Hasn’t all this talk about the Atkins diet made you suspicious? For years it was neglected and now many scientists are saying it works. Have there been so many big changes in our understanding in such a short time? The Atkins idea, after all, dates from the nineteenth century if not earlier. And surely it is easy to observe which diets work. I have read that most models (i.e., the private sector!) use some form of the low-carb diet. Are they so far ahead of scientists? Michael at www.2blowhards.com asks some similar questions.
Like Chris Mooney, I tend to think the problem is usually not enough science. So I was hearted by this month’s (February) Discover magazine (not yet on-line), which offers an extensive treatment of the latest scientific knowledge on dieting. The article, by Brad Lemley, is called “What Does Science Say You Should Eat?” Many of the results are based on an extensive Harvard study, started in 1976.
So what are we told?
1. White flour and sucrose, in large quantities, are bad for you.
2. The Mediterranean diet is very healthy. Whole grain foods and olive oils are good for you.
3. Eat lots of vegetables and seafood.
4. Avoid margarine, deep fried foods, and packaged baked goods. If you coop up a pig and feed it grains, it will grow fat.
5. Saturated fat is indeed bad for you, contrary to some revisionist accounts.
6. Eggs are fine but soy may not be.
Very little of this surprises me, but I am happy to see it supported by some real scientific evidence.
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