Item: My article, "High Energy Food Illustrations", shows that sugar, fat, alcohol are concentrated energy sources which can support fire. Restrict their intake and you help your calorie balance.

Item: Such sources as American Medical Association show that sugar enriched foods and beverages correlate with risk of diabetes, as well as risk of obesity.

Item: My diet book noted that some young people being treated with Ritalin[tm] for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were able to flush their drugs when they removed refined sugars from their diets. (I knew one such youth.) I also noted that average USA consumption of refined sugars and artificial sweeteners is now about 25 times per capita consumption of early 1900s. Use of three major artificial sweeteners is no magic cure, because they can cause symptoms of several serious diseases.

So, should we take advice of sugar-foods and soft drinks industries?

As reporter John Stossel would say, "Give Me a Break".

** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **

Supposed high protein diets are often filled with hidden fats. For example, consider ground beef.

Center for Science in Public Interest, with reports on-line at www.cspinet.org, tells us "USDA allows ground beef labels to make claims that would be illegal on other foods." "Ground beef accounts for 45 percent of beef sold in U.S. and it adds more fat -- and more artery- clogging saturated fat -- to average American's diet than any other single food." "The USDA allows no more than 10 percent fat by weight in most foods that are labeled 'lean.' But USDA allows ground beef that is up to 22.5 percent fat to be called 'lean.'" Of course, that fat is "saturated".

In contrast, protein from plants, such as grains and legumes, has much less fat than ground beef and none of it is saturated. Tempeh, an Asian food made from whole soy beans with careful fermentation, has more protein than an equal amount (volume or weight) of ground beef, and also contains all essential amino acids.

So try this for healthy diet rules. Eat all vegetables and fruits you can stand, but without sauces, dressings, added sugar, butter, margarine, or cheese. The same applies to grain foods, such as whole grain breads and pastas. Get at least some of your proteins from plant sources. Avoid all foods fried in fat or oil.

I lost weight and one third of my blood cholesterol by reducing my beef and pork consumption, increasing my use of broiled and baked fish and chicken, and learning about soy foods that are now available in North America.

Even Ph.D. scientists can mis-lead themselves with wishful thinking. A former colleague of mine was often heard to describe his high protein, low carb diet in terms of complex biochemical theories, yet he was always at least 100 pounds overweight. He also ate and drank about three times as much as I did at shared meals. Get Real!

** Diet with FACTS, not MYTHS. **