Diet debate: Low-fat or high-fat - does it matter?

[Northerner]

Is fat the great evil of our time responsible for seducing us into an early, extra-wide, grave with its delicious succulence?

Or is it as misunderstood as it is mouth-watering? And in need of a welcome return to our plates?

As the campaign against sugar has ratcheted up over the past year or two, there have been growing voices trying to redeem fat.

For decades it has been labelled public enemy number one and a "low-fat" food label is used to convince us that what we're buying is healthy.

The problem is low-fat can mean vegetables or just clever marketing for "we took out all the fat and then pumped it full of sugar".

So there I was having a moment in the supermarket - a tub of low-fat yoghurt in one hand and a full-fat one in other - pondering which was actually better for me.

If I had a third hand, it would have been scratching my head. And I'm not alone.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34575975

Cutting carbohydrates rather than the fat has also shown some benefit in patients with type-2 diabetes, at least for a short while.

When refined carbs are digested they rapidly lead to a spike in blood sugar levels and in turn of the hormone insulin. People with type 2 have difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels so preventing the spike could help in theory.

Although studies show the advantage of cutting carbs was not sustained in the long-term.

Eh?

 

[AlisonM]

As you say, eh? They worked this out by doing an internet search, not a long term study of actual diabetics? They didn't ask us? Rowlocks, total rowlocks.

 

[trophywench]

No - I'm sure you mean bollards Alison, not rowlocks ! LOL

Ditto !