Upsetting the carb cart

Is a diet rich in fat and proteins good for us after all, as prof. Tim Noakes suggests? Should we be limiting our carbohydrate intake instead? Read here before making such a drastic move.

Media coverage of renowned sports scientist prof. Tim Noakes's new book, Challenging beliefs - Memoirs of a career (co-authored with Michael Vlismas), has caused a stir because of his advocacy of what he calls “the low carbohydrate revolution”.

The tag “Tim Noakes” even trended on Twitter in South Africa on Sunday after the topic was featured on Carte Blanche on M-Net.

Noakes is a respected authority on the science involved in improving athletes' performance levels, especially through his work at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa. So when he takes such a firm position, it is no surprise that people pay attention.

Simply put, Noakes argues that the popularity of carbohydrate-rich diets are responsible for the plague of obesity in many societies today. Carbohydrate typically includes food that is rich in starch (complex carbohydrate), such as pasta, cereals and bread, or simple carbohydrates, such as the sugar found in sweets and desserts. (read his article here).

"It has taken me 61 years to suspect that bread and cereals – the Biblical staff of life – as well as rice, pasta and refined carbohydrates, may not be healthy for me personally as I had always believed,” he is quoted as saying.

Instead, Noakes now advocates an eating plan that includes increased protein and fat intake through sources such as meat (especially white meat), fish, dairy products and eggs.

Noakes stresses that this approach would only work for someone who is “carbohydrate resistant” (CR) such as himself. He is also a pre-diabetic, which means that he needs to restrict carbohydrates in any event.

“My biology is such that I am unable effectively to clear from my bloodstream the breakdown product of ingested carbohydrate, glucose.”

While it is unknown how many South Africans indeed have such a metabolic “abnormality”, Noakes suggests that it may even be a majority. If so, most South Africans would benefit from an according change in their eating habits.

Nevertheless, Noakes is careful to point out that those without CR might not benefit from this approach, and that some people might even lose weight by doing the exact opposite of what he proposes. “A number of people have asked me to provide a specific eating plan. I am reluctant to do that because I am not a professional dietician and I do not see this as my role. Instead, my advice is that one should consult a registered dietician for help.”

Indeed, Noakes has been criticised by some dieticians, who point out that there is no substitute for a varied, nutritious diet containing items from all of the food groups, including proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and in moderate amounts. Plus regular exercise, of course.

Above all, remember the Slimtrack philosophy: If you continually consume less kilojoules through eating and drinking than you burn up through exercise, you will lose weight. Success is certain if you keep record of what and how much you eat and how much you exercise. And use the power of the community to stay motivated!