NOVEMBER 2017
"But people tend to greet any study with skepticism if it suggests a food that tastes good might not be killing us. There’s something about deprivation we seem to associate with health and virtue."
says Faye Flam in her Bloomberg op-ed
on dietary fat taboos as puritanism, not science.
In case you missed any of these newsworthy stories, here is a wrap on the best real-food-more-fat headlines last month.
- Understanding the cancer-sugar-obesity link: The LA Times reports that science points to cancer risk resulting not just from eating too much (or weighing too much), but from eating too much refined carbohydrate, especially sugar. Fortune reports on a curious interaction between a cancer gene and a sugar molecule that may begin to explain how sugary diets contribute to cancer risk. Plus, the CDC reports on the rise of incidence rates for cancers linked to obesity.
- The Endocrine Society puts the story of a dangerous imbalance caused by the omega-6-rich vegetable oil in our food supply on the cover of Endocrine News. These processed oils are inflammatory and contribute to obesity... so back to butter.
- New obesity statistics were reported by the CDC. It's official— 39.8% of American adults are now obese. And, a new study, published in The Lancet,shows a ten-fold increase, worldwide, in the number of obese children over just four decades.
- The LA Times reports on a new study that shows salads with full-fat dressings are healthier than salads with low-fat dressing. The full-fat dressing allows for better absorption of 8 different micronutrients.
- Newsweek reports on a new, small study that finds some people taste carbs more than others. And these folks tend to like and crave carbs more than others, too. And have larger waistlines. Hmmm...
WANT MORE?
Can a keto diet help you live longer? And just what is the scientific basis for reversing T2 diabetes with a ketogenic diet? Virta Health (a VC funded virtual clinic) and its scientific team have the answers. Plus, more pro-keto coverage in the mainstream press: The Globe and Mail reports on how keto dieting became a weight-loss trend.
Why do so many doctors eat low-carb, high-fat real food? Results.
Why does Jamie Oliver want to ban bake sales? Is freshness the ultimate trend or should you rediscover aged ingredients? Will the future include smart tattoos that change color when your blood sugar rises? Have you always wanted a cheese advent calendar? What was the vintage take on lard, circa 1942? Is fat where it's at?
What challenges does Big Food face when it tries to reduce the sugar in our food? Are we seeing signs of an end to the pursuit of lower (and lower) LDL? Can you be fat but fit (more on this controversy from the NYT...)? Why should we all worry about NAFLD?
FROM THE ETB WALL OF SHAME:
- CRISPR bacon. From the genetically engineered low-fat pig. #oink
- Eurobanan is bringing low-fat avocados to market. Proof that even superfoods can be ruined by determined horticulturists.
- Pumpkin spice. "A processed food flavor... A zombie apocalypse, if the zombies wore nutmeg cologne."
- Starbucks' Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino has 85g of sugar. Just sayin'.
- "Alternative facts" abound at "tech start-up/vegan mayo producer," Hampton Creek.
- FDA rules that "love" may not be listed as a food ingredient. Killjoys.
- FDA says oops... maybe soy protein isn't really "heart healthy." Thanks for 18 years of misleading advice.
- Big Food "has hijacked advice to eat more fiber... [adding] processed fiber into what are essentially junk foods". FDA to rule on what counts as fiber.
- A reorg at the USDA is likely to delay long over-due (and congressionally mandated) reforms of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
FINALLY, SOME FUN WITH BUTTER...
Birthday butter. Duck, in butter. Butter-roasted cod. Beurre noisette. Convenient butter sauces. Butter subscription. Butter, not margarine. (In France, despite 'worst since war' butter shortage.)
Happy November,
The Moms @ Eat the Butter
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Prior newsletters:
October 2017 — September 2017 — August 2017—July 2017
June 2017 — May 2017 — April 2017 — March 2017 — February 2017 — January 2017
December 2016 — November 2016