The world is drowning in low carb diet plans. Low carb fever has swept the nation, and perhaps the world. If anything, with #1 documentary films like Tom Naughton's Fat Head and groundbreaking books like Gary Taubes's Good Calories, Bad Calories, the low carb diet has done nothing but gain steam since the days of Atkins.
This, in part, is a beautiful thing. The low carb diet masters of the universe have indoctrinated the public with a totally different portrait of what causes obesity, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, and many other conditions. Thank God! That saturated fat causes heart disease thing was starting to get really old, especially after the whole saturated fat and cholesterol theory (the lipid hypothesis) was disproved decades ago.
But is the low carb diet the answer to humanity's ills? Was Atkins really right about everything?
Not a chance! Carbohydrates cause obesity, diabetes, and heart disease?! Holy "fat causes obesity, diabetes, and heart disease" that is dumb. Tell that to all the lean people prior to the 20th century all over the world that were not overweight, did not have heart disease, and ate more carbohydrates with each meal (sedentary or active) than the typical low carb diet plans allow for the whole week.
Or as I like to say: Fat kills? Carbs? What next, air?
Low carb, low fat, low calorie, vegetarian - although they seem very different, they have one thing in common. They are all wrong! More wrong than fornicating with a family member!
The low carb diet myths run deep. It is a "revolution" based on the idea that carbohydrates raise blood sugar and insulin, and insulin makes you fat. High levels of blood sugar and insulin ARE the problem, but that is not caused, in any way, by the ingestion of carbohydrates. Fat chance. In fact, eating unrefined, wholesome, natural carbohydrates can lower blood glucose and insulin levels to normal.
Renowned researcher Denis Burkitt noted this easily observable phenomenon:
"It is of interest that diets high in fiber-rich cereals and tuberous vegetables tend to result in an improvement in basal blood glucoses."
Dr. Joel Fuhrman, who is blinded by dietary dogma of his own (low fat vegetarian, dumb, dumb, dumb), at least gives a good critique of low carb diet myths in Eat to Live:
"So, it is certainly true - as the advocates of animal-food-rich diets, such as Atkins, Heller, Sears, and other proclaim - carbohydrates drive up insulin levels temporarily. These writers, however, have not presented the data in accurate fashion. A diet revolving around unrefined carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes) will not raise blood sugars or insulin levels. Studies have shown that such a diet can reduce fasting insulin levels 30-40 percent in just three weeks. Obviously, a low-fat diet that is high in refined sugars and refined carbohydrates and low in fiber is not a healthy diet. To lump refined and unrefined carbohydrates together is inaccurate and misleading."
There are even some low carb diet dangers that dieters need to watch out for. Despite fantastic initial results on a low carb diet - the low carb honeymoon period I call it, a diet too low in carbohydrates long-term can make you more insulin resistant, slow down your metabolism, raise cortisol levels, trash your digestion, wreak havoc on your emotions, and more.
Low carb advocate Ron Rosedale thinks slowing down your metabolism for example is a good thing. That's why I call him Wrong Rosedale.
In fact, almost all of the low carb diet dangers stem from this basic phenomenon. A high metabolism is the human being's greatest protector from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and infectious illness. A low metabolism is its greatest burden. Over the long haul, no matter what your "metabolic type" or "condition" may be, the low carb diet that is truly TOO low in carbs can be counterproductive, burying you in a low carb prison that is difficult to escape from.
To learn more, and find out why it's moronic to declare war on any macronutrient, be it carbohydrates, fat, protein, or even calories, join the 180DegreeHealth mailing list today. Don't run from your dietary evils, conquer them.
And for the love of God, don't diet!
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