I’ve come across contradictory advice. The NHS advises not more that 30g of saturated fat a day – something that I am achieving quite easily.
On the other hand, the American Medical Association advise not more that 13g for a diet of 2,000 calories, so for 800 they would presumably look to a max of 5.2g – totally unachievable with anything resembling a resoanable sort of diet that I can see.
Any views, please?
Mike

They’re completely full of shit, if you’ll pardon my French. The science behind the notion that saturated fat causes heart disease, high cholesterol, weight gain, etc. is not just weak, in some cases it is an actual, real-life conspiracy bought and paid for by the sugar industry. You might find this study published last fall illuminating: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2548255

I’ve read the abstract, but baulk at £19 for the article. I’ll see if I can find a cheaper approach (last of the big spenders, that’s me!)
Mike

About the good fat/bad fat contradiction. I watched a great program on SBS TV last night documenting the rise of the bad fat belief and how it has scientifically been proved. It would seem that the various associations are lagging behind updating their recommendations and websites.

A very shorthand version is:

The initial link between high fat diet and heart problems was researched further and it turned into cholesterol linked with heart problems instead. Then the world went crazy giving us low fat or low chol products that either boosted flavour with sugar, or in the process of making the food, turned the good fats in the product to transfats, which we now know to be bad.

The recommendation was shop from the produce sections of the supermarket. Eat food that has been grown, not been processed. Don’t eat too much and don’t overdo the protein, particularly meat; eat mostly plant-based food. I include butter and cheese in grown I’m afraid.

Within all of that, if you are dealing with the diabetic factor as well, then we need to watch out for which plant foods we eat (vegies grown above ground preferably and limit fruit). But a two-butter-teaspoon mushroom omelette felt both decadent and guilt free the other night for me.

I also make my own sourdough bread. Experimentation shows that the body can tolerate one slice a day, but two sends the blood sugar soaring.

We are all learning the science and our own bodies together on this journey. Stay well.

Crabbycams

Thanks again
Mike

Crabbycams – your shorthand version is absolutely spot on – I also include butter and cheese as grown.

Since starting the BSD we do virtually all our shopping from the produce section of the supermarket but yesterday – because I was a bit low on steps – I walked up and down all the other aisles. I had forgotten that there was aisle after aisle of utter junk food (my local Tesco is a superstore). There is so much more junk than there is the healthy stuff. Supermarkets would be a third of their size if we all followed the BSD or med diet.

But then they wouldn’t make their profits!
Mike

Yes – you are right – it’s all about profit and the fact that this junk is ruining our health means nothing to them.

The whole notion of saturated fat being harmful has been debunked by many studies. Even the ones originally done by Ancel Keys that put us on the road to carb ruin failed to demonstrate harm being caused by saturated fats. Try looking at Youtube for videos by Tim Noakes, Stephen Phinney and Jeff Volek. They are world renowned advocates for the ketogenic diet. I’ve combined keto and 800 cals for 7 weeks and have lost 2.5 stones without hunger or discomfort. If you want to be totally blown away look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKU65ME8bmU. Hope you find it interesting.

I think you still have to be careful with saturated fats like the fat on meat, lard, chicken skin etc. The LCHF diet we are on should be re-named from low calorie high fat to low calorie healthy fat, which I have heard Dr M call it in an interview. There are some saturated fats that are healthy like cream, butter, cheese but mainly because they are preferable to the chemical enhanced alternatives like margarine and ‘lo’ or ‘low’ fat food i.e. cheese, yoghurts some of which also contain excessive amounts of sugar. Just try to eat as natural as possible and fats in moderation but mainly because of the calories as much as anything else. Since allowing myself to be liberal with the olive oil on salads and using butter for cooking my cholesterol has gone from 6.4 to 3.9.

I laugh sometimes about how quickly I can get through the supermarket — start on the left side and get organic vegetables, continue by butter and eggs, pick up a grass fed meat and complete the circuit in the cheese area, then check out — takes about three minutes!
The endless aisles full of “food-like” substances are a nightmare to be avoided — You are right KrysiaD — grocery stores would be a LOT smaller if they were just BSD food friendly!
How did we reach the point in human nutrition where 9/10ths of a typical grocery store is just junk? It is interesting to contemplate how this became “normal”.