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March 22, 2009 • Diabetes, Healthy Eating & Nutrition, Healthy Living, Heart Health

Big, Bad News about the Great White Hazards

A powerful new study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition should motivate you to re-double your efforts in avoiding the Great White Hazards.  The report comprised the most definitive review to date of the impact sugar and refined, processed carbs like white flour (high glycemic index foods) have on disease risk. In this combined analysis of 37 forward looking studies, scientist found that high GI diets “independently increased the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, gall bladder disease, breast cancer, and all diseases combined.” One of the key findings of this evaluation was that refined, high glycemic diets heavy in sugar and refined carbs that have been stripped of their innate, original goodness (I call them “naked starches”) are demonstrably bad for you. In fact, removing these foods from your diet provides the same or even more health protection than can be gained from including more whole grains and fiber in your diet. To give you perspective, regularly eating whole grains provides a 20-40% reduction in heart disease and a 20-30% reduction in type II diabetes vs. sparse consumption. You can potentially more than double that protection simply by regularly replacing products high in sugar and refined carbs with whole grains. That’s awesome and easier than ever to do! For more on the right carbs, check out the “cliff notes” version of my book.