“Toxic” appears to be the buzzword of choice for diet book authors these days. The latest author to festoon this alarmist adjective to a book is none other than Barry Sears of “The Zone Diet” fame. One of the most prolific diet book authors of the past 15 years, Dr. Sears’ new book suggests that the experts have got it all wrong when it comes to the cause and cure for obesity.
Let’s take a look at some of the philosophies behind Sears’ audacious claims within Toxic Fat.
Summary Points
- The cornerstone of Sears’ obesity hypothesis lies in increased production of a fatty acid called arachidonic acid (AA). Not only is this rogue fatty acid responsible for obesity, but it is also a harbinger for other chronic diseases.
- According to Sears, accumulation of excess body fat is an attempt to protect you by trapping toxic fat in your cells so that it does not attach the organs. Once it begins to spill over into your blood though – you have Toxic Fat Syndrome.
- Removing said “fat trap” is a matter of keeping insulin in check.
- Acquiring toxic fat syndrome is the result of what Sears terms a “perfect nutritional storm”: Cheap refined carbohydrates, cheap vegetable oils and a reduced consumption of fish oil.
- Wellness hinges on how well you keep inflammation balanced. Inflammation disrupts hormone signaling patterns – leading to poor appetite control and leading to body fat.
- A “fat trap” phenomenon occurs when your body isn’t able to generate enough ATP from the food you eat.
- Body size doesn’t matter, as long as AA levels are low. It’s not excess weight but rather the spread of inflammation that is detrimental.
- He suggests attaining HDL cholesterol and Triglycerides. The ration of TG/HDL should be less than 4.
- The true marker of Toxic Fat Syndrome is AA/EPA (omega-3 subtype). If the ratio is greater than 10 – you have toxic fat syndrome. The ideal ratio should be between 1.5 – 3.0.
The Diet
- This is basically the original Zone Diet, but there seems to be less emphasis on the 40/30/30 (carbs/fats/proteins) breakdown. Eat lots of colorful veggies, limited fruits and significantly cut back on grains and starches.
- He suggests dividing your plate into 3rds. 1/3 low fat protein and the other 2/3 low glycemic load carbs (veggies/fruits).
- Other particulars: Eat when you wake up, eat at least every 5 hours and eat 3 meals and 2 snacks.
- High doses of fish oil are part of the plan
Overall Impression
While I rolled my eyes when I saw the cover, there actually seems to be some scientific validity behind many of his claims – particularly the inflammation connection. Upon researching the arachidonic acid and disease model, there is indeed some research to validate Sears’ claims. I do think there is something of a “marketing twist” to the term “Toxic Fat” in that he is putting his signature to an already established (albeit less conventional) concept. The extent to which his theories are valid is well beyond my knowledge but the safe bet is that more research is needed.
The dietary aspect of the program is certainly sound. One of my contentions with the original Zone Diet was the illusion that it was the magical proportions of macro-nutrients that caused the weight loss, whereas most of the daily meal plans barely rose above 1200 calories. There seems to be a focus on healthy eating which doesn’t stray too far from contemporary wisdom of what constitutes eating for healthy weight loss.
Groundbreaking?
Sears’ theories on toxic fat could prove to be groundbreaking. He certainly has a solid foundation of evidence, and the reputation to back it up. His diet boasts one of the most prolific success stories ever in Manuel Uribe.
The majority of my critique is in the complete dismissal of excess eating and lack of exercise as factors in fat accumulation. He makes some unsubstantiated claims and becomes very selective one trying to validate these assertions. To that end, he states that an inability of the body to make ATP causes us to overeat and that we will either eat more in response to exercise or our organs will be cannibalized.
Sears also leans heavily on the genetic/biological causes of weight gain card while dismissing the influence of willpower and personal autonomy. He also falls into a common trap of placing too much emphasis on glycemic index/load, which has enough flaws to at least bear mentioning.
Conclusion
By and large this is pretty good offering from Dr. Sears. He outlines some theories that are certainly worth looking into. His dietary plan is sound and should improve your health if you do not eat healthfully already. That said, there is still no magic formula to achieving an ideal balance of fat levels just as there isn’t one for overall health. This is simply one of many roads towards improved health.
I had tremendous success on the Zone diet and lost over a hundred pounds in about six months and continue to keep it off five years later. Dr. Sears’ scientific basis and philosophy of balance not only impressed me but has gotten results for me and others who I have personally known.
There’s more. Even though I’ve been studying nutrition and herbs for nearly 20 years, I’ve finally put all the pieces together.
I’ve since discovered the reason the Zone diet, raw diets, and Paleo diets work for health, and also what makes Dean Ornish, the National Institute of Health’s diet recommendations, and many other low-fat diets promoting the use of grains and polyunsaturated oils absolutely deadly. That is, processed vegetable oils, carbohydrates, and commercial, convenience food.
Traditional cultures living on non-Western diets were, contrary to the Big Agri-business, Big Pharma, and Big Medical System propaganda, exceptionally healthy, and whose populations often had less than 1% tooth decay and minuscule to no occurrence of modern degenerative diseases including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, asthma, etc. This was discovered in the 1920-1940s and later repeatedly verified by other researchers and doctors. Dr. Weston A. Price, a Cleveland dentist, spent over 10 years studying isolated, traditional people consuming traditional, non-Western diets and discovered amazing things.
“The groups Price studied included sequestered villages in Switzerland, Gaelic communities in the Outer Hebrides, indigenous peoples of North and South America, Melanesian and Polynesian South Sea Islanders, African tribes, Australian Aborigines and New Zealand Maori. Wherever he went, Dr. Price found that beautiful straight teeth, freedom from decay, good physiques, resistance to disease and fine characters were typical of native groups on their traditional diets, rich in essential nutrients.”
“When Dr. Price analyzed the foods used by isolated peoples he found that, in comparison to the American diet of his day, they provided at least four times the water-soluble vitamins, calcium and other minerals, and at least TEN times the fat-soluble vitamins, from animal foods such as butter, fish eggs, shellfish, organ meats, eggs and animal fats–the very cholesterol-rich foods now shunned by the American public as unhealthful. These healthy traditional peoples knew instinctively what scientists of Dr. Price’s day had recently discovered–that these fat-soluble vitamins, vitamins A and D, were vital to health because they acted as catalysts to mineral absorption and protein utilization. Without them, we cannot absorb minerals, no matter how abundant they may be in our food. Dr. Price discovered an additional fat-soluble nutrient, which he labeled Activator X, that is present in fish livers and shellfish, and organ meats and butter from cows eating rapidly growing green grass in the Spring and Fall. All primitive groups had a source of Activator X, now thought to be vitamin K2, in their diets.” – Weston A. Price Foundation
Since adopting these traditional principles, I’m slimmer, stronger, healthier, and feel better than I believe at any point in my life.
I’m Vegan and question the fish oil vs flax seed oil. What about the mercury in fish oil? And the fat the fish oil will add to your body, which will produce high LDL (in addition to high ‘good’ cholesterol.
I became Vegan for both ethical reasons and cholesterol issues and took my cholesterol down 63 points after reading “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease” by Esselstyn. This book says to stay away from ALL added oils, eat nothing with a “face or a mother”, and eat only modest amounts of naturally occurring fat, such as in avacados and nuts.
Unless you try the Zone diet, experience the weight loss, the great feeling of wellness, you have no right to have an opinion. I love how everyone has a suggestion without experience. I have seen people’s lives transform and off medication. The best lifestyle available!
I’m surprised their is no mention of Dr dean ornish, in the 80′s Dr Ornish and Dr Estyllsyn author of http://www.heartattackproof.com/ both came to the conclusion that all fat is bad for you. the western diet is toxic and have proven this in a scientific study effectively reversing C.A.D. Also the research leading to the Nobel prize in 82′ in regards to Barry Sears book should be enough to conclude his theory on out of balance fatty acids reaking havoc on your immune system and single handedly being responsible for most of todays common ailments. It is possible to obtain proper levels of omega 3 and 6 without consuming any dairy or meats, sticking to a mostly vegan diet and obtaining illness free health for many years.
Glucose- how do you get the required glucose for your brain and muscles? Non-starchy vegetables provide practcally nothing. Protein and fat provide 0.
Here is what I’ve noticed after reading a dozen or so nutrition books.
Everybody says to do the same things but they say them for different reasons… That’s the key to getting buzz and selling books.
One person says eat salmon because of protein, another says eat salmon because of omega-3, one says eat salmon because of improvement in one hormone, one says eat salmon for decrease in this hormone, one says eat salmon because of anti-inflammatory properties, one says eat salmon because of it’s effect on cholesterol.
The first nutrition book that I read cover to cover was the original Enter the Zone by Dr. Sears and I respect him so much as a scientist.
I love the zone diet, but I wonder if his new book is just a re-hash of his philosophy for a different reason this time.
Dr. Sears recently did an interview in which he discussed Toxic Fat==> http://url.ie/r68
Enjoy!
-Curtis
The Zone diet and lifestyle delivers on all its promises. I’ve been eating this way for over 13 years. Lost 100 pounds during the first 2 years, and have successfully lowered my high blood pressure to the point that I haven’t needed high BP meds in for many years. My recent BP reading was 96/70.
The concepts put forth by Barry Sears in this book are solidly backed by clinically proven material from published studies (listed in the book’s extensive 39 page bibliography).
The Zone diet differs for most others because at its core is hormonal control. The eating plan promoted in this book is the very same one that Barry Sears introduced in his original Zone book. The Zone diet together with ultra-refined concentrated fish oil is a powerful anti-inflammatory plan.
Kudos to Barry Sears for yet another eye-opening and revolutionary book. Barry Sears is indeed a man ahead of his time!
David, if you are in Spain then you have difficulty getting white eggs (I live here too)…anyway, as I understand it there is no (or no significant) difference in white or brown eggs. The color of the shell depends on the type of chicken laying them. Or did you mean ‘white of egg’?
I’ll certainly be buying a copy… I’ve always believed that the Zone ratio (40/30/30) is an effective one.
No just, ‘supplements’. In the Zone eating at least 80-100gr protein every day is critical. In all case, many diets are a copy of Zone Diet. In the Zone is critical also the ratio carbs-prots-fats in every meal.
And Zone Diet is the only one diet created to achieve an optimum balance of eicosanoids hormones, the key of health. All Zone programm is an eicosanoid programm.
I swear over time all these diets are just repackaged balanced diets that include low glycemic foods with lots of veggies, fruits and minimizing starches.
Hello from Spain. I bought this book 2 weeks ago at amazon.com and I can really say is terrific, everyday i am convinced Zone Diet is the healthiest diet in the world. Great work Dr Sears, go on providing studies for improving our health!
Methuselath, Zone Diet is:
40% calories from low glycemic carbs like veggs and fruits
30% calories from fat low in saturated fat, lean meat, fish, white eggs, low fat cheese..
30% calories from unsaturated fats, specially monounsaturated fats (extra virgin olive oil, almonds, nuts, walnuts..)
Plus high dose of pharmaceutial grade fish oil rich in EPA and DHA omega-3.
Zone Diet was created to control inflammation through control of balance of proinflamatory and antiinflamatory eicosanoids hormones. If you control eicosanoids you control all your health. Visit http://www.zonediet.com, http://www.drsears.com or read A WEEK IN THE ZONE.
I agree Dr. Jon
The best scientific commentary on the topic of dietary induced chronic inflammation is from Dr. David Seaman on his website http://www.deflame.com.
Loren Cordain also gives an excellent treatment of this topic on his site, http://www.thepaleodiet.com, with pdf archives of his published works.
The inflammation-obesity connection is in my opinion the number one public health issue of our time. Think about it…CRP and homocysteine are inflammatory markers tied to cardiovascular disease, TNF is an inflammatory cytokine linked to numerous cancers…the list goes on.
Check out the above sites, the work of Artemis Simopoulos (fatty acids), Linda Watkins (cytokines and pain generation), and for a more broad spectrum view the book “Good Calories Bad Calories” by Gary Taubes.
Shoot me an email at fcajon at hotmail.com if you need copies of any articles and I’ll try and get back to you!
If his main dietary advice is to divide the plate into 3rds, 1/3 low fat protein and the other 2/3 low glycemic load carbs (veggies/fruits), then I wonder where the fat is coming from? Has he gone from a 40/30/30 recommendation to a 66 0 33 recommendation? You mention that high doses of fish oil are part of the deal – surely he’s not proposing that the vast majority of fat comes from supplementation?!
Hey blah,
Here are a few studies that address the AA/EPA factor for cardiac events, ADHD and cancer. I’m not drawing a difinitive conclusion, just saying that there is enough preliminary evidence to suggest that there may be something to this AA/EPA ratio.
http://aacrmeetingabstracts.org/cgi/content/abstract/2006/2/A7
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1971271
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=16256888
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8729112
And P.S. I don’t think his advice is any improvement over Pollan’s advice.
Care to share what you mean by “solid foundatin of evidence” and “some research to validate Sears’ claims”? It sounds mostly like pseudo-science to me.
How are his ideas any improvment over “Eat food, mostly plants, not too much”?