By KATHRYN SORENSON
Fat doesn’t make you fat, according to Drs. Michael and Mary Eades, writers of the book “Protein Power.”
In 1988 the surgeon general recommended that Americans reduce their intake of fat, which resulted in a high-carbohydrate diet. “That diet doesn’t work,” wrote the Eadeses.
In their book, the Eadeses argue it is actually the high level of carbohydrates in a person’s diet that causes people to gain weight and makes the health problems of today worse.
Carbohydrates stimulate the body’s insulin level, which the body uses to store and convert fat into cholesterol. The Eadeses conclude it is the high insulin level in the body that causes obesity and unhealthy levels of cholesterol in the body.
“There is a lot of truth that gets mixed in with incorrect ideas,” said BYU sports nutritionist Stacy Richins. “What we need is a balance of all three groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
“There are a lot of people trying this protein diet, and it’s true, people have lost weight from it. If losing weight is all they care about then fine, but if people want to be healthy, this is not where it’s at,” Richins said.
Richins said the government would have intervened if the discovery was really important. But so far, she said, nothing has changed.
“If we look at athletes who load up on carbohydrates before a competition, we see that they are not fat. Just because the insulin level increases, doesn’t mean that all the carbohydrates are going to be stored as fat. Carbohydrates are where the body gets most of its energy to run,” Richins said.
“The key is a balance in all things,” said BYU golfer Matthew Thurmond, a senior majoring in English from Burlington, Wash. “The Word of Wisdom is definitely carbohydrate-oriented. There must be a reason for that.”
When people are considering a healthy diet, Richins suggests following the recommendation found in the food guide pyramid.
“There’s nothing new; it’s all found in the food guide pyramid. Our bodies need the nutrients found in all foods, even carbohydrates, to remain healthy. When looking for new information on nutrition, look at books that have the initials ‘RD’, meaning registered dietician — they are the nutrition experts,” Richins said.
