It was the fat
Now it’s the sugar
Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a leading English cardiologist, says that our obsession with a low-fat diet has increased the risk of heart disease. He points to the U.S. where obesity has reached epidemic proportions despite fat consumption falling from 40 to 30 percent over the last 30 years. One reason is the food industry has replaced fat with added sugar. Malhotra says that this fact is the greatest medical error of our times.
Years ago Professor John Yudkin, another English researcher, reached the same conclusion. In his book “Sweet and Dangerous” he showed how the increased consumption of sugar was directly related to the increase in heart disease.
Malhotra reports that eight million people in the U.K. are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs). Yet, in spite of this massive drugging of society, CLDs have not made a major impact on heart disease trends. Moreover, he believes the routine use of CLDs is wrong and that people should start eating “real” food such as butter, milk, cheese and adopting a Mediterranean diet, which includes fruit, vegetables, fish, whole grains, a dash of olive oil and even a glass of red wine.
Pistachios or Peanuts?
Enjoy them both
A daily handful of nuts is one way to lower blood cholesterol naturally.
Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and several phytochemicals.
They promote health with their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
If you want to lose weight
Eat at home
U.S. researchers asked 1,000 men and women to record everything they ate at home and in restaurants for one week. Those of normal weight averaged 550 calories per meal at home and 825 in restaurants. People who were overweight or obese on average consumed a typical meal at home of 625 calories and they gobbled up 900 calories in restaurants.
Researchers also collected nutrition facts on 28,000 dishes from 245 restaurants. The typical starter contained 700 calories, the entree 590. This did not include the side dish of 219 calories, salad with dressing 760, non-alcoholic drink 360, or dessert 335 calories.
Do the math and you’ll know what to do. Eat healthy meals at home.
The White Devil
The Centers for Disease Control reports that every year 5 million North Americans die from heart failure. It’s due to many factors, such as previous coronary attack, hypertension, obesity and diabetes. But why does sugar play a role?
Researchers at the University of Texas report that when we eat too much sugar or starch a small molecule called glucose 6-phosphate accumulates in our body. This triggers stress on the heart and alters muscle proteins, making it more difficult for the heart to pump. Biopsies of the heart following death from heart failure revealed that glucose 6-phosphate is responsible for muscle degeneration.
For years I’ve stressed that the “white devil”, hidden in so many foods, is a major cause of obesity. We know that excessive weight is responsible for 90 percent of Type 2 diabetes, resulting in turn with atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) and coronary death. Now we can add heart failure to the list.
Studies show that most North Americans consume an overwhelming 13 percent of their calories from added sugar.
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