Comments on: Catalyst: was the ABC enlisted to sell palm oil?

By: Alexander Cranford

Alexander Cranford — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:18:23 +0000

As I understand it,the trans fat found in dairy is conjuncted linoleic acid that is healthy, not to be confused with Elaidic acid that is created in hydrogenated vegetable oil. If you have any scientific references that indicate otherwise, I would be glad to have a look. Have I answered your question?
About 11years ago , I worked out that low fat dairy was giving me haemorrhoids so I switched to butter and started adding it to everything I ate. I also switched from vegetable oils to dripping and ghee for cooking. Three months later I gave smoking after 18 years of the disgusting habit. I was using cigarettes as an anti –depressant. There have been scientific studies link ng low fat diets with depression.

By: Bill Shrapnel

Bill Shrapnel — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 04:44:44 +0000

Alexander, most health authorities now recommend that trans fats be limited in the diet. But if you were trying to achieve that, why would you eat butter which has 3-5% of its fatty acids as trans fats. Dairy fat is now the major source of trans fats in the Australian and New Zealand diets. Regards, Bill

By: Bill Shrapnel

Bill Shrapnel — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 04:37:13 +0000

Alexander, what are you talking about? I just went onto the Heart Foundation site and in five seconds found this:

Healthier fats
Healthier fats include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats – omega-3 and omega-6. These fats reduce the ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol in your blood and increase the ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. This helps to lower your risk of getting heart disease.

Unhealthy fats
Unhealthy fats include saturated fats and trans fats. Too much saturated and trans fat contributes to the build up of fatty material, called plaque, on the inside of your blood vessels and is a major cause of heart disease. These fats can increase LDL cholesterol in our blood that leads to the plaque. Lowering saturated fat in the diet will help to lower LDL cholesterol.

Foods high in saturated fat include

Hard and full fat soft cheeses
Full fat dairy products
Cream
Crème fraiche
Chicken skin
Fat on meats
Processed meat such as sausages, burgers and salami
Pastry
Coconut oil
Coconut milk
Palm oil
Fatty or fried take-away foods
Packaged cakes and biscuit

By: Alexander Cranford

Alexander Cranford — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 06:34:15 +0000

The National Heart Foundation is an advertising agency for the margarine industry. They have 100 scientific references on their website that all refer to trans fat. Not one that refers to saturated fat. Catalyst made the point that the evidence against saturated fat is simply not there. As for polyunsaturated fat what was stated on Catalyst was that people get too much omega 6 and not enough omega 3. There is a difference.
I am interested in actual scientific studies than the dogma from any organisation.

By: Alexander Cranford

Alexander Cranford — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 04:05:51 +0000

No, quite the reverse. These days to avoid getting trans fat into margarine the manufacturers are using palm oil as it is 75% saturated to solidify the margarine. The Catalyst program suggested we eat butter instead of margarine. I do not recall at any point it recommending consumption of palm oil.

By: David B

David B — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 11:17:39 +0000

re “you and your advice. So why should anyone believe you over them?”

Because Bill didn’t merely provide “advice” – he produce a reasoned argument against their positon and destroyed their credibility.

My advice is to totally ignore people with Clayton PhDs. Very suss. I’d rather listen to people with no qualifications at all. At least that way you’d get an honest opinion.

By: Bill Shrapnel

Bill Shrapnel — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 21:19:59 +0000

Hi Daryl. Cholesterol deniers have been around for decades and at times have been nourished by industries generating lots of saturated fat. However, any vestige of a decent argument from this quarter fell away in the mid-1990s. Given this, why would a so-called science program air the cholesterol deniers views and misrepresent the state of the science?
Catalyst has lost the plot and gone tabloid. The ABC should shut it down and encourage its presenters to seek employment on the commercial networks 6.30pm ‘current affairs’ programs. Regards, Bill

By: Dazl

Dazl — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 16:12:25 +0000

Why would you need to limit ‘good’ carbs? Dr John McDougall et al have gone to considerable pains to impress upon people that the vast majority of human kind have lived on starch based diets throughout history as their staple and from their own clinical experience it is an ideal healthy way to live.

By: Dazl

Dazl — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 15:59:36 +0000

The guys on Catalyst are already notorious Cholesterol Deniers. Check out Plant Positive’s series of videos on YouTube and you’ll what a bunch of hoaxers they belong to.

By: Jess James

Jess James — Fri, 13 Dec 2013 03:59:40 +0000

I don’t know about others but personally I have never been one to take any one person’s or in this case programs views as correct without doing a little bit more looking into the issue. Surely people still have enough commonsense to do the same thing and not be influenced by just one program.