Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health

Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health by Gary Taubes

The author of Good Calories, Bad Calories is strongly in the "carbs are bad" camp, however, he presents his argument with a fairly open mind. He believes there is adequate science out there to support the low-carb diets. However, it has been suppressed. 

There are multiple reasons for this suppression. There are some researchers that have received money from companies that pedal sugary food. This leads them to favor sugar (as opposed to fat.) There was also a loss of key German nutrition research after the world wars. Scientists have jumped to conclusions after limited studies. Then they have seen repetition of their initial hypothesis. Government policy was put in place before the science was settled. This advocacy for low-fat diets ended up biasing future work. Science disciplines are also very narrow and don't communicate well, limiting the view of what he sees as the obvious solution.

The criticisms of science are all valid. The advocacy for low-carb diet is also fairly convincing. However, with the thoroughness, you could easily advocate for just about any diet. He goes for the Occam's Razoer argument. Carbs are the simple solution, so they must be true. However, he also ties it with the argument for hormones and genetics. If it is our body that is controlling weight gain it why bother with what we eat? How is it that exercise doesn't matter?  

There are also challenges about grouping things together. Are all carbs bad? Are the groupings appropriate? What are the causes and effects? Do people really eat because they or predisposed to get fat?

Nutrition is complex. People have been getting fatter recently. Modern processed junk food seems closely correlated. But is it causation? Or is there an external factor? 

The book is a good exploration of low carb diets by a science writer. Will we ever have a solution to diet that maximizes health while also preserving the environment and economy?