Low-Carbohydrate Mania
The Fantasies, Delusions, and Myths
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Low-Carbohydrate Mania: The Fantasies, Delusions, and Myths
- Introduction
- A Review of Popular Commentaries
- BBC Documentary: The Men Who Made Us Fat
- Catalyst Documentary: Heart of the Matter
- TIME Magazine’s Article – Eat Butter
- The Big Fat Surprise – Nina Teicholz
- Common Myths
- The U.S. has been consuming a low-fat diet for decades
- Heart disease is caused by sugar consumption
- Heart disease is caused by wheat consumption
- Heart disease is caused by pumping of blood
- Coconut oil is a health food
- Cholesterol helps fight infections and inflammation
- Lowering cholesterol causes cancer and depression
- Low cholesterol leads to low vitamin D and sex hormones
- Sugar (or Carbohydrate) causes cancer
- The Basics
- What are Fats?
- Saturated Fatty Acids
- Unsaturated Fatty Acids
- Cis-Fatty Acids and Trans-Fatty Acids
- Naming of Fatty Acids
- Triglycerides and Phospholipids
- Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio
- Healthy Oils
- What are Proteins?
- What are Carbohydrates?
- Monosaccharides
- Disaccharides
- Oligosaccharides
- Polysaccharides
- Dietary Fiber
- Type 2 Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
- What is Cholesterol?
- What is Heart Disease?
- A Very Brief History of Cardiovascular Research
- Nikolaj Anitschkow – Atherosclerotic lesions in rabbits
- Steiner and Kendall – Atherosclerotic lesions in dogs
- John Gofman – Lipoproteins and their transport functions
- Ancel Keys
- Goldstein and Brown – Discovery of the LDL Receptor
- Review of Important Studies
- Framingham Heart Study
- Lester Morrison’s Diet-Heart Study
- Ancel Keys’s Atherosclerosis: A Problem in Newer Public Health paper
- The Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital Study, 1969
- Ancel Keys’s Seven Countries Study
- Seventh-day Adventist’s Studies
- Lyon Diet Heart Study
- Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT)
- Women’s Health Initiative
- North Karelia Project
- Physicians’ Health Study
- Finnish Childhood Diabetes Study
- China-Cornell-Oxford Project
- History of Dieting
- Low-Carbohydrate Diets
- Standard Western Diet
- Mediterranean Diets
- Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diets
- Conclusion
- Suggested Reading
1.1 Introduction
A number of popular books, documentaries, websites and magazine articles passionately advocate different versions of a Low Carbohydrate diet. Below are some common "facts" presented by these authorities.
- Serum cholesterol is irrelevant to heart disease. Studies have consistently failed to show evidence that fat, saturated fat and cholesterol are involved in heart disease.
- The concept that diet and heart disease are linked resulted from corrupt science. Ancel Keys is frequently demonised in this regard with the assertions that he manipulated data to obtain his conclusions regarding fats and heart disease.
- There are no studies to support the claims that saturated fat and cholesterol are involved in heart disease. The idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause heart disease is the greatest scientific deception of our times.
- Eating saturated fat does not raise your cholesterol.
- Cholesterol in your blood is only harmful if it is oxidised.
- Sugar is the cause of heart disease. Dr. John Yudkin is presented as a visionary who linked sugar consumption to heart disease. His views were ignored, or worse, ridiculed by the establishment.
- Several courageous scientists opposed recommendations for reductions in saturated fat and dietary cholesterol. These heroes were ignored by medical authorities.
- Saturated fats are portrayed is being a great food source because they are stable – they do not become rancid.
- Cholesterol is involved in the healing of heart disease.
These popular ideas are based on myths, fabrications and distortion of the facts.
Unfortunately, these views have become accepted as the truth. Instead of informing our society about healthy dietary choices, they are causing harm.
Every avoidable illness means a life that is not lived to its full potential.
Every preventable death is somebody's husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister or friend who's life is prematurely cut short.
• • • • •The book is divided into four sections.
- The Myths
- The second chapter is a review of four popular commentaries regarding diet and heart disease with the third chapter exploring some of the myths that are common in the popular press.
- The Basics
- Most articles assume that the reader knows about trans-fats, saturated fats, and the foundations of nutritional science. The fourth chapter explains some concepts that are essential in nutrition. A description of the events in a heart attack is explained.
- The Research
- This section details some of the research that has helped us to understand health and disease in our society. Chapter five gives a brief overview of some investigators in the early development of cardiovascular research with chapter six examining a number of studies that help form our view regarding nutrition and health.
- History of Diets
- Chapter seven outlines some popular diets, which have been grouped into four groups: low-carbohydrate diets, standard Western diet, Mediterranean diets and whole-food, plant-based diets. Many popular diets belong in the low-carbohydrate diet group.
Select Format
Book Details
About the Book
Many popular books, magazines, and websites claim that we have been following expert medical advice for the past 40 years and we are unhealthier than ever. They declare that the idea that saturated fats and cholesterol cause heart disease is the greatest scientific deception of our times and that a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet is essential for our well-being.
These views have become accepted as the truth. Instead of informing our society about healthy dietary choices, they are causing widespread harm.
Harding explains why these prevailing views are based on myths, fabrications, and a distortion of the facts.
However, standard medical advice has not been helpful in reducing the rising prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. This advice often contains guidance such as “everything in moderation” and that we need to be “practical” and “flexible”. Advice that is not very constructive.
Fortunately, the diets that are optimal for our health are also the best for the environment and for the animals we share the earth with.
About the Author
Richard Harding is a lecturer in nutrition from the Hunter Valley, Australia. He worked in the pathology and information technology industries before turning to preventative medicine. He is certified in plant-based nutrition from eCornell University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from University of Sydney, studying chemistry, mathematics, and information technology. He lives with his wife, Ruth, in New South Wales, where they tend a vegetable garden, fruit trees, bees, geese, and chickens.