If you are already overweight, the idea that you can eat ”everything in moderation” is a fallacy at best, and a pervasive marketing tactic, at worst, served to you by the food industry.
Most overweight people are carbohydrate intolerant. This means that their bodies are unable to process sugar (carbs) safely and effectively. You would not advise a person with a gluten allergy to eat bread in moderation. Neither would you advise a person with lactose intolerance to consume dairy in moderation. It is, therefore, illogical to advise an overweight person to eat carbs in moderation.
A peanut allergy can kill quickly, but a carb ‘allergy’ can still kill, albeit slowly, via the diseases we have now come to recognise as metabolic diseases, such as diabetes.
Most overweight people are insulin resistant, and, by extension, carbohydrate intolerant.
The trajectory of diabesity can be traced back to the introduction of national dietary guidelines in the western world. These guidelines eventually trickled down to and were absorbed by middle and low-income countries. The demonization of fat, saturated fat, in particular, led to the explosion of dietary carbohydrates, in particular, refined grain and sugar. Natural fat was substituted for industrially manufactured fats and oils. Our food environment changed drastically, and so did our waistlines.
I was surprised to discover that there was no robust scientific evidence behind the introduction of the dietary guidelines. They are not fit for purpose, particularly for diabetics. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate intolerance. The body is unable to safely process the high levels of blood glucose. Refined grains and sugars result in high glucose and insulin peaks. This sets off a chain of events that leads to insulin resistance – the hallmark of metabolic diseases, like diabetes. Eliminating these foods must be a priority for diabetics.
Current dietary guidelines are not evidence-based.
Most of the big players in the food industry advertise their fake food with the slogan ‘to be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle’. This pervasive marketing tactic shoulders the responsibility on the consumer and essentially blames them for any weight gain. The fact is that we simply do not have enough hours in a day to outrun a poor diet. They know this. And now, we know this.
The food pyramid must be turned on its head. Natural fat is safe, protective and delicious. It must be re-introduced to our plates.
If you are serious about losing weight, you must first strictly remove all refined carbs and sugars from your diet. No ifs, no buts. Just do it.
