The Never-Ending Diet Wars
We know this is true because instead of just measuring risk factors like HDL, we measured what actually happens to the progression of coronary heart disease in people who went on diets that were very low in "garbage"—i.e., very low in cholesterol, saturated fat, total fat and refined carbohydrates and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products.
Their HDL levels came down by 9 percent after one year, but their LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels came down even more, by an average of 40 percent. None of these patients was taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. As mentioned above, even though their HDL levels decreased, these patients showed reversal of their heart disease using state-of-the-art measures.
A low HDL in the context of a healthy low-fat diet has a very different prognostic significance than a low HDL in someone eating a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. People living in countries such as Asia that consume a low-fat diet have low HDL levels yet among the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.
It's time to call a truce in the diet wars. Although many people feel more bewildered than ever when they hear seemingly contradictory advice about different diets, there is actually a convergence of recommendations that is evolving. While some significant differences remain, a greater consensus is emerging among nutrition experts than most people realize.
An optimal diet is one that is low in fat (because fat, whatever the type, has 9 calories per gram versus only 4 calories per gram for protein and carbohydrates). When you eat less fat, you consume fewer calories without having to eat less food, because the food is less dense in calories, as well as low in refined carbohydrates.
Also, an optimal diet is low in refined carbohydrates. When you remove fiber and bran, you turn an unrefined carbohydrate into a refined one. The fiber and bran fill you up before you consume too many calories—you can only eat so many apples without getting full—but you can consume virtually unlimited amounts of refined carbohydrates such as sugar without getting full. And because refined carbohydrates are absorbed quickly, they cause blood glucose levels to spike which, in turn, leads to repeated insulin surges and, over time, may lead to insulin resistance diabetes.
Whole grains are rich in fiber which slows the absorption of food, causing blood glucose levels to be more stable and actually reducing the incidence of diabetes. Unfortunately, many studies of "low-fat diets" are often very high in refined carbohydrates. It's low in trans fatty acids and saturated fats and with enough fish oil to provide the good fats of omega-3 fatty acids.
People have a spectrum of choices. To the degree that you eat a diet higher in fruits, vegetables, whole (unrefined) grains, legumes, soy products, some fatty fish like salmon, low in fat, low in refined carbohydrates and served with love, you're likely to look better, feel better, lose weight and gain health.
Disclaimer: I lecture and write books on the benefits of healthy low-fat diets, including my newest book, "The Spectrum," (Ballantine) but I do not endorse or receive royalties from any products other than books.
© 2008


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Member Comments
Posted By: sparkly @ 10/28/2008 5:54:16 PM
Comment: The fact that the author has been a "lead investigator on numerous peer-reviewed studies of low-fat diets" doesn't authorize him to throw words without proper supporting scientific evidence.
Writing that it is "physiologically impossible" to lose more weight on the Mediterranean diet without quoting a valid study to prove it is just conjecture. Common sense is not enough, show me proof.
Posted By: KWalt @ 07/22/2008 4:13:40 PM
Comment: Ornish's comments are interesting, but a bit arrogant.
According to him, virtually every human society in the past 50,000 years has been eating WRONG. They have been killing themselves, and didn't realize it. Or they were too stupid to realize they were eating deadly. It's wonderful the Ornish has come to earth to save us all.
The Laplanders eat caribou and caribou milk. Ornish says they're killing themselves.
The Swiss Lake Dwellers ate fish. Ornish calls animal protein a no-no. They were just stupid.
The Yanomamo of the Amazon eat game, river fish. Ornish says this is unhealthy.
The American Plains Indians relied on buffalo meat. Ornish would claim they were foolish.
Okinawans eat port and cook in lard. Forbidden by Ornish.
The Japanese eat prodigious quantities of seafood and shellfish, rich in cholesterol. Ornish says this is stupid and the Japanese are wrong.
The Andorrans include milk and cheese in their diets. Ornish would claim they are harming themselves.
Native Americans of the American Northwest thrived on salmon and game. According to Ornish, they were eating wrong.
The Clovis societies in North America fashioned spearpoints to hunt game. But they were ill-advised, according to Ornish. Better to hunt broccoli, or wait for it to be invented.
The Chinese cook in oil. Tsk, Tsk, according to Ornish.
Bedouin drink camel's milk. They are foolish according to Ornish.
Pacific Islanders lived on coconut and fish for eons. Which is a bad thing, because of the animal protein and the saturated fat, says Ornish. Perhaps they should wise up.
Australian aborigine ate kangaroo, and the fattiest parts thereof. A mistake, says Ornish. They should have eaten plants.
The Pygmy of Africa hunted game. They were compromising their health, but didn't know it.
I'd like to know of ANY society anywhere that was traditionally vegan/eggwhite/fat-free as Ornish contends is the correct human diet.
Posted By: OnlyCureJGK @ 07/21/2008 8:52:09 PM
Comment: Homosexuals should not be aloud to spend time with children and corrupt there minds. Homosexuality is just as wrong as Murder they are both depraved sick crimes against what is natural.
Both these crimes fly in the face of what is normal decient human behavior.
Anyone that supports homosexual activity is a contributor to it.
Homosexuality is wrong.
Its is not diversity it is perverisity
They should be given the mental help they need.
It is not about left or right wing politics its about right and wrong.
Homosexuality is wrong and always will be just because you say its not does not mean its true.