Hello,
After starting to watch ” what the health” I began to think that the debate about nutrient in this country is going completely in the wrong direction. Instead of facts, we focus on what everyone thinks and feels. Case in point the above mentioned movie which is a thinly disguised advocacy piece for better animal treatment ( nothing wrong with that) wrapped in a cloth of fear mongering and pseudoscience.
The most common battle grounds are : vegans vs everyone, keto vs carbs, Dr. Oz vs people with a high school degree, Gwyneth Paltrow vs NASA ( no joke, google it)
The issue with this approach is that confuses people further and does not help them on a better eating path. How you or I feel eating a certain food is a story not a study ( I certainly feel great if I eat pizza, but that does not mean its a good idea)
I feel it is time that we circle back the essentials which need to be adhered to regardless of your belief system.
1. In order to lose weight you need a caloric deficit.
2. Low carb, low fat or the zone diet are the only diets that have a long term adherence to show for .
3. Processed food is not terrible but its easy to over consume due to its low density and low satiety.
4. Animal products will not kill you instantly, in fact animal protein ranks superior to plant protein. The ethical/ ecological component is a different matter but we are looking into science, not beliefs.
5. There are no superfoods, all foods are great since they keep you alive. Remember the anti oxidant craze? Well, cheap red wine has the highest anti oxidant reading, beating your goji berries by the factor 20.
6. Macros rule supreme, beating out food quality by a landmile. if your macros are in check, chances are you ll be ok
7.Most modern diseases are caused by overconsuming food and lack of movement, not by the evil food industry.
8.The food industry is a for profit enterprise, whose interest it is to sell you as much food as possible That said, stuff has labels and we are all adults.
9. Anyone pushing a nutritional breakthrough or a detox diet on you is full of it ( unless its me of course)
10. Things are more complex than the movie makes it too believe. Example: for years we were told the French had a lower risk of heart attack despite eating butter. So butter= living till 120?
Let’s look at this: The French work only 36 hours a week, have six to eight weeks vacation and go to check ups much more regularly than their US counterparts. You can not pinpoint something as complex as a heart attack on one factor.
11. Food is not a drug not just another form of energy. By attaching feelings to food we are making it a drug, thereby creating a whole new set of problems.
So with that off my chest, happy Labor Day!
Maik