3 ms·

neither fats nor carbs are bad, as long as you get good quality fats and good quality carbs. The problem is people eat bad quality carbs (highly processed) and

neither fats nor carbs are bad, as long as you get good quality fats and good quality carbs. The problem is people eat bad quality carbs (highly processed) and they eat way too much fat, especially saturated fat. The scientists from the early studies had it right that too much saturated fats are bad for you. that doesn't mean you need to get rid of all fats. It's not commonly known, but important to remember, there's fat already in fruits, veggies, whole grains already in the correct quantities. Having a few nuts and seeds is also fine. Just be careful with all the processed fats and meats/dairy: you really want to limit those.

lawnchair_larry 7y ago
You’re saying one should especially limit meat? That’s definitely not the consensus among experts.
- penagwin 7y ago
  The problem is highly processed meats, not necessarily meat in general. A McDonald's hamburger is a good example of "meat" that would be good to limit.
- thorwasdfasdf 7y ago
  There's widespread consensus on limiting red meat. Red meat is a class 2 carcinogen ~ that's pretty bad. Processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen, right up there with plutonium and asbestos ~ egregiously bad. As for other meats and dairy(which is just milk), most serious nutritional researchers will tell you to limit those if not nearly eliminate them from your diet. The media is constantly showing pro-meat stuff because the meat and dairy industry keeps funding pro meat research. It's especially confusing because even some of the largest companies/organization like the AHA and American cancer society is taking money from big meat and big dairy and funding pro dairy/meat research.
AstralStorm 7y ago
The issue is not about an ingredient, but indeed general food. You can eat junk food filled with carbs (Standard white bread, pure pasta, white rice), likewise junk food full of fats. (Most milk products, highly processed meat.) The main problem is when the diet is either lacking in things we do not completely understand (vitamins, micronutrients, perhaps phytonutrients) or is effective caloric surplus - that is, you gain weight. Considering food x as carbs or y as fats or z as protein is reductive to the extreme not warranted by current state of knowledge and leads to milk powder and mashed potato diet. ;) The basic nutrients do not have a quality other than perhaps the ease with which they're absorbed, which early matters for even somewhat unhealthy person, only perhaps for really sick people.
- PeterStuer 7y ago
  I wish I could vote you up more than once. Our knowledge of more than coarse grained dietary needs and effects is grossly overestimated. That vacuum is exploited by commercial interests that typically vilify any form of consumption moderation, and focus instead on promoting one (over)consumption pattern over another. "Eat lots of different things in moderation because honestly we do not know in enough detail what we need" is sound advice, but sadly just benefits the "patient" and not some profit maximizing economic lobby group.

lawnchair_larry 7y ago

You’re saying one should especially limit meat? That’s definitely not the consensus among experts.

penagwin 7y ago
The problem is highly processed meats, not necessarily meat in general. A McDonald's hamburger is a good example of "meat" that would be good to limit.
thorwasdfasdf 7y ago
There's widespread consensus on limiting red meat. Red meat is a class 2 carcinogen ~ that's pretty bad. Processed meat is a class 1 carcinogen, right up there with plutonium and asbestos ~ egregiously bad. As for other meats and dairy(which is just milk), most serious nutritional researchers will tell you to limit those if not nearly eliminate them from your diet. The media is constantly showing pro-meat stuff because the meat and dairy industry keeps funding pro meat research. It's especially confusing because even some of the largest companies/organization like the AHA and American cancer society is taking money from big meat and big dairy and funding pro dairy/meat research.

AstralStorm 7y ago

The issue is not about an ingredient, but indeed general food. You can eat junk food filled with carbs (Standard white bread, pure pasta, white rice), likewise junk food full of fats. (Most milk products, highly processed meat.) The main problem is when the diet is either lacking in things we do not completely understand (vitamins, micronutrients, perhaps phytonutrients) or is effective caloric surplus - that is, you gain weight. Considering food x as carbs or y as fats or z as protein is reductive to the extreme not warranted by current state of knowledge and leads to milk powder and mashed potato diet. ;) The basic nutrients do not have a quality other than perhaps the ease with which they're absorbed, which early matters for even somewhat unhealthy person, only perhaps for really sick people.

PeterStuer 7y ago
I wish I could vote you up more than once. Our knowledge of more than coarse grained dietary needs and effects is grossly overestimated. That vacuum is exploited by commercial interests that typically vilify any form of consumption moderation, and focus instead on promoting one (over)consumption pattern over another. "Eat lots of different things in moderation because honestly we do not know in enough detail what we need" is sound advice, but sadly just benefits the "patient" and not some profit maximizing economic lobby group.