Posted by unregistered user at 1/8/08 3:38 p.m.

I'd say man-made Transfats are the worst thing you can eat. Sugar and carbs in excess will translate to extra pounds more quickly than anything else.

The "Atkins fad" was seriously misunderstood. The media portrayed it as people eating whole sides of beef and guzzling hot lard for breakfast. Anyone who took the time to read and understand his body of work would realize that the main message was one of balance. Three years ago, I stopped eating foods my body wasn't designed to recognize. I cut transfats AND sugary sodas and sugar-laden processed foods. Instead, I eat lots of salads, veggies, meats of all kinds, nuts, berries and real butter and cream (no "margarine!"). When I eat breads and high-carb foods, I simply moderate and try to eat whole grains when possible.

I lost 35 pounds and kept it off. My cholesteral is improved (especially my good cholesteral) and my blood pressure dropped enough for the doc to cut my meds in half. I am in my 40's and when I see pictures of myself in my 30's, I can't believe I was such a tub o' lard.

Personally, I think our government and most universities are bought and paid for by the processed food industry. I like the quote that we should only eat what our grandparents would recognize as food. Perhaps take that back futher to hunter/gatherers. Our bodies do pretty well with that stuff.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/8/08 4:36 p.m.

I'm not sure Dr. Drewnowski is right when he says "The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently came out in favor of high fructose corn syrup, saying there was not much wrong with it."

I went to the CSPI site and tried in vain to find the report he's referring to. I didn't have time to read through all of the news releases they have made in the last year (find them here: http://www.cspinet.org/new/index.html)but none of their headlines contained any reference to high fructose corn syrup.

They have said for years that HFCS is no worse than table sugar, but this is not a new position on their part. On the other hand, they have maintained a consistent position opposed to *all* sugary foods. In fact, five days ago they released a report urging Pepsi and Coke to limit marketing of sugary drinks to children in an effort to limit childhood obesity. I can't see how Dr. Drewnowski reads any of their positions in any was as an endorsement of HFCS.

Bottom line - sugary, high calorie foods are *not* suddenly becoming okay. Drewnowski needs to stay away from public microphones until he can get his facts straight.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/9/08 6:48 a.m.

Dr. Drewnowski is not quite right when he says the Center for Science in the Public Interest has "come out in favor" of high fructose corn syrup. We've merely acknowledged that it is likely no worse or no better than cane sugar. We've also filed complaints and lawsuits against companies who claim (falsely) that high fructose corn syrup is "all natural." And, we say repeatedly, that Americans should cut back their consumption of all added sugars, regardless of whether it comes from HFCS or cane or beet sugar.

Jeff Cronin
Center for Science in the Public Interest