It was about 40 years ago the experts noted obesity was on the rise and decided dietary fats were the problem. So North Americans went on a ‘no fat’  kick. After all, it only makes sense — fats make you fat, therefore fats are evil.

So how has that worked for you, North America?

With the obesity rate at astronomical levels and climbing annually, clearly fats aren’t the problem.

So what has caused this alarming expansion of the North American girth?

Sugar.

Take fats out of processed foods and they taste plum awful. The solution the past 40 years — ramp up the sugar content.

So what effect does sugar have on your body?

• It promotes inflammation, the primary cause of heart disease [no, it’s NOT cholesterol!]
• It messes with your blood sugar levels due to its high glycemic nature, increasing the chances of insulin resistance and type II diabetes.
• It activates insulin, your fat storage hormone.
• It promotes formation of advanced glycation end-products [AGEs]

The New Mantra: Eat Real Food

It’s estimated the average person consumes 138 pounds of sugar a year. You find it in the most unassuming of products like sauces and condiments. Virtually anything in the middle aisles of your local gross-ery store is chocked full of it.

How do you reduce the amount of sugar in your diet?

You could educate yourself and learn to read labels. Look for things like high fructose corn syrup, a major additive and high on the list of worst ingredients to avoid.

You could choose products with artificial sweeteners like aspartame and Splenda — but don’t fall for that bait and switch. They are serious neurotoxins and mess with your body big time.

Or you could eat real food.

Eat more vegetables. Eat more organic free-range meats. Eat non-farmed fish. Eat quality saturated fats like coconut oil and organic butter. Learn to prepare meals using natural ingredients, rather than pre-packaged eat-and-run dinners.

Eat real food — the new mantra for healthy eating.