| Q: Can low-fat foods cause weight gain and diabetes ?
A: Yes |  |
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Unintended Consequence
To the founder the unintended consequence of public guidance to lower fat in the diet was an epidemic of obesity and diabetes. The correlation of this epidemic in time with the birth of "low-fat" food products is not just a coincidence, it is mathematically predictable.
To understand this prediction Color My Data introduces the following hypotheses.
Bear in mind that a hypothesis is not a fact.
A hypothesis explains a principle operating in nature and implies insufficient evidence to provide more than a tentative explanation.
A hypothesis can be proved or disproved by conducting a scientific experiment.
Metabolic Syndrome Hypothesis
The root cause of metabolic syndrome is a nutritional imbalance caused by replacing fat and protein with carbohydrates deficient in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and micronutrients. Secondarily, lowering fat exacerbates a deficiency of the omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Fiber Hypothesis
Fiber is not absorbed into the bloodstream.
Foods containing carbohydrate with the highest percentage of fiber should therefore have a moderating effect on glycemic load and by consequence insulin response.
By coincidence, the naturally occurring sources of high fiber foods are also the richest in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and micronutrients.
Therefore, elevating the percentage of naturally occurring fiber is the most important step in restoring nutritional balance.
Insulin Response Hypothesis
When you go to a buffet or party, take a moment to notice the foods that people, especially children revisit.
They include pasta, rice, pastries, bread, muffins, potatoes, chips, crackers, cookies, candies, cakes, dried fruit, juices, soft drinks and dairy desserts.
At the same time notice the foods these same people eat once, if at all: avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, artichokes, berries, oranges, grapefruit etc.
Now ask the question, why do people crave some carbohydrates and not all carbohydrates ?
The Insulin Response hypothesis proposes the following answer:
Foods that Elevate the Insulin Response Trigger Compulsive Eating
A high carb:fiber ratio triggers compulsive eating by elevating the insulin response
A low carb:fiber ratio suppresses compulsive eating by moderating the insulin response
What the pasta, rice, pastries, etc. have in common is not sugar; it is the high ratio (> 8:1) of carbohydrate to fiber. These foods may trigger compulsive eating and require strict portion control.
What the broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc. have in common is a low ratio (< 4:1) of carbohydrate to fiber.
Color My Data defines these foods as essential carbohydrates that belong in a healthy diet.
A ratio of carbohydrate to fiber between 4:1 and 8:1 is neutral and is common for fruits such as apples and pears and a few whole grains. These foods should be eaten in moderation.
Macronutrient Math
There are four macronutrients: carbohydrate, alcohol, protein and fat. All energy (calories) comes from one of these four sources. When gathering data on foods containing protein, the founder noticed something unusual. Whereas many carbohydrates have negligible fat, virtually all naturally occurring sources of protein come with some fat. Therefore, if you lower the amount of fat in the diet, protein may go down as well. The percentage of energy from carbohydrate has nowhere to go except up.
Substitution of Carbohydrate for Fat and Protein
When carbohydrate is substituted for fat and protein, the all important question is how does this affect the insulin response? If the ratio of carbohydrate to fiber goes up, so will the glycemic index. A higher glycemic index and a larger percentage of calories from carbohydrate mean a larger glycemic load and an elevated insulin response.
The elevated insulin response triggers compulsive overeating.
This further elevates glycemic load and its consequent insulin response.
The body responds by storing the excess energy as fat.
Over time the body develops insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
The Link To Heart Disease
The presence of cholesterol is an indirect measure of the body's inflammatory response to free radicals.
High cholesterol is therefore a messenger telling us that the body is having difficulty eliminating free radicals.
Since the omega-3 essential fatty-acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and micronutrients all protect against free radicals, it follows that dietary deficiencies caused by the nutritional imbalance should elevate the risk factors for heart disease. Restoring balance should therefore have the effect of lowering the risk factors of heart disease such as cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.