About Nutrition:

First, let me begin by saying that I am not a doctor, nurse, nutritionist or dietician. Like you, I am a concerned consumer, who researches and reads in an on-going effort to enhance my understanding and to keep fit and healthy. What I share with you in these pages is what I have found in my own search for truth and fitness; some of it is the result of extensive research done by the folks who developed Cambridge Diet & Nutrition produsts, some is based on my own experience of what works for me. While I hope this is helpful to you, it is not intended to take the place of medical and/or health advice from your health professional; it is only meant to encourage you to seek your own answers, with the assistance of your own physician or health care professional.

Please be sure that you consult with your physician before beginning any diet or exercise plan. (If you would like to take along some printed information about the Cambridge Diet and Nutrition products, please contact me and I will provide that for you.)

That said, I will offer some basic information below; this information came directly from some of my Cambridge materials. If you would like even more detail, follow the link at right labelled "Nutrition Info," and it will take you to an even more detailed page on the Cambridge website.

I'd like to thank the folks at the Cambridge 'home office' for their continued commitment, their research, and their generosity and support for all of us. I'll do my best to share these resources with each of you, to the extent that you find them helpful.

The Basics of Human Nutrition

Taken as a whole, all of the elements and materials that we eat or drink, and which our bodies require for good health, are referred to as our Nutritional Requirements. These requirements have only been studied and become fully known in this century: the Recommended Dietary Allowances and the United States Recommended Daily Allowances.

The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA’s) have been defined by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. They are the recommended daily intake of every known nutritional requirement, broken down by age, weight, and sex. The Cambridge formulas meet 100% of the RDA’s and the USRDA’s.

The United States Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDA’s) have been specified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to create standards for use in food labeling. USRDA’s have been specified for protein, most vitamins, and selected minerals. In most instances, the USRDA’s represent the highest RDA suggested for any age, weight, or sex group for each nutrient.

Common Nutritional Terms You May Encounter

Cholesterol - is a component of fat, which is derived from animal fats and is also synthesized in the body. An excess of cholesterol accumulated in the blood can be deposited on the walls of the arteries, often causing clogging.

Energy Balance - Energy balance refers to the point at which the number of calories consumed on a daily basis is equal to the number of calories burned as fuel by the body on a daily basis. The point at which energy balance is reached (measured in calories) varies with metabolic rates, people require differing quantities of food to perform the same functions. While each individual will have a different energy balance point, for most people the balance point will be between 1,500 and 3,000 calories per day.

Ketosis - Ketosis occurs when carbohydrates are not readily available as an energy source and the body is breaking down fat to meet its energy needs. When in ketosis, ketone bodies are produced in the blood. When the body is not able to excrete the ketone bodies through the urine rapidly enough, they concentrate in the blood, producing ketosis. Mild ketosis such as that produced while on a very-low-calorie diet produces a chemical state in the body that reduces hunger levels, making it easier to stay on the diet.

Lactose Intolerance - Some people have difficulty digesting the carbohydrate in milk (lactose). Before lactose can be absorbed through the intestinal tract, it must first be broken down into its component sugars (glucose and galactose) by an intestinal enzyme called lactase. In almost all humans, lactase levels are high at birth and for the first two years. After that, lactase levels begin to drop with age, and in some people, nearly disappear.

Lactose intolerance results when people are unable to digest most or all of the lactose. It can cause a variety of digestive problems including excessive intestinal gas and diarrhea, when milk products are consumed.

Lactose is present in The Original Cambridge Diet formula; however, all Cambridge Food For Life products have been specially produced with low lactose content.

Protein Efficiency Rating - The Protein Efficiency Rating or PER, is a method for determining protein quality and amino acid content. The FDA standard for protein quality is a PER of 2.5 for food labeling purposes. All Cambridge shakes, soups, cereals, and bar contain protein with a PER of 2.5 or higher.

Very Low Calorie Diet - Very low calorie diet or “VLCD” is a term used to describe any diet providing fewer than 800 calories per day.