It seems a matter of common sense that a mother’s diet and lifestyle during pregnancy will affect the future health of her child. It was certainly an idea embedded in most traditional cultures with all kinds of advice (not always welcome) given on how a woman should behave. For example the 14th century Chinese doctor Zhu Danxi said, “While the child is in the uterus, it shares the same body with its mother. For that reason, the mother should take particular prudence and care about her food and drink as well as her daily life activities.” It’s surprising, then, to
Read More

High fat, low fat, vegetable fat, animal fat … one of the most controversial subjects in nutrition today is which kind – and quantity – of fats to eat. There’s a bit of history behind this. In 1977 Senator George McGovern and his Senate Committee published Dietary Goals for the United States in response to a rise in chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. It recommended “less fat, less cholesterol, less refined and processed sugars, and more complex carbohydrates and fiber.” Immediately powerful lobbies swung into action with the result that the dangers of sugar were demoted, the value
Read More