The Low Carb Nugget

Among the theories for what causes obesity, excess sugar consumption is one of the more plausible. Call it the "Too Many Sweets" theory. This theory plays into stereotypical images of over-weight people eating big slices of cake or piece after piece of candy. But how much truth is there to the "Too Many Sweets" theory of obesity?

The only canned fish many people eat is tuna. Tuna is OK on a low carb diet, but a better choice may be the humble sardine, especially when packed in pure olive oil. One tin of sardines makes the center-piece of a solid meal. Sometimes, it can be the meal.

The assumption is that lowering your LDL cholesterol by any means, whether it's lifestyle and diet change or drugs, will lower your odds of cardio-vascular disease and premature death. But is this true? Or is there a better marker for heart health, and thus a better risk factor to target?

Drink coffee, live longer! The big news this week, at least for us coffee drinkers, was a pair of studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine that suggest coffee drinking reduces your odds of dying from various causes.

An LCHF diet is recognized as a way to lose weight, but it can have other benefits as well. For example, it may contribute to improved oral health.

Today's question: Is there a place for candy bars in a healthy, LCHF diet? The short answer is, yes. The long answer is, it depends on the details. Specifically, the details of the candy bar -- the chocolate content versus the sugar content.

Summer is in full swing, which means ice cream consumption is rising. The average American consumes 23 pounds of ice cream a year. That's a lot of sugar. But here's a low carb, ice creamy option.

It may be a good thing to avoid scarfing the All-American wiener at today's super-feast. Yes, it is meat-based, and absent the bun, you can eat hot dogs on a low carb diet. It pays to check the carb-count, though . . .

The question for today is pragmatic and historical: What did American soldiers eat during the Revolutionary War? If they ate anything at all, of course, because sometimes food was in short supply.

When the weather warms up, and the ice melts, there's a big jump in public displays of breaking a sweat. If people are running or walking for the sake of general fitness and well-being, or to get ready to compete in a foot-race, more power to them. But if they are exerting themselves in the hot sun for the purpose of losing weight, then they need to stop and think.