From Weight Loss to Dental Health 5 Ways Minimal Food Intake Helps Your Body

November 06, 2023, Denta LTD

 It feels like every day, there is a new diet claiming to offer amazing health benefits. However, you may have noticed the trend of new research that shows how harmful untested diets can be.

Sure, you are always told to “consult your doctor before making adjustments to your diet.” But let us be honest. No one is really doing that. They see an interesting video on TikTok, and the most research that people do is a quick comment section perusal.

With how hard it can be to find healthy diets, the aspect of ‘quantity’ is often forgotten. Sometimes, rather than trying out new diets, simply eating less offers amazing health benefits. In this article, we will explore five ways your body will benefit from reducing food intake.

So, without further ado, let us jump right in!

1. Improved Dental Health

A person’s smile is often a prized asset. Clean, white teeth are goals that everyone should have. Would you be surprised to hear that lowering your food intake can help with your dental hygiene goals? As odd as that sounds, there is a logical reason for it.

Every time you consume food, oral bacteria start to grow and produce acid. This is perfectly normal. We brush our teeth in order to get rid of bacteria so that their acid does not harm our enamel. It is common knowledge that if you do not brush your teeth, you will eventually end up having cavities. According to Dr. Maria Lopez Howell, limiting your snacking can help reduce the impact of acid on your teeth.

When you reduce your food intake, you are directly impacting the amount of bacteria in your mouth. This is especially true if you often snack between meal times. That said, there are many who choose to only have one meal a day, which is even better.

According to Simple, such a diet is often called an ‘OMAD’ diet, an apt acronym. In such a diet, you would focus on a single meal rich in lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats. The health benefits that this sort of diet provides are wonderful. You lower your chance of type 2 diabetes, inflammation and much more.

2. Weight Management
The most obvious benefit when it comes to reducing your food intake is weight loss. Depending on your current weight and fitness goals, reducing your food intake is the most effective way to lose weight.

That is right. Going to the gym is great, but people quickly come to realize how much effort it takes to burn calories. Going to the gym to fight unhealthy eating is a losing battle. The amount of exercise you need to offset even small indulgences is massive.
Let us look at one of the most popular American treats: the calorie-rich donut.

According to Healthline, a donut can provide you with up to 300 calories. If we take that information and visit Cornell University’s “METS to Calories Calculator,” we discover something interesting. If you weigh 170 pounds and think that climbing a hill for half an hour will be effective, think again. You would have only lost 270 calories, not even enough to make up for a single donut.

You lose weight much faster when you decide to simply limit your calorie intake. It is as simple as that. Yes, it can be tough, but it is highly effective.

3. More Effective Blood Sugar Regulation
For people with conditions like diabetes, blood sugar regulation is an important responsibility. Reduced food intake, particularly intermittent fasting, can increase insulin sensitivity in your cells. If you were not aware, insulin sensitivity refers to your body's ability to react to insulin in an effective manner.

When you boost insulin sensitivity, your cells are better able to draw in glucose from the bloodstream. This, in turn, leads to better blood sugar control. Moreover, not eating as much also helps reduce those annoying post-meal blood sugar spikes. It is also worth remembering that these spikes tend to happen after high-carb meals.

Intermittent fasting has been proven to have benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. However, it can also be tough to do right, considering how important the meal structure is for diabetic patients. You should also remember that hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are risks worth noting if you choose to fast intermittently. Please check with your doctor if you are diabetic and thinking of modifying your diet.

4. Your Heart Gets Healthier
One of the best advantages you gain from lowering your food intake is the favor you are doing your heart. Cardiac function improves, and there is an improvement in adrenergic responsiveness. You are almost always going to lose weight, which gives your heart immediate relief. Since calorie restriction also helps with blood pressure regulation, it is an added win for your heart. 

Having high blood pressure is a major risk factor when it comes to heart disease. In this context, eating less can help you, as you end up indirectly lowering your sodium intake. 

5. Improved Cognition and Longevity
Restricting calorie intake can promote the production of neurotrophic factor (BDNF). This refers to the protein that helps grow and maintain your neurons, thereby protecting brain cells from degeneration. Studies show that it can also enhance neuroplasticity and improve your ability to learn.

The modern Okinawa diet, known for being low-calorie and low-carb, is one of the healthiest. Residents of Okinawa have one of the longest average lifespans in the world. Many of them are known to live for a hundred years and beyond.

Conclusion
Considering the number of health benefits that you stand to gain from calorie restriction, it is certainly worth a try. From preventing tooth decay to living longer, it is simply a win-win situation.

That said, it can be challenging at first. If you have been used to eating three full meals every day until now, the hunger pangs can be insane. Thus, it is a good idea to ease into this diet carefully. Consider increasing your protein intake for the meals that you take. This will help keep you satisfied for longer when compared to a carb-high diet.

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, ensure that lowering your food intake will not cause a problem. Remember to speak to your doctor about it, just to be on the safe side.
 

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