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Documentary on BBC 1: The Truth About Carbs

June 6 2018 by , medical review by in Diabetes, Dr. David Unwin, Low carb & high fat, Movies, The obesity epidemic
Vegetarian keto

If you live in the UK or have access to BBC 1, why not check out the documentary that is airing tonight? The documentary is called The Truth About Carbs and features presenter Xand van Tulken, a medical doctor who, despite his love of carbs, says he is determined to find out whether they really do cause health problems.

The team will be looking at some of the health conditions that may be linked to carb consumption, as well as looking at the effect of different foods on blood sugar levels and examining some possible hacks to make carb-containing foods less damaging.

You will probably recognise a familiar face: Dr. David Unwin from our Low carb for doctors course teamed up with the programme to trial a healthy eating plan that teaches participants to be smart with their carbs.

The documentary will air on BBC 1 this evening, Wednesday 6th June, at 8:00pm UK time and will be available here shortly after broadcast for BBC online users in the UK.

Read more here:

BBC online: The Truth About Carbs documentary >

Diet Doctor resources

Low carb for beginners

Low carb recipes

Take the free 2-week challenge

How to reverse type 2 diabetes

Other low carb documentaries

  • My Big Fat Diet
  • Cereal Killers
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    Run on Fat – Cereal Killers 2
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    Sugar Coated
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    Carb-Loaded
  • Fat Chance
  • Fat Head director's cut
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    The Widowmaker
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    The Big Fat Fix

Other videos with Dr. David Unwin

  • Side effects and how to handle them
  • Who are the best patients?
  • Can low carb make it fun to be a doctor?
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    How to motivate your patients
  • Explaining low carb in a simple way
  • What about cholesterol?
  • How to motivate people
  • Polite intros to discuss obesity
  • Diabetes medications
  • Common problems and trouble shooting
  • How many teaspoons of sugar are in your food?
  • Summary and conclusion
  • Blood-pressure medications
  • Diet Doctor Podcast #33 – Dr. David Unwin
  • MEMBERS ONLY
    Helping people with type 2 diabetes
  • Baseline tests and screening
  • Low carb in other situations
  • Motivating people to change their lives

50 comments

  1. 1
    Ann Carter
    June 6 2018
    Found this really interesting, and basically good common sense. The rinsing of mouth with high carb drink was a fascinating aspect.

    Love these programs.

  2. 2
    Marie wall
    June 6 2018
    Can I get any recipes with the ingredients recommended by the programme ?
  3. 3
    Marie Wall
    June 6 2018
    I’m very interested in any recipes which instruct me on what carbs to use on food
    Replies: #46, #51
  4. 4
    Gill
    June 6 2018
    Will we have access to to eating plan?
    Found the program very interesting.
  5. 5
    Ben cowell
    June 6 2018
    Very interesting,I’m really interested in low carb eating,shame you didn’t tell us at the end of the programme where we can find the recipes featured
  6. 1 comment removed
  7. 7
    Linda Lees
    June 6 2018
    I have been looking for the recipes featured on the programme. I hope they will be made available as many seem to be saying they want them too.
  8. 8
    Nicola
    June 6 2018
    Wow! Very insightful! Is there a recommended book with an easy plan to follow with menu ideas and shopping lists to integrate this as a family lifestyle?
  9. 9
    Vivienne Pennington
    June 6 2018
    Recipes would be good.
  10. 10
    Tom Campbell
    June 6 2018
    Brilliant program hope recipes available sooner rather than later
  11. 11
    Hilary
    June 6 2018
    Great programme. Will there be any info. about the recipes used tonight.
  12. 12
    Karen
    June 6 2018
    What an eye opener! Please can you publish a low carb plan in line with the programme.
  13. 13
    Fran
    June 6 2018
    I thought this was a great programme and really want to do the low carb diet as seen by the people from Kirkby but there’s nothing to say where you can get the recipes and food choices etc.
  14. 14
    david
    June 6 2018
    very good program. why has no one given us this info before// recipes on line please.
  15. 15
    Sue wood
    June 6 2018
    Brilliant I'd love some help will recipe sheets and what did the group follow??
  16. 16
    Tracy
    June 6 2018
    Excellent programme and way forward to lose weight, how do I access?
  17. 17
    Jane
    June 6 2018
    Please can you provide lists of food that we can eat?
  18. 18
    Barbara
    June 6 2018
    Please publish the advice and recipes so that we can properly understand them. Really interesting programme.
  19. 19
    Vicki
    June 6 2018
    Informative prog - can we have the recipes please!
  20. 20
    Julie
    June 6 2018
    Brilliant programme. I have been yo-yo dieting for years so will try this new eating plan so please publish the plan and recipes. And thank you - hopefully the NHS and all GPs will get on board with this.
  21. 1 comment removed
  22. 22
    Emer Parkinson
    June 6 2018
    Really enjoyed programme - how can I get full guidance on diet to begin implementing
  23. 23
    david
    June 6 2018
    Excellent but now need the recipes
  24. 24
    Sylvia Underwood
    June 6 2018
    Where can we print off the diet please. It looks an excellent healthy eating plan .
  25. 25
    Steve Molyneux
    June 6 2018
    Recipes are at the top of this page...brilliant programme
  26. 26
    Susan Reeves
    June 6 2018
    A real eye opener, excellent programme,
  27. 27
    Nina
    June 6 2018
    Disappointed no recipes. My husband is now worrying what to have for breakfast.
    Reply: #29
  28. 28
    Angie Blankley
    June 6 2018
    Would like some recipe ideas
  29. 29
    Reply to comment #27 by Nina
    Susan
    June 6 2018
    Lots of recipes for breakfast etc on this website. I have been eating low carb for over a year (lost about 70lbs) and when eating breakfast have variations with following ingredients, scrambled eggs, mushroom or other vegetable omelettes, bacon, avocados, sometimes smoked salmon or kippers or occasionally full fat Greek yoghurt with seeds/nuts/ berries. all these good low carb options.
  30. 30
    Beverley
    June 6 2018
    Would like to see some recipes please
  31. 31
    Nicola
    June 6 2018
    How can you do this diet if your vegan if I can’t have beans etc where do I get enough protein from
  32. 32
    Roger smith
    June 6 2018
    lol what carbs are good for you. What a joke. Seriously it's 2018, come up with something better BBC.
  33. 33
    Pamela Hughes
    June 7 2018
    Look on Dr David Unwin for more details of the low carb diet. The foods are pictorial with information but for recipes you can have a two week free trial.
  34. 34
    Nichola
    June 7 2018
    Come on people - see blue banner at the top, click on the menu bars/stripes and look for recipes and meal plans. Don't give up at the first hurdle.
  35. 35
    Anna
    June 7 2018
    For those after some of the recipes, Dr Van Tulleken has a book 'How to Lose Weight Well'. He also has some fun extra hacks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy3pW-g9d58&t=10s
  36. 36
    Birgit
    June 7 2018
    Having now my own +2 years experience on my LowCarb journey, I know that I do best if I keep my total carbs on an average of 20g/day or lower.
    I still have the exceptional fruit or other source of quick carbs, but to increase the average is not an option for me.
    At the beginning of my diet change my body didn't tolerate any fruit or vegetable at all.
    In the meantime I was able to reintroduce mainly vegetables to my diet, but it is still not more than 200g on a day.
    Even this quantity is apparently sufficient to help stabilize my digestion.
    I watched the film yesterday, but I have mixed feelings about it.
    While it probably makes many people change their diet in the right direction, it might make some people to add (back) more carbs than their body can tolerate in the attempt to add more resistant starch to their diet.
  37. 37
    Kim Gajraj Team Diet Doctor
    June 7 2018
    Hi everyone! I have added some links to some of the best places to get started with low carb on our site. You can find them by scrolling up this post to the heading "Diet Doctor resources". You can also use the top menu to navigate the site.
  38. 38
    Francoise
    June 7 2018
    I watched the program too yesterday evening. On the whole, I thought its message on choosing non-starchy carbs and higly processed carbs was a step in the right direction. The message on resistant starch was confusing. Also, no mention of increasing fat intake and explaining the good vs, the bad fats. Dr. Xand van Duken mentioned in the beginning of the program that he had increased his fat intake, but no further reference or explanation followed. Also, no mention of the dangers of sugar. His taking a bite of some sugary treat was inappropriate in my opinion.

    The highlight of the program came at the end when a number of volunteers adopting a lchf diet formulated by the office of Dr. Unwin spectacularly improved their vital health markers putting into remission the type 2 diabetis from a number of participants. Even Dr. van Duken was floored by the results. Good job Dr. Unwin and co.!

  39. 39
    Francoise
    June 7 2018
    To Nicola on doing lchf when adopting a vegan lifestyle.

    In my opinion, it depends on how insulin resistant you are. If you have a higher treshold than most people, you shoukd be able to eat a higher number of carbs coming from legumes which also represent your protein intake.

    The Diet Doctor website provides a number of vegan meal plans. I suggest you take a look at their content for both information and inspiration.

    Good luck.

  40. 40
    James
    June 7 2018
    I haven't watched the documentary yet, but I highly recommend this Ted talk. A researcher and his team tested how insulin spikes differently in people. Ice cream for one person is highly unhealthy, but can be k for another. While white rice could potentially spike insulin for the person who can eat ice cream just fine. We are all different and can eat different foods. If this is because of bacteria, genetics, a blend or other factors remain to be seen.

    https://youtu.be/0z03xkwFbw4

  41. 41
    Betty
    June 7 2018
    I cannot watch the movie "The Truth About Carbs"/ Bummer!
    Reply: #52
  42. 42
    Steve
    June 7 2018
    So if reheating starchy foods is the way to go then surely this is a big boost for ready-meals containing carbohydrate foods. Why not tell folk to eat microwave meals??
  43. 43
    Lee Goodwin
    June 7 2018
    Just like food companies like Heinz and Nestles and other promote the high carb diets and then promote the slim fast and weight watchers
    has a connection between the high prices of diabetic drugs been looked into if the fix can be diet. I find it remarkable to see such an honest and great program has been aired on the BBC

    i well put together and really interesting program loved it

  44. 44
    Lisa
    June 8 2018
    Dr Unwin has encouraged me to turn my life around.
    I was boarder line diabetic with blood sugars of 45.
    I have embraced the low carb low sugar healthy eating plan, this is not a diet but making small changes to what I eat with huge results.
    My blood sugars are now 37 and I've lost well over 3 stones and dropped nearly 4 dress sizes.
    The results are amazing and I'm feeling great. If I can do it anyone can, small changes with huge healthy results.
    So go on and make them small changes.
    I can't thank or praise Dr Unwin enough he has turned my health around and with that I thank you Dr Unwin.
  45. 45
    Paul
    June 8 2018
    A list of carbs we should aim for so I would just buy those foods would be helpfull.
  46. 46
    Reply to comment #3 by Marie Wall
    Terri
    June 8 2018
    Check out my new blog at http://girlsgoneprimal.com. I have a few recipes you can try. I’m adding new ones each week!
  47. 1 comment removed
  48. 48
    Carly
    June 13 2018
    I wonder if this documentary will leave people more confused actually, there wasn't much mention of increasing fat and it feels awful to be low fat and low carb, people will give up too easily. Saying all that I was pleasantly surprised for a BBC documentary, I can't count how many times I've rolled my eyes because some other celebrity chef is trying to solve the obesity pandemic yet pushes the same old failing nutritional deadlines. Flogging a dead horse comes to mind.
  49. 49
    Elbert
    June 14 2018
    The truth about carb will not play outside UK, Send help Please?
    E Dickey eddeewon@gmail.com
  50. 50
    Kelly
    June 20 2018
    Is there anyway you can get this on Dietdoctor.com? Wish we could see it in the US
  51. 51
    Reply to comment #3 by Marie Wall
    Sue
    July 7 2018
    The recipes are on the BBC website, follow the links from the programme.
  52. 52
    Reply to comment #41 by Betty
    Diane
    July 20 2018
    it's available here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6layky
  53. 53
    Asmat
    August 5 2018
    There aren't 19 or so cubes of sugar in either a bowl of rice or a Jacket potatoe as they showed in this show Amount of sugar in 100 gm rice is about 0.1g. The only problem with white starchy food is that they raise blood sugar levels a bit too quickly.

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