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By Root 406 0

he died, he was usually described as the “low carb” doctor and I was the “low fat” doctor. But that was never accurate. I have always advocated that an optimal diet is lower in total fat, very low in “bad fats” (saturated fat, hydrogenated fats, and trans-fatty acids), high in “good carbs” (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and soy products), low in “bad carbs” (sugar, white flour, processed foods), and with enough of the “good fats” (omega-3 fatty acids) and high-quality proteins.

There are clear benefits to reducing the intake of refined carbohydrates, especially in people who are sensitive to them. The solution is not to go from refined carbohydrates like pasta to pork rinds and from sugar to sausage, but to substitute refined bad carbs with unrefined good carbs.

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An optimal diet is:

very low in “bad fats”: saturated fat (butter and other animal fats), hydrogenated fats, and trans-fatty acids the kind found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and anything with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in its ingredients list)

high in “good carbs”: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and soy products

low in “bad carbs”: sugar, white flour, processed foods

“good fats” (omega-3 fatty acids, such as the ones found in flax seeds, walnuts, and canola oil) and high-quality proteins.

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Good carbs are naturally high in fiber. The fiber fills you up before you eat too much. For example, it’s hard to get too many calories from eating apples or whole grains, because apples are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, so you feel full before you consume too many calories.

Also, the fiber in good carbs causes your food to be digested and absorbed into your bloodstream more slowly. This helps to regulate your blood sugar into a normal range—neither too high nor too low.

When whole wheat flour is processed into white flour, or brown rice into white rice, the fiber and bran are removed. This turns a “good carb” into a “bad carb.” Why? Because when the fiber and bran are removed, there is nothing to slow the digestion or signal that the body is full.

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A NOTE FROM KF: THERE’S NOTHING FISHY ABOUT THESE OMEGA-3s

You will often hear people say that fish oil is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids. While it may be true that we are better able to assimilate the omega-3s in fish oil than from traditional vegan sources like flax oil, we now have a wonderful alternative. It turns out that fish obtain omega-3s by eating algae. With this in mind, several supplement makers are now extracting EPA and DHA (two key components of omega-3s) directly from the algae. You no longer have to participate in harming the environment through industrial fishing or inflicting suffering on fish and “bycatch” (birds, turtles, and dolphins caught and killed in fishing nets), or expose yourself to high levels of PCB and mercury contamination just to get your best sources of omega-3s. This brilliant solution supports becoming a veganist with ease.

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KF: How should one eat in order to lose weight?

DO: Mindfully. It’s not just what you eat, but also how you eat that matters. Have you ever eaten a bag of popcorn while watching an intense movie? All your attention is focused on the movie—so you may look down and see that the bag of popcorn is empty. You got all the calories but little of the pleasure. In contrast, if you really pay attention to your food, savoring it as you would a fine wine, you have greatly enhanced pleasure with fewer calories. And pleasure is sustainable.

KF: What should be avoided?

DO: As described above, avoid refined carbohydrates, too much fat (especially trans fats, which cause weight gain), and processed foods.

KF: Should we count calories? Fat grams? Carbs?

DO:In my experience, if you eat predominantly a whole foods, plant-based diet that is naturally high in fiber and low in fat and in refined carbohydrates, and if you eat it mindfully, you don’t have to count anything to lose weight. You feel full before you consume too many calories.

KF: What are some of the