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A Skinny Summer Food

Have you made the classic dieter’s mistake of cutting dairy foods out of your diet? If so, listen up. New research shows that adding low-fat dairy products to your diet does not hinder the weight loss process. Let Truestar give you the skinny on dairy foods and how to incorporate them into your summer diet.

Dairy for Weight Loss
Research has shown that adding calcium to your diet can help shed unwanted pounds. It is believed that a diet of high calcium works by suppressing the hormone calcitrol which then causes fat cells to stop producing and fat to burn. However, new research shows that it’s more than just the calcium in dairy products which helps people lose weight.

In a recent study on how dairy helps with weight loss, researchers divided participants who were obese into three diet groups:

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  • * A high-dairy group: Total calcium intake of 1200 to1300 mg per day from 3 to 4 servings of dairy foods such as cheese, milk and yogurt.

  • * A high-calcium supplement and low-dairy group: Total calcium intake of 1200 to1300 mg per day from only one serving of dairy per day plus calcium supplements totalling 800 mg.

  • * A low-calcium and low-dairy group: Total calcium intake of 400 to500 mg per day, no more than one serving of dairy and a placebo calcium supplement.
  • All of the three diets were calorie-restricted. Each participant reduced his/her caloric intake by 500 calories per day for the duration of the study which ran for 24 weeks. The results of the study showed that all three groups lost weight; however, those who ate the dairy-rich diet lost the most weight. Participants who followed the dairy-rich diet lost an average of 24 pounds. Participants who took the calcium supplements lost 19 pounds. Participants who followed the low -calcium and low-dairy diet lost 15 pounds. Researchers also found that the high-dairy group lost significantly more body fat, particularly in the abdominal area, than the other groups.

    How Dairy Helps to Burn Fat
    Researchers are not completely sure why dairy foods have a greater effect on fat loss, specifically abdominal fat loss, than calcium alone. However, some researchers speculate it may be due to the other components in dairy products working with calcium to produce the greater effects. For example, it could be the minerals in dairy products such as phosphorus and magnesium that may enhance the calcium effect of breaking down fat. Or, it could be the protein in dairy foods that may help to preserve muscle and increase metabolism thereby aiding with fat loss.

    Adding Dairy to Your Diet
    Not only can dairy help you lose weight, it also contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin. Experts recommend getting 3 to 4 servings of low-fat dairy products each day. One serving of dairy can be found in an eight-ounce glass of low-fat milk, in one cup of low-fat yogurt or in an ounce and a half of low-fat cheese.

    Truestar Can Help!
    Truestar meal plans incorporate many low-fat dairy options such as protein-rich smoothies made with yogurt or skim milk. Click here for a delicious Berry Blast Smoothie Recipe. The Truestar vitamin section also offers a high-quality calcium supplement that can assist you to get the proper amount of calcium you need daily. Also, visit the exercise section for great bone-building and strengthening workouts!

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