Print article The US government, clinical nutritionists, mainstream media, and the average person on the street will tell you that eating a diet low in fat, especially saturated fat, will lower your risk of death from coronary heart disease.
Although most “official” healthy eating guides endorse it, no randomized research study has ever been able to link a low-fat diet and lower cholesterol to a lower risk of coronary heart disease. Yet, over the past 40 years, the message to avoid saturated fat and lower blood cholesterol has been repeated so many times, it has become deeply embedded in the American psyche.
According to a new report released by the New England Journal of Medicine, life-threatening obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. There are now 711 million overweight people around the globe, with the USA tipping the scales. The American Heart Association (AHA) concurs with this post from their website:
“Nearly 70% of American adults are either overweight or obese. Being obese puts you at a higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more.”
So what’s going on? Why are people getting fatter if “Low Fat is where it’s at”?
The low-fat diet recommended by nutrition experts is essentially a high carbohydrate diet, and there are now huge volumes of evidence that reveal high carbohydrate diets are directly related to elevated insulin levels and coronary heart disease.
Now, I’m not suggesting people switch to a no-carbs diet because the body needs carbohydrates. Carbs are used to make energy. The body needs fiber provided by carbs for proper digestion, colon health, and insulin regulation. According to the University of Illinois, the central nervous system, the brain, the kidneys, the muscles, and the heart also need carbs to function properly. In addition, other studies have shown “Low Carb Diets” are very effective at lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, and triglycerides. They raise HDL (the good) and improve the pattern of LDL (the bad) lipoproteins that carry the cholesterol around in the blood.
How to Figure Out Your Carbohydrates Needs?
- An individual’s optimal carb intake depends on age, gender, body composition, activity levels, personal preference, food culture, and current metabolic health.
- An easy way to start would be to eliminate processed carbohydrates such as white flour-based cakes, cookies & breads, candies, sugar, and fried foods.
- Instead, try to eat unprocessed carbs like low glycemic fruits, beans, legumes, whole grains & whole-grain breads/pastas, greens, and vegetables. Add in lean, organic proteins and good fats and you’ll be on your way to better health.
If you are vegan, vegetarian, or interested in learning more about a low-carb diet plan, send me an email to set up a Health Consultation today!
