Pete Evans has hit back at the Australian Medical Association after it claimed his “extreme” health advice is putting people’s health “at risk”.
It was always going to be controversial when the paleo diet “tribe leader” chose to “share the truth” on Sunday Night.
Evans is a loud voice behind claims such as: some sunscreens are toxic; osteoporosis sufferers should stop drinking cow’s milk it because takes the calcium out of your bones; and bone broth is a suitable alternative for newborns when breastfeeding fails.
The celebrity chef’s interview on the Channel Seven program aimed to clear up some of the “misinformation” circulated by mainstream media.
Unsurprisingly, the AMA wasn’t happy with Evans’ attempts to undermine the efforts of the medical professionals they represent and hit back at the star with a tweet, pointing out he and other untrained individuals should not “dabble in medicine”.
The My Kitchen Rules chef painted a pretty picture with his wife and two daughters on a green farm with chickens and an organic vegetable patch. He goes on surfing trips with his family, and there was his 12-year-old daughter Chilli who likes spinach but doesn’t eat oysters.
The pretty picture faltered only once, when Evans was asked about his anti-fluoride stance. He’s lobbying state governments across Australia to have fluoride taken out of tap water.
“Why are doctors experts in fluoride?” an increasingly frustrated Evans asked.
“And what are their qualifications to be up to date with the neurotoxin that fluoride is?”
This came after journalist Alex Cullen asked Evans about the “mountain of evidence” he claims is out there suggesting fluoride, even in small doses, is bad for our bodies. “Doctors are telling me that this evidence doesn’t exist,” Cullen said.
“A lot of the times I feel like when I sit across from a journalist, and no disrespect, you ask me questions that you should be doing the research on yourself,” Evans retorted.
“Your response is that ‘doctors have told me’: why are doctors experts in fluoride?… There’s a mountain of evidence.”
Evans switched roles, and quizzed the journalist: “If I asked you, would you say fluoride is a health food or do you think it’s a health ingredient? What’s your response?”
“It was one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of the last century,” Cullen replied.
“For what?” Evans pushed.
“For stopping dental cavities,” Cullen shot back.
“Do they?” Evans refused to budge.
Sydney general practitioner Dr Brad McKay told the program, “Fluoride has been shown to be excellent at decreasing dental cavities in children. There’s no evidence to show [fluoride] is bad for you at all.”
Pete Evans. Image via Instagram.
That's right, a doctor - someone who's spent at least seven years studying medicine and anatomy and the chemical interactions that occur inside the human body - says one thing. A celebrity chef and restaurant owner says something else entirely.
"Why do you need a qualification to talk common sense?" Evans continued.
"Why do you have to study something that is outdated, that is industry backed, that is biased, that is not getting the results? That would be insane to study something that you're going to waste your time with. It is just crazy."
Evans also addressed some of the other "lies" the media has spread about his approach to nutrition and "healthy eating".
On sunscreen: "I generally use none. I only go out in the sun for 30 minutes or so, which we try to do every day because so many people are lacking in Vitamin D," Evans said.
Listen: Is food a friend or a foe? The Well podcast discusses. (Post continues after audio.)
"A lot of sunscreens are full of toxic chemicals you wouldn't put on your face or your kid's face. I never said 'don't use sunscreen'. Just be careful to choose one that's the least toxic."
On bone broth for babies: "There are some children, babies, out there that can't take human milk." Evans' recipe for bone broth for babies was labelled "poisonous" by Dr McKay.
And on cow's milk taking the calcium from your bones: "It's a myth to think that drinking cow's milk is the be all and end for calcium intake. Calcium through dairy is the best piece of marketing I've ever heard."
As for the number-one question from the whole episode: "Do you take criticism well, do you think?"
"It depends who the criticism comes from and what it's about," Evans replied.
Top Comments
Why are so many people quick to judge Pete? Doctors get hardly and training in nutrition. They are trained to treat a problem with a pill instead of finding out what is causing it in the first place. I have been on a Paleo diet for 5 years and have never felt better and the weight just fell off me. I was on two blood pressure medication medications plus pills for my stomach to name a few and I have ditched the lot as my blood pressure is now completely normal and my stomach never felt better. If people out there take the time to read the latest scientific research I think they may be surprised.
I can see why an ordinary citizen with an ordinary skill set would be such a threat to Australia's peak medical body, but what is so threatening about the questions I ask, MM?