Australia is getting fatter. Apparently we're even fatter than the Americans these days. So it's not surprising that food and diet is a hot topic of conversation.
Most adults with half a brain know that to eat healthily you just need to follow the food pyramid. Eat lots of fruit, veg and wholegrains, a moderate amount of proteins and dairy and small amounts of fats and sugars.
The food pyramid has been around forever and has always been the accepted basis for healthy eating.
So how did limiting carbohydrates become part of our mainstream diet?
Back in the early Naughties Hollywood was all over an eating plan called The Atkins Diet. Once Hollywood was on board, the rest of the world soon followed.
Created in the 70's by Robert Atkins, the Atkins Diet requires you to restrict your carbohydrate intake so that the body burns fat rather than using energy from carbs. Sounds great huh? No wonder so many people are on board with this.
The problem is this diet completely contradicts the food pyramid. Carbohydrates are found in fuit, veg and wholegrains - the things we're meant to be eating the most. So I have to ask myself who is wrong, the health authorities of the last 50 years or Mr Atkins, whose diet took 30 years to take off?
The high selling point of a low carb diet is the fact that there is usually a big weight loss in the first few weeks. No wonder personal trainers the world over are spruiking it to their clients.
What they don't tell you is that this inital weight loss is loss of fluid in the body and in the muscle. They also don't mention that by limiting carbohydrates you're actually causing damage to your muscles and at the end of the day, if your muscles are dodgy, you're going to burn calories at a slower rate than you would with strong muscles. And wouldn't that hinder weight loss in the long run?
It sounds complicated huh? And I haven't even mentioned anything about the nutrients your body won't get or the health problems that low fibre or high protein can cause.
1000 years ago we were eating in a simple fashion and we evolved quite fine. I see people today who won't eat an apple because of the carbohydrate content but happily chow down 3 cans of tuna a day as a snack and we have more health problems than ever before.
Low carb diets just complicate things for us. It complicates the inner workings of our bodies and it confuses our minds. Our diets are meant to be simple, like the humble food pyramid. We need to stop over-analysing everything and realise that everything in moderation can be good for us even (and God forbid) so called 'evil' carbs.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a nutritionist. I don't claim to be the 'know all' of healthy eating. I'm a normal person, struggling to be healthy with all the food choices out there. This post is my opinion based on the information I have found on my search to find balance in my life.
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