Idiotic Cholesterol and Fat Guidelines
As reported in the New York Times (2.20.15), a nutrition advisory panel that shapes U.S dietary advice eased some of the previous restrictions on fat and cholesterol, while at the same time recommending Americans lower their consumption of sugar.
Be still my beating heart. For many years, I have been writing and lecturing about the idiotic cholesterol and fat guidelines that the Powers-That-Be have been espousing. Over 30 years ago, we were told to eat less fat and cholesterol in order to lower our risk from dying from cardiovascular disease. During that same time we were encouraged to increase our consumption of carbohydrates in the form of grains and bakery products. We followed the Powers-That-Be’s advice and guess what? Our health has worsened. During the time we lowered our fat and cholesterol intake, we suffered with more obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
You would think that the Powers-That-Be would base their recommendations on evidence-based medicine. Well, you would think wrong. There was never any good evidence that we needed to lower our fat and cholesterol intake and substitute it for more refined carbohydrates in the form of grains. In fact, there was strong evidence that adjusting our diet the way the Powers-That-Be wanted us to would result in exactly what happened—more obesity, diabetes, and heart disease than we know what to do with.
You might think, “Who cares what a U.S. advisory dietary panel states?” That is probably a good thought process, but their recommendations are important because they affect the school lunch programs and how the U.S. Government runs food assistance programs.
Leave a Reply