- Keto was ranked among the worst diets for the third consecutive year by nutrition experts for its high saturated fat content, low fiber content and strict carbohydrate limits.
- Supporters of low carbohydrate content, such as Gary Taubes, say ketone diets work for people struggling to lose weight with the main nutritional advice for eating whole grains and avoiding excess fat.
- While research is underway on whether keto really works better, we can all benefit from choosing high quality carbohydrates in our lives.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
The ketogenic diet was rated among the worst for health again by nutrition experts.
But supporters of high-fat and low-carbohydrate content are backing down, arguing that conventional nutritional advice doesn’t work for everyone.
Low carbohydrate journalist and advocate Gary Taubes said he was an example of how the common wisdom of “eating less, moving more” can make people hungry and frustrated without helping them lose weight or become more healthy.
As someone who has tried and failed to lose weight for more than 20 years on low-fat, mostly plant-based diets, Taubes told Insider that many people are disillusioned with conventional eating if following this advice does not lead to results. When he started an Atkins high-fat diet (similar to keto) in the early 2000s, he started losing weight for the first time and didn’t feel hungry as he did with other diets.
“The problem is that we get dietary advice from thin and healthy people. My argument is that if we do what they do, we get hungry and fatter, so we can’t do that,” said Taubes, the author of the new book ” The Case For Keto “(his initial work title was” In Praise of Fad Diets “, he said).
Although not all fad diets are created equal, Taubes says the keto works because it defies conventional wisdom. For example, although many diets restrict rich foods like bacon and butter, keto dieters are not only allowed, but also encouraged to enter.
“Nutritionists say the best diet is one that you can follow,” said Taubes. “People may think that keto is a fad diet, but if it’s working for you, it’s likely that you will continue to do so.”
Experts are skeptical of keto claims and worry about long-term risks
According to Taubes, the disappointment of trying to eat healthy, without seeing results, can lead skeptics who diet like him to diets of the so-called “fad”, including the keto.
But experts have repeatedly expressed concern about how the ketone diet involves large amounts of saturated fat with little fiber.
Research suggests that low-carbohydrate diets are associated with an increased risk of disease if people are eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol, and saving on fruits and vegetables (which are healthy but often high in carbohydrates).
Although experts now consider dietary fat less harmful than previously thought, it is still recommended in moderation, especially saturated fat.
Taubes says the way we study nutrition is out of date
Proponents of high-fat diets question the quality of the evidence that suggests that saturated fat and cholesterol cause
heart disease
.
Most studies that relate fat to health risks are observational, meaning that they can track associations between diets and disease outcomes over the years, but they cannot directly show whether certain foods cause more or less risk.
There are very few randomized controlled trials – the “gold standard” of evidence – that directly tests how participants respond to a particular treatment, such as a diet or medication. But this is expensive and very difficult to do for long periods of time when you are tracking something like food.
As a result, Taubes and other low-carb advocates argue that we cannot rely on published evidence to tell us which diet is best for long-term health and which is the worst.
An effective diet is one that you follow. Taubes says the keto’s quick and visible results keep people motivated.
Taubes says that we should measure the effectiveness of a diet by looking at its health benefits (blood sugar; cholesterol), as it helps to control weight, but also the likelihood of a person maintaining it.
Keto has measurable health benefits. For example, there is some evidence that the keto is a promising treatment for diabetes. More studies are being done on the keto for diabetes and weight loss, although nutritional authorities like the USDA do not yet recognize low-carb diets as a viable form of healthy eating.
But while other diets may have similar benefits, Taubes said, he found that the keto is the only one to deliver visible results quickly. This is important to keep people motivated and adhering to the diet.
A quick search on the Internet reveals a wealth of personal stories that illustrate how people lost weight and improved their lives with a ketone diet. There is no clear evidence that low carbohydrates are superior for health or weight loss, and it is also not true that weight loss automatically translates into better health.
“You can try the low-carb, high-fat diet and be healthier by any definition of health other than LDL cholesterol. You can really have better health and you will know that,” he said. “So, stay on the diet that will hypothetically make you live longer even if you stay heavier and take medication? Or do you go on the diet that makes you feel healthier in the short term and hope that will be true in the long run?”
What can we learn from the ketone diet?
The research available is still unclear as to whether the ketone diet works the way Taubes and others theorized, and the ketone diet may still not be the right diet for everyone.
Some people who try the ketone diet, but end up eating carbohydrates again, may incorporate some low-carb elements into their daily lives, such as eating healthy fats and whole foods, avoiding refined sugars and starches.
One thing that is not controversial about the ketogenic diet is that it appears to be a successful way for some people to reduce processed foods and added sugar, which experts unanimously agree is a good thing.
“If someone wants to be healthy, they will be healthier and stay healthier if they restrict refined carbohydrates and sugars. I think anyone would benefit from improving the quality of the carbohydrates they eat,” said Taubes.
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