By Dr. Brownstein

As reported in the New York Times (2.20.15), a nutrition advisory panel that shapes U.S dietary advice eased some of the previous restrictions on fat and cholesterol, while at the same time recommending Americans lower their consumption of sugar.

Be still my beating heart. For many years, I have been writing and lecturing about the idiotic cholesterol and fat guidelines that the Powers-That-Be have been espousing. Over 30 years ago, we were told to eat less fat and cholesterol in order to lower our risk from dying from cardiovascular disease. During that same time we were encouraged to increase our consumption of carbohydrates in the form of grains and bakery products. We followed the Powers-That-Be’s advice and guess what?  Our health has worsened. During the time we lowered our fat and cholesterol intake, we suffered with more obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

You would think that the Powers-That-Be would base their recommendations on evidence-based medicine. Well, you would think wrong. There was never any good evidence that we needed to lower our fat and cholesterol intake and substitute it for more refined carbohydrates in the form of grains. In fact, there was strong evidence that adjusting our diet the way the Powers-That-Be wanted us to would result in exactly what happened—more obesity, diabetes, and heart disease than we know what to do with.

You might think, “Who cares what a U.S. advisory dietary panel states?” That is probably a good thought process, but their recommendations are important because they affect the school lunch programs and how the U.S. Government runs food assistance programs.

Of course, you can’t expect the Powers-That-Be to get everything right. The same advisory panel stated that the vegetarian diet is a healthy diet. However, there is no good data to support a vegetarian diet as a healthy diet. They still maintain the wrong stance to replace saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats found in vegetable oils. Most vegetable oils contain toxic trans fatty acids and are nutritionally-depleted products. Vegetable oils do not withstand heating as it turns the oils rancid.   Coconut oil, full of healthy saturated fat, is a better choice for cooking. The saturated fat found in coconut oil holds up well when it is heated. And, coconut oil helps people to lose weight.

We are in the obesity health crises, in part, because of past U.S. Government’s dietary recommendations.   A healthy diet should consist of unrefined foods including sources of unrefined sugar, flour, salt, and oils. A varied diet that supplies adequate amounts of nutrients including fat and protein can improve any health condition.

More information on a healthy diet can be found in Dr. Brownstein’s books, “The Guide to Healthy Eating,” and “The Skinny on Fat.”