What is a common mistake people make when they are trying to eat a healthier diet?
“Getting rid of all of the fat in their diets. The USDA has promoted the strategy, but it can be really dangerous. Not all fats are bad and, in fact, some should be required in any diet. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in foods such as nuts, avocados, fish, olives, and most oils help lower bad cholesterol levels without affecting good cholesterol levels. “People also tend to replace fat in their diets with foods high in sugar or refined carbohydrates. A lot of people think that a plain bagel with jam can be a healthy thing to eat in the morning, but actually that is one of the unhealthiest duos you can eat because it has a high glycemic load. You d be better off with scrambled eggs cooked in corn oil or a whole-grain cereal.” What did you eat when you were growing up? “I grew up in farm country in Michigan and had an all-American diet: lots of red meat and potatoes. As I got older and more involved in nutritional research, I couldn t ignore the data that those foods are
