Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

In these days, when we depend on science as much as on culture to decide what to eat and what to avoid, more people have come to doubt the still unverified dominant hypothesis: that dietary fat, and particularly saturated fat is the root cause of metabolic syndrome. Some see the solution as a Paleo diet inspired by what sustained our hunter-gatherer ancestors but, according to Matt Stone, the author of this book, it in turn has left a trail of ill health among some of its devotees. In `12 Paleo Myths: Eat Better Than a Caveman,' Stone reminds us that we are individuals and, while a Paleo diet may suit some, it is not for all. He goes on to say that there is more to life than food and fitness. None of this I dispute. Neither do I contest the fact that the products we are being offered in our supermarkets are radically different to those on sale in the nineteenth century. Statistics from the US Department of Agriculture are quoted in the book, to show that consumption of salad and cooking oil increased by 1,450% between 1909 and 1999. Matt Stone asserts that Omega -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, rather than gluten in cereals (consumption of grains dropped by 31% during the twentieth century), is behind coeliac and other allergies. His hunch, for that is what it is, may well be correct. The problem with this book, which relies so much on science to state its case, is that, while there is a bibliography, there are no specific references to the many claims made in the book. There are facts which are universally accepted and do not need to be substantiated. For example, no one doubts that starch is a polysaccharide which is digested to glucose. However, when a statement is made that `Omega -6 impairs thyroid function' we are entitled to know on what evidence this statement is based, who carried out the research, when and where it was published, and if any research exists which suggests that Omega -6 has no effect on thyroid function. Making sweeping statements like `One of the main differences between young people and old people is that old people burn more fat and less glucose for their energy supply,' without saying on what evidence they are based, deprives this book of credibility. I had another problem with the book; the author's writing style which is laced with American slang. I don't think a book, which claims to enable people to rescue themselves from the effects of a diet which does not suit them, should descend to insulting those who think differently; and I do not think a serious non-fiction book should contain words like `goddam' `bullshit' and `crap.' Ita Marquess