The Skinny On Fat

December, 2003

When is the last time you enjoyed - guilt free - a comforting scoop of homemade mashed potatoes smothered in real gravy" Many of us shy away from tasty, filling foods because of their high fat content. So, how can the French people remain thin eating a diet high in fat while Americans with their lowfat diets are battling with obesity"

In his book, The Fat Fallacy, Dr. Will Clower attempts to answer this question First and foremost, he discusses the role of fat in French food. He cites studies that support the notion healthy fats increase metabolism. With so many people dieting, we asked Lake Forest ENH (Evanston Northwestern Healthcare) Pharmacist, Steve Odes, about what Sunset customers are buying in the form of weight reduction remedies. “We really don’t carry those types of products because they aren’t useful.” he says. “But, I see a lot of people who are looking for stress relievers - treatments that they can buy without a prescription.”

While stress has been linked to weight, Dr. Clower’s prescription for permanent weight loss is a combination of a eating healthy fats, avoiding processed foods and portion control. Does this mean that we can lose weight by eating creamy soups, salad dressings and gravies" According to Dr. Clower, the answer is yes, so long as the portions are reasonable. He recommends that you fill your plate with what you think won’t be quite enough to fill you up. And, then eat slowly.

Making it to the next meal without snacking is another critical component to eating French-style. According to Dr. Clower, one reason the French are able to avoid snacking is due to the cheese course. Served after the entree, a few small servings of cheese, a small of dark chocolate and coffee will helps them remain sated.

Are Sunset/ENH customers are adding fat to their diets" Steve tells us that customers are buying fish, black currant seed and flaxseed oil capsules. While oil supplements are not discussed in Dr. Clower’s book, they play a significant role in other highly publicized plans like Fat Flush. Steve isn’t convinced that his customers are buying these healthy fats to lose weight, though . “I think they’re popular because they help lower cholesterol and are getting a lot of play in the airwaves,” he says.

Dr. Clower stresses the importance of staying away from what he calls “faux foods”. These foods include lowfat milk, margarine and any food where the label includes ingredients that unfamiliar. If an ingredient is not an animal, vegetable or mineral, chances are, it is not natural or good for you, according to Dr. Clower. Steve is well aware of the trend toward natural foods, remedies and holistic medicines that “provides individualized therapy with products that are made to treat the entire person instead of a single organ or symptom.”

On the topic of food and nutrition, Steve adds, “It’s all balance. When you aren’t eating a balanced diet, it puts a strain on the body.” And, he is quick to remind us that exercise is important and there is no “quick fix.” An advocate of nutrition, he reminds us that, “it’s cheaper to practice good health than to try to repair the damage later.”

Because the variety of foods in the French diet, Dr. Clower considers it balanced fare. He does not suggest that we live on cheese, baguettes and potatoes. Instead, he preaches a diet of mainly fish, poultry and plenty of fruits and vegetables. The major difference between this diet and other seemingly well rounded eating programs is that buttering your bread and using creamy salad dressings is encouraged.

For many of us who were raised on margarine, lowfat yogurt and egg substitutes, adapting to this diet would not be easy. After we got over the guilt of eating triple creme cheeses and using real whipping cream to make sauces, we would have to add significant time to our shopping trips. Keeping a refrigerator stocked with fresh produce usually means more than one weekly trip to the store. And, once you’re out there shopping, you’ll need to schedule in some extra time to read all of those the labels!

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