Noakes: I was wrong

The Sunday Times has reported that Professor Tim Noakes has caused a stir in health circles by refuting his own nutritional advice, widely espoused as athletics gospel.

SportsCentral was the first news outlet to report this news, last year

In an about-turn, Noakes is blaming food containing carbohydrates for the rise in obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

The sports physician, affiliated to the University of Cape Town and the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, won worldwide acclaim for his book Lore of Running, described as the “Runner’s Bible” and first published in 2003.

Parts of the book, which advocates the benefits of “carbo-loading” and a high-carbohydrate diet, will now be rewritten.

“I used to say ‘carbo-load every day, as much as you can’. Yes, this is a turnaround. Absolutely,” he said, smiling.

The 62-year-old turned conventional feeding wisdom on its head with claims that fruit juice contained “hidden dangers” and that cereal was one of the worst things parents could feed their children.

That is if you are carbohydrate-resistant, a condition many people suffer from unknowingly, said Noakes.

He said he would like to change the world – one meal at a time.

“The people who have tried everything to lose weight, but cannot, are more than likely carbohydrate-resistant.”

Noakes himself tested positive for carbohydrate resistance a year ago. The condition derives from defective insulin in the body. “Some people, like me, are carb-resistant. We cannot metabolise carbs, so it is changed into fat and can lead to obesity and diabetes if one does not change to a low-carbohydrate diet.

Noakes lost 15kg since adopting a new diet a year ago. Now his meals are high in protein and fat.

He said his new anti-carbohydrate arguments were based on theories put forward by Gary Taubes in Good Calories, Bad Calories and Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It.

“The results have been incredible. One of my patients lost 30kg over three months.”

But local food health expert Dr Harris Steinman said dieticians had some concerns, including whether the revised diet was applicable to everyone. — Staff Reporter, SportsCentral

 

  • Dblood

    This is typical of the medical profession that continues to sew confusion especially regarding diet and health matters. One day butter will kill you next week polyunsaturates will kill you – eat butter.

    The worst is these clowns just laugh it off as a “mistake” what about all the people whose health they have screwed up?

  • Marie

    hi tim im also an zimbabwean an i have struggled with my weight for many years. I do not agree with the the protine diet had kidney problems had to reduce my protien intake, never did agree with atkins diet i struggled and the only thing that worked for me was the blood groop diet and i do believe that it is also all in our minds we need to believe in out our thin cells and not our fat cells that we allways thnik of

  • Mike

    Atkins is about reducing carbs which have lead to the huge problem called obesity and its many related illnesses, and increasing the consumption of proteins. I am lucky as in my case it has worked a miracle for me. I have not only lost weight and improved my health but have increased my energy level. I only hope that it can help many other desperate people.

    • Anonymous

      I have dropped 27kg since cutting out carbs.

      Prof Noakes’s high-protein diet is costly but it works.

      And hunger is hard, but manageable.

      Frank

  • Venter Mandy

    Animal fat is natural fat. Was taught that in Home Economics at school many years ago and still believe that is the correct way. High protein eating plans are the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

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