Processed carbs are the problem

Scientific American published an article this month about the lack of evidence vilifying saturated fats and how carbs (particularly processed ones) should be the main target for creating health issues.

In March the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a meta-analysis—which combines data from several studies—that compared the reported daily food intake of nearly 350,000 people against their risk of developing cardiovascular disease over a period of five to 23 years. The analysis, overseen by Ronald M. Krauss, director of atherosclerosis research at the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, found no association between the amount of saturated fat consumed and the risk of heart disease.

Bold emphasis added by me. Yes, there is no evidence because cholesterol has nothing to do with heart disease (this is the lipid hypothesis - a wrong theory that became mainstream) so while saturated fats in the diets may raise it, who cares!

Sadly the USDA did not take this study (or any of the others) into consideration when they posted their new 2010 nutritional guidelines earlier this year. I'm pretty sure they think we're too stupid, although I'm sure the sugar and agricultural industry may have had a teency weency bit to do with it.

Right now, Post explains, the agency’s main message to Americans is to limit overall calorie intake, irrespective of the source. “We’re finding that messages to consumers need to be short and simple and to the point,” he says.

Right, who cares where the calories come from as long as you don't overeat. Geez. This is what we are teaching our kids...or I should say, this is what the schools are teaching and some (ok, most?) parents are teaching the next generation. I'm not teaching it, thankfully, because I've done my own research into what is really, truly healthy for the human body. The body needs fats, cholesterols, vitamins, minerals, etc. that are not found in most carb-rich foods.

And the highlight of the article comes at the end:

“If you reduce saturated fat and replace it with high glycemic-index carbohydrates, you may not only not get benefits—you might actually produce harm,” Ludwig argues. The next time you eat a piece of buttered toast, he says, consider that “butter is actually the more healthful component.”

Beautiful butter. Of course the source of it matters (grain-fed vs. grass-fed) which is why we have switched brands very recently from Challenge to Kerrygold. Yummy.

Thank you to my mother-in-law for sending the article my way.

New research on anti-oxidants

Another reason to eat whole, real foods instead of trying to pick and choose which supplements and enriched foods to eat.

Omega 3s are recently the trendy thing to eat because of current research showing their utmost importance to brain function and many, many other processes in the body. Before that it was anti-oxidants or a certain vitamin or certain mineral, etc.

We know that anti-oxidants taken in the form of a whole food (like a blueberry or leaf of spinach) provide protection. What we don't know is how these ingredients interact with each other in the body when they are taken together in a whole food. What we also don't know is what other ingredients are still to be discovered that also assist in the process of bodily absorption or use of such substance. Hence why taking just the anti-oxidant in pill form is not the best idea.

Eat a diverse diet of whole, real foods and you won't have to guess what will be beneficial and in what amount in order to be healthy.