https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/bigfatsurprise

OK, OK. Let's not beat around the bush here.

In health circles, it's kind of old news now that "saturated fat might not be bad for you" and that sugar, starches and vegetable oil might instead be a primary contributory factor to heart disease and other chronic health problems. So when I got the book "The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet" in the mail, I figured it would be the same ol', same ol' advice, like eat your egg yolks, don't be afraid of butter, and drink whole milk instead of skim milk.

But I was actually surprised. Big, fat surprised. Heh. Why? Because in the book, author and investigative journalist Nina Teicholz not only lays out the most comprehensive history, treatise and full argument as to why saturated fats - the kind found in dairy, meat, and eggs - are not bad for health, but also takes a deep dive into everything from myths behind the Mediterranean Diet, to the heart killing replacement for trans fats you probably haven't heard about yet to the ethics of eating meat and beyond. The Economist named this book the best science book of 2014 and called it a “nutrition thriller”. The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Mother Jones, Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews named it a *Best Book* of 2014. The British Medical Journal praised the book in an extensive review, and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition said, “All scientists.. and every nutrition science professional…should read this book.”

So who exactly is Nina? Before taking a deep dive into researching nutrition science for nearly a decade, she was a reporter for National Public Radio and also contributed to many publications, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, The New Yorker, and The Economist. She attended Yale and Stanford where she studied biology and majored in American Studies. She has a master’s degree from Oxford University and served as associate director of the Center for Globalization and Sustainable Development at Columbia University. She lives in New York City. And I'm guessing she probably has eggs and bacon for breakfast.

During our discussion, you'll discover: -What compelled Nina to spend ten years writing a 500 page book after discovering shocking cover-ups in the nutrition industry...[10:55]

-What researcher George Mann found in African populations who were subsisting on a diet of organs, meat and blood...[17:30]

-Why Lewis and Clark were so disappointed in the game meat they discovered when traveling West...[27:10]

-How Americans used to eat, and why it's a huge problem that we now eat so much poultry...[34:45 & 38:45]

-What was the "remarking and troublesome omission" from the Ancel Keys study and why the "true" Mediterranean diet is far different than the Mediterranean diet you've probably seen in popular literature...[61:40]

-The surprising truth behind why the Cretans were so long lived...[62:50]

-How when trans fats got banned, they may have been replaced with something worse, and what that worse thing is...[68:35]

-The biggest mistakes that people make when following a high fat diet...[78:40]

-And much more!

Resources from this episode: -Book: The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet -US Wellness Meats -Book: Deep Nutrition by Cate Shanahan -Chris Masterjohn's podcast on the Kitavan diet and ApoE genotype

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for Nina or me? Leave your comments at BenGreenfieldFitness.com and one of us will reply!

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