Low-Carb Living

Lesson 3: What Not To Eat

Dairy Products and Unhealthy Fats

Dairy Products. Again, many people find it difficult to imagine a diet free of milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, etc., because most of us were raised on a diet rich in these foods, and because these foods contain addictive substances. The digestion of dairy and grain proteins may produce opiate-like or narcotic-like substances. These substances may contribute to mental disturbances and appetite disorders.

Dairy products are high in saturated fats, are often heavily processed, and often contain harmful chemicals. Many people cannot properly digest the milk sugar, lactose, or the milk protein, casein. The consumption of dairy products is linked to many conditions and diseases including heart disease, asthma, allergies, premature sexual maturation, juvenile diabetes, cancer, and even osteoporosis which it is claimed to prevent. See pages 109 and 110 in The Paleo Diet, for a list of dairy products. Recognizing the unhealthy affects of dairy products on our health is of great importance since dairy products are a large part of our modern, Western diets including those of formula-fed infants and children. We will talk more about dairy products and diseases in a later section.

Unhealthy Fats. Fats have gotten a bad name, because it’s common to treat them as if they were all the unhealthy types. When consumed in excess, saturated fats and polyunsaturated fats with unfavorable ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids are unhealthy. However, they can be consumed in larger amounts than is currently recommended.

Fats are believed to contribute to many of the diseases of Syndrome X including obesity and heart disease. However, many people are dismayed when they develop these diseases while following the recommended low-fat, high-carb diet. Others are dismayed when their symptoms worsen after converting to the recommended low-fat diet that is prescribed to improve their symptoms.

Grain and soy-fed, domesticated livestock produce meats much fattier than the wild game we evolved to eat. See pages 102 and 111 in The Paleo Diet, for a list of fatty meats. Processed meats such as sausage, bacon, ham, and luncheon meats are high in saturated fats, salt, and artificial additives.

Many vegetable oils contain an unfavorable ratio of the poly-unsaturated fats, omega-6 and omega-3. Additionally, hydrogenated vegetable oils (found in margarine, shortening, peanut butter) contain trans-fatty acids that raise blood cholesterol.

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