Re: Health benefits of saturated fats

On Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:51:34 -0700 (PDT), RandyF <randy@xxxxxxx>
wrote:

Hi Quentin,
I intend no ill but would like to chime in here.

Hi Randy,

I appreciate the positive nature of you intentions. So long as we
all, my self included, adhere to the basic premise that asd is a
support group and not a venue like misc.sci.nutrition where endless
debates are welcome we'll all do well.

Quentin Wrote:
 The reason would appear to be that Mary Enig avoids publishing in
places subject to peer review.  Since her ideas are quite maverick
compared to the mainstream one can understand why she wouldn't be
bothered with having to deal with the onslaught of criticism her views
would generate.  

I think the reason she doesn't publish in peer review pubs is that
she's not involved in any research or active review of current
research.

A good point. Personally I don't regard her as a scientist, rather as
an advocate for a particular point of view.

Just look at the dates of references on the current article.
The current piece has the smell (to me) of pop press psuedo science.

Understandable. Anyone who quotes Mary Enig as a reference earns
demerit points IMHO.
Your mention of dates reminds me of the fascinating story of the
farmers in the 1930s who attempted to fatten beef cattle by adding
coconut fat and discovered they got leaner and more lively. It is the
sort of story that takes on a life of its own. Of more interest to me
would be experiments with human subjects.

The article implies low saturated fat diets are unhealthy. I find
little support of this from peer reviewed data, in fact just the
opposite.

Also there are plenty of real scientists working on these issues that
publish every chance they get. Just look at Jeff Volek and his group
at Univ of Conn and Richard Feinman of "Nutrition and Metabolism"
fame.

Good points.

Besides she seems to do quite well in life publishing
books and giving lectures on forums like those sponsored by coconut
growers.  

My impression (I heard it somewhere but can't substantiate it) was
that she's was or has been a paid spokeperson for a major Coconut
growers group.

She is an advocate for saturated fats and it is natural that this
would happen.

Thanks.

Regards
Randy


--
Quentin Grady ^ ^ /
New Zealand, >#,#< [
/ \ /\
"... and the blind dog was leading."

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/quentin
.