This week, we summarize the top five news articles and studies in the low-carb realm, plus the wall of shame.
- Stanford Medicine announces results of a stunning new study showing diabetic-level blood sugar excursions in healthy volunteers. The study utilized CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) technology to document post-meal blood sugar levels. Senior author, Dr. Michael Snyder, explains: "We saw that some folks who think they're healthy actually are misregulating glucose - sometimes at the same severity of people with diabetes - and they have no idea... We saw that 80 percent of our participants spiked after eating a bowl of cornflakes and milk. Make of that what you will, but my own personal belief is it's probably not such a great thing for everyone to be eating."
- New York Times reporter Anahad O'Connor takes a look at time restricted feeding, also known as intermittent fasting. His piece, "When We Eat, or Don't Eat, May Be Critical for Health," explores the growing body of research that suggests we experience better health when we align our eating patterns with our circadian clocks. Hint: no more bedtime snacks.
- Nippon reports that a survey conducted by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare found record levels of diabetes. Among Japanese adults, 16.1% of men and 9.3% of women have diabetes. Note that the article incorrectly states, "Once a person has contracted diabetes there is no cure." Experts now believe that for many patients with T2D, carbohydrate restriction can resolve their condition.
- Investigative journalist Dr. Maryanne Demasi reports on the cereal industry's bad behavior. Internal Australian Breakfast Cereal Manufacturers Forum documents reveal organized attempts to co-opt media influencers in order to feed them industry-friendly science, as well as deliberate targeting of expert opponents.
- Say hello to Lp(a) - a blood marker for CVD risk that too few people (including doctors) understand, but should, as it's far more predictive of heart disease risk than a basic cholesterol profile. An approachable deep dive (75 minute podcast) just dropped from Dr. Peter Attia. Or, for something shorter, the NYT provides the gist in this January 2018 piece.
Wall of shame
- A government sponsored weight loss initiative in Dubai offers Emirates gold in exchange for shedding body weight. Yes, actually. Exchange rate is 1 g (Au) per kilogram lost.
- General Mills settles deceptive marketing lawsuit, agreeing to remove the 4 g protein from half a cup of milk (not in box, obviously) from the "11 g protein/serving" now prominently displayed on front of the Cheerios box. Lesson: cereal is a poor source of protein, even when they cheat and include the milk.
- How Snapple, a drink made of "water, SUGAR [45g/16oz for kiwi strawberry], citric acid, and fruit and/or vegetable concentrate," captured the imagination of those turning away from soda in the early 90s: Deliberate rebel marketing. "Our ad agency's plan was to make it look like Snapple had no ad agency."
- Only in LA... a pop-up interactive museum, Cheat Day Land. What to expect? Twelve cheat meal-themed rooms like a donut gym with pastry dumbbells, and an area to try on a hamburger dress.
- The New York Times opinion piece, How to Get America on the Mediteranean Diet, conflates correlation with causation while regurgitating platitudes about the connections between diet, health and environmental sustainability.
Want more?
Zero carb (almost exclusively animal fat/protein) diets hit the mainstream press with this feature article in The New York Post. The cardiologist interviewed frets about LDL, but the "carnivores" report feeling amazing...
Tune in next week!
About
This news gathering is from our collaborator Jennifer Calihan, who also blogs at Eat the Butter. Feel free to check out the keto meal-idea-generator on her site.
