Myths and truths of healthy eating and the benefits of consuming good fats
Walter Willett’s best-known books are «Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating,» which has become a best seller, and «Eat, Drink and Weigh Less.» In the former, he refutes one of the basic foundations of the nutrition pyramid produced by the US Department of Agriculture. In the USDA pyramid, fat is at the top and should therefore be consumed less. Today, though, we know that fats such as olive oil and the polyunsaturated oils in fish fat are exceptionally good for one’s health. Carbohydrates, according to Dr Willett, should be separated. Good carbohydrates are those that originate from unprocessed cereals, beans and wholemeal bread and pasta. Meat, fish, chicken, beans and nuts are all placed in the same group. Replacing red meat with fish combined with beans, cereals and nuts in order to obtain the necessary proteins, is particularly beneficial to our health. However, increased consumption of dairy products does not reduce the possibility of osteoporosis. On the contrary, it can lead to weight gain.
