Let Them Eat Fat
Let Them Eat Fat
Listening to the doctors on cable TV, you might think that it's better to cook up a batch of meth than to cook with butter. But eating basic, earthy, fatty foods isn't just a supreme experience of the sensesit can actually be good for you.
By RON ROSENBAUM for WSJ
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The hysterical crusade against fat has become a veritable witch hunt. With New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg 's ban on supersize sodas (now temporarily thwarted) and the first lady's campaign to push leaves and twigs (i.e., salad) on reluctant school childrenall in the name of stamping out obesityit is fat-shaming time in America. Yes, there are countertrends, like the pro-fat TV shows of Paula Deen and Guy Fieri. But in the culture at large, eating that kind of fat has become a class-based badge of shame: redneck food (which I say as someone who likes rednecks and redneck food). It isn't food for someone who drives a Prius to Pilates class.
But there's another world of fatty foods, a world beyond bacon and barbecuenot the froufrou fatty foods of foodies either, but basic, earthy, luxuriant fatty foods like roast goose, split-shank beef marrow and clotted cream. In the escalating culture war over fat, which has clothed itself in sanctity as an obesity-prevention crusade, most of these foods have somehow been left out. This makes it too easy to conflate eating fatty food with eating industrial, oil-fried junk food or even with being or becoming a fat person.
Preventing obesity is a laudable goal, but it has become the rationale for indiscriminate fat hunters. It can shade into a kind of bullying of the overweight, a badgering of anyone who likes butter or heavy cream. To the antifat crusaders, I say: Attack fatty junk food all you want. I'm with you. But you can deny me my roasted marrow bones when you pry them from my cold, dead hands.
Read the whole article. It will justify and approve your love of those things that you desire but think are bad for your health:
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I particularly had to smile when I saw the quotation in the article of what Sir Toby Belch had to say in Shakespeare's Twelfth NIght. "There shall be no cakes and ale"? In our High School play I acted the part of that carousing hedonist. Speaking of eating, I can still remember one of the lines: "For Andrew, if he should have as much blood in his liver as would clog the foot of a flea, I'll eat the rest of the anatomy." I remember I had to stuff a pillow under my costume to look as gross as Sir Toby was bound to resemble.
As for the deprivations under which we must suffer at the hands of our medical advisers, my doctor had many years ago told me my cholesterol was too high and he would prescribe Lipitor for me. That was to be the first daily pill I would have to take for any reason. I asked if perhaps diet might be an alternative, and what kind of foods would I have to do without. His reply was "Everything you like." I took the pill instead.
One good thing about living in China is that Peking Duck is readily available.
No fat is the fast track to Alzheimer disease. The lack of fat in ones diet directly affects memory. As long as they are healthy fats and not in excess you are good to go!
I'm with you. I'm skinny as a fence post but, fat is where it's at. I'll have to get my pull meat sammiches pulled from my cold dead hands as well.
My Grand Maw always said that one has to eat much butter just to keep the joints lubed.
"There are people who strictly deprive themselves of each and ever eatable, drinkable and smokable which has in any way acquired a shady reputation. They pay this price for health. And health is all they get for it. How strange it is. It is like paying out your whole fortune for a cow that has gone dry." Mark Twain
"There's no such thing as too much butter in the porridge."
Russian Proverb
Wise and true.
"There's no such thing as too much bacon in anything." Tallulah Belle Slidell, down the mountain from me.......
However, unbeknownst to many, there's another side to the story:
And it should be pointed out that it doesn't say that half of all adults will have some major obesity related disease (i.e. the aggregate total of those with heart disease and/or Diabetes and/or Cancer and/or Stroke). Rather-- that figure is for Diabetes alone!
But, as with crossing the street without looking both ways-- or, in fact, any risky behaviour-- you can always hope that you are different. That you will be one of the lucky ones-- it won't happen to you!
And then there's always this to fall back on:
I believe that is my Grand Maw's MO and she's 105.
One more for the road....
BTW, its no coincidence, given their POV (and political agenda!), that this appeared in the Wall St Journal . . .
This is true.
Fat itself isnt bad. In fact, the proper ratio of Omega 3 to 6 fats will improve your health. However, it's also safe to say that you wont be finding anything resembling the proper ratio in such worthless things as those super-sized sodas, french fries, burgers, etc...
But, since people refuse to properly educate themselves, they will rail against any attempts to help them make good dietary selections. For me, I think that even though Bloomberg made an error in trying to force people's hands regarding their health, I applaud the guy for at least trying. It's funny to me that people were up in arms about their inability to have a super-sized soda. I mean, if you really think about it, it is pretty messed up. Like a 12 oz soda is somehow not enough (when in fact it is even way too much).
You can lead a horse to water and such. Ultimately this, and just about every other issue in our culture, has far more to do with money and profit than any sort of altruism. If eating more than our share of garbage and having buttocks too big to get through a toll both did not cost insurance companies and profiteers yankee dollars they wouldn't give a rats patooty through a rolling donut how we chose to kill ourselves.
Since most of these folks are apparently not within the auto didactic disco rama, lessons through the educational system and government propaganda are about the only manner to learn em in a free society. At least in my humble and often misguided opinion.
But even then-- only in moderation.
Quoting Emeril, "Pork Fat Rules !"
I do not promote including it in every dish, Yet I do not consider it kryptonite.
I have lived on a diet so low in sodium and fat for so many years That I forgot what well seasoned food tasted like. With all that I am still being treated for hypertension, granted, probably more stress related, but as hear every day many more stories of the person dropping dead on the street younger than me, healthier than me, I should fear the salt shaker or the Ceasar dressing and deprive myself the pinnacle of pleasures of taste, so I can live hurting for another 20 years beyond my usefulness?
I am not obese, diabetic, and I am getting older, I may be a whippersnapper to some, don't try to convince my body after 11 hours at work. To do it again in 7. That is the life I choose, but what the hell, I drink unsweetened teas in a 24oz cup, No sugar, no worries, Eh? Oh and I don't live in NY, surprised this did not come out in CA first. Oh tea can contribute to kidney stones, guess I have something to look forward too. Eat smart, but EAT dammit!!! Take the opportunities to try something different, and explore the tastes available.
I have had Kim Chi that would make a sh#$ eating dog vomit, and some that was nectar of the gods.
Know your Kim Chi chef is the lesson there...
The moral of the story, Weigh the risks and benefits. The choice is yours. Moderation should also be taken in moderation. I think it it now illegal for me to order Fois Gras in CA prepared in the traditional manner. Not that I have ever had it, or would even like it, but somebody decided that we the people of CA could not tolerate the cruelty to ducks that were raised kill anyway was over the line because they are force fed to enlarge their livers. Thousands of children on the street eating out of trash cans, but lets make sure we save the ducks some indignity by passing a law that kills a limited market.
Ok, I don't do political, crossed the line there. Take the joy in food with family and friends, share it, preserve it. A legacy that will outlive you. 84
People who are not overweight can get away with a lot more than people who are.
That is false actually. More money is made off of obesity and general lack of health than from anything else. I work in healthcare and I can assure you that being healthy is anathema to making shit tons of money.
I applaud Bloomberg for this as well and funny enough in the world of refillable soda, if 12 oz of pop (shudder) is not enough you can always refill the cup! People say they don't want to be told what to do by big brother but yet are helpless to make the change themselves or take responsibility for being obese, sick etc maybe someone else should. It's not like someone is taking away your choice to drink the soda, just not to buy a cup big enough to bathe in!