Carbs...Back to the Future!

Food fads come and go. But like a hurricane, the latest low-carb diet craze has not only wiped entire bread and baking companies off the map, its also swept away pasta and doughnut companies--not that a few less doughnuts would do our waistlines any harm. Worst of all, it has left the American population in a bewildered state of "carbophobia."

I'm Dr. Krystosik, also known as "Dr. Good Carb," and from the moment I heard about the low-carb diet over 10 years ago, I've been on a mission to get carbs back as the ceterpiece on American's plates. Now that low-carb diets are waning, it's time to clean up the aftermath of the diet’s destructive influence on American health and rebuild an eating strategy that will transform the American menu. My goal for the Carb Myth Buster column is to clear up the confusion surrounding carbs once and for all. In each issue, I will employ common sense, backed up by science, in concert with nature to unlock the secrets and tasty benefits of a life filled with healthy carbs.

Americans are hungry for the truth about carbs. A survey in November of 2005 commissioned by the International Council (IFIC) Foundation provides a snapshot of the perceptions Americans have about the role of carbohydrates in their diet. Among the dramatic findings, they discovered that 20%  of consumers still believe that carbs cause weight gain, yet 75% of Americans are trying to eat more whole grains, but needed guidance about which carbs were safe to eat. Susan T. Borra, president of the IFIC Foundation and the past president of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), concluded, "Our research suggests that consumers, for all the publicity concerning carbohydrates and health, are still confused about about weight management and how to include carbohydrates in a healthful diet."

 I'm going to pull back the curtain on the half-truths surrounding carbs and reveal the whole truth about this important food group. That way you and your loved ones can experience the joy of health while you indulge in carbs...good carbs. I'll help you distinguish between carbs that shed poinds and carbs that tack on pounds. Carbs that heal and carbs that kill. I'll help you stay on top of the latest carb and diet trends so that you and your loves ones can make informed healthcare choices.

The controversy surrounding carbohydrates is nothing new. Even Adam and Eve labored over their decision whether or not to eat the apple—a carboydrate. But the truth is, the apple wasn't the problem—it was the "pair" on the ground! Since then, things haven't changed much; people are still trying to put the blame on carbs, only this time it's not only an apple in question, it's also carrots, potatoes, bread and other good carbs. These innocent carbs are not the problem—the real problem comes from the "nuts" on the ground--the fad diet gurus.

How did low-carb diets manage to have such a dramatic effect on the American people's mindset? In my estimation, Americans were told what they wanted to hear. For decades, doctors advised us that meat should be limited or avoided. But once the low-carb idea "you can eat all the meat you want" hit the streets, the shackles came off and a lot of people were dancing. After the food industry put its marketing weight behind low-carb diets, almost overnight our nation's diet was altered for the worse. People did lose weight on low-carb diets, but like any fad diet they didn't keep it off, and 65% of Americans are still overweight. 

Our nation is in a health crisis and I want to do something about it. I believe we need go "back to the future." Sometimes the way to make progress is to return to what worked best in the past. So one of my objectives is to highlight the century-old diet traditions of the healthiest populations in the world. Why? Because not only do the people from these diverse regions of the world have the lowest incidence of chronic diseases, they also have diets that center around the pleasures of carbohydrates.

As a young nation, drawn from different cultures,  each with its own diet traditions, Americans don't have a well-made culture of food to guide us. Fad diets will never fill that void. We need a healthy lifestyle. That's why I've created a fusion of three of American’s favorite (and some of the world’s healthiest) diets: Latin American, Asian, and Mediterranean, along with the flare of west coast cuisine. It's the American-MediterrAsian Diet—a total prescription for wellness. I carved this unique eating strategy out of the culinary traditions of these three cultures, and blended the heritage that turned a diet of necessity into a healthful lifestyle of goodness and pleasure. The American-MediterrAsian diet is not just another diet. It is an intercultural experience that fosters a new appreciation for food and a lifestyle centered around a table of enjoyment, exotic tastes, and good health. Most importantly, this eating strategy features carbohydrates as the centerpiece. The American MediterrAsian Diet provides "good taste with a purpose." This diet will enable you to reclaim your health, and even though it is not a weight loss plan, if you embrace this lifestyle, you will lose weight if necessary.

So get ready to celebrate, because I promise you that the Carb Myth Buster column will provide you with the fuel to empower you and your loved ones to achieve a lifetime of wellness—without restricting carbs. So fire up your kitchen stove, because carbs are back!