Thursday 14 October 2010

Low-fat versus high-fat diets - Fat-war

I've been following the FAT-WAR in the Finnish TV and Newspapers. There is two different sides, those sticking to the old low-fat diet instructions and then those who talk strongly against this old-fashioned Low-fat diet system. Before mentioning my personal view, let's see the origin of the low-fat diet.

The start for the low-fat-diet came as early as in the 1940's when there was an idea that high-fat diet and heart decease have something to do with each others. In the 50's and 60's there were studies about the same issue. In 1957 a report said that “It must be emphasized that there is as yet no final proof that heart attacks or strokes will be prevented by such measures (low-fat-diet)." Similar beliefs were prevalent in the 70's and 80's. While the obesity and heart decease was found to be connected the studies still did not give proof that high-fat diet is causing cholesterol or heart decease. It still remained as a popular belief, but not as a proofed fact.

How did the belief that low-fat-diet is best diet become a International official view for the "correct diet"? In 1977 in US a committee of Dietary Goals gave a report stating the new official diet plan. The report recommended that Americans eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry and fish, but less meat, eggs, and high-fat foods Same report recommended that they substitute nonfat for whole milk. Sound familiar? This same is in use today in 2010 in many countries - Finland included. Scientists were not agreeing with this hypotheses as they said. Since it was not proved by scientific studies. This was done under a strong pressure from the food industry in US. Why did the food industry want to promote low-fat foods? By the 1980s food producers had begun to realize that low-fat could provide profit-making opportunities. By the 1990's the food pyramid was published - recommending the same low-fat - high carbohydrates/sugar diet. Still today the food pyramid is widely used. 

What have been the results of this low-fat diet? Diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol have sky-rocketed. Alcoholism and mental problems have sky-rocketed. Why? To supplement the lack of fat in the diet food industry has used sugar and carbohydrates and trans-fatty acids. Never have people as a hole been so fat before. Shouldn't low-fat diet do just the opposite? No fat is not the bad guy in the diet. Cause for diabetes and obesity and high cholesterol is sugar and glucose (carbohydrates transform into glucose in the body). Alcoholism has a connection with high sugar diet and interestingly also maybe with high grain-diet. (Consider American Indians who have not consumed wheat earlier and suffer the highest levels of alcoholism and also Finns who have only had grains in their diet for some tens of year also suffer high percentage of alcoholism. Compare this to the Mediterraneans who have been using grains for hundreds of years.) Mental problems have a connection with low-fat diet since our brain is over 50% of fat (a lot of being cholesterol!!!). With low-fat diet our brains are not getting enough fat. We are in fact starving while over-eating sugars and carbohydrates.

What kind of effects are people experimenting while eating high-fat low sugar/carbohydrate diet? Doctor of Medicine Antti Heikkilä in Finland has listed some 96 deceases that his patients have gotten rid of by eating high-fat low carb diet (mentioned in Akuutti Tv-program in 10/2010). These range from diabetes to alcoholism and many others (Yes alcholisim, seems eating low-carb diet stops the alcohol graving. Check out Ph.D. Joan Mathews Larsons books about Mental health and Alcoholism). In general within just a few days low-carb diet brings added energy and rapid weight-loss. This requires that carbohydrates consumption is max 75 g per day. How much is 75g of carbs? 100g of bread is about 60g carbs. 3,5 kg of cabbage has about 75g. So you can eat a lot of vegetable!

Are there any dangers in low-carb diet? No as long as you use fats like butter, fat from meats, eggs and olive-oil not from linoleic fatty-acids (Omega 6) or trans-fatty acids (in most ready-foods). Test it yourself and see the results. If you don't feel much better within one month (or actually you should feel better in a week) you haven't lost anything. Just remember to check out all theingredients in foods you consume. Remember industry adds sugar even to meat-products!!! Amazing when you think of it! Check the labels! Check the labels! Check the labels! 

So by now you can figure out side I have taken. Within some years I have been reading books like "Melt the fat away" by Susan Sommers, Eat yourself slim by Michael Montignac , Dr Richard K.Bernsteind MD book about Diabetes Solution and Dr. Atkins books and so on. All these bring out the same issue, we get too much sugars and carbs and therefore our body is producing too much insulin. The end result will be diabetes if we do not watch out. 

So who are we to believe? Real question here is that what is the origin of the believe that low-fat-diet is healthy? It was a political issue, not a result of scientific research. This is the key issue here! There are several new studies that show low-carb diet brings good results both in weigh-loss and cholesterol levels. There are still today no studies that would connect high-fat (low carb) diet to heart attach or high cholesterol. There are studies that connect high cholesterol to heart attacks yes, but that is not the same thing. You can get high cholesterol while eating fatty foods IF YOU EAT THEM TOGETHER WITH CARBS AND SUGARS!!! That is the key, not fat itself! When insulin is not produced in the body (in low carb diet) the fat you consume does not store in your body.

The best part of the low-carb diet is that you can eat all the butter you want and enjoy your food. Food actually tastes good!


Amy


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Article about the Origin of low-fat diet

Interview of Dr. Antti Heikkilä in Finnish

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