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The Low-Carb Fraud
By now, the low-carb diet's refrain is a familiar one: Bread is bad for you. Fat doesn't matter. Carbs are the real reason you can't lose weight.
The low-carb universe Dr. Atkins brought into being continues to expand. Low-carb diets, from South Beach to The Zone and beyond, are still the go-to method for weight loss for millions. These diets' marketing may differ, but they all share two crucial components: the condemnation of carbs and an emphasis on meat and fat for calories. Even the latest diet trend, the Paleo diet, is--despite its increased focus on some whole foods--just another variation on the same carbohydrate fears.
In The Low-Carb Fraud, longtime leader in the nutritional science field T. Colin Campbell outlines where and how the low-carb proponents get it wrong: where the belief came from that carbohydrates are bad and why it persists despite all the evidence to the contrary. The foods we misleadingly refer to as carbs aren't all created equal, and treating them that way has major consequences for our nutritional well-being.
If you're considering a low-carb diet, read this book first. It will change the way you think about what you eat--and how you should be eating to lose weight and optimize your health, now and for the long term.
The low-carb universe Dr. Atkins brought into being continues to expand. Low-carb diets, from South Beach to The Zone and beyond, are still the go-to method for weight loss for millions. These diets' marketing may differ, but they all share two crucial components: the condemnation of carbs and an emphasis on meat and fat for calories. Even the latest diet trend, the Paleo diet, is--despite its increased focus on some whole foods--just another variation on the same carbohydrate fears.
In The Low-Carb Fraud, longtime leader in the nutritional science field T. Colin Campbell outlines where and how the low-carb proponents get it wrong: where the belief came from that carbohydrates are bad and why it persists despite all the evidence to the contrary. The foods we misleadingly refer to as carbs aren't all created equal, and treating them that way has major consequences for our nutritional well-being.
If you're considering a low-carb diet, read this book first. It will change the way you think about what you eat--and how you should be eating to lose weight and optimize your health, now and for the long term.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2013
136 people are currently reading
1006 people want to read
About the author
T. Colin Campbell
51 books580 followersBiochemist who specializes in the effects of nutrition on long-term health. He is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, and the author of over 300 research papers. He was one of the lead scientists in the 1980s of the China-Oxford Cornell study on diet and disease (known as the China Project), set up in 1983 by Cornell University, the University of Oxford, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine to explore the relationship between nutrition and cancer, heart and metabolic diseases. The study was described by The New York Times as "the Grand Prix of epidemiology."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
April 12, 2014
So far this book seems to be written by an angry scientist. The fact that a journalist (Gary Taubes) is getting credit for 'uncovering the greatest diet scam' to date, seems to really push a button for Campbell. I am looking forward to what he provides next....
This book just keeps getting worse. He blames the public for misunderstanding him and his collegues original message. If the whole public has it wrong I don't think they are the problem.
This book just keeps getting worse. He blames the public for misunderstanding him and his collegues original message. If the whole public has it wrong I don't think they are the problem.
August 5, 2016
First of all, I do not think that low-carb diets are healthy just like I do not consider only-plant-based diets suitable for human beings. It‘s true that “health—not just short-term, unsustainable weight loss, but true, lasting, vibrant health—whether it be for individual people, for entire societies, or for the planet, is the goal to which we all should aspire”. And I tend to agree with both T. Colin Campbell and Michael Pollan that blaming one single nutrient for the obesity epidemic or health issues is a wrong approach. However, Campbell promotes the infamous Graham‘s 80/10/10 diet as the healthiest one and here I am inclined to strongly disagree.
This book is rather disappointing. The author provides no evidence for his claims of „disastrous health effects“ of high fat diets. It‘s merely his opinion, yet it‘s claimed to be the fact. The theories and propositions of this book are based on Campbell‘s reputation (and the fame that China study has brought him) and nothing else. Some of the facts are twisted to accommodate author's theories. In the book you will find claims like „evidence from many other studies shows that” yet there are no studies mentioned, and claims following “to my knowledge” yet once again it's not quite clear what he bases his knowledge on.
The author blames Gary Taubes (the author of Good Calories, Bad Calories) for „falsely representing the definition of a low-fat diet as well as its alleged health effects” and I truly hope he sees the irony in his claim as T. Colin Campbell does not even try to get a definition of low-carb diet correct in this book. Campbell contrasts his 80/10/10 vegan diet with animal-based diet but unfortunately, he goes to the extremes and holds that people eating animal protein do not consume any plants, vegetables or fruit at all. I am not even sure how to react to a such clearly wrong notion of a low-carb diet.
Also, it‘s quite disappointing to see a respectable doctor constantly use argumentum ad hominem in this book to undermine the claims of other diets and other authors, but then again the book is intended for the masses who do not question the suitability of PhD title as the main evidence. The author is not immune to using straw man fallacies in his work either.
“[W]hen details are spun into a false narrative to support a diet with unpleasant side effects and serious long-term consequences, it’s time to sound the alarm, loud and clear.” Indeed it is. Unfortunately, Campbell fails to mention the horrible long term effects 80/10/10 diet has on one’s health.
The author believes this book will change your opinion of low-carb diets. The only opinion of mine that it has changed was one of Mr. Campbell.
This book is rather disappointing. The author provides no evidence for his claims of „disastrous health effects“ of high fat diets. It‘s merely his opinion, yet it‘s claimed to be the fact. The theories and propositions of this book are based on Campbell‘s reputation (and the fame that China study has brought him) and nothing else. Some of the facts are twisted to accommodate author's theories. In the book you will find claims like „evidence from many other studies shows that” yet there are no studies mentioned, and claims following “to my knowledge” yet once again it's not quite clear what he bases his knowledge on.
The author blames Gary Taubes (the author of Good Calories, Bad Calories) for „falsely representing the definition of a low-fat diet as well as its alleged health effects” and I truly hope he sees the irony in his claim as T. Colin Campbell does not even try to get a definition of low-carb diet correct in this book. Campbell contrasts his 80/10/10 vegan diet with animal-based diet but unfortunately, he goes to the extremes and holds that people eating animal protein do not consume any plants, vegetables or fruit at all. I am not even sure how to react to a such clearly wrong notion of a low-carb diet.
Also, it‘s quite disappointing to see a respectable doctor constantly use argumentum ad hominem in this book to undermine the claims of other diets and other authors, but then again the book is intended for the masses who do not question the suitability of PhD title as the main evidence. The author is not immune to using straw man fallacies in his work either.
“[W]hen details are spun into a false narrative to support a diet with unpleasant side effects and serious long-term consequences, it’s time to sound the alarm, loud and clear.” Indeed it is. Unfortunately, Campbell fails to mention the horrible long term effects 80/10/10 diet has on one’s health.
The author believes this book will change your opinion of low-carb diets. The only opinion of mine that it has changed was one of Mr. Campbell.
January 30, 2015
T. Colin Campbell's anti-"Paleo" diet screed is a poorly edited, poorly written attempt to promote his own vegan diet.
For reasons unknown, Campbell sees a diet dichotomy between animal protein- and plant protein-based diets. He repeatedly states that the evidence for whole food, plant-based diets is "clear and overwhelming," but just as repeatedly fails to provide any sources for this opinion. He repeatedly demonizes and assails the layperson, as if no one without a PhD or MD could possibly learn organic chemistry or nutrition. He (un?)intentionally confuses various diets, lumping Atkins together with Paleo. He does not discuss fat adiposity or absorption, or high-fat vegetables, or, really, physiology.
Most people with some background on the subject of nutrition or physiology would agree that "whole foods" are better than processed foods, and that vegetables and fiber are important parts of any diet. However, nutrition debates are broader than that; Campbell doesn't seem to want to acknowledge the breadth of studies or the shortcomings in his own China Study. He doesn't address the legions of people who have reversed diabetes with LCHF diets. He's willfully ignorant of the literature. It's a strange, difficult-to-believe, thankfully brief little essay. Skip it.
For reasons unknown, Campbell sees a diet dichotomy between animal protein- and plant protein-based diets. He repeatedly states that the evidence for whole food, plant-based diets is "clear and overwhelming," but just as repeatedly fails to provide any sources for this opinion. He repeatedly demonizes and assails the layperson, as if no one without a PhD or MD could possibly learn organic chemistry or nutrition. He (un?)intentionally confuses various diets, lumping Atkins together with Paleo. He does not discuss fat adiposity or absorption, or high-fat vegetables, or, really, physiology.
Most people with some background on the subject of nutrition or physiology would agree that "whole foods" are better than processed foods, and that vegetables and fiber are important parts of any diet. However, nutrition debates are broader than that; Campbell doesn't seem to want to acknowledge the breadth of studies or the shortcomings in his own China Study. He doesn't address the legions of people who have reversed diabetes with LCHF diets. He's willfully ignorant of the literature. It's a strange, difficult-to-believe, thankfully brief little essay. Skip it.
August 5, 2016
Excellent. A very well reasoned, clearly documented presentation. I was a little disappointed that about 8% of the content was a preview of another book by the author that I have already read. I have read reviews of this book by others critical of the lack of evidence for Campbell's position and have to disagree with those reviewers. I think reading the material referenced in the notes will provide adequate evidence.
November 25, 2020
Hmm. Great message, but not so nice execution. Poorly written, jumps all over and it just reads like an hateful Internet article bashing low-carb diets. Instead of describing why, it's just negative talk. Sigh. Really too bad because Colin Campbell's other books are great, with scientific backup and explanations.
I will definitely forget this one, I don't feel like rereading this salty blog post.
I will definitely forget this one, I don't feel like rereading this salty blog post.
October 31, 2014
A nice (short) review of scientific literature surrounding low-carb, low-fat, and plant-based diets. Should be read after The China Study and Whole.
December 18, 2015
The Low-Carb Fraud sounds like an angry scientist's rant and indeed it really is. But with a good reason. Years and years of research that this man did came only with a fragment of media hype that low-carb proponents get, that's probably enough to unnerve anyone. Especially, when you think (Campbell would use the word 'know') they're completely wrong. To be fair, the language he uses to attack Taubes and others gives that special flavour to this book. One you don't often get to read from distinguished scientists.
His reasoning is sound. His arguments, though at times lacking, are mostly supported with references. And what he says actually makes sense. As carbohydrate based creatures, I don't see how we could benefit from a low-carb diet. And eating fresh, whole food is always better than eating industrially processed foods. That much is clear.
His attack on paleo diet is a bit shaky though. Instead of emphasizing, as positive, the broader scope of Cordain's study, as opposed to the Lee's 1968 study, and actually including fish in the animal based food category of human fodder (I never understood why people excluded fish from the meat category?), he seems to take them as somewhat negative. And emphasizing critique from Katherine Milton (the assertion that modern day hunter-gatherer societies cannot represent accurately past hunter-gatherer societies) is just hypocritical (on the account that anthropologists and historians constantly view today's tribes as a window to the past). And what's more, it's completely beside the point as it does not negate the findings of the study (which is Campbell's own straw man fallacy he uses to demolish Taubes).
But, nevertheless, this book explicates things that need to be explicated. It highlights the fallacies and wrong-doings of poor science, or rather, misrepresentations and misinterpretations of science, which sadly and quite unnervingly (as evidenced by the author) dominate the mainstream media and, consequently, the viewers opinions. So, in that respect this book, is a really good read and a good recommendation. If only Campbell had toned down advocating his own diet and stuck to exposing 'the low-carb fraud', this book would have been even better. But, on the other hand, people love solutions, which is what Campbell thinks his diet offers.
His reasoning is sound. His arguments, though at times lacking, are mostly supported with references. And what he says actually makes sense. As carbohydrate based creatures, I don't see how we could benefit from a low-carb diet. And eating fresh, whole food is always better than eating industrially processed foods. That much is clear.
His attack on paleo diet is a bit shaky though. Instead of emphasizing, as positive, the broader scope of Cordain's study, as opposed to the Lee's 1968 study, and actually including fish in the animal based food category of human fodder (I never understood why people excluded fish from the meat category?), he seems to take them as somewhat negative. And emphasizing critique from Katherine Milton (the assertion that modern day hunter-gatherer societies cannot represent accurately past hunter-gatherer societies) is just hypocritical (on the account that anthropologists and historians constantly view today's tribes as a window to the past). And what's more, it's completely beside the point as it does not negate the findings of the study (which is Campbell's own straw man fallacy he uses to demolish Taubes).
But, nevertheless, this book explicates things that need to be explicated. It highlights the fallacies and wrong-doings of poor science, or rather, misrepresentations and misinterpretations of science, which sadly and quite unnervingly (as evidenced by the author) dominate the mainstream media and, consequently, the viewers opinions. So, in that respect this book, is a really good read and a good recommendation. If only Campbell had toned down advocating his own diet and stuck to exposing 'the low-carb fraud', this book would have been even better. But, on the other hand, people love solutions, which is what Campbell thinks his diet offers.
March 9, 2014
Eating a healthy diet has always been a challenge, but recently, it's been difficult to even know what is a healthy diet. Eat more meat. No, don't eat meat, eat less fat. Potatoes and pasta are good. No, they're bad. And now we know that our old standby, the food pyramid, was influenced by the meat and dairy industry. So what should we be eating?
One of the more popular diet trends these days is the Paleo Diet, which is really an updated high-protein, low-carb diet, with the majority of calories coming from animal protein. People swear by it, and I can see the rationale that our bodies haven't evolved that much since we lived in caves. But, did cave men have long disease-free lives? I find it hard to believe that eating so much beef and bacon can possibly be good for our hearts or guarantee a cancer-free existence. T. Colin Campbell does a good job of debunking many of the 'facts' behind the science of why these low-carb diets are good for you. What I found most compelling is that each of these fad diets has a HUGE business behind it. The weight loss industry is over $20 billion and everyone wants a slice of that pie.
Although listening to this book, did not completely answer my question of what is a healthy diet, it is essential that we educate ourselves on the science and politics of nutrition today. This book is a great place to start.
Overall I found this audiobook to be concise, very understandable, a good mix of science and practical application, and easy to listen to with a strong narration by Don Hagen. My one regret is that this book is very specific and really only answers the question of why the low-carb diets look appealing but are really harmful, and barely touches on the bigger issue of what we should be eating and why. But I see that Campbell has another book out Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition. Definitely adding that to my listening list!
One of the more popular diet trends these days is the Paleo Diet, which is really an updated high-protein, low-carb diet, with the majority of calories coming from animal protein. People swear by it, and I can see the rationale that our bodies haven't evolved that much since we lived in caves. But, did cave men have long disease-free lives? I find it hard to believe that eating so much beef and bacon can possibly be good for our hearts or guarantee a cancer-free existence. T. Colin Campbell does a good job of debunking many of the 'facts' behind the science of why these low-carb diets are good for you. What I found most compelling is that each of these fad diets has a HUGE business behind it. The weight loss industry is over $20 billion and everyone wants a slice of that pie.
Although listening to this book, did not completely answer my question of what is a healthy diet, it is essential that we educate ourselves on the science and politics of nutrition today. This book is a great place to start.
Overall I found this audiobook to be concise, very understandable, a good mix of science and practical application, and easy to listen to with a strong narration by Don Hagen. My one regret is that this book is very specific and really only answers the question of why the low-carb diets look appealing but are really harmful, and barely touches on the bigger issue of what we should be eating and why. But I see that Campbell has another book out Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition. Definitely adding that to my listening list!
August 4, 2014
LOVED it. Just as Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma was distilled down to Food Rules, The Low-Carb Fraud cuts right to the essentials and delivers irrefutable facts in comprehensive language. I remember reading the Taubes book Campbell refutes for the most of this book, and I think Campbell does a stellar job of presenting the whole picture instead of the slanted one we're used to getting from EVERYWHERE else. If I ever teach a nutrition class, this book will be on the required reading/discussion list!
March 7, 2019
When your life work is bound to a concept, it’s almost impossible to adopt a balanced view of the alternatives. Campbell seems unable or unwilling to recognise a difference between animal-based fats and plant-based fats, lumping them all together, and maintains a consistent assumption that high fat must also include high animal protein - perhaps because he fears the distinction may shake his central idea. Sounded like an old angry scientist trying to keep himself relevant amidst advances in knowledge, and seriously damaging the benefits of his thesis in the process by being so dogmatic.
November 3, 2014
Work read.
Short essay on the merits and downfalls of the low-carb diet, as well as rebuttals against typical arguments against the low-fat diet. If you are interested in this line of nutrition and wish to give some information to a friend or colleague, this short book would give them complete answers to many of their questions and potentially lead them to read further into the subject.
He also includes a brief section on the paleo diet, as well as an excerpt from his book Whole.
Short essay on the merits and downfalls of the low-carb diet, as well as rebuttals against typical arguments against the low-fat diet. If you are interested in this line of nutrition and wish to give some information to a friend or colleague, this short book would give them complete answers to many of their questions and potentially lead them to read further into the subject.
He also includes a brief section on the paleo diet, as well as an excerpt from his book Whole.
July 17, 2018
Campbell is critisizing others for their lack of proof, but proves nothong himself about his own theory. Don’t spoil your time and money with this book. His first aim is to sell more books and the book of his daughter.
July 16, 2017
If you've read Gary Taubes, you should read Colin T. Campbell too. Asap.
September 1, 2014
Guess what? Carbs are good for you.
Campbell says that if you eliminate or limit carbs, you are eliminating or limiting all plant foods, since carbs come exclusively from plants. Study after study (exhaustively annotated) find that the healthiest diet humans can eat is one that is heavy in vegetables (esp. leafy greens), and very light in animal flesh.
Sadly, Campbell didn't find that a diet rich in Entenmann's snack cakes is at all healthy.
This is only 52 pages long, with an appendix and end notes approximately as long. A quick read, but nothing earth-shaking (diet-wise) that common sense wouldn't have told you already.
Campbell says that if you eliminate or limit carbs, you are eliminating or limiting all plant foods, since carbs come exclusively from plants. Study after study (exhaustively annotated) find that the healthiest diet humans can eat is one that is heavy in vegetables (esp. leafy greens), and very light in animal flesh.
Sadly, Campbell didn't find that a diet rich in Entenmann's snack cakes is at all healthy.
This is only 52 pages long, with an appendix and end notes approximately as long. A quick read, but nothing earth-shaking (diet-wise) that common sense wouldn't have told you already.
October 31, 2018
Ancel Keys is a proven fraud who manipulated data to promote his own agenda. The fact that this author lauds him while incriminating others is not only laughable but painful. He has lost all credibility and seems to just focus on ranting and talking in circles.
March 19, 2015
Ah, low carb dieting. If you thought we were rid of this destructive foolishness a decade ago, it seems to be rearing its ugly head once again. Now, it's going by the name "the Paleo Diet," although the infamous Atkins Diet has started to once again creep back into grocery store shelves and 'lifestyle' magazine articles.
It makes sense, if you think about it. While it may be difficult to believe, meat consumption is actually falling in the United States. I'm unsure whether this is because of the rising cost of meat, or the recent flood of meat recalls and embarrassing video of animal abuse at factory farms, or simply there are so many other foods to choose from--with innovative vegan products being released precipitously.
The meat industry is scared. It's no wonder they're pulling strings to get the meat-heavy low-carb diet fad back front-and-center. It's been roughly a decade since the last low-carb bonanza, so omnis are probably forgetting how shitty they felt when they last tried the fad diet. In addition, a new group of consumers who may have been too young to diet the first time around are entering the marketplace.
For people like me, the biggest concern when animal product-heavy diets become a fad is the corresponding spike in the number of animals tortured on factory farms to supply the demand. And torture is the only word for it.
For public health advocates like Campbell, the pressing issue is the human health toll wrecked by eating patterns that dismiss many fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains as poison while holding up bacon and butterfat as the ideal. No matter how much we may like to smugly point at our tiny, stubby incisors, humans are not carnivores and eating like a tiger at the zoo will likely send you on a trip to your nearest cardiac ward.
Anyway, while THE LOW-CARB FRAUD is far drier than the more entertaining Carbophobia: The Scary Truth about America's Low-Carb Craze, it is encouraging to see books like this are getting out the other side of the low carb debate.
It makes sense, if you think about it. While it may be difficult to believe, meat consumption is actually falling in the United States. I'm unsure whether this is because of the rising cost of meat, or the recent flood of meat recalls and embarrassing video of animal abuse at factory farms, or simply there are so many other foods to choose from--with innovative vegan products being released precipitously.
The meat industry is scared. It's no wonder they're pulling strings to get the meat-heavy low-carb diet fad back front-and-center. It's been roughly a decade since the last low-carb bonanza, so omnis are probably forgetting how shitty they felt when they last tried the fad diet. In addition, a new group of consumers who may have been too young to diet the first time around are entering the marketplace.
For people like me, the biggest concern when animal product-heavy diets become a fad is the corresponding spike in the number of animals tortured on factory farms to supply the demand. And torture is the only word for it.
For public health advocates like Campbell, the pressing issue is the human health toll wrecked by eating patterns that dismiss many fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains as poison while holding up bacon and butterfat as the ideal. No matter how much we may like to smugly point at our tiny, stubby incisors, humans are not carnivores and eating like a tiger at the zoo will likely send you on a trip to your nearest cardiac ward.
Anyway, while THE LOW-CARB FRAUD is far drier than the more entertaining Carbophobia: The Scary Truth about America's Low-Carb Craze, it is encouraging to see books like this are getting out the other side of the low carb debate.
December 21, 2017
So I did agree with a few bits of information in this book. I agree that you can’t say a low-fat diet won’t work when nobody is really eating a low fat diet in the first place, I agree that you can’t necessarily use the diet and lifestyle of ancestors past to determine our present diet, and I agree that complex, true whole grains will not have the same poor effect in your body that simple carbs will. What I couldn’t agree with though was his insistence on what seemed to be an almost vegetarian diet. He complained throughout the book that in experimentation they compared a false low-fat diet with the standard American diet so of course there would be benefits. He insisted that they really needed to compare it to the results of a whole foods plant based diet. But what about comparing all those diets to the results of a whole foods diet that included both plants AND meat but stayed in a moderate range of fat, protein, and carbs? I didn’t hear that mentioned at all. What I get from reading all these diet/health books is that you really can’t listen to anyone’s studies because everyone skews them to support what they want the results to be. It seems self experimentation is the only viable source in which to obtain your data. I was on a lower carb (100-150 grams a day) high fat (70-80 grams a day) diet and I kept weight off this way for three years until I had to go off it to get tested for celiac (which I didn’t have). Therefore I can’t agree with the author that weight loss can’t be kept off this way. My cholesterol was high when eating an almost vegan diet but dropped to a good level when eating more paleo (lots of animal products) but no refined sugar. Because of this I can’t believe the author when he states that high animal diets increase cholesterol. I’ve tried both paleo and vegetarian diets and I’ve learned that I can’t live on a low carb diet, but I can’t live on a meat free diet either. Seriously, I’ve come to the conclusion that a moderate diet is best. It’s time to stop following these crazy diet fads and eat more natural, whole foods.
October 20, 2021
Was really looking forward to this one. I always try to stay radically open minded and even on purpose try to expose myself to beliefs contradictory to mine, to learn and grow. In the end only religious fanatics, and apparently, politicians, never change their minds. There's also a lot of scammers, as well as corporations trying to monetize current trends (case in point: Woke Culture). Truth to be told, most keto, paleo and low carb diets guess the way ancestors diets look like in an archeological way, and no longterm studies of health impact have been released yet. On top of it, the famous "China study" guy wrote this book so I was looking forward for some Data porn. Got sort of disappointed by it. Title is some kind of a clickbait, while content of the book is much less dramatic or controversial. Book is only 2 hour long, feels more like a venting of frustrations. The author assumes that low carb diet is also high in animal protein, and focuses mainly on criticism of this particular one, which is an easy target really. Kinda like assuming vegans largely drink only beer and eat French fries and going after their health issues. At the same time he uses the same argument of narrowing the data points to come up with own narration (The famous 6blind men and elephant case) against the paleo people. We all need carbs, depending on our activity levels, and we need them from unprocessed, fiber reach, wholefoods/plants. The dose and the "food processing" makes the poison. While the author is very aware of this when talking about carb intake, he makes zero mentions of this approach when talking about meat. There is a difference whether you eat slow cooked organ meat of a freshly hunted animal in a nearby forest, or whether you buy baloney sausage from your supermarket. On top of everything, the author has this thing of writing "there many studies that say X" and never mentioning the source. So yeah, I am still looking for more literature on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 16, 2014Ever wonder why diets that are diametrically opposed seem to get the exact same results? Or at least make similar claims? So how do both sides claim they are superior at decreasing heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes among adherents and which side does the research really support?
Campbell's "Low Carb Fraud" is a very succinct and well documented opposing viewpoint to the Atkins/Paleo/high protein diets. You can read this book in one sitting and understand the Whole Foods Plant Based stance on diet and nutrition. If you are paleo or researching paleo this is a great book to give you perspective from the other side of the argument. If you are already eating a WFPB diet this summarizes the research behind that diet well.
Campbell is a heavyweight, he knows the studies well as he's played an integral role in some of the most prominent scientific discoveries of diet and nutrition in our lifetime. This is a must read no matter what your current views are.
Campbell's "Low Carb Fraud" is a very succinct and well documented opposing viewpoint to the Atkins/Paleo/high protein diets. You can read this book in one sitting and understand the Whole Foods Plant Based stance on diet and nutrition. If you are paleo or researching paleo this is a great book to give you perspective from the other side of the argument. If you are already eating a WFPB diet this summarizes the research behind that diet well.
Campbell is a heavyweight, he knows the studies well as he's played an integral role in some of the most prominent scientific discoveries of diet and nutrition in our lifetime. This is a must read no matter what your current views are.
April 9, 2014
I received this book from First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
This book is very well written, detailed, with real facts backing up it's denouncement of Low Carb diets. As someone who is trying to get my health in order this was an easy to understand book about eating healthy and it explains the Low Carb diets failings, especially Dr. Taube's, in extensive detail. It also gives an explanation as to why you should avoid that diet and just eat healthy instead of the standard American diet, aka SAD. It's a fairly short book but I agree with the author/Doctor conclusions and intend to continue eating what he dubs the whole foods diet.
This book is very well written, detailed, with real facts backing up it's denouncement of Low Carb diets. As someone who is trying to get my health in order this was an easy to understand book about eating healthy and it explains the Low Carb diets failings, especially Dr. Taube's, in extensive detail. It also gives an explanation as to why you should avoid that diet and just eat healthy instead of the standard American diet, aka SAD. It's a fairly short book but I agree with the author/Doctor conclusions and intend to continue eating what he dubs the whole foods diet.
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March 24, 2015Carbs are not the reason people gain weight. Processed food is the reason people gain weight. While most carbs today that we are highly processed (a bagel which usually has high fructose corn syrup in it), this does not make that you will get fat from eating more than one apple a day. Ironically many low-crab eaters often eat salad which is a CARB. You can't preach that carbs are bad and eat them. It doesn't make sense.
It is better to eat plant based because you never hear anyone having cancer/heart disease/sick/other health problems from eating too many plants. You DO however hear of people getting cancer/heart disease/sick/other health problems from eating too much meat and dairy.
It is better to eat plant based because you never hear anyone having cancer/heart disease/sick/other health problems from eating too many plants. You DO however hear of people getting cancer/heart disease/sick/other health problems from eating too much meat and dairy.
February 1, 2022
I was looking for substantial counter arguments to use for a discussion with my mom (a low carb stan). But instead I was bombarded with statistics and Campbell repeating that the studies that were conducted to prove low carb superiority were false bla bla bla. M
All that I have taken away is that it doesn’t matter how much calories you take in, it’s about how they are stored and used in your body, a whole foods plant based diet is superior to low carb, because it contains more fibres and carbohydrates that benefit the body.
But I can stand my ground now and say that fruits are not bad (my mom considers them high sources of ’sugar’ aka fructose thus bad)
All that I have taken away is that it doesn’t matter how much calories you take in, it’s about how they are stored and used in your body, a whole foods plant based diet is superior to low carb, because it contains more fibres and carbohydrates that benefit the body.
But I can stand my ground now and say that fruits are not bad (my mom considers them high sources of ’sugar’ aka fructose thus bad)
December 15, 2014
Puts things in perspective
So glad I read this book because I was getting confused by seeing all of the conflicting studies and scientific data online. Now I know why the confusion exists everyone should read this book if they want to understand the truth about diets and the food we eat!
So glad I read this book because I was getting confused by seeing all of the conflicting studies and scientific data online. Now I know why the confusion exists everyone should read this book if they want to understand the truth about diets and the food we eat!
December 29, 2014
This is a very interesting book. If you are looking for a book about why eating vegan and raw fruits and vegetables this is the book for you. It also dives into why other diets like Adkins are not good for you in the long run.
April 27, 2017
A short book, but it packs a lot of information in it. What I found most interesting was the way some people slant research results, or even the way they research in the first place. This is something that everyone should know and lookout for when viewing different research outcomes.
February 7, 2014
Interesting!
January 8, 2015
I found this book very inspiring. I loved reading it. Thank you for the giveaway.
May 6, 2014
Excellent insight behind the latest fad diets. Very well backed-up with numerous references to scientific studies.
June 17, 2015
This very short book re-affirmed the value of moving toward a vegan diet, though it is largely concerned with countering the arguments for diets that promote as healthy eating a great deal of meat.
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