Debunking Poor Nutrition Studies: Setting the Record Straight
There's been a lot of nutrition in the news lately - unfortunately, the ones that garner the most headlines are the ones based on the poorest science. I'm going to do a quick roundup of the stories that caught my attention this past month.
#1 Another poorly done Harvard Study
It's that time of year again. No, not back to school; it's back to bad science. Like clockwork, Harvard School of Public Health issued another "study" linking meat consumption to diabetes risk. Smh... it was just last fall that they issued a similar study, to which I wrote a blog post pointing out the flaws in the science and why their conclusions don't make sense. Check it out here as I'm not much in the mood to get into it all over again. Many of the same arguments apply to this new study. And it's the same characters writing this new article, all starring in repeating roles. The new study goes further by pointing out that the problem in meat is heme iron - a type of iron found in animal foods. (Read my post on why meat is a nutritional necessity here.) It's far easier for the body to use and absorb than non-heme iron which is found in plant foods. Heme iron is an essential nutrient. And the fact that Walter Willet and Frank Hu are now trying to defame heme iron is all the more absurd because of the following study that also came out last month. Keep reading below for more on that...
#2 Almost two-thirds of the world's population is nutrient deficient in iron
A modeling study published in The Lancet last month reported that 4 billion people on earth are deficient in essential nutrients like iron. 65% of the world's population is iron-deficient. It makes the above Harvard recommendations all the more reckless given that heme iron (from animal sources) absorbs at a rate of 15-35% and non-heme iron (from plants) absorption is far lower, sometimes as low as 2%! The study analyzes 15 nutrients - and the findings on all of them are seriously distressing. Women were particularly deficient in Iron, Vitamin B12 (another nutrient found only in animal foods) calcium, and iodine. More than half of all pre-k aged children (6–59 months), and two-thirds of non-pregnant women in the world have micronutrient deficiencies.
Much of this is related to vilification of animal products (as is rampant in the west) and food security issues (worldwide). Check out my posts on why meat is a necessary nutrient here and why supporting animal foods has so many far-reaching social implications for much of the world's poorest.
#3 You Can Finally Ditch the Skim Milk!
An article in Barron's earlier this month questioned our long aversion to dairy fat, and preference for all things skim and 0%. It’s funny how the science has been staring us in the face with study after study showing the benefits of dairy fat, not to mention our ancestors knew it intrinsically, yet we’ve ignored it for decades. As the article points out, whole milk, butter, and cheese were staples in traditional diets, but our modern fear of fat led us to abandon these nutrient-dense foods for low-fat alternatives that do a lot more harm than good. In reality, dairy fat is packed with essential vitamins (Vitamin K2!!) and healthy fats that support healing, especially when consumed in its cultured, probiotic-rich forms.
It's also why in my work with the GAPS protocol, I use full-fat, cultured dairy like créme frâiche, kefir, and yogurt as foundational foods for deep healing, gut rebuilding, and overall well-being. It's a powerhouse of nutrients and something that I'm keen to introduce (at the right time) into the diets of children with autism. It’s time we return to what has nourished us for millennia. (I've mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating: check out Nina Teicholz's brilliant book, Big Fat Surprise, for the science and history behind the flawed low/no-fat movement.)
That's all for now...
Remember, health is a birthright. Claim yours.
Chat soon,
Lubna
