Supersize Me Debunked/Saturated Fat Myth

I've watched both Spurlock's Supersize Me and Naughton's Fat Head. Supersize me is a 30 day experiment in which Spurlock sets out to show that the nation is fat and getting fatter because of fast food restaurants like McDonald's. He eats at only McDonald's for 30 days, while limiting his exercise to that of the average American. And, when the cashier asks him if he would like to supersize, then he must supersize the meal. Overall, he depicts the average American as having no common sense or self-restraint. In the end, Spurlock gains quite a bit, he gains extra body fat, and his cholesterol shoots up (along with a lower HDL and higher LDL). He seems quite miserable and gets the message across that fast food is bad for you. Fat Head, on the other hand, tries to debunk Spurlock's documentary. Naughton lost weight, body fat, and had overall little damage to his cholesterol on his own 30 day McDonald's diet. What Naughton did differently: eliminated food that would contribute too many carbohydrates and too much sugar. No potatoes, no regular soda, limited bread. He ate meats to prove that he didn't need to get a salad at every meal. He also set himself a calorie limit of about 2000 calories, and stayed under. At the same time, he got about 30 minutes of walking in a day. He also recommends that we not eat food with soybean oil, canola or vegetable oils (trans-fats can lower HDL). After a successful month at McDonald's, he goes another month trying to disprove the idea that saturated fats are bad for you. So he cuts sugar, processed vegetable oils, and starch, expect for a bit of low-sugar fruit. He eats cheeses cooked in coconut oil, bacon, and all kinds of "no-no" foods high in saturated fat. Naughton's cholestrol dropped, and his HDL went up while his LDL went down. It's a shocker. Naughton acknowledges that an ideal diet would have plenty of vegetables and some fruits, but just wanted to prove that saturated fats are not the culprit in cholesterol and blood pressure problems. I recommend watching Fat Head, but if you're not into the debunking of Supersize Me, skip the first 40-50 minutes of the film.


Take away ideas: make good and logical choices most of the time; don't overeat; don't overdose on carbohydrates and sugar (fruits and vegetables won't have too much, but avoid too many potatoes); stay away from processed oil or products made with soybean oil as a primary ingredient; don't shy away from saturated fat (but be conscious of calorie intake); and finally, while you CAN remain healthy on a McDonald's diet, avoid fast food.