Gary Taubes on How Big Government Made Us Fat

The attack on fatty foods, in favor of carbohydrates, contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes.

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Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Interview by Nick Gillespie. Camera by Paul Detrick, Justin Monticello, and Weissmueller. Additional graphics by Brett Raney.

Photo Credits: Timkiv Vitaly/ZUMA Press/Newscom

[sirnik]

I was fat all my life. I was a chubby kid, I hit puberty and I became fat. I was fat my whole life. 2 years ago my doctor told me my A1C count was high and I was looking at Diabetes in my future. On the advise of my friend I read about how carbohydrates effect my blood and decided to cut out carbohydrates. I've been eating the keto diet for the last 2 years. I've lost 165lbs. I'm in the best shape of my life. I've never been this fit, ever. And my A1C numbers are down and no longer a risk for diabetes.

[KenDBerryMD]

Great Interview! Taubes is shifting the paradigm about Obesity & Sugar

[kelvindavis]

Testing low-carb/sugar, high-fat hypothesis (n=1): Capped carbs at 25 grams per day, no calorie counting or increased exercise. Lost 10 lbs in 30 days. 90 days lost 22 lbs. Doctor pleasantly surprised, total cholesterol is over 200, but HDL is 2x LDL, and BP is lower. 150 days lost 30 lbs. BP normal, triglycerides normal! Feeling faint due to low BP, stopped all BP medications. 180 days maintaining 33 lb weight loss, friends say skin looks better. Really? Results: lost 33 lbs, avg BP 130/76 with no meds. Conclusion: reduced carb/sugar intake had positive impact on inflammation resulting in sustained 12% weight loss, and reduced BP with corresponding reduction in triglycerides! Next phase: evaluate 360 days on same diet.

[Wolfy-nzvz]

The Food Pyramid at 20:00, I stopped eating 'everything' at the bottom of the Pyramid (Grains, Rice, Bread, etc) in 2013 after reading Gary's second book. I went from a high blood pressure, overweight guy to someone who is now a healthy weight with normal blood pressure. Thank you Gary, you saved my life.

[GaryMcCaffrey]

Gary Taubes is Owen Wilsons most convincing performance,

[grantkeller]

In other words... Everyone we trusted lied, and still does.

[johnhasse]

Once again, the government is not the solution, the government is the problem. How can we get LESS government???

[kazzana]

If your food comes with a label, it is not real food.

[aujax]

seems like a low-fat diet dramatically increases our appetite leading to higher consumption of lucrative grain-based and sugary foods. a perfect strategy for certain corporations

[lambo]

Lost more than 100 lbs in less than a year, from a 50/48 inch waistline to a 40/38 inch waistline. Just occasional walking, no carbs, no sugar, no fruit. Dark greens, meat, nut flours only. Even eating out, eating no carb salad and meat only. Also only 40 % alcohol for the occasional cocktail. Actually able to eat high calorie amounts.

[ludwigvanel]

Yay for Gary! "If government hadn't interfered with nutrition, we wouldnt be where we are now."

[redrose]

William Banting wrote the first ever diet book in the 1860s, It worked well
And it said exactly this. but we got bombarded with some very powerful propaganda from the grain industry and we fell for it.

[MrsTabby]

Always remember reading Gary's book "Why we get fat and what to do about it" over two years ago and started on my own LCHF/keto journey. Gradually losing 100lbs of excess fat and more importantly keeping it off since. Wow! Now living the dream of a slim, healthy body and lifestyle at last, after forty years of futile low fat diets almost destroyed me.

[DrBrainTickler]

I like this guy. Very logical. Very astute observations of our so-called specialists.

[DanJen]

I used to joke I was going to eat bacon morning, noon and night when I hit 65 so I'd have a massive heart attack in my 80's...lights out, no suffering, no drawn out illness. Turns out that might be a healthy diet that would result in weight loss and probably help prevent the very thing I thought it would insure.

[Jefferdaughter]

3:04 - That meat and that beautiful arc of fat around the edge that you might grisle up a little bit.' Uh... Fat is not gristle. Fat, when cooked, does not become gristle. Gristle is any one of several types of connective tissue, generally in the context of meats for food. Gristle can add flavor and nutrients to our diets, but it is tough, unless cooked very slowly over a long time, or added to bone broth, etc.

Fat, on the other hand, has a soft texture, especially when cooked or heated. Fat provides most of the flavor and many of the valuable nutrients in meats, especially pastured poultry, pastured pork, and 100% gassfed beef, lamb, rose veal, etc.

[anonony]

Why we get fat and what to do about it is a very good book. Almost undeniable evidence put together in an easy to digest format

[JosephNJ]

Every time he speaks I hear Owen Wilson.

[uiop]

Processed food is the vector carrying the disease. Excellent Gary.

[oz]

Sugar Blues is a book that came out a long time ago, mom read it in the 70's had me read it in the 90's says the same thing