Macronutrients: Carbs, Fat & Protein with Dr. Garth Davis

Dr. Garth Davis on macronutrients (posted 11/02/2014 on Facebook):

"People just can't get away from the concept of macro nutrients. We are so wedded to the terms protein, fat, carbs and this may be one of the essential reasons we keep getting sicker.

Even physicians, who have very little training in nutrition in general, talk about macronutrients. I had a physician see me the other day because he has the first signs of diabetes on his lab tests and is concerned that "despite cutting out carbs and increasing protein" his lab numbers are getting worse!" When I explained the diet I wanted him to try he exclaimed that it was too many carbs and not enough protein. I asked him point blank how great the "High Protein" diet was working, not just for him, but the whole country.

You cannot divide food into protein, carbs, fat. All food is a combination. Take for instance, an avocado. It is a combination of fat, protein, carb and fiber! The problem is that when we start classifying our diet by macronutrient break down we then begin to choose foods that are higher in certain categories. We will choose meat for protein and label bread as carbs. Unfortunately this leads to mislabelling certain foods as bad because they have a certain macronutrient considered, wrongly, bad.

Furthermore, the macronutrients can be broken down even further. Saturated fat is bad but stearic acid, which is one type of saturated fat, may not be that bad. Carbs are labelled evil, but they are the true fuel source of the body. Fruits and veggies, high in carbs, have been shown to extend life, prevent cancer, and prevent heart disease. Fruits are lumped in with candy in this ridiculous nutrition philosophy we have developed.

The answer is to throw out the terms, carbs, protein, fat. EAT WHOLE FOOD. Favour plant sources of food which have a nice variety of nutrients.

I NEVER think about how much protein or carbs I am eating. NEVER. Not even when I am training for Ironman or a Marathon. I would NEVER drink a protein shake to get more protein.

At the end of the day I try to make sure I have eaten some whole grains, some dark leafy vegetables, something orange or red, berries, whole fruit, beans, nuts/seeds. WHOLE FOODS. I have no use for this modern day lexicon of protein vs carb. Okinawans don't think that way and they are doing just fine, and so am I."

Dr. Garth Davis is a veteran weight loss surgeon who found himself running into a number of health problems, and ultimately becoming his own patient. A few years back he was suffering from high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a fatty liver, not good news for the ol' doc. 

Not satisfied with the high protein, low carb approach pushed by many of his peers he decided to finally study nutrition properly. Unbelievably, it wasn't even on the medical school curriculum.

For more information on how Dr. Garth became plant-based listen to the podcast he did with Rich Roll posted below.