I try to be objective and have an open mind. I don't promote a one size fits all diet. I like vegans but I don't tell everyone they need to be a vegan. I don't have a problem with low carb as long as it's also low in saturated fat from grain fed meat and dairy. If you want to change my mind about something, show me that something reduces heart attacks or all-cause mortality in repeatable experiments. Circumstantial evidence is good for coming up with a hypothesis. It's definitely better than nothing but it can't prove anything in biology. But randomized placebo controlled experiments always carry the most weight. Prospective cohort studies with multiple regression analysis are the next best thing.
The extreme claims of the cholesterol skeptics result mostly from taking circumstantial evidence more seriously than experiments and prospective cohort studies. Also from taking short term experiments during weight loss with surrogate outcomes more seriously than long term experiments during weight maintenance that measure heart attacks or all-cause mortality.
I think all of these foods are healthy for a large percentage of people but there are exceptions: Whole fruit, vegetables, beans, whole grains, canola oil, nuts, salmon and sardines, coconuts, pasture fed meat and wild game.
I think these foods should be kept to a minimum because of their saturated fat and fructose content. Grain fed meat and dairy, especially hamburger, sausage, most cheeses, full fat milk and sucrose, especially sweetened soft drinks and fruit juice.
The lipid hypothesis states that blood lipids (not dietary lipids) are a major cause (not the only cause) of atherosclerosis. The diet-heart hypothesis states that various foods (especially saturated fat) can affect the rate of heart disease. I agree with these concepts. I also think that Dr.Yudkin and Dr. Lustig are probably right about large amounts of fructose being toxic, but I think there is much more wrong with the Western diet than too much sucrose.
I think new foods that only became staples in the Western diet during the last 100 years are the main problem. I believe the biggest problems are grain fed meat and dairy, sugar, white flour and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Some people have a problem with beans and grains but most people thrive on them.
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Saturated fats are not all alike. Stearic acid can actually lower LDL and coconuts improve the LDL/HDL ratio. And the saturated fat in wild game is so low that wild game is heart healthy.
