I have been lurking here for a little while, reading the debate between those advocating a
"low-fat" vs. those advocating a "low-carb" diet. It will help if I had some definitions.

How low-fat is the low fat diet being advocated? There is a big difference between a 10% fat
diet vs. a 30% fat diet. The former is much more restrictive than the latter.

Similarly, how low carb is the low carb diet? And since you are advocating eating a low
percentage of calories from carbs, then what is the percentage of fat vs. protein being
advocated?

And more importantly, what kind of fats are being said should be eaten? Again, there is a big
difference between sat and trans fat vs. mono and polyunsaturated fats. Similarly, what kind of
carbs are being referred to? Again, there is a big difference between carbs in the form of white
sugar and refined flour and other refined grains vs. carbs from whole grains and fruits and
vegetables.

My point being, I would guess both sides are closer than they think. I would guess, and I  am
sure I will be corrected if I am wrong, that both sides agree that a diet high in refined sugar and
refined grains is not healthy. Similarly, I would assume both sides would agree that a diet high
in sat and trans fat is not healthy. And finally, I would hope even the low carb folks are not
saying people should not be eating fruits and vegetables.

So both sides are saying don't eat a lot of refined sugar, refined grains, sat and trans fat, and
do eat fruits and vegetables. This is important as the Standard American Diet (which has the
fitting acronym of SAD) is exactly the opposite. It is very high in the former and low in the latter.
And it is the SAD that I assume both sides would agree is a very big health problem.

     ><> Reepicheep <><

between a 10% fat > diet vs. a 30% fat diet. The former is much more
restrictive than the latter.

(I've spent FAR too much time investigating this stuff, so I'll try to
answer... though I realize your questions were mostly rhetorical.)

The American Heart Association's Dietary Guidelines say 30% of calories from
fat, and that they see no benefit in going below 20%.  Dr. Ornish's plan was
10% fat (and vegetarian).  So, low-fat is somewhere in that 10%-30% range.
You can't eat a typical Western diet and stay under 30%.  You have to get
pretty creative to manage 10%

Basically, as many carbohydrates as you can tolerate and achieve the result
you want - which could be weight-loss, improvement of {*filter*} lipids, or
stability of {*filter*}-sugar.

(If I recall correctly...) Atkins-style "Induction" phase is typically 20
grams of carbohydrates a day, or less.  This lasts 2 weeks.  Then you re-add
carbohydrates until you have a negative result, then back off to your
tolerable level.

Again, there is a big > difference between sat and trans fat vs. mono and
polyunsaturated fats.

Low-carb: doesn't matter.  (Though most sensible people would avoid
hydrogenated fats.)
Low-fat: AHA says 8-10% saturated, 10% polyunsaturated, 15% monounsaturated

carbs in the form of
whole grains and fruits

Low-carb: not explicitly.  But most people given the choice between one
candy  -or- a salad + some fiber crackers + some nuts, are going to choose
the latter.  Candy is a waste of the 'carb allotment'.

Low-fat: AHA says emphasis should be on 'complex carbohydrates' but does not
specify how refined or unrefined those are.  They reccoment 5+ servings of
fruit or vegetables a day.

There is some agreement, but there is a *big* fundamental disagreement:
should the major source of fuel for normal body functions come primarily
from fat or from carbohydrate?

True.

Trans fat is bad, of course.  However, some low-carbohydrate proponents say
that saturated fat has never been shown to be dangerous, except in the
presence of excess insulin.  This theory hasn't been that well tested yet
that I can see.

Low-carb is usually pretty high-vegetable.  (Gets boring otherwise, I
suppose.)  Fruit- maybe.   Depends on how people tolerate it.  Usually
berries are preferred.

sat and trans fat, and
former and low in the latter.
health problem.

This is why people get so passionate about their diets.  Almost any
conscious choice-making is an improvement.  They feel better and they think
they have found *The Way To Eat.*

Wow.  A mouse that not only talks, but also uses Usenet.  I'm impressed. :)

-Laurel

so forget about the perfect ratio and focus on eating healthy foods like
mentioned above.

        alex (temporarily high-carber)

btw.: in my view low-fat would be 10-20% energy from fat.

I believe the DASH diet is a reasonable low fat diet. If it's good
enough for Hypertensives it should be good enough for anybody, that
doesn't have specific health problem.

...and 65-67% transfat?

        alex

The figures she gave are percentages of *total calories*, not
percentages of total fat.
Their total is 33-35% fat of total calories which is the current
American Heart Association recommendation and definition of 'low fat'.

--Tom
Tom Matthews

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It should be as near 0% as possible. The rest is from carbohydrates and
proteins
---------------------------------
All text is my opinion.
Alf Christophersen, UiO
Tel. +47 22 85 13 27, Fax: 22 85 15 32
URL: http://www.uio.no/~achristo