http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/06/09/low-fat-diets-and-exercise-are-pointless-for-losing-weight-warns/
Lord McColl, emeritus professor of surgery at Guys Hospital in London, warned in The House of Lords that current health advice to avoid fat was ‘false and misleading’ and was fuelling the obesity epidemic.

The list of foods to avoid, at the bottom, which includes EVERYTHING LISTED AS LOW FAT is so contrary to the advice we’ve all had for years (and how difficult have people here said it is to find full fat yoghurt on a supermarket shelf in the UK), that it’s astounding.

Are we finally on the cusp of a breakthrough? I’m certainly not the only one here looking at people in general and thinking how much fitter and happier they would be on less refined carbs. I was in the JR Hospital in Oxford yesterday, accompanying OH to an appointment, and the food on offer in the M&S Cafe -patronised by staff and patients alike – was diabolical.

Free biscuit with my coffee, and all the breakfast options were refined carbs, or low fat dairy. No protein pots in the chilled offer either in the cafe (although there were some good ones next door in the M&S food outlet). What hope do the stretched and stressed staff have to make good choices? Or, indeed, the patients and their relatives?

I think there’s a fortune to be made in low-refined carb snacks/small meals and cafes and restaurants (though simply serving good fresh food) could make a mint from advertising themselves as low-carb, and nutritional elements counted.

Shall we try and crowd fund a new chain?!

Mad isn’t it – surprised at the M&S one, they do have healthy stuff among their ranges. UCH in London has a costa coffee – with free cookie with every hot drink last time I was there.

I am impressed with the number of chains starting to include low carb options. Pret, Itsu, Eat, Leon & Prezzo come to mind, and some of them have excellent websites with full nutritional info.

It surprised me, too, Frog, in the M&S cafe. We were there at 8.15am so lots of people queuing for coffee.

I had a good look for a protein pot of some kind to have with my coffee (poor OH was fasting, so he had agreed to sit and watch!), but the cafe had a display table of croissants and pastries, and the chiller cabinet had sandwiches and wraps – but no breakfast protein + low carb available at all.

And then they made it worse with the free biscuit!

interesting you were there igorasusual, as that is the same hospital I was visiting during early march where my dad was
and at the time I was doing the 5:2 diet and basically managed on fruit that I brought in during the day
although I have to say – if you had been there in the past – the new m&s café was a vast improvement to us!!
and they did have gf options
obviously I wasn’t searching out low carb at that time, although I had to avoid most things because of the calories
their gf blt sandwich was over 600cals!!!!!!!!

I did notice they did a minced beef dinner with courgette spaghetti, though I never tried it
not really what you would want early morning though!!

actually what really struck me as desperately sad was the WHS next to it that was filled with chocolates and crisps and which I am proud to say I never resorted to (even though it was a very tough time as dad actually passed away)

we were all ill with bad colds and we couldn’t find hardly anything like cough sweets or pain killers or tissues –
but If I had wanted to kill myself with chocolate – oh that was fine

anyway – I guess I digress from your original point
I am happy to join the ‘LOW CARB SNACKS’ revolution for public spaces ESPECIALLY important in hospitals, maybe

I have just baked some chickpea flour blueberry muffins
OK I know that isn’t exactly low carb – BUT – way way lower than normal muffins
if I work it out I will let you know – indeed I haven’t tried them yet so they may taste horrid of course lol!!

Oh yes, keep trying, the M&S offer is much better than the previous offer. Nice and clean environment and I think good food generally – though some might think expensive.

I swerved the WHS as they are well within the “no choice at all for a healthy snack” cohort.

We bought some good protein pots from the M&S shop, one of which I will have for my dinner.

So sorry to hear of the loss of your dad. It is always a very hard time, and I wish you and your family well. It has comforted me to know that whilst you love and talk about your lost relatives and friends, you keep them alive in this world. I do with my dad, who died in 2002, and my mum who died in 1998.

Keep us posted with the chickpea muffins!

ok I have just worked out they are about 18.8g of carb per muffin (I did half the mix and it made 9)
of that 7.4 were the sugar
obviously they are not the crazy size of some café muffins – more the size of what I would call a bun or fairy cake (olden days!!)
I am loathe to eat one just because I don’t want to eat too many – so I will get my son to try them later and let you know his verdict
he OFTEN eats muffins (I am working on him and showed him the bsd book the other day and he was very interested and keen to know more)

actually 15.5g if you subtract the fibre