If you’re looking for conflicting scientific reports, you’ve come to the right place.
“Last year, when former President Bill Clinton gave up meat for his daughter’s very vegan wedding, it was an act of love that came straight from the heart.
In the long run his decision to change his eating habits and shed 20 pounds for Chelsea just might save his heart too.
The American Heart Association recommends eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats and poultry”…read more here
In his latest book Why We Get Fat – and What to Do About It, Mr. Taubes offers another take on the low/no carbohydrate diet. You probably know this eating style as the Atkins Diet.
This is a review of a conversation Mr.Gary Taubes had with Lisa Davis for Reader’s Digest which was published in the February 2011edition. His approximately 600 page book is available in Fort Worth Barnes & Noble stores for $24.95.
The type of eating Mr.Taubes espouses has often surfaced by one name or another over the years. In its most basic form, the individual eats items such as red meats, sugar substitutes, bacon, butter, cream, etc., takes a laundry list of supplements, and eschews foods such as grains, tuberous vegetables, fruits, and all sugars. The intended aim is to modify the way your body interacts with insulin and stores/uses fats. His guideline for food choices eliminates or severely limits consumption of pastas, rice, and fruits.
But are the proposed benefits of this eating style something unique to Americans and are the benefits achieved exclusively through diet? There are cultures around the world where meals are based on grains, vegetables, and fish. The people in these countries experience lower levels of body fat, less cardiovascular problems, and enjoy longer life spans. But when they adopt the Western high-meat and sedentary type lifestyle, their health concerns quickly change to mirror that of Western societies.
What about the specific sources of the foods Mr. Taubes highlights?
- Just saying “eat meat” does not cover such topics as whether the meat is commercially raised and processed (click here for a Wall Street Journal video), whether it comes from animals housed in feed lots, or if the animals are corn fed or grass raised/grass finished. These factors and more result in wide variables regarding the end products which end up in your store’s meat case or on a restaurant menu.
- What type of carbohydrates – simple, complex? For years, nutritionists have been warning against eating too many refined foods (including sugars, carbs like white flour) and suggest the substitution of complete foods like whole grains instead.
- Antioxidants and many other nutrients present in fruits and vegetables such as berries, apples, citrus, etc., provide key elements of a balanced eating plan. Said elements are well sourced from fresh, raw foods and quality supplements.
- Fiber is found in plant sources such as whole grains, brown rice, beans, fruits and vegetables, but is very hard to find in meats, eggs, cheese and other dairy products. Important for the effective removal of solid waste from your body, it provides the bulk necessary for your digestive system to work well. Recently released studies also sheds light on a formerly unknown benefit of high fiber foods. In addition to helping you to feel full longer, the study shows that diets high in fiber can also help you to live longer. Fiber is available in supplement form.
- Digestive enzymes (found in raw foods like fruits and vegetables) enable your own digestive enzymes to do an effective job of breaking down the food you eat in order to access the nutrients your body needs. Digestive enzymes are available in supplement form.
If you are thinking about following Mr. Taubes' plan, consider this:
- Is your focus primarily on weight loss, or is it on developing healthier life habits?
- Is this an eating style you can live with every day for the rest of your life?
Recommended reading:
The New Food Pyramid
Body systems: Circulatory
Body systems: Digestive
Gary Taubes Responds
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