Why is eating healthy so confusing to me?

[Quiver0f10]

I am looking for information on eating healthy fats and a low(er) carb diet. This is hard for me because I have always eaten a low fat, carb heavy diet( plant based diet with no added fats). I lost a lot of weight eating this way, but I went back to eating junk and gained most of it back.

 

I have macular degeneration and from what I have read omega 3s are being studied for the prevention of MD. According to various studies red meat and saturated fat are believed to be linked to a higher risk of MD. Today I read that a low GI diet can lower the risk.

 

I am confused what exactly I should be eating. One site says coconut oil is good for you. The next says it can up the risk for MD. Red meat can up your risk, but then I see people posting about the primal diet ,or one like it, as a healtny way to eat and I am confused even more.

 

When I ate a starch based, low fat diet I felt great and all my numbers were great ie: cholesterol, sugar, BP, weight etc. yet, everywhere I turn I read that carbs are evil.

 

Right now, I am leaning towards a lower carb diet with lots of fish and poultry, legumes, good fats, fruits, veggies and nuts/seeds. But I'd like to read a book or web site that can back this type of eating with scientific evidence.

 

Any suggestions?

[AdventureMoms]

I'd start with Gary Taubes' "Why We Get Fat". It is well researched and informative.

[justLisa]

I LOVE Michael Pollan: "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

 

I don't like diets that are all this and none of that. Eat real food, the way it comes out of the ground or grows on trees. I really enjoyed In Defense of Food, and Omnivores Dilemma.

 

I try not to over analyze and read about diets. For me it's just not eating too much, and getting exercise.

[LaxMom]

I LOVE Michael Pollan: "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."

 

I don't like diets that are all this and none of that. Eat real food, the way it comes out of the ground or grows on trees. I really enjoyed In Defense of Food, and Omnivores Dilemma.

 

I try not to over analyze and read about diets. For me it's just not eating too much, and getting exercise.

 

That is exactly my feeling as well. Eat real food, in quantities and combinations that please you. Try to skew it or add supplements that may benefit the MD.

[littlebug42]

Every one has a different opinion of what is healthy. I read once an article about someone that says he doesn't eat anything his grandmother wouldn't recognize. If you have something that works for you, then I would stick with it.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you for the book suggestions and information.

[Parrothead]

I recommend Eat To Live. It is heavily footnoted.

[Denisemomof4]

I recommend Eat To Live. It is heavily footnoted.

 

i am personally a fan of that, but there a million experts with a million opinions backed by a million scientific studies. I have learned to listen to my body and eaat accordingly. For me, that is low carb, mostly vegan..... With the mostly becoming mainly lately. You may find you feel better eating differently.

 

No matter the study, Whole grains and not refined is always best.

 

You need to find a way of eating you can stick with or else your weightloss efforts will be futile. And with a large family, it will be extremely difficult to do it alone.

[LaxMom]

Every one has a different opinion of what is healthy. I read once an article about someone that says he doesn't eat anything his grandmother wouldn't recognize. If you have something that works for you, then I would stick with it.

 

That's Michael Pollan. He uses a loaf of bread as an example. Your grandmother would recognize wheat flour, yeast, salt, maybe some fat. In comparison, a loaf of Sara Lee "Classic" white:

Flour Enriched (Wheat Flour, Barley Malted Flour, Niacin, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)), Water, Corn Syrup High Fructose, Yeast, Butter Salted, Contains 2% or less of the Following: ( Salt Wheat Gluten, Whey, Beta Carotene, Flavor(s) Natural Butter, Vinegar, Soybean(s) and/or Cottonseed Oil, Honey, Soy Lecithin, Yeast Nutrients (Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulphate (Sulfate), Ammonium Sulfate), Corn Starch, Dough Conditioner(s) (Contains One Or More Of The Following : Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate Mono and Diglycerides), Guar Gum, Calcium Propionate (Preservative)

I doubt anyone, from any culture or generation, would look at that and discern it to be bread.

[Unicorn.]

I agree w/ Denise, in that you need to listen to your body. Dh does better on a high carb/lower fat diet. I do much better on a high protein, low carb diet. Everybody is different, and while all of these experts and books may be right, they are also wrong. Just depends on the person. If high carb/low fat works for you, then stick w/ it. It doesn't mean you can't add in Omega 3's. Look at chia seeds- they might be an option for you.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you all. I put a few of the recommended books on hold at my library.

[AdventureMoms]

Every one has a different opinion of what is healthy. I read once an article about someone that says he doesn't eat anything his grandmother wouldn't recognize. If you have something that works for you, then I would stick with it.

 

If I ate like that I'd have to avoid all foreign food, drink gallons of milk, and eat a lot of terrible for you foods (lots of jello, only canned veggies, saltine crackers as a dietary mainstay, etc). Not everyone's grandma ate healthy. :-D All 4 of my grandparents died of conditions that were probably diet related, so I might be better to only eat things my grandparents wouldn't recognize.