| It all started with eggs. | | | | With advances in the analysis of blood it is no |
| We weren't supposed to eat them as they | | | | longer necessary to wait until someone keels |
| contain cholesterol, the stuff that leads to furring | | | | over before the effects of their diet can be |
| of the arteries and heart problems. Then that | | | | assessed, and it's here that another myth, the |
| piece of advice suddenly disappeared when | | | | one that says cholesterol is bad for you, bites the |
| research suggested that eating foods high in | | | | dust. It now emerges that there are two types. |
| cholesterol doesn't lead to an increase in that | | | | High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol helps |
| substance in the bloodstream. Instead the blame | | | | prevent the build up of deposits on artery walls |
| was laid at the door of saturated (ie animal) fat. | | | | whilst low density lipoprotein (LDL) has the |
| Not that there were any clinical trials to prove | | | | opposite effect. The proportion of HDL to LDL |
| this. The theory was formulated because of | | | | cholesterol is as significant as the overall level in |
| epidemiological evidence, the study of nations, | | | | the bloodstream. Has anyone apologised for the |
| usually non-western, where the incidences of | | | | previous duff information that was imparted? Like |
| heart disease and bowel cancer are lower. | | | | hell. |
| The food industry embraced the idea warmly, and | | | | There's a quietly emerging school of thought that |
| produced a vast range of foods which were | | | | takes dietary theory away from the idea that |
| claimed to be low in fat (note how the 'saturated' | | | | protein, fat and carbohydrate should be consumed |
| bit got lost.) Eat a diet low in fat and you'll be | | | | in specified percentages. Instead we should be |
| healthy and slim we were told. | | | | eating foodstuffs that have been around as long |
| Then a funny thing happened. Lots of people | | | | as humans have. Staples should be meat, fish, |
| started to get fat. They continue to do so, with | | | | fruit, vegetables, nuts and pulses, food that the |
| childhood obesity being a particular problem. | | | | body is designed to process. There is logic to this |
| Meanwhile, on the Atkins diet, a regime high in fat | | | | theory, but still the establishment continues to |
| and protein but low in carbohydrate, success was | | | | pump out the guff that a low fat diet is desirable |
| had by some in losing weight. It should have been | | | | when evidence doesn,t back this up. |
| obvious that this was going to happen, because | | | | To summarise, the misinformation that's been |
| the nutritionists said it wouldn't do. Not that Atkins | | | | bandied about for the last thirty years: |
| is necessarily the answer. The side effects, such | | | | Eggs are bad for you - no they're not. |
| as bad breath, constipation and feeling lousy, are | | | | Cholesterol is bad for you - not necessarily. |
| well documented, but its record in shedding the | | | | Fat is bad for you - wrong again. |
| pounds punches holes in the theory that a diet | | | | Here's a better piece of advice: Nutritionists are |
| low in fat, moderate in protein and stuffed with | | | | bad for you. |
| carbs is the way to go. | | | | |