Low-Fat vs. Low-Carb? The Debate is SETTLED

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted October 27, 2017

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

The debate has been settled for ages… but, believe it or not, I still get this question all the time.

Which diet is better: low-fat or low-carb?

What this question really shows is how powerful government diet advice can be.

Even when it’s wrong, it can last forever.

Millions of Americans were told for years that a low-fat diet was the key to good health – and many still believe it.

But the science behind the low-fat movement has always been a sham.

And switching your diet from low-fat to low-carb could literally be a matter of life and death.

The low-fat nonsense started in the early 1950s when Ancel Keys, a physiologist from the University of Minnesota, decided that cholesterol was killing Americans.

And he started a campaign to get us to stop eating it.

He even muscled his way onto the board of the American Heart Association and helped to kick off other members who wouldn’t believe in his still unsupported theory.

Keys’ study, called the “7 Country Study,” supposedly proved that cholesterol was the cause of heart disease.

One problem, though… the “7 Country Study” was actually a “22 Country Study.” Keys simply removed the countries that didn’t show any relationship between cholesterol and heart disease.

The rest is history. The low-fat craze started in the late 1970s – where fat was taken out of products and low-fat foods popped up everywhere.

But here is the problem: When you are making something and you remove the fat – what goes in its place?

Sugar. And sugar is what increases our waistlines and destroys our brains and hearts.

Let’s take a look at what has happened since America went low-fat:

• Obesity has exploded (now over 2/3 of Americans are considered overweight).
• Heart disease didn’t decrease when we stopped eating fat… it went up.
• Almost 10 percent of Americans have diabetes.
• Cases of Alzheimer’s disease are skyrocketing.

Studies on the types of foods we eat, have this to say:

• A high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet consistently increases weight.
• Vegetable oils (which replaced fats like butter and lard) increase heart disease.
• Heart disease also increases when people use margarine.
• Reducing meat consumption also increases weight.

Here is the kicker: Very large studies have shown that the countries that eat the most saturated fat have the lowest risk of heart disease.

So, which is better: Low-fat or low-carb?

The clear winner is low-carb.

Carbohydrates increase inflammation in the body and increase blood sugar.

You can take steps towards being healthier by finding ways to cut carbohydrates (sugars, grains, starchy vegetables) out of your diet as much as you can.

And don’t be afraid of fat… or cholesterol.

Health and Happiness,

Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: feedback@livingwelldaily.com – and click here to like us on Facebook.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND