The food industry is making us fat

Two months ago I told you that I was going to amend my portion sizes and try to keep it equivalent to what I can hold in the palms of my hands What's in a portion?

And it works, I have pretty much stuck to the three meals a day and kept portions moderate. I must have lost about 3 pounds. Not a great deal, but at my age that is good.

Since then I have listened to this great lecture by Prof Robert H. Lustig of the University of California. It is an hour and a half but well worth every minute (even if you do get a little lost in the science). In essence it tells us that manufactured fructose (not the one you find naturally in fruit) cannot be processed by our livers and becomes a fat deposit clogging us up. That's a very simplified view. Oh yes, and exercise isn't going to shift it.

I urge you to listen and judge for yourselves. Then decide if processed food is something you want to nourish yourself and your family.

What I find particularly galling is that blame for fatness is put onto us the consumers or us the parents of fat children. No one wants to be fat but it is increasingly the effect that food (and especially fizzy drink) is having on us. Shame on the food industry for not regulating this harmful substance. Especially in a digital age where young people are fixated on appearance.

The answer is simple. Cook food from scratch. Three balanced meals a day. And learn to love water.

So that is what I am going to do. And I will make sure I exercise gently - walk, cycle and teach yoga. I hope to include swimming because I like it.

In a month I will tell you how I get on.  

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