Interesting Article about Low Fat Diets

[julia]

I read this article on the train this morning. I found it really interesting. I'm wondering about cutting out a lot of the low-fat and fat free products I use and just making really good food and eating reasonable size portions and of course lots of veggies.

http://thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1026143372895&call_page=TS_Life&call_pageid=991479973472&call_pagepath=Life/News&col=991929131147

[kwormann]

I just WISH "they" would stop using the word carbohydrates and bad in the same sentence. Then people think ALL carbs fall into the same category. It irritates the crap out of me when teachers I work with talk about not eating "carbs". I want to SCREAM... "The carbs that can make you fat are the WHITE ones...EAT WHOLE GRAINS< FRUITS AND VEGGIES!!!!!!! If you are so concerned about your "carbs", cut back on the white rice, bread pasta and potaotes and make some brown rice, bulgar or quinoa" (sp)


Ok, off my soapbox now...:D

[sushibones]

There was some discussion on this article (also in the NYTimes) amongst the Eating Well Reviews thread. The discussion starts with this post (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=251260&highlight=food+politics#post251260) and continues for several after that. There is also a link to another discussion on a separate thread.

[honeygirl1971]

The docs and nutritionists have been saying for a while that some fats are good for you, and that refined sugar and white flour aren't good for you, which makes sense. But eating nothing but meat and butter is unhealthy too, you need whole grains and fresh fruits and veggies, just like kwormann says. In fact, your body needs insoluble fiber, which you can only get from grains, and your brain needs glucose, which comes from carbs, and without these things you can have digestive problems and even ketosis--so Atkins isn't exactly "right" either. If you cut out ALL carbs you'll also cut out all kinds of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that we KNOW people need to be healthy.

What just makes sense when you think about it is to eat a variety of healthy natural foods in moderation and get enough exercise. It's not always easy, but it's the way to stay fit and healthy.

Personally, I've never been into all those "fake" foods that are fat free but full of chemicals. They don't taste right, and logically it doesn't seem like eating a bunch of chemicals and processed things can be healthier than eating natural foods in moderation. In fact, when I see fat free cream cheese or light butter or something like that in a CL recipe, I usually sub the higher fat but more natural product back into the recipe. I'd rather get a little more fat, eat a smaller portion, and skip the chemicals.

And don't get me started on soda pop, I hate the stuff and I'm CONVINCED that it's a major part of the problem with the American diet.

[workinprogress]

Originally posted by kwormann
I just WISH "they" would stop using the word carbohydrates and bad in the same sentence. Then people think ALL carbs fall into the same category. It irritates the crap out of me when teachers I work with talk about not eating "carbs". I want to SCREAM... "The carbs that can make you fat are the WHITE ones...EAT WHOLE GRAINS< FRUITS AND VEGGIES!!!!!!! If you are so concerned about your "carbs", cut back on the white rice, bread pasta and potaotes and make some brown rice, bulgar or quinoa" (sp)

Ok, off my soapbox now...:D

Preach it, sister! Just kidding ;). I also get quite irritated when I encounter "such-and-so food is evil" or "such-and-so food is a magic cure-all" mentality. I hope the teachers with whom you work aren't teaching nutrition!

[kirkbyky]

honeygirl1971: Its so nice to read a thought by someone that perfectly (and eloquently) says it all.

Its amazing the amount of pressure advertising holds over the (processed) food we eat. My DH (and a group of us that work on an organic CSA--separate conversation) were just talking about this very topic. Every food item advertised on TV is artificial--but promoted to be 'fast, easy and just like homemade'. It never tastes even remotely as good as it should, and is horrible nutritionally. I just recently went back to using butter. DH and I primarily use olive oil, but I thought it was pretty weird using chemical margarine & we primarily use butter in baking. You just cut back a bit on quantity, for quality's sake.

And don't get me started on soda pop, I hate the stuff and I'm CONVINCED that it's a major part of the problem with the American diet.

This is a big issue in our household! Pop in schools is a big deal to DH & I. Its starting to appear in the editorial columns of our local paper & a local politician is running with removing pop from schools as a major part of his platform.

It amazes me that some people (and I know plenty) don't seem to be aware of the quality of their food, or the difference in quality in local food vs strawberries from CA, etc. but its good to see that there are those who do.

Kyle

[kwormann]

Originally posted by workinprogress


Preach it, sister! I hope the teachers with whom you work aren't teaching nutrition!

NO, we dont teach anything important....ya know, JUST elementary school....the impressionable ones.....

[workinprogress]

Originally posted by kwormann


NO, we dont teach anything important....ya know, JUST elementary school....the impressionable ones.....

Yikes. :( The foundations of most of what those little ones will ever know will be built by you and your colleagues. What a tremendous responsibility! I hope the rewards outweigh the frustrations for you. My best friend taught 5th grade for many years, and I taught in an elementary school computer lab for a time. I am now and forevermore convinced that teachers are among the most undercompensated, underappreciated paid professionals in our country. I recently found out that meter readers in our school district are paid more than primary teachers are. Sigh...

OK, now I'll get off of MY soap box. And I was serious when I said that I hope your coworkers aren't teaching nutrition... :rolleyes:

[kwormann]

Originally posted by workinprogress

I am now and forevermore convinced that teachers are among the most undercompensated, underappreciated paid professionals in our country. I recently found out that meter readers in our school district are paid more than primary teachers are. Sigh...



I think I love you...

Seriously...I taught my 5th graders last year to look at the ingredietns of their "juice drinks" and look for "ose" words....fructose, sucrose...etc. They were aAMzed at how many OSE words were in their FRUTOPIA>>>>>

[newtricks]

First, the similar article in the NYT rocked my world. We're working on cutting down on the white carbs. I don't believe in the diets that cut out any type of veg or fruit though.

On to kids' diets. The soda thing is big. My kids think gatorade is "really cool" and "good for you"!!! I'm holding the line.

I also get concerned that so many of the things they eat taste the way they taste because of chemicals. Maybe they're not bad for them per se but kids like forever what they like as kids. I want my kids to like real food - peaches, homemade cookies, a good steak (unabashed carnivore here - no offense intended), a good cold glass of water on a hot day, fresh eggs, basil. Not BK french fries that don't taste like potatoes but like the beef flavoring they're sprayed with.

Barbara

[julia]

Very interesting responses. This article made me think about the stuff I buy, a lot of low fat cheese, margerine, lunch meats, etc, and diet plans encourage this and I really wonder if they are the answer. Maybe smaller quantities of better quality food is the way to go. I'm going to give it a try for a few months.

[guavagirl]

sorry, but i must jump in about the margarine:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of your margarine and Crisco unless you are sure it contains no partially hydrogenated oils (see ingredients). These oils contain "trans" fatty acids, which are more atherosclerotic than saturated fats, monosaturated fats, or polyunsaturated fats. Use small amounts of butter if you must.

Ok, fit of panic finished. :)

[SusanT]

Trans fats are just as bad for you as the saturated fat in butter. How is saturated fat better for you?

[lindrusso]

I just wanted to post a link to the entire article that originally appeared in the NYTimes. The entire article goes into much more detail and is very fascinating.



What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie? (http://partners.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/07FAT.html?Partner=AOL&RefId=U8ZEutttnNNul3eB)

[RebeccaT]

Originally posted by SusanT
Trans fats are just as bad for you as the saturated fat in butter. How is saturated fat better for you?

That's my question as well. DH's family has a history of high cholesterol, and as part of his "preventative" measures, he insists on margarine. Now granted, we don't eat a lot of bread with meals, and I tend to cook with olive oil most of the time. I try to bake with butter. However, on those rare occasions when we are having a baguette or whatever with dinner, he flips out if he sees me put butter on the table, and he reaches for the Brummel and Brown.

So which is worse? Trans fats (but less fat overall) or saturated fat?

[wallycat]

Here's the scoop as I heard it (of course, subject to change :D )

the going nutrition joke is --what do you want to die from, heart disease or cancer??
Trans fats have been linked to higher rates of various cancers...and they don't really help your cholesterol profile any.
Sat. fats have been linked (theoretically) to heart disease.....
so depends on what runs in your family ;)

For my own self, I choose butter--but rarely. I too don't eat a lot of bread and if I saute, it's usually with olive oil...and if butter flavor is needed than 1 TBS. is added...
I still think the more whole/natural the food is the better for our bodies.....:)

[guavagirl]

I don't have my literature with me, but the gist in relation to the trans fats vs. sat fats debate goes something like this (I'll confirm the details later):

1. Saturated fats either raise HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) and LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) OR lower HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Sorry I can't remember now. The point is that sat fats have simultaneous good and detrimental effects.

... but ...

2. Trans fats both suppress HDL and raise LDL. Thus, the distinction is that trans fats are ALL bad versus being half-bad (I swear I'm not trying to make light of this:))

Hope that helps in its own ambiguous way.

[julia]

I love the question above about what do you want to die from. It's true. I'm taking the approach of eating good real food, not the fake stuff anymore, but in moderation (although I do have a hard time giving up my Splenda in my coffee). I want to see if that will help lose weight, maybe not as quickly as I did on a "diet" but that would be okay.

I read the Eating Well thread and would love to read the book Food Politics. I've been looking for it at Chapters and Coles without success. Has anyone in the Toronto area seen it available?