Regular Nerd Herders, particularly the Facebook set, may be aware of the fact that I drew the ire of several Primal eaters last week with my post on the possible link between saturated fat and diabetes. To be honest, it caught me off guard. Some people wrote in with intelligent points, but many of the reactions (particularly the name-calling ones posted on other sites) were just weird, angry attacks reminiscent of the way normal people might act if someone were to question their ethnicity or suggest that Roger Moore was a better James Bond than Sean Connery.Seriously, it's a lipid. I'm all for healthy conversation on the topic, but is the lack of a couple chemical bonds really worth spewing that much hatred into the universe? Maybe Cross-Fit gyms need to install meditation rooms or offer post-workout happy endings before someone goes postal.
Anyway, I was going to address some of the well-thought-out comments, but I have a feeling that no matter what I say, the angry caveman eaters will jump in too, so I'm going to file away saturated fat for a while and talk about produce.
Long story short, about a fifth of people with European ancestry possess a gene called chromosome 9 which makes them susceptible to heart disease. New research in the Plos Medicine journal indicates that a diet filled with raw fruits (especially berries) and veggies weakens the effect of said gene.
The study looked at 27,000 people from all over the world. (Actually, about 8,000 were international. 19,000 were from Finland, but whatever.)
To me, this is all a little obvious, but I may be wrong. And frankly, I don't have much else to say because I'm a little concerned the Atkins crowd might get wind of the fact that I'm advocating the consumption of fruit and descend upon me with their lard hammer.
Life was easier when I just a looney on a street corner yelling scripture and wearing a sandwich board.
Great response. I enjoy reading your blog every week. I completely agree about the saturated fat, maybe it is because of all the adverse health effects that the meat heads are so angry. I was having a similar conversation with a family member about animal protein vs. plant protein and received the same angry response. I think you hit it right on the point when you compared it to insulting someones'ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteI feel for the well thought out responses and the fact that all the haters caused you to not respond. I enjoy your thoughtful words and easy to understand information. And I am a firm believer in eating a well rounded diet which includes all sorts of fruits, veggies and gasp, rice and beans along with animal protein.
ReplyDeleteDenis - I also enjoy your perspective and reading your blog. I find it increasingly frustrating to have any type of meaningful discussion of nutrition related things, especially online. Objectivity seems to go quickly out the window and replaced with rudeness and name calling. Recently I tend to try to find what works for me and avoid saying anything that might be construed as advice for someone else.
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