This was the week when everything we thought we knew about eating and drinking healthily was turned on its head. First, a new study in the British Medical Journal showed that – after all we have been told to the contrary – saturated fat is good for you.
It turns out that most people who eat butter, milk, cream and full-fat yoghurts generally have better heart health, less risk of Type 2 diabetes, and are slimmer than those who eat fat-free.
It seems that there is a connection between our 30-year war on saturated fat and our terrifying obesity epidemic.
Now experts are saying instead that carbohydrates are the real killer.
Later in the week, the journal published another paper suggesting that the benefits of drinking wine have been overstated. So what can we safely eat these days? Here, the experts give their “definitive” verdict...
Butter
WHAT the line was: Avoid butter at all costs and replace with low-fat polyunsaturated spreads.
What we now know: Butter can be good for you in small amounts.
Milk
WHAT the line was: Better to drink semi-skimmed or skimmed.
What we now know: Full-fat milk contains healthy fats and is just as good for you – if not better than – reduced-fat versions.
Recommended amount: Up to half a pint of full-fat milk a day.
Eggs
WHAT the line was: Eggs are full of cholesterol and you should limit your intake.
What we now know: Eggs are good for you and have no link to health problems.
Recommended amount: You can eat eggs three or four times a week.
Olive oil
WHAT the line was: Olive oil is a wonder-ingredient that is key to better health.
What we now know: Olive oil is fine on salads but is carcinogenic when heated and should not be used for frying. Rather fry with rapeseed oil, which has similar nutritional benefits but a higher smoke point.
Recommended amount: A tablespoon a day.
Superfoods
WHAT the line was: There is no such thing as a superfood.
What the line is now: There has been much debate over how to define a “superfood” but it is now clear that certain foods – mostly fruits and vegetables – are extraordinarily nutrient-dense. Watercress, beetroot and spinach are on this list.
Recommended amount: As much as you like.
Carbohydrates
WHAT the line was: Carbohydrates should make up 50% of your food intake.
What the line is now: Brown carbohydrates are good, but white are deadly. White spaghetti, bread and rice are not our friends. Once they hit the bloodstream, they convert into pure sugar, and this puts us at risk of obesity, heart problems, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Plus, the fibre and minerals have been stripped from white carbohydrates.
Recommended amount: Wholegrain carbohydrates should make up 50% of your food.
Processed meat
WHAT the line was: Fine in moderation.
What the line is now: There are strong links between processed meat and the risk of heart attacks, bowel cancer and strokes. This includes bacon, sausages, Parma ham, ham and salami, which are high in salt.
Recommended amount: A couple of times a week if you really have to – but no more.
Wine
WHAT the line was: A small amount, particularly of red wine, is good for the heart.
What we now know: The benefits of drinking have been over-stated. There has been a lot of conflicting research. For post-menopausal women red wine makes the blood less sticky so lowers the risk of heart disease. In younger women, however, there is an indisputable connection between levels of alcohol intake and breast cancer.”
Recommended amount: A small glass of red a day is probably fine, with a couple of days off a week.
Red meat
WHAT the line was: It’s bad for you.
What the line is now: Red meat from grass-fed animals can be good for you.
Recommended amount: 100g three or four times a week is fine.
Yogurt
WHAT the line was: Stick to low-fat.
What the line is now: Full-fat is likely to cut your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and is associated with effective weight loss in a way that eating low-fat yogurt isn’t. Low-fat yogurts are high in sugar.
Also, losing the fat means losing the fat-soluble vitamins and finally the yogurt becomes less filling so you eat more later.
Recommended amount: Switch to full-fat and eat it regularly if you like.
Fruit juice
WHAT the line was: Fruit juice is good for you.
What we now know: Many commercial fruit juices contain unhealthy amounts of sugar – the equivalent of 10 teaspoons per glassful – and get rid of the fibre, which is the good stuff. It also doesn’t affect your appetite so you don’t eat any less.
Recommended amount: Making your own is better but it’s a treat, not a health drink.
Bread
WHAT the line was: Bread is good for you.
What the line is now: Only wholegrain breads are good for you. They key thing with bread is to always make sure you are eating bread made from wholemeal flour.
White flour will just convert to sugar the minute it hits your bloodstream.
Just because bread is covered in seeds doesn’t mean it has been made from wholemeal flour. Lots of healthy-looking artisan breads are made with white flour, so always read the label. There’s no difference in terms of nutrition if you buy sliced bread.
Recommended amount: Two to four slices a day is fine.
Caffeine
WHAT the line was: Up to six cups of coffee or tea a day is fine.
What we now know: Many of us punctuate our day with cups of coffee or tea, and caffeine has long been associated with increased wakefulness, yet caffeine is now thought to come with health risks.
Caffeine is highly addictive, bad for blood pressure and has been linked to heart disease.
Recommended amount: Up to two cups of coffee or four cups of tea a day – no more.
Dark chocolate
WHAT the line was: Chocolate is bad for you.
What we now know: Dark chocolate is good for the heart. Research now conclusively shows a link to eating small amounts of dark chocolate and lowered blood pressure. But don’t kid yourself that milk chocolate is good for you. It’s just fat and sugar with very little cocoa in it.
Recommended amount: Two squares of 70% cocoa dark chocolate a day. — The Sunday Telegraph
New light on healthy food and losing weight
It turns out that most people who eat butter, milk, cream and full-fat yoghurts generally have better heart health, less risk of Type 2 diabetes, and are slimmer than those who eat fat-free.
It seems that there is a connection between our 30-year war on saturated fat and our terrifying obesity epidemic.
Now experts are saying instead that carbohydrates are the real killer.
Later in the week, the journal published another paper suggesting that the benefits of drinking wine have been overstated. So what can we safely eat these days? Here, the experts give their “definitive” verdict...
Butter
WHAT the line was: Avoid butter at all costs and replace with low-fat polyunsaturated spreads.
What we now know: Butter can be good for you in small amounts.
Milk
WHAT the line was: Better to drink semi-skimmed or skimmed.
What we now know: Full-fat milk contains healthy fats and is just as good for you – if not better than – reduced-fat versions.
Recommended amount: Up to half a pint of full-fat milk a day.
Eggs
WHAT the line was: Eggs are full of cholesterol and you should limit your intake.
What we now know: Eggs are good for you and have no link to health problems.
Recommended amount: You can eat eggs three or four times a week.
Olive oil
WHAT the line was: Olive oil is a wonder-ingredient that is key to better health.
What we now know: Olive oil is fine on salads but is carcinogenic when heated and should not be used for frying. Rather fry with rapeseed oil, which has similar nutritional benefits but a higher smoke point.
Recommended amount: A tablespoon a day.
Superfoods
WHAT the line was: There is no such thing as a superfood.
What the line is now: There has been much debate over how to define a “superfood” but it is now clear that certain foods – mostly fruits and vegetables – are extraordinarily nutrient-dense. Watercress, beetroot and spinach are on this list.
Recommended amount: As much as you like.
Carbohydrates
WHAT the line was: Carbohydrates should make up 50% of your food intake.
What the line is now: Brown carbohydrates are good, but white are deadly. White spaghetti, bread and rice are not our friends. Once they hit the bloodstream, they convert into pure sugar, and this puts us at risk of obesity, heart problems, Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Plus, the fibre and minerals have been stripped from white carbohydrates.
Recommended amount: Wholegrain carbohydrates should make up 50% of your food.
Processed meat
WHAT the line was: Fine in moderation.
What the line is now: There are strong links between processed meat and the risk of heart attacks, bowel cancer and strokes. This includes bacon, sausages, Parma ham, ham and salami, which are high in salt.
Recommended amount: A couple of times a week if you really have to – but no more.
Wine
WHAT the line was: A small amount, particularly of red wine, is good for the heart.
What we now know: The benefits of drinking have been over-stated. There has been a lot of conflicting research. For post-menopausal women red wine makes the blood less sticky so lowers the risk of heart disease. In younger women, however, there is an indisputable connection between levels of alcohol intake and breast cancer.”
Recommended amount: A small glass of red a day is probably fine, with a couple of days off a week.
Red meat
WHAT the line was: It’s bad for you.
What the line is now: Red meat from grass-fed animals can be good for you.
Recommended amount: 100g three or four times a week is fine.
Yogurt
WHAT the line was: Stick to low-fat.
What the line is now: Full-fat is likely to cut your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and is associated with effective weight loss in a way that eating low-fat yogurt isn’t. Low-fat yogurts are high in sugar.
Also, losing the fat means losing the fat-soluble vitamins and finally the yogurt becomes less filling so you eat more later.
Recommended amount: Switch to full-fat and eat it regularly if you like.
Fruit juice
WHAT the line was: Fruit juice is good for you.
What we now know: Many commercial fruit juices contain unhealthy amounts of sugar – the equivalent of 10 teaspoons per glassful – and get rid of the fibre, which is the good stuff. It also doesn’t affect your appetite so you don’t eat any less.
Recommended amount: Making your own is better but it’s a treat, not a health drink.
Bread
WHAT the line was: Bread is good for you.
What the line is now: Only wholegrain breads are good for you. They key thing with bread is to always make sure you are eating bread made from wholemeal flour.
White flour will just convert to sugar the minute it hits your bloodstream.
Just because bread is covered in seeds doesn’t mean it has been made from wholemeal flour. Lots of healthy-looking artisan breads are made with white flour, so always read the label. There’s no difference in terms of nutrition if you buy sliced bread.
Recommended amount: Two to four slices a day is fine.
Caffeine
WHAT the line was: Up to six cups of coffee or tea a day is fine.
What we now know: Many of us punctuate our day with cups of coffee or tea, and caffeine has long been associated with increased wakefulness, yet caffeine is now thought to come with health risks.
Caffeine is highly addictive, bad for blood pressure and has been linked to heart disease.
Recommended amount: Up to two cups of coffee or four cups of tea a day – no more.
Dark chocolate
WHAT the line was: Chocolate is bad for you.
What we now know: Dark chocolate is good for the heart. Research now conclusively shows a link to eating small amounts of dark chocolate and lowered blood pressure. But don’t kid yourself that milk chocolate is good for you. It’s just fat and sugar with very little cocoa in it.
Recommended amount: Two squares of 70% cocoa dark chocolate a day. — The Sunday Telegraph
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