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On a popular basis, the winner is clear: Low-carb diets such as Atkins, South Beach, and the Zone have won the hearts of weight-minded Americans. But the medical establishment remains vehement about the low-fat message. Can't they all just get along?
Well, yes. As is often the case, research has caught up with all the claims, and proved that there are strengths and weaknesses to both approaches. Today the war is near its end, and a truce is emerging that brings the best science from both sides to form what is likely to be the standard weight-loss message for the next several years -- and beyond, we hope.
The message is that excess animal fat in your diet is indeed bad for your health and your weight. But certain fats, particularly plant-based ones like olive oil, are necessary for good health and nutrition. Likewise, excessive amounts of simple carbohydrates are bad for your health too. They are converted too easily into blood sugar, and cause all types of metabolic havoc when you eat them regularly. Much better are unrefined, whole grain foods that take longer to digest and contain more nutrients and fiber.
Put it all together, and you get a sensible diet rich with complex carbohydrates and lean, healthy meats and seafood. Plus loads and loads of vegetables. We can all live with that, can't we?
Problem is, the low-carb movement is so strong that the pendulum may be swinging too far in its favor. Recall what happened a decade ago: The low-fat movement was so prevalent that the marketplace became flooded with low-fat snacks and alternatives. The problem was these products were loaded with calorie-dense carbs, and people consumed huge amounts of them. The result: Many people kept gaining weight.
That is the big fear today of the low-carb diet craze -- that people will think they can eat unlimited low-carb snacks and meals. And currently, the marketplace is suddenly overrun with low-carb products and outlandish claims of weight-loss success using them.
At the end of the day, weight loss is about eating moderate amounts of healthy foods. What we've confirmed most recently is that simple carbs are more unhealthy than we thought. Respond sensibly to that finding, and you are on your way to a lifetime of healthier weight and diet.
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