Gary Taubes, science writer, is busting out in Britain and the Telegraph is there. This is the same book that was released in the States last year as Good Calories, Bad Calories. The book is tauted as challenging the conventional wisdom on diet and calories, and does in a sense. What Taubes does is take a long look at historical diet thinking, modern thinking and the knowledge that comes in between. Those of us that help people lose weight for a living already know most of what Taubes disusses.

Atkins knew it. The Eades know it. The Paleolithic Diet does it. So does the No-S Diet and the Lunch Box Diet. The Mediterranean Diet depends on it. Even the American Diabetes Association has had to accept it.

What is it? It’s a simple fact. Obesity has more to do with consumption of carbohydrates than any other factor. Period. No matter the dietary mix of proteins and fats, it’s the white stuff that does in the best of dieters. The bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, tortillas and such. These ready sources of blood sugar cause a physiologic cascade that results in rapid weight gain and worse yet, stimulates the cravings for more carbohydrates.

The negative impact of high carbohydrate diets becomes clearer all the time. Carbohydrates result in higher inflammatory states, for instance.

For those looking to lose weight, control chronic diseases including high cholesterol, and contribute to their overall health through diet now is the time to find ways to curb the refined carbs and steer toward a diet more biased to protein and healthy fats. Oh, and for those looking at the Mediterranean diet, add a little red wine.