What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie? (Is fat good for you)

NYTimes ^ | July 7, 2002 | GARY TAUBES

[Outraged At FLA]

Well, as someone who diets every year to lose what I like to call my "Winter Weight", I usually cut out a lot of fat and carbs and fill that hole with fibers that are not as readily absorbed and also change what kind of fats I take such as instead of red meat, I will eat more fish and chicken and nuts.

I don't think fat is defacto bad for you as the paradigm says, but I do stand by what even my great grandfather used to say: "Everything in moderation".

All in all, I still believe in eating sensibly, EXERCISE!, and general healthy living will beat any vegan, or pre-processed low fat, or pill induced diet.

Perhaps science is finally starting to agree with me. :)

[Phantom Lord]

Fat = Flavor

[jlogajan]

Elsewhere the FDA is going to require the labeling of trans-fatty acids in foods -- which they now claim are bad in any amount. This would include anything "hydrogenated" and occurs also in meats, especially upon heating for cooking.

A better source of fats would be something like flax seed or fish oils.

[marty60]

I agree, I went on the Atkins diet and lost weight. Plus I felt great. I went off the diet and my cholesterol shot thru the roof. (400) My Dr. said eat Carbs etc. My choleserol stayed high. Then Lipitor, it came down to 288. Finally I convenced my Doc, it's the Carbs that are causing the problem. i am going back on the Atkins diet, to lose weight and bring down my cholesterol. Carbs are BAD for you. They may kill me!!!!

My Daughter is on Atkins, she had her choleserol checked and her results were 81 and 84. Her #'s are to low. I'm sick of these people pushing the one rule for everyone. humans are different. What's right for one, may kill another. But, that is the collectivist thought process. If you don't fit the mold, you deserve to die.

[Alberta's Child]

I heard a great radio interview about this subject this morning. The doctor who was the guest on the show said that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is directly responsible for the rise in obesity levels in this country. I never knew this, but he said that childhood obesity was never a serious problem until the USDA began publishing that stupid "food group pyramid" with all the grain products at the bottom.

Maybe I'm just a little simplistic here when I suggest we should ignore the entire carbohydrates/fat discussion. If your daily caloric intake matches the number of calories you burn every day, you won't have a problem (which is why exercise is far more important than dieting in any weight-loss program).

[Outraged At FLA]

I agree AC, exercise is probably the most important part of being healthy more than diet.

Did you ever notice that just about EVERY diet mentions exercise? I heard a doctor say once that you could eat big macs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as long as you exercised every day, you probably wouldn't gain weight.

[LiveFreeOrDieTryin]

Your link is labelled NY Times but goes to a Time Magazine 5 page article on whether we should be vegetarians or not.

[Moonmad27]

They didn't need to do major studies about this - they should have just looked at the low carb bulletin boards for plenty of proof about long term weight loss and health on Atkins and related diets. My doctor suggested a low carb diet for me as the only one she knew that really works. It worked quickly, lowered blood pressure - cured all the ills from the days when I was a near-vegetarian.

[Outraged At FLA]

Oh, your right, I am sorry, the link to the article is here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/07FAT.html?pagewanted=1

[Huck]

If your daily caloric intake matches the number of calories you burn every day, you won't have a problem (which is why exercise is far more important than dieting in any weight-loss program).

That's the skinny(har har.) Folks get sucked into buying "fat free" fig newtons or "fat free" gummy bears, perhaps not understanding that calories which are not spent are stored--as FAT. Of course, some calories are better than others nutritionally. But I don't know why this requires any special science. Eat your vegetables, go easy on the starches, and get plenty of exercise. Hell, my granny coulda told me that (she did!) If some folks do well on a high meat, low carb diet, I guess that's an option. I like to eat steak from time to time. But for me what works is about 60% vegetables, 20% protein and 20% carbs. And I get a lot of my protein through soy products and fish. I save up my meat intake for the gusto--rib eye steak.

I am interested in studies dealing with cancer and heart disease. I want to learn more about this darned trans fat. That hydrogenated oil is everywhere. I am already a high risk (ex smoker, family history of heart disease and cancer, New Jersey resident, type A personality). I am trying to minimalize the risk as much as possible. If that means no more cheese crackers, so be it.

[Auntie Mame]

Already posted HERE

[Outraged At FLA]

Yeah, Huck, I am right about where you are on diet, once a week (usually sunday) I set aside that day to eat whatever the hell I want, which this week will most likely be a T-BONE. :D

[SpinyNorman]

I find that my "polar bear morphology" greatly enhances my resistance to cold water, very useful in SCUBA diving in northern New England, and ice diving.

[babyface00]

I'm on Atkins right now. I find it does work for me, although it requires a lot of pre-preparation for lunch - you can't readily buy low-carb foods at restaurants.

The best thing, though, is I seem to have much more energy, which helps me get motivated to exercise, which helps me loose more weight. I also don't get those 3pm blahs.

Lastly, I've found that my allergies are nearly non-existant when on Atkins, and my skin clears up within a week. I'm convinced its largely due to the elimination of sugar from my diet.

You can get low-carb chocolates that are pretty darn good - makes it easier to stay on. I'm also starting to make sugar-free ice cream (heavy cream has no carbs) with diet sugar. Mmmm.

I can't say it will work for everyone, but I'm a definite Atkins fan.

[jlogajan]

Carbs are BAD for you.

No no no no. If carbs were bad for you, the Japanese would be dropping like flies -- they have one of the highest carb diets in the world. Yet they have a higher than average life span and aren't an obese population.

Ultra-low carb diets put you into a state of ketosis in which your fat is converted into glycose. But many people on ketosis state diets just don't get enough glycose to the brain -- they think slower and are always hungry, etc.

The key is MODERATE carb intake -- not ultra low and not super high.

[24Karet]

Ping*

[philosofy123]

Historically, the whole world eats starch in bread, potatos, rice, and pasta. The new thing that happens was the refined suger became very cheap in the US, in coparison to the income. Therefore, people start eating lots of sweets. That is the major difference in the diets. In addition, the TV programming became too attractive for the population to sit and watch, which leads to first no excersizes, and second to consumption of snacks!

[billhilly]

Fat = Flavor.........................Right. If it tastes good, spit it out.

[Alberta's Child]

I had a great-grandfather who worked in a lumber camp in Canada. They ate five meals every day, but they never gained any weight at all. Of course, they burned 7,000-8,000 calories every day!

It's also worth noting that not only is exercise important, but exercise in the morning is crucial. Exercising in the morning tends to raise your metabolism, which means you burn more calories throughout the day when your body is "idle."

[Huck]

The savory steak is made that much more gratifying by being able to eat it without being a fat bloated pig. It just seems to me a lot of this ought to be obvious. Drink lots of water. Go to the gym and work out. Get out on the weekends. Duh. But man there are some FAT people out there. Here in NYC, seems like everyone has a huge gut. Bloated. Don't they ever put the fork down? It hurts MY back just looking at their loads; I can't imagine what it feels like carting it around strapped to your frontside.