CHAPTER 2
HISTORY OF BODYBUILDING DIETS
— CARBOHYDRATES AND THE BODYBUILDER
It’s not surprising that students of anthropology and world history have had some serious
questions to ask about the Great Fat Scare of the late 20th century. A look at the Eskimo tribes
inhabiting the Northern latitudes of the Earth from Greenland across Canada to Asia show several
strong examples of people who have existed on high fat diets with relatively little incidence of
atherosclerosis and heart disease.
For instance, the Greenlandic Eskimos have lived off a high fat diet consisting primarily of butter,
cheese, meat and fish for most of their history. In fact, rent on land in some places was paid with
butter. Yet no one keeled over on their way to the landlord. Heart disease was largely unknown
until dietary changes caused by advancing Western civilization impacted them in recent decades.
In Canada and Alaska, a similar situation is found. In fact, the high fat diet and relative good
health of the North American Eskimos has been the source of research focusing on the possible
health benefits of fish oil that we’ll be discussing later in this book.
In Finland today, the Finnish people still eat a diet including high levels of beef, veal, pork
and sausage. Smoked reindeer is a delicacy. Butter and milk are freely ingested. Like their
Northern neighbors above, they also eat plenty of fish. Yet, despite all this fat, coronary heart
disease is not near the force it is in our country^1.
Then there’s the “French Paradox” that has been getting so much attention in recent years.
The French take great pride in their gourmet cooking and butter, cheese, ham, bacon, sausage
and other foods high in fat predominate in their rich diet. Yet, despite all this fat, the French have
somehow also avoided the widespread cardiovascular problems experienced in the United States^2.
Since this totally contradicts the prevailing bias against dietary fat held in this country, there has
been a clamor to discover just what it is that protects the fat-eating French from heart disease.
Much focus has been given to reports that phenolic constituents in the red wine the French
love are responsible for the so-called “paradox.” I think it’s more likely that the French’s reduced
carbohydrate intake is responsible. There are far less refined sugars in the French diet, while
sugar is in virtually everything on this side of the Atlantic. In fact, the refined carbohydrate
consumption of Americans is five times that of the French.
It is difficult to trace down all the factors involved in cultural health variations, but it’s likely
that differences in carb consumption play a much larger role than has been previously suspected.
Still, you can be sure that the anti-fat lobby will continue to look for alternatives to the obvious
in an attempt to justify their fat prejudices.
HISTORY OF BODYBUILDING DIETS 19