In a recent visit to a Barnes an Noble bookstore, I noted an aisle where both sides of which were cook books. In the next aisle over one entire side had books of eating healthy and diet books. There is something wrong with this picture. That is where I first noted the Gary Taubes book where it was prominently displayed.
Why We Get Fat is not a diet book. This is a book which summarizes the story of human body metabolism of food. He notes that current observations about the diets of fat people is not any different than it was 200 years ago. He also reviews the literature of 20th century hunter gatherers and their diets.
The 50 year long fallacy of why we get fat is "calories in -- calories out". Taubes points out that this is wrong. That isn't the way the human body operates. In one chapter, the author summarizes the findings of studies of some of the more lasting diets and finds that the Atkins comes out a winner. The Atkins diet is a low to very low carb diet with calories essentially coming from fat and protein.
Although this is not a diet book, he does describe a diet that looks very like the Atkins diet. The book is worth the read whatever you take away from the book.
After years of hearing "calories in -- calories out", it will become a major effort to change the way we have been brain washed for fifty years.
How about my experience with a personal variation on the Atkins diet.... A long time ago when I was still employed, there were lunch meetings with customers. Knowing that I was going to have a hard time keeping my eyes open for the 30 mile drive back to the office, I would take No-Doz. Upon returning to the office I mentioned the drowsy drives to co-worker Jane. Her recommendation was to have a naked burger next time. No carbs. She also suggested reading the Atkins diet book. Which I did. It made sense.
It worked. No more carb crashes after lunch. Thanks to Jane, I also changed my eating habits. Reduced my consumption of breads and carbs. I love bread and still do. Or perhaps it is the butter that I love. I've been "main lining butter" for many years -- slice of butter without putting it on bread.
The reduced carbs in the diet caused me to lose ten pounds in two months. The diet was mostly proteins and salads and very few carb loaded foods.
Time to return to the diet that worked and forget about a "balanced" diet -- whatever that is.
Note: Never did really have any guilt for main lining butter, but Taubes' book makes me wonder if this is something my body was telling me it needed.
For additional reading on the harmful effects of carbs especially the concentrated carbs in sugar, check out a piece on Toxic Sugar at the New York Times.
You're speaking my language Lloyd! I too mainline butter, as well as heavy whipping cream. Pure delicious fat. Gotta love it. If you haven't already done so, pick up some Kerrygold Irish butter next time you're at the supermarket. It's from cows that are grass-fed only, and the difference in flavor and nutrition is well worth the extra cost.
ReplyDeleteButter for me has been Kerrygold for about five to six years. Other butters don't have the same flavor. Just guessing that there may be a greater percentage of fat in Kerrygold Irish butter.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, Lloyd. Same percentage of fat, I'm pretty sure, but because the Kerrygold is grass-fed, it's much higher in omega-3.
ReplyDeleteHi Lloyd! Yes, I always come back to lower carb thing for me. And I had to laugh when I saw your last line referencing the toxic effect of sugar. That is my current campaign for me. I will have to read Gary's book and I started reading the Toxic Sugar article. I don't know if he mentions the correlation between the "low-fat" direction the country has been on for the last 30 years and the increase in obesity. However when you take the fat out of foods you have to put SOMETHING in it to make it taste good and that something is sugar or corn syrup of high fructose corn syrup, etc... You do the butter, I do cream. Nothing can cut my craving for SUGAR like a tablespoon of cream! ;) See you when you get to Colorado!
ReplyDeleteSorry Lloyd but what can I say
ReplyDeleteFor healthy eating this ain't the way
All this cholesterol and animal fat
That's not where healthy eating is at
Mainlining butter and high meat intake
Clogs the arteries for goodness sake
Veggies, fruit and the ancient grains
Good for the body and eases the pains
Bernie Boy
Bernie, Good poetry. However, for me the diet will continue to be a balance of meat, fat and vegetables -- and very few carbs regardless of the source. For me, that approach works to make me feel good and keep the weight inside the belt line.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, Gary Taubes' book or his web site will provide explanations why there is an obesity epidemic.