The Paleo Myth

Perhaps you’ve read the bestselling books Wheat Belly and Grain Brain?

The Atkins diet lives on through them, despite the fact that most well informed people now realise (through their research and personal experiences) that eating a diet made up almost exclusively of meat, poultry, cheese, butter, fish, and eggs, with very little plant-foods, is just plain wrong. They have learned that eating an animal-based, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet is one of the root causes of degenerative diseases, including type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and common cancers; and that the livestock industry is at the root of climate change. Many people are also wrestling with their conscience as they deal with the moral issues of animals being killed unnecessarily for food, supporting the horrors of factory farming, and depleting our oceans.

Wheat Belly and Grain Brain take a backdoor approach to the Atkins method.
As the titles of these books suggest, wheat causes a big belly and grains damage the brain. The central premise is that all starchy foods, including rice, corn, and potatoes (traditional foods consumed by billions of people throughout human history) are now unhealthy and must be minimized or, better yet, avoided altogether. If you believe them then the only things left to eat are meat, dairy, fish, and eggs (the original Atkins Diet).

Never mind the science
In order to lure otherwise intelligent people into inherently dangerous diet plans, the authors of these books ignore the bulk of the science, exaggerate the truth and make false associations.

Lose weight loss now, have problems later
Low-carbohydrate diets can cause weight loss, but weight loss should not be our primary goal. The goal is to live longer and stay healthy. Many scientific studies show that low-carbohydrate, high protein diets increase the risk of sickness and death, whereas vegetable-based, low-carbohydrate diets decrease the risk.

Exaggerating the Truth about Inflammation
Promoters of low-carbohydrate diets, those high in meat, dairy, fish, and eggs, claim that carbohydrates are packed with inflammatory ingredients, and that inflammation is at the heart of virtually every disorder and disease. The evidence linking carbohydrates to inflammation is convoluted, theoretical, and largely limited to an uncommon condition, Celiac disease.

For other diseases, including atherosclerosis, primary sources of inflammation are meat, cheese, and eggs. Once these foods are removed then the inflammation resolves.
Research does not support the theory that carbohydrates from wheat, other grains, or starchy vegetables promote chronic inflammation. In contrast, scientific research solidly supports that fact that chronic inflammation is promoted by animal foods, especially red meat.

Bottom line - Animal Foods, Not Plant Foods, Cause Inflammation!
There are several ways to explain how animal foods injure our bodies. For example, atherosclerosis has been explained by the effect cholesterol has on our bodies. Another sound mechanism identifies cow's milk as the culprit. Most important for us to understand is that these mechanisms consistently blame meat, dairy, and/or eggs as the source of chronic inflammation. No debate here.

Using Celiac Disease to Demonize All Carbohydrates for All People
The main take-away that readers will get from Wheat Belly and Grain Brain is that wheat is the major cause of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and almost all other major health problems that people suffer from in the Western world. Wheat can be very troublesome those suffering from celiac disease, but it are a condition that affects a very small percentage of the population. These people must avoid gluten, found in high concentrations in wheat, barley, and rye. However, to put this real concern into a global, historical perspective, consider the importance of these three grains: they have served to fuel the development of civilizations throughout human history and still are a major source of calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals for billions of people. People without celiac disease, or the few other conditions that warrant elimination of these three specific grains, will find them an excellent source of nutrition.

Whole Grains Are Healthy!
Studies consistently find that people who consume three to five servings of whole grains daily have a lower risk of hear disease and type 2 diabetes. They also have fewer issues with weight. Examples of whole grains included whole wheat, dark bread, oats, brown rice, rye, barley, and bulgur.

Even those people who are intolerant of gluten (wheat, barley, and rye) can healthfully consume non-gluten rice, corn, oats, and other grains. Low-carbohydrate promoters enthusiastically demonize these grains too.

Diets loaded with meat, fat, and empty calories, makes people overweight and diabetic.
The truth is that the rich Western diet makes people fat and sick. Steering people away from the few healthy components of our diet (grains and other starchy vegetables) and toward the unhealthy foods (meat, dairy, fish, and eggs) makes matters worse. People are desperate for a solution to their weight and health problems, and many of them are easily deceived. Especially when told that prime rib and cheddar cheese are good for them—people love to hear good news about their bad habits.

Just like the rising popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, books like Wheat Belly and Grain Brain enhance the profits of the meat, dairy, egg, and fish industries.

Although these industries spend millions advertising "their science" and influencing national nutrition and health policies, the truth is simple and easy to understand: All large successful trim healthy populations of people throughout human history have obtained the bulk of their calories from grains and other starchy vegetables. Consumption of meats along with other rich foods in any significant quantity has been limited to the diets of fat, sick aristocrats (kings and queens) - until recently. To regain our lost health and save planet Earth, the truth behind popular diet books must be exposed.

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