Why did the AHA not have the guts to use the "reliable scientific evidence" and tell consumers straight out that trans-fats are deadly and then provide menus that show how to eat without them?
On page 35 they provide a bullet point with "Avoid trans fats" and then include foods notorious for their trans-fat content in their sample menus, giving a greenlight to eating them when following their "No Fad Diet."
On page 421 they provide recommendations on how to eat fast food with no warning about trans-fats from buns, spreads, cooking oils, french fries or battered fried foods on the fast food menus.
On page 422 they provide a list of foods that may "derail" your diet, and include the biscuit with bacon that they recommend in the sample menu on page 122 - and still no warning about trans-fats.
In fact, their one and only real attempt to provide useful information about trans-fats is found on page 432 and is incomplete - "Commercial products containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils include vegetable shortenings, stick margarines and backed good such as cookies and crackers."
While the marketing machine is in full swing to have the media promote this book as healthy, in my view this "diet" is unhealthy and has the potential to wreck havoc on your health in the long-term. It may have been written by "respected medical professionals" at the AHA, who claim they've used "reliable scientific evidence," but at the end of the day, this is one unhealthy way to eat based just on their menus encouraging foods with trans-fats.
And, don't get me started on "Heart Healthy Check" Logo!
This post can also be found on my blog called The Weight of the Evidence.
Article comments
1 - David
Don't get me started on that "Heart-Check" logo scam either. The AHA will sell it to who ever comes up with the big bucks, regardless of healtfulness of the product. Since when is sugary candy breakfast cereal like TRIX and Lucky Charms "heart-healthy." The AHA has ZERO credibility. Great review!
2 - Maggie
Why would they recommend foods that have trans-fats? That doesn't make any sense and is definitely not heart-healthy! Thank you for pointing out that the foods they recommend have trans-fats that we need to avoid.
3 - Susan
Holy Cow! Are they trying to kill us?
4 - Aaman
Great, insightful review - stay away folks from this pile of crap - the book, I mean
5 - Tammy
An eye-opening review. I never would have guessed that the book had these kinds of foods in the menus. For a long time I've tried to avoid trans-fats, but they are everywhere. You really need to read labels and be careful about what you buy. And you're right, when you look at the press on this book, it's all good - why isn't anyone taking the time like you did to read it and actually review the recommendations? Thank you for taking the time you obviously did to read this book.
6 - Michelle
Great review, I love reading your stuff, always helpful!
7 - alpha
Not surprising. I followed an AHA diet for a time after a massive MI and CHF. I was, as I still am, religious in my diet and life changes. It was an easy diet to follow. Too easy. I saw my cholesterol & triglycerides shoot up. I read Dr. Dean Ornish's book (and a dozen others) and based my diet on his very severe program and have survived 11 years of CHF, CAD and ventricular arrhythmias.
So, all that anecdote boils down to: You are quite right.
8 - Bob A. Booey
I'm on the "Take on Me" diet.
Rimjob please! Or is that rimshot?
I'll be here all week.
That is all.
9 - Stan
Why am I not surprised? No wonder everyone is fat and sick.
10 - Anonymous
If you can't trust the AHA, who can you trust? What do you mean by the last sentence in your review? Is there something wrong with the foods that have that heart check on them?
11 - Janet
Thank you for the very informative, intelligent and educational post!
Janet
12 - Bob A. Booey
You're welcome, Janet! You were talking about me, right? It's all about ME :)
That is all.
13 - Tony
Yet another diet book I won't need to be reading. People need to wake up to the fact that too much of our "food" is processed in ways that turns something good and wholesome into nothing more than sludge in our bodies. Insightful review that highlights that even our respected medical experts ignore the obvious.