I’m intrigued by all things health, which is one of the reasons I bought Gary Taubes latest book Why We Get Fat. A follow up to his New York Times best seller Good Calories, Bad Calories, Taubes argues that certain kinds of carbohydrates – sugar and particularly fructose, not fats or excess calories – have been the cause of the current obesity epidemic. Much of it has to do with the hormone insulin.
A science writer whose books have dealt with scientific controversies, Taubes (visit his blog) has also written extensively for Discover, Science and other magazines. Certainly paradigm shattering, in Why We Get Fat, Taubes examines how bad nutritional science, including the “calories-in, calories-out” model has been detrimental to our health. Why are some people thin and others fat? Does exercise really help keep us slim? What should we eat?
Taubes reviews the scientific literature as opposed to what the ‘experts’ say, and questions conventionally held beliefs regarding weight, health and nutrition:
- Do we get fat because we eat too much?
- Will exercise keep us slim?
- Is a balanced diet of lean meats, good fats, and complex carbohydrates like fruit, vegetables and whole grains the key to staying lean?
The couch potato in me loves his stance on exercise – although it’s good for us for a variety of reasons, weight control isn’t one of them. Exercise just makes us hungrier and more tired, not leaner and more fit…
Why We Get Fat concludes with a simple eating plan. I peeked. Alas, not a chocolate croissant in sight.
