I have some really surprising news, I’m not even sure I can believe it. As Sarah Hallberg has said there is “Earth shattering, pigs flying, Hell freezing nutrition news.” The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) formerly known as the American Dietetic Association has long taken key positions in dietary advice that have seemed totally at odds with the evidence. For years I’ve shaken my head in utter disgust at the seemingly irrational dietary advice that appeared to just ignore the evidence. Now in a sudden reversal the AND has submitted official comments to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommending that all restrictions on saturated fat be removed.
Yes!! That is right according to the AND and the official position of dieticians is that there is NO evidence that saturated fat is bad for your heart health. In fact, here is what they say:
It is also noteworthy that not a single study included in the review for cardiovascular disease is reported to have identified saturated fat as having an unfavorable association with cardiovascular disease
This is a big step significantly reversing previous positions. I would note that it also seems that the AND has increase their focus on reducing added sugars and overtly called for the reduction of dietary carbs (although they still recommend their replacement with polyunsatured fats which I disagree with).
I have long held very critical views of the AND feeling that they inappropriately grabbed control of establishing key elements of public nutrition policy and did a terrible job of actually establishing true evidence based policy. But I think maybe now I need to revise my stance. Maybe they are actually stepping up to do the job in a way that is competent and in the best interests of us as americans and PWD.
Brian - I am encouraged about this news. I have been critical about AND and their stance regarding eating a huge percentage of total daily calories as carbs, even for people with diabetes. They had to correct their organizational position in light of current science. One thing they should look at, however, is their very slow response in changing their position. This lack of agility has harmed many people. I’m happy to read your report. I will follow your links and read the Guidelines myself.
I think this is excellent news. Now, the trick will be to GET THE WORD OUT THERE since wrong dietary information has been promoted for so long, and is so ingrained in people’s minds.
Having t1d since 1936 I grew up eating a very strict balanced meal& healthy food in France
I still more or less eat the same way With a couple of exceptions since I am now on pump
Counting carbs is so much better
I have know for some time that fats were very important in a diet. Especially those of us dealing with LADA. A great book on the subject is called “The Paleo Approach”. It’s gets into the inner workings of autoimmune disease. And how certain foods can trigger an autoimmune response. The book recommends grass feed fats and meats. So that’s what I buy free range fats and meat. I’m also dealing with a number of other autoimmune diseases. So I try to avoid meats and fat that chemicals, pesticides and endo-disrupters.
A little update on my situation. After 6 years my body still produces some insulin. My last A1C was 5.5. I have reduced by insulin use by at least 50%. The days that I do need it I’ll take three to ten units.
I’m able to control my blood sugar a good amount of the time. By watching my carbs(very low) and eating moderate amounts of fat and protein. I do start my morning with a Whey protein, avocado, 1/4 cup of mixed berries, almond milk and coconut milk drink… After the drink, if my blood sugar remains under 140 I take no insulin. However If you use Whey Protein please be careful. Whey contains a lot of insulin like milk. It can actually make you insulin resistant. I did stop taken levemir almost 4 months ago. It doesn’t seem to affect my blood sugar levels. I also like to get out each day and exercise. Walking in nature or riding a bike is good for the body, mind and spirit.
Last time I went to see my endo. His assistant said I have such good control of my LADA. She thought I might not need to see my Endo. in the future. : )
This makes me very happy to hear. I have been quite disgusted myself with the dietary recommendations and guidelines (darn food pyramid and plate method) we have been held to as diabetes educators for so many years. Low fat, high carb… it’s bad advice like this that has actually contributed to , if not solely caused) the growing diabetes epidemic. I switched to a paleo diet years ago for personal reasons and I never looked back. This is a step in the right direction but I have a feeling we have a long way before dietitians actually incorporate this into their education and the guidelines change. we have done a great job of scaring people to death of fat and it is so ingrained in educator’s heads that we wont see this practiced for a while.
I will post a link article for you to read about it.
“Nevertheless, we believe that whey protein can have some potential adverse effects, because it greatly elevates insulinemia – although it can be therapeutic for diabetics in the short term. We suspect that whey protein could be detrimental long term, as hyperinsulinemia can down-regulate the insulin receptor and lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance underlies the Metabolic Syndrome, and is implicated in various other diseases, such as Acne, Alzheimer, various cancers, Coronary Heart Disease, Myopia, PCOS, etc.).”
If you read the studies it has been known for decades that protein generates an insulin response that far outweighs it’s carb content and even if you factor in the fact that half the protein converts to blood glucose (through gluconeogenesis) it still doesn’t jibe. A [1997 paper][1] found that protein elicited an insulin response that was “disproportionately higher than their glycemic responses.” Dr. Jason Fung highlights some of this in his [recent discussion of insulin index][2]. He also shows a chart of the insulin response of various foods as shown below. It is quite surprising to see protein rich foods create such a high insulin response.
In practice protein rich meals can cause an odd set of signals generating a rise in glucagon and a liver dump of glucose which will be offset by insulin. I don’t know that this has anything to do with whey and I don’t know whether it is “bad.” Just that this insulin response to protein has been known for quite some time.
[1]: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/66/5/1264.full.pdf
[2]: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/insulin-index/
What I think I get after reading both of your posts, @Brian_BSC and @natureboyron, is that milk, whey and protein elevate insulinemia or the insulin response in those who still have an insulin response available to them. However, whey, milk and protein do not contain insulin, right?
Reading more of the report, I don’t understand it to say that eating more meat is recommended. It says:
The Academy encourages HHS and USDA to clarify an aspect of the Scientific Report’s recommendations related to dietary patterns that has received significant attention, specifically the DGAC recommendation that “the U.S. population should be encouraged and guided to consume dietary patterns that are rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood, legumes, and nuts; moderate in low- and non-fat dairy products and alcohol (among adults); lower in red and processed meat; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages and refined grains.” The Academy did not interpret that recommendation as impugning the healthfulness of red meat or its place in recommended meal patterns as a protein and a source of important shortfall nutrients, such as iron. When simply looking at the broad category of protein, intakes “(as grams/day) are adequate across the population and protein is not a shortfall nutrient.” However, when looking specifically at various sources of proteins, there is a difference in adequate intake, because animal proteins comprise a larger-than-recommended share of the overall nutrient consumed. (my emphasis)
First off, how odd that in a list of recommended foods, ordered by descending amounts, alcohol figures above red and processed meat. But more importantly… I understand this to say that the recommendation about relative amounts of food groups consumed in the American diet should not only specify “lower in red and processed meat” in relation to other food groups, but lower than we currently eat, as a population. Do others read it differently?
It goes on to say:
“the DGAC recommendation is consistent with existing USDA Food Patterns suggesting (a) that red meat consumption exceeds recommendations for most subgroups and (b) that a greater share of recommended protein consumption should be met by seafood, legumes, and nuts.”
When we discuss the healthfulness of cholesterol and saturated fats we’re basically talking about red and processed meats, right? So it seems that even if there is great evidence that cholesterol and saturated fats are not the health hazards we were all raised to think, the average American diet still contains a larger-than-recommended amount of those foods.
