Friday, March 16, 2007

What if it's all been a big, fat lie?

What if Atkins were - as I believe - right all along? What if carbohydrates and high insulin levels make us fat? What if fat really is harmless, even healthful? Don't we owe it to ourselves to eat the most healthy, nutrient dense diet we can? I propose that diet is not a low-fat diet, but a low-carb diet. Here's an article from an investigative reporter that challenges convention "wisdom."

If the members of the American medical establishment were to have a collective find-yourself-standing-naked-in-Times-Square-type nightmare, this might be it. They spend 30 years ridiculing Robert Atkins, author of the phenomenally-best-selling "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution" and "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution," accusing the Manhattan doctor of quackery and fraud, only to discover that the unrepentant Atkins was right all along. Or maybe it's this: they find that their very own dietary recommendations -- eat less fat and more carbohydrates -- are the cause of the rampaging epidemic of obesity in America. Or, just possibly this: they find out both of the above are true.

When Atkins first published his "Diet Revolution" in 1972, Americans were just coming to terms with the proposition that fat -- particularly the saturated fat of meat and dairy products -- was the primary nutritional evil in the American diet. Atkins managed to sell millions of copies of a book promising that we would lose weight eating steak, eggs and butter to our heart's desire, because it was the carbohydrates, the pasta, rice, bagels and sugar, that caused obesity and even heart disease. Fat, he said, was harmless.


Full article here. It is well worth the read - unless you are afraid.

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3 comments:

Amy Dungan said...

This has undoubtedly been on of the best articles published in the NY Times. Orignally published in 2002, Gary Taubes opened the door for inquisitive thinking about mainstream beliefs, after having success on the Atkins diet himself. I remember that he really dealt with some opposition after this. I'm so glad he didn't cower back when the going got tough!

Thanks Victoria for a wonderful post - this is a great reminder to those of us living the lc lifestyle, and some food for thought for those against it.

Alcinda (Cindy) Moore said...

They can't hold on to this much loger!!! The evidence is going to soon be overwhelming (I think it already is!).

Eventually the "experts" are going to have no choice but to say they were wrong and then teach people how they REALLY should eat.

My goal is to eat similarly to when I was a kid, minus the pasta, potatoes, and cereal. Keep bread to a minimum.

Arthur_of_Old said...

Great article. Death nell if ever there was one.