Re: The other side of the coin: Caloric restriction is not THE key

Yes, I can see how a diet of egg yolks, cream and butter would raise blood sugar levels in a short period of time if that was what the diet mostly consisted of and was not offset with other healthy foods.

I would say that caloric restriction is good when it results in lower insulin levels, but not necessarily good in and of itself.  Again, I think that what is consumed is more important that how much is consumed.

Here in the US, obesity is mainly due to over consumption of SADs diet items.  As a result you see very few healthy people who are considerably overweight and you see very few people over 80 who are overweight.  On the other hand, in areas of the Mediterranean, it is quite common to see people who are very much overweight and yet are healthy.  And there you will find some of the longest lived peoples on earth.

My personal view is that it is best to not allow oneself to become overweight but I don't think severe caloric restriction is necessary for the best health and longevity so long as one watches their calories, eats a healthy nutrient dense diet, gets plenty of physical activity, avoids and eliminates toxins, minimizes stress, gets optimum amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients from food derived sources as much as possible and otherwise lives a healthy lifestyle.