The Big Fat Surprise: Nina Teicholz Sticks it to the Big Nutrition Establishment
©2025 Mark McWiggins
I grew up in the 1960’s where the (new! … we got our first when I was 3 in 1960) TV was absolutely blanketed with commercials for these fake foodstuffs based on seed oils: Mazola, Crisco, etc., etc., etc.
Like probably most people in America in those years, I didn’t see any competing theories (there was no YouTube in those days) nor did any of my contemporaries … so until I came across a review of this book in 2015, I was as blind about all this as everybody else in America.
I fervently recommend Ms. Teicholz’ book:
Until I read this book I was on the “food pyramid” diet:
Notice the bread: I remember at the time getting a loaf of wheat bread and some raisins and thinking I was having a healthy lunch.
I never had a weight problem; the shock I had when reading Ms. Teicholz’ book was from one main source: the fact that seed oils were so volatile that the uniforms of the fast food workers using them burst into flames in a number of trucks as they were heading to laundries!
After that I tried to limit my consumption of seed oils down to near zero … I lobbied one of our favorite local restaurants in the Seattle area to stop cooking their french fries in seed oils, with no success. After I failed at that I mostly had Caesar salad (with full-fat dressing) and Clam Chowder instead of those fries.
We all owe a debt to Ms Teicholz and other authors who expose the corporate overlords and their clients!
