Author Vindicates Butter, Meat & Cheese
Investigative journalist Nina Teicholz has spent the last decade studying nutrition research on dietary fats.
“Bacon is better for your hips than pasta,” said Nina Teicholz as she addressed the American National CattleWomen Inc. (ANCW) during their general session Feb. 5 during the 2015 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in San Antonio. Teicholz is an investigative journalist who has spent the past decade studying the existing nutrition research on dietary fats.
Nina Teicholz is an investigative journalist who has spent the past decade studying the existing nutrition research on dietary fats.
What she found is that nutrition science has had extreme selection bias in the past that led to the low-fat nutrition recommendations — and most likely have contributed to obesity and poorer health in America. In truth, other research has proven that dietary fat — including saturated fat — is what leads to better health, wellness and fitness.
Teicholz, a former vegetarian herself, has documented these findings in her book The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat & Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet. The book has stirred many conversations and has earned much recognition, including being named Best Book of 2014 by The Economist; Most Memorable Healthcare book of 2014 by Forbes.com, and a Top 10 Nonfiction of 2014 by The Wall Street Journal.
Not surprisingly, there have been some unwilling to accept Teicholz’s conclusions. She shared that no New York publication has printed one word acknowledging the book — despite the fact she was a frequent contributor to many of those publications with her past work. She believes liberals are not willing to acknowledge the book because they “are squarely on board with environmental arguments against meat.”
She added, “There’s all this amazing science that seems to vindicate meat. There have been a lot of good headlines about how fat doesn’t make you fat. However the bias against meat has never been stronger. The USDA website has vegetarian and vegan options.” She noted that there is certainly a movement toward a plant-based diet in America’s society — and even the White House.
“There’s a tremendous challenge to your group and community to combat this,” Teicholz said to CattleWomen and other beef industry proponents in attendance. She challenged them to “study and reclaim your history and study the science to help restore the health of America.”
She concluded, “Inform congressmen. Engage journalists. Efforts are needed on many different levels.”
Learn more about Teicholz’s book at www.thebigfatsurprise.com/.
For more coverage of the 2015 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, visit the Newsroom at www.4cattlemen.com.
