~tasha~
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Dr. James Rippe MD and Weight Watchers wrote this piece to debunk the myth that fats and carbs are the cause of obesity and that the success of a weight management effort requires their elimination from your diet.
It seems that one particular nutrient or type of food has to be identified as the bad guy when it comes to weight and weight loss. In the 1960s and 1970s, we blamed overweight on breads and starchy foods, and thousands of people followed diets centered on meats, vegetables, and eggs. Then, in the 1990s, we blamed fat. Over the past couple of years, carbohydrates were put in the hot seat once again.
While the theories about the effects of fats and carbohydrates on weight are different, the myths actually are very similar.
Are fats the problem?
Several years ago, people who were in a research study and following a low-fat diet for other reasons lost weight without even trying to lose. Research literature now is quite clear on what happened the low-fat diet was also lower in calories. Why? Food manufacturers had not yet created the hundreds of low-fat foods now available. Without the abundance of low-fat or fat-free cookies, ice cream, crackers, and other snacks and treats, dieters were left with basic food choices and not much opportunity to overeat.
Fat and Disease
International studies that compared countries and studies done on large groups of people consistently have shown a link between fat intake and obesity rates, and between fat intake and other diseases. Different types of dietary fat have links to heart disease and cancer.
But The Body Needs Fat
Fat serves important purposes in the diet. Fat contains several important vitamins; it also aids the absorption of other essential nutrients, including essential fatty acids, carotenoids, and fat-soluble vitamins. Fat in foods stimulates the gall bladder to contract as the food from a meal reaches the intestines. The bile that the gall bladder squirts into the digestive tract is needed to digest and absorb food.
In its most recent report, the Institute of Medicine recommends that 20% to 35% of daily calories come from fat.
So, Are Carbs The Problem?
"Reducing carbohydrates lowers calories, and that means weight loss." This observation dates back to 1860, when an English man named William Banting claimed that he lost 46 of his initial 202 pounds by cutting out carbohydrates. Banting wrote, "The great charms and comfort of this system are that its effects are palpable within a week of trial and creates a natural stimulus to persevere for a few weeks more." Needless to say, Banting gained back the weight he lost! Any diet that restricts major food groups and therefore cuts out a major nutrient ‹ carbohydrate, fat or protein ‹ will cut calories and result in short-term weight loss.
Carbs Are Essential
Carbohydrates, in the form of a sugar called glucose, are the preferred source of energy (calories) by the body. Any source of carbohydrate, except fiber, can be converted into glucose by the body. This conversion process is a fundamental part of the digestion and metabolism of food. For some parts of the body, including the brain, glucose is the only fuel source that can be used to meet energy needs.
Based on a complete review of the human need for glucose, the IOM has set the Recommended Daily Allowance for carbohydrates at a minimum of 130 grams per day. Following an "extreme" diet that restricts carbohydrates to less than 130 grams per day means that the body must resort to "survival" systems to make its own glucose, usually at the cost of muscle, to meet its minimal needs.
Carb-Rich Foods Are Often Nutritious
In addition to being the body's preferred source of energy, foods that are rich in carbohydrates contain several essential nutrients that are important for nutritional health and disease prevention. Wholesome carbohydrate foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes supply fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Low-fat dairy foods, like milk and yogurt, are rich in carbohydrates and also are important sources of calcium, vitamin D, zinc, and protein. These foods are among the best sources of several vital nutrients.
Going To Extremes
Because diets that eliminate or severely restrict carbohydrates are so extreme, they are very difficult to sustain. Virtually all of the studies that have looked at following a low-carb diet for more than a few months have found that the early lead in weight loss is not sustained.
Balance Is Best
A balanced diet that supplies a healthy ratio of fats, along with nutritious carbohydrates, can aid weight loss and long-term weight maintenance. This type of diet includes all the food groups and supplies essential, health-promoting nutrients in amounts recommended by government agencies and health organizations.
