Fats and oils

For years, you have heard that fat in all its forms is bad for you. Eating fat equals getting fat; doesn't it? And it raises your cholesterol levels, clogs your arteries and generally speeds you faster towards an earlier grave; doesn't it? 
        Well it is simply not true! Surrounded by low-fat milks and 'light' yogurts, diet drinks and butter-like spreads, are we getting any healthier? Are we getting any slimmer? Are there fewer people with heart problems than 30 years ago? Are rates of diabetes going down? We all know the answer here; No.
​        So what is going on?
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Low fat, highly processed and sugary food has made us fatter
SOME FACTS ABOUT WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON       

We eat much more starch and sugar

Americans eat 30% more carbs than they did 30 years ago; Europeans aren't far behind. Source: Credit Suisse report 2016
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So are we just eating too much?
      Yes, at least we eat more than we used to, but it's mostly in the form of refined carbohydrates and sugars; aka carbs.
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High carb DIETS are making us ill

Carbs spike your blood sugar levels to a far greater extent than protein or fat. That's why a carb-rich lunch will leave you feeling tired a couple of hours later, when your energy boost has run out; and why you then get hungry, wanting a mid-afternoon snack.

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Cut the carbs and make fat your friend
         Carbohydrates, particularly processed flours and sugar should be eaten in moderation. But even if you're dieting and eating less, you need to replace carbs with something.
        Protein provides the building blocks for the human body but too much protein is not the answer; and yet fats make you fat. Don't they?   The evidence is now overwhelming. Fats do not make you fat, just as broccoli does not make you green. Dietary fat is essential to the digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals in what you eat. Fat is your friend.
Dr Weil talks through how we got into this situation and provides his recommendations for an anti-inflammatory diet.

So what is lchf?

Adopting a Low Carbohydrate, High Fat (LCHF) diet means eating fewer carbs - particularly less sugar and refined flour - and more healthy fat, surrounded by generous amounts of vegetables.

Say bye-bye to junk food

No surprise here: Although there is fat and protein in junk food, the main ingredients are usually sugars and starches... plus there are also an alarming number of modifiers, emulsifiers, artificial flavourings, preservatives,  and don't forget the colour enhancers. So; junk food has to go!  More natural ingredients on a daily basis will help you improve your health.

What about gluten?

A surprisingly high number of people report being gluten intolerant. Obviously, if you reduce your intake of carbs, you cut out a lot of gluten, it being found only in cereal crops - principally wheat, rye and barley.
       Dr William Davis in his book 'Wheat Belly' suggests that many of those people who think they are gluten intolerant are in reality wheat intolerant, mostly because the type of wheat grown today is very different from the 'give us each day our daily bread' wheat of Biblical times. 
        Because of that, on this site, almost all recipes are gluten-free and we stick to old forms of wheat if we use any grains at all, those being primarily spelt and einkorn.
Bread is so practical (and it keeps your fingers clean), but it's easier than you think to take a break - although you will require some degree of determination.
        This book is a good read, that's put together with lots of useful recipes if you want to start your carb-reduced healthier diet by first cutting back on wheat.
        
​Most of Dr. Davis' recipes are low in carbohydrates and all are wheat and gluten free.
Sammy Pepys was the pseudonym used by James Capon when writing this book. He is not a doctor or a nutritionist. He is concerned and increasingly suspicious of today's conventional wisdom when it comes to diet, health and the lack of progress on tackling growing rates of type-2 diabetes, obesity and related diseases.
Since then, he has advised numerous people about the benefits of low-carb diets and seen their health and energy levels rise. Weight loss is associated with this eating approach (he lost 7 kilos) but feeling good and having more energy is the main driver!
Disclaimer: The information, recipes and results mentioned on this site may not work for everyone. They do not represent medical advice and it is best to discuss any significant dietary changes with your Doctor.