With the Banting diet taking over the trends of weight loss at the moment, it is only natural that it should come under some rather critical discussion. While Tim has defended his stance, there is more to the debate than meets the eye.

He quoted a new study from the University of Alabama, in the US – to be published in the journal Nutrition later this month – which showed it was “obvious” diabetics should avoid carbohydrates.

But an irritated Dalby said two of his patients had, on Noakes’s advice, stopped their cholesterol-lowering statin medication – and their cholesterol levels had shot up sharply as a result, one dangerously high.

”It’s criminal,” Dalby said.

While the debate over what causes heart disease heats up, what we should take away from it is rather more simple.

While it seems crazy to cut out an entire food group, it seems a little less crazy when it is put in this light.

Heart and Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Vash Mungal-Singh said the raging debate about how much carbohydrates and saturated fats people should consume was confusing, yet Noakes and his opponents agreed on a lot of things.

“We’re [all] saying eat less. We agree on the need to avoid sugar, processed foods and refined carbohydrates. We need to have more whole foods,” Mungal-Singh said.

Sugar, salt and refined carbohydrates – which are made from white flour – are what is killing people.

What is clear is that if you are suited to the Banting style of dieting (i.e. you are diabetic or overweight and want to lose the weight AND your particular body does not deal well with carbs) it is an all-or-nothing approach. It is not the sort of diet you can decide to be on for a few days and then have one cheat day – but apparently what you are doing to your body is very harmful.

So, the question remains: to carb or not to carb? Whose scientific / medical research do we give more weight to?

Check out Times Live for more of Noakes’ response and let us know which side you are on.