Help with a college paper

(Rose) #1

Howdy from Texas! I have been keto for one year now!

I’m at university and decided to do my research paper (approx. 3-4 pages) over the sugar industry. I think because the paper is not very long, I will focus on heart health with weight loss as a secondary point.

I am thinking of using the article about The Sugar Conspiracy, with current scientific studies about the effects of low fat vs low carb diets on hearth health (cholesterol) and weight loss to back up the “fat is actually better than sugar” argument.

I’m reaching out here to see if anyone has any recommendations for 1) points to include 2) good articles to use. I have access to a lot of databases through my university. If you think I could approach the topic in a better way, please let me know that, too!

Thank you in advance for any ideas and recommendations!

#2

What field/subject/class is this paper for?

(Rose) #3

My major is chemical engineering and the class is a seminar course. The paper can be over anything, it’s just to promote writing and presentation skills.

Edit to add: my professor said it applies to my field of study because ChemE’s work in industry at most/all food production sites, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry.

(Stickin' with mammoth) #4

Watch this first for fun, then Google the articles and books of Gary Taubes and Robert Lustig. They both have a sizable YouTube presence as well.

(Marc) #5

From this article:

The sugar industry paid scientists in the 1960s to play down the link between sugar and heart disease and promote saturated fat as the culprit instead, newly released historical documents show.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/13/well/eat/how-the-sugar-industry-shifted-blame-to-fat.html?_r=0

And the JAMA article to which the NYT article refers:

(Jo Lo) #6

Please don’t just try to “back up an argument”. Be a journalist/scientist and do an honest survey of what is out there. Read “The case against sugar” or “The big fat surprise” for examples of how to do it without being a hack.

(Rose) #7

I’m sorry if it came across like I’d be pushing a bias. I fully intend to show both sides of the argument, I just know that the science is in favor of fat.

(Jo Lo) #8

Thanks for the reassuring response. I’ve been a writer for a long time. It’s difficult work, but I would suggest honesty will get you far. There are many arguments against fat out there; Gary Taubes and Nina Teicholz spend a lot of their time defending their work from researchers who support other findings. It’s never simple.

(Rose) #9

No, if only it was!
I agree honesty is always the best policy. This paper is a learning experience for me, as I haven’t had to write on “controversial” topics in a while.