

Which do you have on the menu tonight -- chicken, beef, pork, or fish? Your answer just might affect your life span.

Your best bet: Choose two legs -- or a couple of flippers -- over four. In other words, the healthy meats (chicken and fish). A study found that people who ate the most red (beef, pork) or processed (hot dogs, bacon) meats had the highest risk of dying during the 10-year analysis.

Pick a Protein 
The red- and processed-meat eaters also had a higher risk of dying from cancer or heart disease. Why? Researchers aren&#39;t exactly sure. Could be the preservatives in processed meats. Could be the artery-clogging fats found in beef and bacon. Or it could be that both red- and processed-meat eaters consume less body-friendly foods like whole grains, fruit, veggies and the healthy meats. In fact, other research shows that vegetarians fare best when it comes to heart disease mortality. (Cooking meat at high temps creates carcinogens. <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/diet-nutrition/article/hot-off-the-grill-great-food-thats-also-good-for-you">See how the experts minimize cancer-causing compounds when cooking.</a>)

Substitution Situations 
A shorter life span is a big price to pay for indulging in cheeseburgers and BLTs. So stuff those tacos with healthy meats like ground turkey, and order the veggie pizza next time you&#39;re short on time (hold the pepperoni!).

Take the first steps to growing younger and healthier with the <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/static/realage">RealAge Test</a>.

Medically reviewed in November 2019.

Increase Your Life Span with This Protein

Have you pushed aside the butter dish and switched to the tubs of trans-fat-free margarine? Have you kicked lard to the curb, choosing now to brown, saut&eacute; and bake with corn or vegetable oil? Many of us are resting easy in the knowledge that as long as we eat mostly the good kinds of fat&mdash;meaning unsaturated fats&mdash;our hearts are probably in the clear, right?

Not so. Merely switching to unsaturated fats is not the only key to healthful fat consumption. Research shows you need different kinds of unsaturated fats. Here&rsquo;s the lowdown.

The facts on fats 
As with other foods, if you are eating too much fat, regardless of the kind, and you are not expending a similar number of calories, you&#39;re risking <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/obesity-overweight-condition/slideshow/surprising-factors-increase-obesity-risk">weight problems</a> and all of the related health complications.

But there are many good things fat can do for you. Dietary fat is a necessary part of maintaining energy levels, and it provides the body with essential fatty acids that it cannot produce on its own. Dietary fats aid in nutrient absorption, make foods more palatable and help you feel sated. They also assist the body in the production of substances that are essential for immune function, tissue repair and prostaglandin production.

Fat is still part of a healthful diet, but it&#39;s important to know what kind you are eating. Saturated fats come mostly from animal products like meat and butter; eating too much food that&rsquo;s high in saturated fat may raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/heart-health/slideshow/7-things-sabotaging-your-heart-health">cardiovascular problems</a>. Unsaturated fats are heart-healthy fats. There are two kinds: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. Both can benefit your health.&nbsp;

Do you know where to find unsaturated fats? Answer this question to find out.

Q: Which snack contains mostly unsaturated fats?

<ol>
	<li>Peanut butter on a banana</li>
	<li>A couple of olives</li>
	<li>Avocado toast</li>
	<li>A handful of walnuts</li>
	<li>All of the above</li>
</ol>

A: All of the above. Nuts, seeds, olives and avocado are low in saturated fat and high in unsaturated fat. The walnuts are also high in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. Along with omega-6 fatty acids, another kind of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3s play a key role in keeping you healthy.

Your body doesn&rsquo;t make omega-3 fatty acids. You have to get them from foods like flax seeds, chia seeds and walnuts. Answer this question to find out about another good source of these healthy fats.

Q: You&#39;re looking to add a dose of healthy omega-3 fats to your diet today. What should you do?

<ol>
	<li>Drizzle your salad with a dressing made with olive oil</li>
	<li>Snack on a serving of popcorn popped in safflower oil</li>
	<li>Have a serving of wild salmon at lunch or dinner</li>
</ol>

A: Have a serving of wild salmon at lunch or dinner. Oily fish from cold-water climates, such as salmon, are typically good sources of omega-3 fats. Safflower oil is rich in omega-6 fats; olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats that also fight disease but contains no omega-3 fats.

Keep in mind that omega-3 levels can vary greatly in fish depending upon where it comes from. It&#39;s often difficult to know exactly how much omega-3 fats fish contain, regardless of whether it&#39;s wild or farmed. Also, before you choose your fish, find out the typical methylmercury levels for various fish from the FDA.

What is monounsaturated fat? 
Monounsaturated fat remains one of your best choices when it comes to including fat in your diet. Where can you get your monounsaturated fat? Try answering this question.

Q: You&#39;re saut&eacute;ing vegetables to eat with your dinner. Which of the following unsaturated fat sources is your best choice?

<ol>
	<li>Canola oil</li>
	<li>Olive oil</li>
	<li>Sunflower oil</li>
	<li>Any of the above</li>
</ol>

A: Olive oil. Both canola oil and olive oil are high in monounsaturated fat. However, there is less research behind canola oil than there is behind olive oil. Also, the way canola oil is produced creates byproducts that may have negative health impacts, so olive oil remains your best bet.

The right amount of saturated fat 
The body needs a small amount of saturated fat for certain physiological functions. Just don&#39;t go overboard. Your saturated fat intake should remain below 10 percent of your total daily calories, according the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. That means if you consume 2,000 calories per day, no more than 200 of those calories should come from saturated fat. That&#39;s about 2 tablespoons of butter. Keep your butter intake light if you consume other foods with saturated fat, such as eggs, red meat, baked goods or whole dairy products such as full-fat cheese.

If you need to cut back on saturated fat or total fat intake, stick to non-fat substitutions for omega-6-rich fats. For example, whole-fruit spread can replace margarine. And whenever you bake, find healthier substitutions for oil and butter, such as fruit purees or yogurt.

The future of fats 
Research into the health impacts of dietary fat is ongoing. Someday soon, more pieces of the puzzle may be discovered. For example, additional sources of healthy omega-3s, additional benefits of various dietary fats and new knowledge about the best ways to <a href="https://www.sharecare.com/health/fats-nutrients-diet/article/good-and-bad-fats-the-ultimate-guide">include fat in the diet</a> may be just down the road. Being adaptable and flexible and staying abreast of the latest research can help you take advantage of the latest scientific findings as they unfold.

Medically reviewed in October 2019.

Diets