0:00:02 > 0:00:04Millions of us will have made drastic changes to what we eat
0:00:04 > 0:00:06because we have been told it will do us some good.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09But some of what is recommended can be very controversial.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11So today we will be investigating the quick fix fads that could be
0:00:11 > 0:00:14doing us more harm than good.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Every day we are bombarded with conflicting information about our
0:00:21 > 0:00:22favourite foods.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26One minute we are told something is good for us,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30the next it's not and we're left feeling guilty about what we're eating.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37We've been wading through the confusion to separate the scare stories from
0:00:37 > 0:00:41the truth so you can choose your food with confidence.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Hello and welcome to Food: Truth Or Scare,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54where we go behind some of these big,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58bold headlines to tell you whether what you can eat really can transform
0:00:58 > 0:01:01your health or even, as in the case of one of today's films,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04just keep you from reaching for another biscuit.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07But what the papers don't always tell us is that lurking behind some of
0:01:07 > 0:01:11those reports is advice that could have a long-term impact on your health
0:01:11 > 0:01:15and if some of the critics are to be believed, could even be dangerous.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19So if you want to know the truth about the foods and diets that the papers
0:01:19 > 0:01:22just can't seem to make their minds up about,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25then you are absolutely in the right place because we have everything you
0:01:25 > 0:01:26need to know.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Coming up... Will completely cutting out certain foods from your diet
0:01:31 > 0:01:35do you any good or could it be a food fad too far?
0:01:36 > 0:01:40I just read in a clean eating book recently that a lettuce leaf makes a
0:01:40 > 0:01:42great substitute for bread.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46And the headlines that question everything we thought we knew about fat.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51Could it really be true that all we've been told about eating too much is wrong?
0:01:51 > 0:01:54The report is actually quite misleading and actually that could
0:01:54 > 0:01:58have quite damaging and detrimental effects on public health.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Chris, this first film was something that in a way you and I come from
0:02:06 > 0:02:09different sides, different points of view really.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12We certainly do. Did you know that up to two thirds of people have
0:02:12 > 0:02:16considered cutting out entire food groups from their diet because they
0:02:16 > 0:02:19think it will be good for them? That is more often than not dairy and
0:02:19 > 0:02:22gluten, which my wife, who is a coeliac, cannot have at all.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25But you have had to do something similar, haven't you?
0:02:25 > 0:02:27I did. I actually quite by accident found out that I was classified as
0:02:27 > 0:02:34prediabetic and so I was advised by this top doctor that I should really
0:02:34 > 0:02:37cut out sugar, but he said you have got to cut out carbs as well.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41So by cutting out carbs as well as sugar it meant that I avoided being
0:02:41 > 0:02:44a type 2 diabetic and I lost 2st in weight.
0:02:44 > 0:02:45Well, that's absolutely fine.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49It's one thing cutting something out on clear medical advice and it's
0:02:49 > 0:02:53quite another to do it for lifestyle reasons, and however popular cutting
0:02:53 > 0:02:56out entire food groups seems to be in headlines like this one,
0:02:56 > 0:02:57some reports say
0:02:57 > 0:03:01it might not actually be that good for us after all.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05So I set out whether to see whether exclusion diets are a short cut to good
0:03:05 > 0:03:09health or a short-lived fad that could lead to long-term problems.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14For years the papers have loved to tell us how to eat better,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18but it seems the days of just cutting down on the bad things are long gone.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Now we are being told to cut some foods out of our diets altogether.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26Whether it's dropping gluten, wheat, dairy, sugar or carbs,
0:03:26 > 0:03:30we are told that so-called exclusion diets can apparently do everything
0:03:30 > 0:03:32from help you to lose weight,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36boost your energy, and even protect against conditions like diabetes.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40But the same papers that appear to love them aren't shy about giving them
0:03:40 > 0:03:41a bashing too.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46And I have to say it's going to take quite a lot to convince me that these
0:03:46 > 0:03:50diets are a good idea because I've got personal experience of what it's
0:03:50 > 0:03:53like for someone who has no choice but to avoid gluten.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Now, my wife is a coeliac,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59so I know how hard it is when you are trying to cut out certain food
0:03:59 > 0:04:03groups. Why anyone would want to do it voluntarily is beyond me.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07But Rebecca Hudson from Woking thinks she has got plenty of reasons to
0:04:07 > 0:04:09exclude gluten from her diet too.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15I can get quite bloated sometimes and I get quite tired and lethargic and
0:04:15 > 0:04:17I can get like a few outbreaks of spots and things.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22I've decided to give up gluten because I think it would be interesting to
0:04:22 > 0:04:24see if some of my symptoms go.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30From what she's read Rebecca thinks going gluten free really could help,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32so she is going to try it for a month.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34And for a bit of moral support
0:04:34 > 0:04:39she is calling on her boyfriend and school sports coach, John, who will
0:04:39 > 0:04:41be trying out an exclusion diet too.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44He will be giving up dairy for a month because he wants to cut down his
0:04:44 > 0:04:46body fat and improve how he feels.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Recently just reading newspapers I read that some people do it to clean
0:04:52 > 0:04:55out their body and say, "Right, let's try something else."
0:04:55 > 0:04:57That's what I believe, but it could be completely wrong.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Before they have to give up any of the foods they love
0:05:03 > 0:05:09the couple have invited Rebecca's twin sister Natasha around for a last supper.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13So, who do you think is going to find it harder out of the two of you?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- John.- Yeah, I think John.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Rebecca and John aren't alone in trying something like this.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25In fact, it's been estimated that four in ten of us are now following
0:05:25 > 0:05:26a specialist diet
0:05:26 > 0:05:30and that includes those who have cut entire food groups to help lose
0:05:30 > 0:05:32weight or even make them feel better.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37But dietician Dimple Thakrar thinks it is a food fad that could actually
0:05:37 > 0:05:39be dangerous for our health.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45So, people are choosing to cut dairy or gluten.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48- Yeah.- Why are you not recommending people do this?
0:05:48 > 0:05:51OK, so for example gluten.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Gluten is contained in wheat and bread.
0:05:55 > 0:06:00If we remove those foods from our diet and not replacing them,
0:06:00 > 0:06:05we are actually removing a really good source of starch carbohydrates.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07You're reducing your energy intake.
0:06:07 > 0:06:12A good source of B vitamins, of iron, of calcium.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17Dairy, again, a good source of protein, a good source of calcium.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20So, again, removing those you could become deficient in them.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24'The potential side effects could be so serious that the British Dietetic
0:06:24 > 0:06:28'Association says that anyone wanting to do an exclusion diet should seek
0:06:28 > 0:06:30'professional advice first.'
0:06:31 > 0:06:37Unless you've been tested and diagnosed by a medical professional and then
0:06:37 > 0:06:43supported with a dietician, we wouldn't recommend exclusion diets.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47However, if you choose to do that for lifestyle reasons,
0:06:47 > 0:06:53it is really important that you seek the support of a dietician.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56While Dimple takes a dim view of exclusion diets,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58other experts are less critical.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says some of her clients do say they
0:07:03 > 0:07:06feel better after excluding certain foods,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09so we asked her to help Rebecca and John through their month-long
0:07:09 > 0:07:14experiment. She is paying the couple and Natasha a visit for a pre-diet checkup.
0:07:14 > 0:07:16So, how has dinner been going?
0:07:16 > 0:07:19To see whether the diets do have the positive effects that Rebecca and
0:07:19 > 0:07:23John are hoping, Yvonne is getting them to rate out of ten how
0:07:23 > 0:07:26they feel now, and she will do the same at the end of the experiment.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31First, marks for how tired they feel, with one being not at all and ten
0:07:31 > 0:07:33being exhausted.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Are you able to give that a number?
0:07:36 > 0:07:38- Four.- Thank you. What about you?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41When it gets to mid morning I'm like, "I'm really tired".
0:07:41 > 0:07:44And if I'm here I really want a nap and sometimes I do.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47So Rebecca gives her tiredness levels as seven,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51but both she and John say their biggest concern is with their digestion.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Rebecca, what would you say are your key digestive symptoms?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Sometimes I can just get quite bloated.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Sometimes I go to bed and I'll be like, "I feel really full".
0:08:00 > 0:08:03What about you, John? There were a few things that you marked down
0:08:03 > 0:08:06on your digestive system. Now, this is not a competition.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08- I know.- You don't have to beat her numbers.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09It is a competition.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11THEY LAUGH
0:08:11 > 0:08:16Rebecca gives herself a six for bloatedness and John gives himself a seven.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19He also rates his digestive troubles a three,
0:08:19 > 0:08:21but Rebecca has other ideas.
0:08:23 > 0:08:24- That is...- Gassy.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27LAUGHTER
0:08:27 > 0:08:31Should we ask? Should we put gas, as reported by Rebecca?
0:08:31 > 0:08:34It's bad, it's like a seven.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38John's greatest hope for the diet is that he will lose some body fat.
0:08:38 > 0:08:4083.4.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42So Yvonne takes a whole range of other measurements...
0:08:44 > 0:08:45Suck in.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50So, I've got some food diaries here for you.
0:08:50 > 0:08:51..before leaving them,
0:08:51 > 0:08:55ready to start their month-long diets the next morning.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58It will be really interesting to come back to these scores,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02- back to these symptoms, in a month's time, and see if we've found any changes.- Yeah, excited.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Yvonne will keep an eye on the couple's diets over the next
0:09:06 > 0:09:10month and is optimistic they could both feel healthier.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16I am expecting if gluten is an issue for Rebecca to see a change in her
0:09:16 > 0:09:20waist. Not her level of body fat, but her level of bloating.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22I think with John it's going to be harder to work out whether it's made
0:09:22 > 0:09:25a difference or not. He is interested in looking at a change in body fat
0:09:25 > 0:09:28percentage, but his body fat percentage is already really good.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32Yvonne will be back in four weeks' time to see how they got on.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36But according to some headlines Rebecca and John could end up less healthy,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40depending on the foods they choose to replace all that gluten and dairy
0:09:40 > 0:09:42they would otherwise be eating.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44For someone with coeliac disease, like my wife,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47there is no option but to go gluten free.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50But while only one in every 100 people are coeliac,
0:09:50 > 0:09:55one in five have bought or eaten gluten-free products and they have done it
0:09:55 > 0:09:59mainly because they believe that gluten may be bad for them,
0:09:59 > 0:10:00'and though that means more choice,
0:10:00 > 0:10:05'dietician Dimple Thakrar says not everything available will be as healthy
0:10:05 > 0:10:06'as it might appear.'
0:10:06 > 0:10:10- So, my wife's a coeliac, so she can't eat gluten.- Yeah.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15I've noticed that the "free from" range of products available has grown
0:10:15 > 0:10:19- exponentially.- Yes.- How do you think they stack up?
0:10:19 > 0:10:21If we look at the fat content,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24there's probably two to three times more fat in the gluten-free bread
0:10:24 > 0:10:28than there is in a normal slice of bread.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30- So...- So people... Some people,
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- could be cutting out gluten...- And thinking they are doing the right thing...
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Whereas actually they could be increasing their fat.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41And therefore increasing their risk of heart disease and weight gain.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43Back in Woking,
0:10:43 > 0:10:48John and Rebecca are getting to grips with the reality of their exclusion diet.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50John has cut dairy and Rebecca has cut gluten.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54But as their video diaries show, things aren't as easy as they'd hoped.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56So I'm feeling pretty annoyed today
0:10:56 > 0:10:58and it's all because of coffee shops.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01They don't really have many options
0:11:01 > 0:11:03at all available to anyone that is
0:11:03 > 0:11:05"free from".
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Pastries, butter in the sandwiches,
0:11:08 > 0:11:11just dairy in everything.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I went to a cafe with some friends we all got
0:11:14 > 0:11:15bacon rolls. My little
0:11:15 > 0:11:21gluten-free roll was half the size and I had to pay more for it.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22Blooming ridiculous.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I did have to steal a few tomatoes off the cocktail sticks and a few
0:11:25 > 0:11:27lettuce leaves. But that was that it.
0:11:27 > 0:11:28I kind of felt a bit like a rabbit.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Well, later in the programme we'll see if things got any easier for John
0:11:32 > 0:11:34and Rebecca and if, after a month,
0:11:34 > 0:11:39their exclusion diets have made any difference whatsoever to how they feel.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Now, excluding whole food groups from your diet is one way that lots of
0:11:49 > 0:11:51people are choosing to lose weight.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55But if that's a bit extreme and you'd prefer just to cut down,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58rather than cutting something out completely then you might go for one of
0:11:58 > 0:12:00the more tried and tested ways to lose weight.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03So, for example, Chris, if you decide to lose weight,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05not that you need to, of course, how would you choose to do it?
0:12:07 > 0:12:08Oh, I don't know. Low fat foods, I suppose.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Why low-fat?- Low-fat foods help you lose weight, don't they?
0:12:12 > 0:12:15You see, that's what we've always been told,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19but I've been on the trail of the story that said exactly the opposite
0:12:19 > 0:12:22and told us to forget everything we thought we knew about weight loss.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29For decades fat, particularly saturated fat,
0:12:29 > 0:12:31has been public health enemy number one,
0:12:31 > 0:12:33as indeed so many of us are aware.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38It's going to clog your arteries up sooner or later if you keep eating saturated fat.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Well, every time I've joined Weight Watchers I've been told to eat less
0:12:42 > 0:12:43saturated fat.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Saturated fats, you have to get them in there because it's part of your
0:12:46 > 0:12:48diet, but too much I don't think would be right for you.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53We've reported on the confusion around the role of saturated fat
0:12:53 > 0:12:56in our diet before. But last spring,
0:12:56 > 0:13:00it looked like decades of official advice had been overturned when a
0:13:00 > 0:13:02raft of new headlines suddenly announced that,
0:13:02 > 0:13:06far from being the enemy we'd long been told it was,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10that fat could be a friend for anyone trying to slim down.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Unsurprisingly, such a unexpected and controversial message
0:13:14 > 0:13:16made a very big splash in the papers.
0:13:16 > 0:13:21Now, many, many newspapers reported roughly the same thing.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23They had rather similar headlines,
0:13:23 > 0:13:28and all of them saying that this particular study or report says that all of
0:13:28 > 0:13:32the traditional views we have had of trying to lose weight in the past are wrong,
0:13:32 > 0:13:36and what we should be doing instead of swapping high-fat foods for
0:13:36 > 0:13:39low-fat foods, it should be the other way round.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44We should be eating a lot of high-fat foods, even saturated fats.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Now, while it might sound extraordinary,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51the report the headlines were based on came from some members of the
0:13:51 > 0:13:54health charity the National Obesity Forum.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58And it said the Government's advice to reduce the amount of saturated fat
0:13:58 > 0:14:02we eat to help control our weight and avoid conditions like heart disease
0:14:02 > 0:14:03was wrong.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07It's such a big sort of wide subject, isn't it?
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Trudi Deakin is one of the authors of the report.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15She says when the nation turned to low-fat foods we replaced the fat with
0:14:15 > 0:14:19carbohydrates and sugar and, as far as she is concerned,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23far from helping us to lose weight that's contributed to the highest levels
0:14:23 > 0:14:24of obesity ever.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29So, Trudi, practically as far as I can remember back,
0:14:29 > 0:14:34the message has always been no fat, low fat, light everything.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37We live in a fat-phobic nation, don't we?
0:14:37 > 0:14:41And the science came out in the 1950s and 1960s
0:14:41 > 0:14:43and it was bad science,
0:14:43 > 0:14:49unfortunately. And at that time there was not one clinical trial
0:14:49 > 0:14:54that showed that reducing total fat
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and reducing saturated fat in the diet
0:14:56 > 0:14:59would improve health outcomes at all.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03While Trudi might consider it bad science,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06those studies were the basis for the Government's first official
0:15:06 > 0:15:10guidelines for what we should eat, published in 1983.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15But Trudi doesn't think they've had the intended effect on the nation's health.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20When the dietary guidelines were published in 1983,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24then the prevalence of diabetes was 1.4%, it's now 6%.
0:15:24 > 0:15:31- Wow.- Prevalence of obesity was 6% - 8%, it is now 25%.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- That's scary, isn't it? - So two thirds of the population were overweight.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38So people don't get up in the morning and say,
0:15:38 > 0:15:42"I want to get fat," but they are following the guidelines and they're
0:15:42 > 0:15:46having a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet and it's not working.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Eating fat doesn't make you fat.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54'Instead, Trudi says it's a combination of carbohydrates and processed fats
0:15:54 > 0:15:55'that lead to obesity.'
0:15:56 > 0:15:59So, where do you stand on what's good fat and what's really bad fat?
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The healthy fats are the natural fats.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07So avoid the fake foods, avoid the junk foods, avoid the processed foods,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10let's kind of base our meals on real foods.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13Oily fish, butter, lard.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16If you turn around and look at the ingredients of butter,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18you will see buttermilk.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22If you pick up a low-fat spread and look at the ingredients,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24how long are they? I mean, they're really long,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27full of processed and artificial ingredients.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30'And while I can see that that makes sense,'
0:16:30 > 0:16:35I worry that headlines declaring that fat is good go against everything we've
0:16:35 > 0:16:38been told, not least because four years ago my husband, Stephen,
0:16:38 > 0:16:40had a small heart attack,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43and most experts would agree that saturated fat
0:16:43 > 0:16:45is one of the causes of heart disease.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48'But Trudi stands by her report.'
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I don't mean this unkindly, but are you right?
0:16:51 > 0:16:52Absolutely, yes.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54I mean, the evidence is there.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59Last year a systematic review was published on this very subject and what
0:16:59 > 0:17:05they concluded is that reducing saturated fat in the diet does not reduce
0:17:05 > 0:17:10cardiovascular disease or heart attacks and does not reduce strokes and
0:17:10 > 0:17:12does not reduce diabetes diagnoses.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18'I have to say, I find some parts of Trudi's argument quite convincing'
0:17:18 > 0:17:22but I can't shake all that long-standing medical advice about
0:17:22 > 0:17:25saturated fat and its link to heart disease.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So I can understand why, when the study hit the papers last year,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31it was met with huge criticism,
0:17:31 > 0:17:36not least from the Government body responsible for protecting the nation's health.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41'Dr Alison Tedstone is chief nutritionist for Public Health England.'
0:17:41 > 0:17:43Well, Alison, presumably you've had a look at this report.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45- Yes.- And what's your immediate reaction to it?
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Well, it's an opinion piece.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51It's setting out the opinion of individuals and they've chosen studies to
0:17:51 > 0:17:52illustrate their opinion.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55So it's not a complete assessment of the evidence.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57Do you think it's irresponsible?
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Yes, we do think it's irresponsible.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03There is evidence to show if you increase your saturated fat intake
0:18:03 > 0:18:06you increase your blood levels of cholesterol and that will increase your risk
0:18:06 > 0:18:07of having a heart attack.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10Do you subscribe to the fact that there are any good fats?
0:18:10 > 0:18:15The advice is as it is for now and that is that all saturated fats
0:18:15 > 0:18:17should be lower within the diet.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19When you're choosing dairy products, for example,
0:18:19 > 0:18:23choose lower fat dairy products, don't choose full fat,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26go for the lower fat products.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30And there are many who share Alison's concerns about the National Obesity Forum report,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34pointing to what appears to be overwhelming evidence that
0:18:34 > 0:18:37saturated fats in particular are very bad for us.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41So, the report is actually quite misleading
0:18:41 > 0:18:43and actually that could have
0:18:43 > 0:18:45quite damaging and detrimental effects on public health.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48So it's not something I would recommend.
0:18:48 > 0:18:54Many years of research and also very recent research published in November 2016
0:18:54 > 0:19:00has linked saturated fat with a higher risk of heart disease.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04'And while Trudi might say the Government's decades of nutritional advice
0:19:04 > 0:19:08'is one of the contributing factors for record levels of obesity and'
0:19:08 > 0:19:13type 2 diabetes, Charlotte believes that is unfair because very few of us
0:19:13 > 0:19:15actually follow that advice.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19I think it's important for the public to be aware that actually only about
0:19:19 > 0:19:241% of the population actually adheres to our current dietary recommendations.
0:19:24 > 0:19:29So if you look at the fact that around 60% of adults are overweight
0:19:29 > 0:19:34or obese and only 1% of people are following the dietary guidelines,
0:19:34 > 0:19:39it doesn't really make sense that they are causing overweight and obesity.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43Well, with both sides arguing their evidence is the most convincing,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47clearly this is a disagreement set to rage on and on.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51And unless the rest of us study in detail what they are really saying
0:19:51 > 0:19:55it's all too easy to latch onto just one part of the argument,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59as perhaps was the case with how the papers reacted to this particular report.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05The newspaper will take this document and it will go, "Eat fat,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07"get thin," and that's what the public look at.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09It has to start somewhere.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12It's not easy, but what else can we do?
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Ignore the evidence?
0:20:14 > 0:20:18But as far as Alison is concerned, the evidence Trudi is pointing to simply
0:20:18 > 0:20:21- doesn't stand up.- It's quite difficult.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25We could spend the whole of Public Health England's resources on talking
0:20:25 > 0:20:29about articles that come up within the press, and we do what we can,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33but we also have a job to do, to check the evidence is correct and so on
0:20:33 > 0:20:36and so forth. I think the full dietary advice has changed.
0:20:36 > 0:20:41It's very important that evidence is looked at in a rounded and consistent and
0:20:41 > 0:20:43scientific way.
0:20:43 > 0:20:48So the official advice that we should cut down on fats remains the same.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51And in the meantime, perhaps the most worrying factor in all of this is how
0:20:51 > 0:20:56easy it might be for people to take an oversimplified message from a bold headline
0:20:56 > 0:20:59claiming that you can "eat fat to get thin".
0:21:06 > 0:21:10Still to come, we'll find out if our volunteers Rebecca and John feel any
0:21:10 > 0:21:14different after a month of cutting certain foods from their diet.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17I was in a town the other day and I went to three cafes,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19and no-one could feed me.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28Now, Gloria, whatever the theory is about either healthy eating or diets,
0:21:28 > 0:21:30there's one thing that for many of us stands in the way,
0:21:30 > 0:21:32and that's our appetites, isn't it?
0:21:32 > 0:21:34We've all had those days, haven't we,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36no matter how much you eat you never quite feel full,
0:21:36 > 0:21:39and when one or two biscuits quickly becomes the packet?
0:21:39 > 0:21:41I've been there myself, I have to tell you.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44And sometimes I'm filming all day and there is no food available,
0:21:44 > 0:21:49and at times I get so hungry that I could eat the table or those papers or
0:21:49 > 0:21:51anything at all just to get something.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53If you could refrain from eating the table and papers till the
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- end of the show...- I'll do my best.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56..that would be fantastic.
0:21:56 > 0:22:01Well, Paralympian Danny Crates is another one who just can't say no when
0:22:01 > 0:22:02it comes to certain foods,
0:22:02 > 0:22:06so we sent Danny to see if he could find an off switch for his appetite.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12'This is one of my favourite rooms in the house.
0:22:12 > 0:22:17'I'm always cooking, snacking and nibbling on something as I cook.'
0:22:17 > 0:22:18Just testing!
0:22:18 > 0:22:22'All my life I've had what you might call a big appetite.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25'As a kid, I used to steal whole packets of biscuits from the kitchen
0:22:25 > 0:22:28'cupboards, and these days, when I finish my dinner,
0:22:28 > 0:22:31'I'll hoover up anything left on the kids' plates.'
0:22:32 > 0:22:34- Do you know what?- What?
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Because I only had a little bowl I might have to have a little bit more.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41'I have a constant appetite, and it doesn't go unnoticed in my house.'
0:22:41 > 0:22:46At night-time he sneaks in some cheese and crackers
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and oranges, but we know - whenever we come down,
0:22:48 > 0:22:51he leaves it all over the floor.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54- Hello!- Just a little bit extra.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59'I want to know what controls my appetite and whether anything is going to
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'stop me finishing off my kids' leftovers,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04'because even when I'm full I just keep on going.'
0:23:07 > 0:23:11For me, just like my boys, there's some foods I can't resist,
0:23:11 > 0:23:14even when I've had a massive meal.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17I know I don't need to eat any more but I can always find a little bit of room.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21And apparently, I'm not the only one who's affected by this.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27'Last autumn, this headline hit the papers, and it confirmed everything
0:23:27 > 0:23:29'I've always suspected.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32'Even when it feels like there's no room left in our stomachs,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36'lots of us can always sneak in an extra treat.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40'The man who was behind the study being reported is Dr Bernard Corfe,
0:23:40 > 0:23:42'who says that our brains find it
0:23:42 > 0:23:45'all too tempting to override our stomachs.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I don't seem to ever be able to stop eating.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Is there any reason for that?
0:23:50 > 0:23:51Appetite is only part of the equation.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55There's all sorts of overrides that come from being presented with our
0:23:55 > 0:23:58favourite foods, even the smell of food or the thought of food,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01or being in a social setting and eating together.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05If you're amongst people who are continuing to eat you will continue to
0:24:05 > 0:24:06eat, too. So there's all sorts of
0:24:06 > 0:24:08overrides that come from your environment.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11'And those overrides can be anything from how tired we're
0:24:11 > 0:24:13'feeling to how happy we are.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18'It can also be about where we are or who we're with or simply just how much we
0:24:18 > 0:24:21'love the taste of the food in front of us.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25'Bernard says willpower can help overcome those temptations.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28'But, as I know all too well, that isn't easy.'
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Obviously, some people are much better at saying no than others.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Is there a quick fix for those that can't say no?
0:24:34 > 0:24:36There are some people who are cutter-downers,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38and there are some people who are cutter-outers.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41And I know, for me, if I open a packet of biscuits the whole lot goes,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44but I can stop myself opening the packet of biscuits in the first place.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46And so, knowing yourself,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49knowing whether you're better just to avoid getting started helps you to
0:24:49 > 0:24:53sort of get a sense of what's going to work for you as an individual.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56'But in my house, temptation is everywhere.'
0:24:56 > 0:24:59So I guess hoovering up my children's leftovers is bad?
0:24:59 > 0:25:01I've been there.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03There is definitely calories in children's leftovers.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07'So it seems that controlling my appetite's off switch is not going to be
0:25:07 > 0:25:09'as simple as I first thought.
0:25:09 > 0:25:10'But all is not lost,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14'because according to dietician Linia Patel I'm far less likely to overeat
0:25:14 > 0:25:16'after meals if I eat foods that
0:25:16 > 0:25:18'will properly fill me up in the first place.'
0:25:18 > 0:25:22We need to look at the type of foods you're eating.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24The first thing that you need to do to help you fill up,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26you need to put lots of fibre on your plate.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30So, fibre would be things like vegetables and fruit or even beans.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33So what you might do is when you cook your next Bolognese is actually chop up
0:25:33 > 0:25:37lots of carrots and celery and mushrooms and peppers and also put
0:25:37 > 0:25:41a can of beans in there, because that fills you up instantly.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42Then you need to make sure you've
0:25:42 > 0:25:45got enough protein, because that keeps you fuller for longer.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47'So to test out whether Linia's right
0:25:47 > 0:25:51'and feeling full with the right foods CAN help overcome temptation,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54'I've recruited two self-confessed big eaters,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57'Rick and Mark from Basingstoke, who, like me,
0:25:57 > 0:26:01'can't resist tucking into more than they need.'
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Crisps are a big vice for me.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07I've got a real savoury tooth, so I really, really like crisps,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09so once I start picking I usually can't stop.
0:26:09 > 0:26:14Chocolate's my vice. So that's the unhealthy side of things.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18'He's probably a bit more...he's more of a grazer with those type of things,'
0:26:18 > 0:26:20whereas I tend to sort of binge-eat crisps.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23So we sort of... complement each other like that.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'To see if they're reaching for snacks out of habit,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32'because they can't resist temptation or because the rest of their diet
0:26:32 > 0:26:35'isn't filling them up, Linia's going to analyse what they eat,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39'and for the last week Rick and Mark have each been keeping a food diary.'
0:26:41 > 0:26:44So, Linia, the food diaries are in, Richard and Mark's.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47- Yeah.- We'll look at Richard's first. Is there anything glaringly
0:26:47 > 0:26:48obvious to you?
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Well, what's happening here is he loves his sweet stuff.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53So very much a sweet tooth.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56So a lot of the foods coming through are going to be high in sugar,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58which is not going to help him feel full.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Actually, it's just going to make him feel even hungrier and wanting to eat more.
0:27:01 > 0:27:06Mark doesn't eat as regularly, but he seems to eat large portions.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09So obviously he's eating because he's hungry, but he's eating beyond that.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14The other thing is that Mark drinks alcohol, and what alcohol does is it
0:27:14 > 0:27:16actually gives you an additional hunger.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19So you're much more likely to, you know, give in to
0:27:19 > 0:27:23the second packet of chips or have dessert because, you know,
0:27:23 > 0:27:25you don't care as much.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30'Linia wants to help Rick and Mark stop eating when they don't need to,
0:27:30 > 0:27:34'so she's come up with a menu she thinks should do just that
0:27:34 > 0:27:36'by keeping them full all day.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39'And it starts with their own individual protein-packed breakfast,
0:27:39 > 0:27:44'which Linia says should really fill them up.'
0:27:44 > 0:27:46This is breakfast this morning.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49This is my poached eggs.
0:27:49 > 0:27:54So, breakfast is two slices of wholemeal toast and some baked beans.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59'Linia's confident these combinations of protein and fibre will have a
0:27:59 > 0:28:03'longer-lasting satisfying effect and stop Rick and Mark's usual
0:28:03 > 0:28:05'mid-morning cravings.'
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I did enjoy something different for breakfast...
0:28:09 > 0:28:13..and I do feel a bit fuller than I normally would.
0:28:13 > 0:28:14So, I ate that quite slowly.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I am quite full, so I'm going to stop eating.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23I'm going to save my apple for my mid-morning break and see how I get on.
0:28:24 > 0:28:26'So far, so good.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28'A healthy bit of fruit for a snack,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31'and four hours later it's time for lunch.'
0:28:31 > 0:28:32So, lunch today.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34And this is for me and Rick.
0:28:34 > 0:28:36'Lunch is a veg-packed salad with avocado,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39'tomato and salad leaves mixed with
0:28:39 > 0:28:42'some dressing and topped off with salmon.'
0:28:42 > 0:28:46Lunch has arrived. It's something different to what I'd normally have.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48'Gone are the sandwiches, crisps and sweets.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50'This looks good to me.'
0:28:50 > 0:28:52That was very nice and I am full.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54'Both of them admit to snacking most afternoons,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58'but Linia says their favourite crisps and chocolate aren't just unhealthy
0:28:58 > 0:29:00'but could send their blood sugar soaring.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05'And the crash likely to follow will make them even hungrier,
0:29:05 > 0:29:09'so instead she's advised healthier snacks - carrot sticks and hummus -
0:29:09 > 0:29:11'which shouldn't have the same effect.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13'And it's done the trick for Rick.'
0:29:15 > 0:29:18I'd normally reach for something sweet after lunch, but I didn't really
0:29:18 > 0:29:20need them. I really did fancy
0:29:20 > 0:29:23something sweet but I wasn't hungry for anything.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27'However, later on Mark did confess to sneaking in a few cheeky crisps
0:29:27 > 0:29:32'mid-afternoon. And for dinner, it's chicken, lentils and lots of veg,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35'which is so filling there's no room for pudding.'
0:29:36 > 0:29:42- I am a bit stuffed.- I would normally have ice cream or some chocolate, but
0:29:42 > 0:29:44I'm just full.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46I'm done, I think, for tonight.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49'Now, it was probably habit, not hunger,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52'that drove Mark to reach for those crisps earlier on,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54'but Rick was sufficiently satisfied
0:29:54 > 0:29:58'by Linia's meals to avoid any extra temptation.'
0:29:59 > 0:30:01Looking at what we've eaten today
0:30:01 > 0:30:06I think has changed my perspective on what I should be eating during
0:30:06 > 0:30:08the day to try and stop the snacking.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10'And even with Mark's crisps,
0:30:10 > 0:30:13'both of them have eaten less food than they normally would on a typical
0:30:13 > 0:30:16'day and consumed fewer calories.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20'And Linia says anyone can do the same by following three simple rules.'
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Fill up on fibre, so make sure you're getting some vegetables and fruit
0:30:24 > 0:30:27and beans and wholegrains onto your plate.
0:30:27 > 0:30:28Have protein on your plate,
0:30:28 > 0:30:33so include protein, like your meats and your dairy and your nuts,
0:30:33 > 0:30:35in your main meals and also your snacks.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38And then the third is include some fat in your diet, as well, because that
0:30:38 > 0:30:41really helps your body feely fully satisfied.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46'But, as Mark found, food alone can't always beat habit or temptation.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50'Most of us are thought to eat an average of 300 calories a day more than
0:30:50 > 0:30:53'we need. So, as Dr Bernard Corfe says,
0:30:53 > 0:30:57'the key to switching your appetite off is about more than simply what you
0:30:57 > 0:31:00'eat, and it's different for everyone.'
0:31:00 > 0:31:02What people need to do is keep a diary of food,
0:31:02 > 0:31:06keep a diary of physical exercise and understand, for them as an
0:31:06 > 0:31:09individual, that calorie excess is starting to creep in.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13And it's by understanding that and then starting to try to change that that you
0:31:13 > 0:31:16can get control of your diet again.
0:31:16 > 0:31:17It's about finding that balance?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Absolutely. It's about the whole of your lifestyle.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24It's about identifying how you can expend more energy, perhaps, as well as
0:31:24 > 0:31:28taking in more energy, and many people go running or cycling or whatever
0:31:28 > 0:31:29so they can eat their favourite foods,
0:31:29 > 0:31:32and I'm sure there's lots of examples of that.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34'And I'm one of them.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37'Though I've retired from professional sport, I'm still active.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40'So perhaps I shouldn't be so worried about controlling appetite,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42'as long as I'm burning it off...
0:31:43 > 0:31:47'..which with any luck means I don't need to feel quite so guilty about
0:31:47 > 0:31:48'mealtimes with the kids.'
0:31:50 > 0:31:52That's all right, that one.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03For a host of quick and easy ideas
0:32:03 > 0:32:06to help you stay full for longer, go to:
0:32:07 > 0:32:11..where you'll also find plenty of other recipes on some of the topics
0:32:11 > 0:32:13we're covering in this series.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Earlier in the programme, we left Rebecca and John in the middle of their
0:32:21 > 0:32:24exclusion diet, and I think it's fair to say neither of them were
0:32:24 > 0:32:26finding it as easy as they would have hoped.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30But cutting out entire food groups is part of a new healthy-eating
0:32:30 > 0:32:33movement that's gained a lot of column inches lately,
0:32:33 > 0:32:37clean eating. While fans say it's a no-diet diet,
0:32:37 > 0:32:41critics are saying that it's not only unnecessary but could be dangerous.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44So while Rebecca and John get used to their new regime,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47I want to find out whether clean eating's all it's cracked up to be.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Two weeks into their month-long experiment with exclusion diets,
0:32:52 > 0:32:57dairy-free John and gluten-free Rebecca are off on a night out.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Where have you decided to take me, John?
0:32:59 > 0:33:02A lovely Italian restaurant near Woking.
0:33:02 > 0:33:07The only problem is that I can't eat anything on the menu.
0:33:07 > 0:33:08Interesting, John.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10We could be moving restaurants.
0:33:11 > 0:33:15Exclusion diets involve cutting whole food groups from your diet to improve
0:33:15 > 0:33:19your health, and these two started theirs because Rebecca wants to know if
0:33:19 > 0:33:22gluten is making her tired and causing digestive problems...
0:33:23 > 0:33:27..while sports coach John wonders if going dairy-free will help his
0:33:27 > 0:33:30digestion and lower his body fat.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Now they're at the halfway point,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35they're checking in with nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41- Hi!- Hi, Yvonne.- Hello! Tell me, what's been happening?
0:33:41 > 0:33:44It's a bit of a challenge at lunchtime at school. All the hot dishes
0:33:44 > 0:33:47with the meat in tend to have butter in or cream in,
0:33:47 > 0:33:49so I'm struggling a bit on that side.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I've been finding it all right. It's very challenging when I'm out and about.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55I was in a town the other day and I went to three cafes, and no-one
0:33:55 > 0:33:58- could feed me.- How's that affecting your health?
0:33:58 > 0:34:02How are you feeling with these long gaps between meals?
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Well, I'm actually feeling pretty great.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06I think I'm sleeping a tiny bit better.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08I'm not sure if it's a slightly deeper sleep.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10I'm waking up a bit more refreshed.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11Despite the challenges,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14overall Rebecca and John are still feeling positive.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16But to see if their confidence lasts,
0:34:16 > 0:34:19Yvonne and I will catch up with them at the end of the month.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23- So, speak soon. - Yes.- Any questions, get in touch.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26And if not, we'll speak again in two weeks.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29- Thank you very much, Yvonne. - Thank you.- You're welcome.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32But if exclusion diets have proved hugely popular,
0:34:32 > 0:34:36hot on their heels has come perhaps the ultimate example of the idea,
0:34:36 > 0:34:40a food regime that takes even more commitment, so-called clean eating.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44It's less a diet, more a way of life,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46championed by celebrity health gurus,
0:34:46 > 0:34:51driven by social media and all over the papers.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54But for every headline saying it's the key to a healthy and wholesome
0:34:54 > 0:34:59life, there's another dismissing it as an unnecessary and dangerous fad.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03Among those who have taken clean eating to heart are Christine Sutton
0:35:03 > 0:35:05and her husband, Thomas.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09When I'm clean eating, I would normally cut out bad starch,
0:35:09 > 0:35:13so high-GI-content foods like white bread, most breads, pasta,
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and just stick with meats, fruits, veg, nuts, things like that.
0:35:19 > 0:35:20Along with those,
0:35:20 > 0:35:24the couple also avoid almost all artificial ingredients and of course
0:35:24 > 0:35:27processed meats, even the ones they secretly love.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Unfortunately, bacon is absolutely delicious,
0:35:31 > 0:35:35but it's not really conducive to that clean-eating mentality and clean-eating
0:35:35 > 0:35:38diet and feeling really good about the food that you're putting
0:35:38 > 0:35:40into your body.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44Thomas says he adopts clean eating when he wants to lose weight,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47but Christine tries to stick to the diet as much as possible and says she
0:35:47 > 0:35:51can really feel the difference to her health.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56I think that clean eating generally makes me feel a bit better, just
0:35:56 > 0:35:59generally in life. So I've got more energy,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02I'm less tired during the day at work.
0:36:02 > 0:36:03- Mm!- Really good.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07'But not all experts are persuaded on this one,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10'and food writer and journalist Bee Wilson doesn't believe
0:36:10 > 0:36:13'the idea has any genuine benefit.'
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Can you tell me a little bit about clean eating?
0:36:16 > 0:36:20- What is it?- Well, it's this phrase that's started to pop up over the past
0:36:20 > 0:36:23five years, and it's associated with these bestselling food books that
0:36:23 > 0:36:27promise that if only you can cut out loads of different food groups from
0:36:27 > 0:36:29your diet you will glow, you will be thinner,
0:36:29 > 0:36:32you'll be happier, you'll be able to do incredibly bendy,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34stretchy yoga moves.
0:36:34 > 0:36:39So do we have clean food and do we have dirty food?
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Is that the insinuation with this?
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Well, that's the suggestion.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48The idea is that somehow food is moral in some way and that there are
0:36:48 > 0:36:53these ingredients, which include anything from kale to avocado to coconut oil,
0:36:53 > 0:36:57that are somehow virtuous and pure, and if you can just put enough of
0:36:57 > 0:37:01those in your body you're going to be on some kind of higher plane.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04But what I really don't like about it is there is an assumption in that
0:37:04 > 0:37:07that somehow there must be other foods which are dirty.
0:37:07 > 0:37:12So clean eating includes taking out food groups,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16not just certain products but whole groups of food, is that correct?
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Yes, so they might say avoid all dairy, avoid all foods with wheat,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23avoid all gluten. And if I was offering that kind of dietary advice, I'd
0:37:23 > 0:37:27want to have really good backing and evidence behind it.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31But there isn't any. It's founded on kind of bad science at best.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35It's not generally great dietary advice to just tell people to cut out
0:37:35 > 0:37:40entire nourishing groups of food for no good reason.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43I just read in a clean-eating book recently that a lettuce leaf makes a
0:37:43 > 0:37:45great substitute for bread!
0:37:46 > 0:37:48'Back in Woking,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'John and Rebecca are nearing the end of their exclusion diets.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54'Rebecca has cut out gluten and John has cut out dairy.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57'Now is the final weigh-in with Yvonne.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01'And it's clear Rebecca didn't find as many gluten-free choices as she'd
0:38:01 > 0:38:03'have liked.'
0:38:03 > 0:38:05So, how did it go?
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Yeah, it was good. It was a challenging month.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10I do travel around a lot due to my work.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14I was just so frustrated that there weren't options available, because it is
0:38:14 > 0:38:17such a big problem. And I think that's where my frustration was coming
0:38:17 > 0:38:19from, was "Why don't you have the options?"
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Or if you do have the options, why am I paying double the price for it and
0:38:23 > 0:38:27why am I paying so much extra for it? It really just made me mad.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31- I got very passionate about it. - Right, OK. So, excluding dairy,
0:38:31 > 0:38:35you think you had a better diet as a result or ate more healthily?
0:38:35 > 0:38:37I think so. At the beginning not so much,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40but when I started to prepare my food a bit more I realised a lot of dairy
0:38:40 > 0:38:44was incorporated into naughty, what I call treat food.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46I had a high level of fat and sugar.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50I actually had to turn them away, so I ended up taking healthier options,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54like a bit of fruit rather than the cake that was on display.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58'A month ago, Yvonne asked John and Rebecca to choose a number out of ten to
0:38:58 > 0:39:02'describe how they felt about key areas such as tiredness and digestion.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05'Now, after a month of eating differently,
0:39:05 > 0:39:06'she's asking them to do the same.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09'So, will any of those numbers have changed?'
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Rebecca, before,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15you said in terms of your digestive system that the wind and the bloating
0:39:15 > 0:39:18was a six out of ten, and you've now given that a score of one.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21- Yes.- Wow.- So that's a huge difference.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24I was amazed. I didn't really know what to expect, but it really did
0:39:24 > 0:39:27improve, so I haven't had any problems.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30'Rebecca had also complained about her energy levels,
0:39:30 > 0:39:33'not least because she'd frequently need extra sleeps during the day.'
0:39:33 > 0:39:38Well, the energy was interesting, because at the huge old age of 24
0:39:38 > 0:39:40you were napping in the day!
0:39:40 > 0:39:42It would be weird. I'd be doing something and I'd have this
0:39:42 > 0:39:44overwhelming feeling of tiredness.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47It wasn't a long nap, it was about half an hour.
0:39:47 > 0:39:48But you still shouldn't need that.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52- But I needed it. Yeah, I needed it. - That's quite long.- I know.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54And, amazingly, that's completely gone.
0:39:54 > 0:39:55Yeah. I haven't napped at all.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59Like, at all. Can I clarify this? No naps!
0:39:59 > 0:40:03'So Rebecca's confident she has felt an improvement since giving up
0:40:03 > 0:40:07'gluten. And John, too, reckons he's feeling better.'
0:40:07 > 0:40:11So, for you, John, the things that really came up for you was the bloating,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13which was a seven out of ten.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16And that's reduced right down to a two,
0:40:16 > 0:40:18so again a really significant difference there.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23'But John's biggest aim for the diet was to cut his body fat,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26'and Yvonne's weigh-in shows he has lost four pounds.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30'He also says he has more energy and is sleeping better.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33'But while it would be easy to assume that means the exclusion diets have
0:40:33 > 0:40:38'worked, Yvonne says in fact often simply keeping a food diary is enough to
0:40:38 > 0:40:40'help you improve your diet.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45'So, in this case, which was the key factor, the dairy or the diary?'
0:40:46 > 0:40:51How much of this improvement do you think is down to, actually, your focusing
0:40:51 > 0:40:54on your diet more and how much of it do you think is actually due to the
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- lack of dairy?- I think 60% focus and maybe 40% dairy.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01Taking dairy out just made you a bit stricter.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03So could you do it indefinitely,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06"No more dairy for me permanently for the rest of my life"?
0:41:06 > 0:41:09No. I think life's too short to, you know,
0:41:09 > 0:41:11say no to the really good things in life.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14But 90% of the time I reckon I could.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17'Remember, John and Rebecca only did
0:41:17 > 0:41:20'this exclusion diet under the watchful eye of Yvonne.'
0:41:20 > 0:41:23If anybody else is looking at this and thinks, "Maybe I would
0:41:23 > 0:41:27- "benefit from cutting out gluten or dairy"...- Yeah.
0:41:27 > 0:41:28- ..what would you say to them?- Well,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30the first stop is always check it out with your GP.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33If you've been having symptoms for some time, talk them through,
0:41:33 > 0:41:35make sure there's nothing medically wrong.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Once the GP says, "No, nothing medically wrong, on you go,"
0:41:38 > 0:41:43then it's looking at what might be causing the symptoms and only taking
0:41:43 > 0:41:45- out one food group at a time...- Yes!
0:41:45 > 0:41:47..because otherwise it can get REALLY complicated,
0:41:47 > 0:41:51and then to do what we've been doing here - to score,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54to have a look at the symptoms that you're looking at improving
0:41:54 > 0:41:57and see what number out of ten you would give those.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Keep a food diary so that you can look back and say, "Well, actually,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03"was it the lack of dairy or was it just I ate better?"
0:42:05 > 0:42:09If I'm honest, I still think exclusion diets are a bit of a fad.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13But after seeing Rebecca and John so positive about how they feel,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15perhaps I'm not quite as sceptical as I was before.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20That said, I'd still draw the line at clean eating.
0:42:20 > 0:42:21There's no way I'm swapping my
0:42:21 > 0:42:25piece of toast at breakfast for a bit of lettuce.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36The papers just love a quick-fix weight-loss plan, don't they?
0:42:36 > 0:42:41Especially if it's something they can turn into a snappy headline followed
0:42:41 > 0:42:45by a list of tricks to tame your appetite or secrets to shed the pounds.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48We've all been there once or twice. But, as we've heard today,
0:42:48 > 0:42:52taking on board some of those headlines without finding out the bigger
0:42:52 > 0:42:55picture too could mean that you're making drastic changes to your diet
0:42:55 > 0:42:58that, in the worst cases, could even be dangerous.
0:42:58 > 0:42:59You can, of course,
0:42:59 > 0:43:03find recipes and ideas related to some of the things we've been talking
0:43:03 > 0:43:05about today and, indeed, all of this series at...
0:43:08 > 0:43:10And on that note, I'm afraid that's where we have to leave it for
0:43:10 > 0:43:13today. So until next time, thank you very much for your company
0:43:13 > 0:43:16- and from both of us, bye-bye. - Goodbye.