talbotlucas.org: a word to the wise is sufficient

First there was the bugaboo of fat, so products featuring Olestra and other fat substitutes appeared on the market. I couldn't bring myself to try these, even as a lark: any food product with a potential side effect of "fecal urgency" and a warning about underwear staining due to anal leakage is not for me. No how, no way. Anyone who's looked in my freezer and spied the extra stores of one-pound blocks of Plugra (unsalted, please) knows I don't have a fear of fat.

Now, in the wake of the Atkins craze, there's the bugaboo of carbohydrates, and faux carbs are making their way onto shelves. Josh Friedland of "The Food Section" participated in a tasting arranged by salon.com. His verdict: "faux substitutes are no substitute." For the full range of products and opinions, read the salon.com piece (day pass/ad viewing req'd). Some of the comments would be pretty funny if they weren't about products that are supposedly fit for human consumption. Of a particular brand of frosted flakes (breakfast cereal) in the tasting, Friedland observes that they have "that dried-urine-in-the-subway smell." Gee...just what I want in my kitchen.

It's difficult to sort out the good information from the marketing hype when it comes to this topic. One site that may help is the Center for Science in the Public Interest. And I highly recommend Michael Fumento's book, The Fat of the Land. While some have criticized his book as "blaming the victim," my reading of it was very different. Fumento himself struggled to lose weight and experienced the frustration of not knowing what information/program would help him lose weight and improve his health, and what was a bunch of hooey.

I'll think I'll stick to the moderation-in-diet + increased exercise plan for now. More work, but fewer risks.

For amusement, perhaps, or an idea of how complex and nasty hese debates over low-fat/low-carb become, check out the series of exchanges between Gary Taubes (of the Times) and Michael Fumento. Start with the original NYT piece, then move to the Fumento --> Taubes --> Fumento again chain of postings on the Reason site. I can only imagine how much of a beating Fumento's and Taubes' keyboard took as they prepared these pieces. Ouch.