I'm 45 and I'm thinking about antioxidants and fiber, neither of which are found in protein and fat. The vegetable choices and small amounts permitted on many low carb diets can't provide my body with what it needs based on my personal health goals. If your goal is just weight loss, then I guess it doesn't matter what diet you follow since they all can do that.
Regarding the book above, I did buy and wish I'd returned it. Gina Kolata, a well known expert, wrote an excellent review for the New York Times at
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/bo...in&oref=slogin
Kolata appears to be familiar with Taubes's history of distorting the facts and her review reflects this.
My impression is that Kolata is saying Taubes mainly claims that there's a lack of evidence (that he wants to quote) to prove a high fat, high protein, high sodium, low fiber diet can result in health issues, therefore there's no reason to believe it.
I get the impression Taubes has repeated some of his earlier tactics which may include misquoting experts.
He also says he interviewed more than 600 doctors, researchers and administrators, though he adds that “the appearance of their names in the text ... does not imply that they agree with all or even part of the thesis set forth in this book.”
This statement in particular struck me...
But the problem with a book like this one, which goes on and on in great detail about experiments new and old in areas ranging from heart disease to cancer to diabetes, is that it can be hard to know what has been left out.
He previously left out documented studies that proved the dangers of a high fat, high protein diet. He was slammed for picking and choosing specific studies, and for leaving out anything that could have provided a more balanced opinion. Perhaps he's done the same thing here.