Drink up! Tea a bonus in a healthful diet

Q. I enjoy drinking decaffeinated green and black tea and herbal teas with my meals, especially in winter. I am a vegetarian, and a nutritionist said that I am losing a lot of the protein I'm eating because the tannins in tea bind the protein. I don't enjoy eating most foods with protein, so this is of concern. Is it true that tannins bind up the proteins? Are there teas that I would do better with? Thank you very much.

W.S., Westfield, N.J.

A. Tannins are naturally occurring plant substances in the family known as the polyphenols. Certain tannins can react and bind with proteins. In fact, tannins were specifically used to react with the proteins in animal hides, "tanning" the hides into leather.

Tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) contain high levels of tannins, especially black and oolong, with lesser amount in green tea. Protein can be affected, but a few cups a day of tea is nothing to worry about for a typical diet. Most people -- including vegetarians -- eat more protein than the body requires.

Tannins' affect on mineral absorption might be of greater concern, as tannins bind with iron and calcium. If you tend toward iron-deficiency anemia, it makes sense to avoid a high-tannin tea at the same meal as a key iron-rich meal. Calcium is less of a concern because there tends to be more of it than there is of the tannins. For most people, an occasional loss of a few milligrams of an otherwise plentiful nutrient should not be a great concern.

Tea has a number of healthful benefits, so enjoy. For tea with low or no tannins, you will need to find a different source. Rooibos tea has a lower level, and certain herbal teas are tannin-free.

Q. I used to believe that diets were all a bunch of hooey, but now I must admit I'm a bit jealous after seeing a close friend successfully lose about 10 pounds in one week by drinking milkshakes and taking supplements that are a part of a package. How can these things work?

F.S., Charlotte, N.C.

A. The first thing to understand is that not all weight is equal. You would think that the purpose of a weight-reduction diet was simply to take off weight, but this is not entirely true. The real goal has to be to reduce excess body fat. Although some diets succeed at taking off pounds, they fail to make a significant dent in your stores of unwanted body fat.

Fat is the body's most calorie-dense material (9 calories per gram), and our body's energy storage tissue, or adipose, is made up almost entirely of fat. To lose 1 pound of adipose tissue, the body has to spend about 3,500 more calories than it takes in. Even if you were to eat nothing at all -- a total fast -- it's doubtful you could lose more than 4 or 5 pounds of body fat in a week. (Please note that fasting is not recommended!)

It takes less of a calorie deficit, however, for the body to lose a pound of protein, the substance that makes up our muscles and vital organs. This is what happens during fasting or with a very low-carbohydrate diet. If what's lost is water, such as when a diuretic is used, zero calories are involved. And, if the diet formula contains a laxative, there's a rapid loss of weight that doesn't require any calorie-deficit. Protein losses and weight lost due to diuretics and laxatives tend to be regained as soon as the dieter resumes a normal diet. As a result, the dieter is fooled and frustrated, and here lies the so-called success of many of today's fad diets.

Find out how any diet works before you start. Remember, if it includes diuretics, laxatives, or is low in carbohydrate, the numbers on the scale will drop quickly, but little body fat will have actually been lost. If dietary supplements are involved, you need to find out what's there before you buy.

Losing weight tends to be much easier than keeping it off. It takes time, determination and a good plan. A healthful approach is the key regardless of how much you weigh. There has never been a quick fix that has proven the test of time. Relying solely on a milkshake meal replacement plus a bunch of pills does not bode well for your friend's long-term chances for success.

It is a given that the promise of rapid weight loss has curb appeal, but a gradual shift toward a more healthful lifestyle holds the greatest promise for the long run.