Keto diets and other special snowflake fads
EvgeniZyntx
Posts: 24,208 Member
Suggested reading: http://www.ccjm.org/content/68/9/761.full.pdf
Points that should be stressed:
The article is a few years old but the basics still hold. And I'm sure that someone will try to come along and tell us that they've been doing keto continuously for years and it works for them. In my opinion, neither the adverse effects nor the disease risks are worth it long term.
Points that should be stressed:
• Initial “fast” weight lost is water, not fat
• These diets are deficient in nutrients that cannot be replaced by supplements and are excessive in nutrients that may increase the risk of mortality and chronic disease
• These diets are difficult to adhere to because they lack variety and increase the desire to consume high-carbohydrate,
high-fat foods. It is very difficult to stay on a diet that includes less than 100 g of carbohydrate per day in the long term, considering that the typical American diet contains about 275 g/day
• Ketogenic diets are associated with adverse effects
• A diet low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke
• Adherence to official dietary guidelines, such as those of the American Heart Association, provides a basis for healthy
living and weight loss
• Obesity-related conditions improve with a weight loss of only 5% to 10%, even though a weight loss of 30% may be needed to
reach the ideal body weight. A 5% reduction in weight maintained for 1 year is considered successful long-term weight loss.
The article is a few years old but the basics still hold. And I'm sure that someone will try to come along and tell us that they've been doing keto continuously for years and it works for them. In my opinion, neither the adverse effects nor the disease risks are worth it long term.
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Replies
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Under 100g of carb is NOT a Keto diet. It is quite possible to eat under 100g daily and get in plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. So I call shenanigans on who ever wrote the opinion you are quoting.
With Type 2 diabetes and obesity at an all time high and rising, I think high-carb diets are way more dangerous than low carb ones.
That is just my opinion, based on years of working with my mother's dieticians and doctors while she was dying from Diabetes and organ failure.0 -
Yeah, most of those cliff notes are misinformation.0
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Under 100g of carb is NOT a Keto diet. It is quite possible to eat under 100g daily and get in plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. So I call shenanigans on who ever wrote the opinion you are quoting.
the point being not that 100g of carb is a Keto diet but that a Keto diet is under 100g AND " It is very difficult to stay on a diet that includes less than 100 g of carbohydrate per day in the long term, considering that the typical American diet contains about 275 g/day"With Type 2 diabetes and obesity at an all time high and rising, I think high-carb diets are way more dangerous than low carb ones.That is just my opinion, based on years of working with my mother's dieticians and doctors while she was dying from Diabetes and organ failure.0 -
""Questions remain about the possible association of lowcarbohydrate
diets with the risk of colon cancer, heart
disease, diabetes, and hypertriglyceridemia.""
That article was indeed written over 11 years ago. Quite a bit of medical research has revealed a different trend and results and many doctors are changing their stances on low carb dieting.
High carb diets are one of the greatest causes for Type 2 Diabetes, especially among the sedentary.
Four years ago, my Triglycerides were over 600, which is the precursor to diabetes. By cutting down my carbs, especially processed, simple carbs, like sugar and breads, etc. I have lowered my triglyceride level to almost normal. 2 years ago they were at 200 and when I get my next blood work done in a few weeks, after losing another 30 pounds, I expect that they will be under 150.
While I may not agree on living on a diet that says you can eat all the bacon, fried chicken, cheesy hamburgers, etc that you want to eat, and not have to limit calories, a common sense approach of lean meats, cheeses, healthy fats, and non starch veggies and some fruits, within a moderate calorie level, and keeping your carbs lower, is working for me and for hundreds more people that I have found on this site alone.
I have never had a doctor that told me I had to eat bread to be healthy.0 -
""the point being not that 100g of carb is a Keto diet but that a Keto diet is under 100g AND " It is very difficult to stay on a diet that includes less than 100 g of carbohydrate per day in the long term, considering that the typical American diet contains about 275 g/day"
The TYPICAL American today is also overweight and very unhealthy, so I won't use their way of eating as a standard for good health.
Since breads, pastas, sugar, etc have a very high calorie content, and may not keep you satiated for a long time, then most people on high, refined carbs will automatically be eating a higher calorie diet, thus leading to high blood sugar and insulin levels and ultimately obesity.
Higher protein and healthy fats in a diet, combined with high fiber carbs, help me, along with many others, easily stay within their calorie goals and prevent carb binges and cravings.
As far as sustainability, I have no problem living without bread, donuts, pasta, and french fries. I had already lowered them quite a bit the past 4 years, and since I started strictly adhering to a calorie limit as well, my weight loss is even quicker. And it isn't just water weight.
I believe sincerely that it is a combination of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat, that will give you long-term success.
There are many people who can lose and sustain on higher carb diets. Either they are very active, or just have the body composition that a higher carb diets works well for.
But for many people like me, we do much better on lower carbs.
We aren't 'special snowflakes', we just have different dietary needs.0 -
Under 100g of carb is NOT a Keto diet. It is quite possible to eat under 100g daily and get in plenty of fruits, veggies, and whole grains. So I call shenanigans on who ever wrote the opinion you are quoting.
With Type 2 diabetes and obesity at an all time high and rising, I think high-carb diets are way more dangerous than low carb ones.
That is just my opinion, based on years of working with my mother's dieticians and doctors while she was dying from Diabetes and organ failure.0 -
I don't think it's that difficult to eat under 100g carbohydrates a day, the whole point of healthy eating and weight management should be that you are NOT eating the typical US/ UK diet which contain very little wholefoods and a ton of processed crap. Many people eat somewhat restrictive diets for years and remain healthy, for example vegetarians, vegans and anyone with a food allergy - they research nutrition, instead of eating out prepare their own food just as people did for centuries and still do in many first and third world countries.
A diet of under 100g carbs a day absolutely does not need to be low in fruits and vegetables nor of the nutrients wholegrains supply, plenty low to moderate carbers are eating far more fruits, vegetables, fibre and mineral rich foods than the typical American or Brit anyway. I showed in a post just the other day one could eat nine servings of produce from the full rainbow of colours for the same sugar as in a single banana. There are plenty of mainstream healthcare professionals advocating a reduced/ moderate/ controlled carb diet (glycaemic index, glycaemic load, portion control) for type 2 diabetics.
There are sensible and balanced reduced carb eating plans that contain a ton of plant material, they don't all prescribe enormous servings of fatty animal products. Any nutrition client I have that wants to go grain free I encourage to eat more non starchy vegetables, low sugar fruits, nuts, seeds, canned oily fish with bones in and some beans and lentils if they are not too low carb. The biggest issues I see with such diets is people just cutting food groups out without replacing them with other nutritious foods, or combining restrictive practices with personal taste (don't like oily fish or a wide range of vegetables).
I would note I don't support very low carb diets or those with overly limited produce/ food groups without medical recommendation and supervision.0 -
""the point being not that 100g of carb is a Keto diet but that a Keto diet is under 100g AND " It is very difficult to stay on a diet that includes less than 100 g of carbohydrate per day in the long term, considering that the typical American diet contains about 275 g/day"
The TYPICAL American today is also overweight and very unhealthy, so I won't use their way of eating as a standard for good health.
Since breads, pastas, sugar, etc have a very high calorie content, and may not keep you satiated for a long time, then most people on high, refined carbs will automatically be eating a higher calorie diet, thus leading to high blood sugar and insulin levels and ultimately obesity.
Higher protein and healthy fats in a diet, combined with high fiber carbs, help me, along with many others, easily stay within their calorie goals and prevent carb binges and cravings.
As far as sustainability, I have no problem living without bread, donuts, pasta, and french fries. I had already lowered them quite a bit the past 4 years, and since I started strictly adhering to a calorie limit as well, my weight loss is even quicker. And it isn't just water weight.
I believe sincerely that it is a combination of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat, that will give you long-term success.
There are many people who can lose and sustain on higher carb diets. Either they are very active, or just have the body composition that a higher carb diets works well for.
But for many people like me, we do much better on lower carbs.
We aren't 'special snowflakes', we just have different dietary needs.
I concur. Personally, I've tried to cut out most grains and refined sugars (although yesterday at a friend's daughter's birthday party I did have a cupcake and pizza). However, I still usually have 120-150g of carbs due to eating a lot of veggies. I also get more than the recommended daily intake of 25g of fiber. I feel better, and because I would get reactive hypoglycemia, my doctor recommended if nothing else switching to "better carbs" based on the glycemic index. Granted, I've taken it a step further, but I'm definitely not 100% no grains ever. And the holidays make it harder.
Unfortunately, I need to realize that even though I love the taste of things, if it makes me feel bad later, I shouldn't eat it. I still love my pumpkin spice misto, but a few hours later, I'm shaky, have a headache, and could eat anything in sight, but I mostly crave sugar. I need to give those up.0 -
BTW, my husband is an avid competitive cyclist as well, and is into all types of cycling. He built himself a 'bike cave' in the garage for his trainer and TV for the winter months, and has more toys (bikes) than I can count.
He has struggled for many years, in spite of all the calories he burns on his LD rides and races, to lose the last 15 pounds of extra weight. He bought into the theory of high carb fueling and refueling and therefore replaced all the calories he burned. When I started on MFP in August, he started eating like I do at home. He would still have his burgers and sandwiches outside the house, but he supported my efforts by not asking me to make him pasta meals and have sugar treats available.
He has lost 15 pounds in 4 months and is now very close to his 'race weight' goal. His performance level has gone WAY up, and he is finishing in the front portion of the pack now on every race. He still makes sure he eats plenty before a race, and refuels afterwards, but as for the rest days and other normal time, he lays off the carbs and sugars quite a bit. Not nearly as much as I do, but a lot lower than he used to.
And he really hates veggies, but has started liking salads at least.0 -
U mad that I keep losing weight and getting healthier on Keto BRA? Yea you are. All whole foods and vegetable, not unheathy, not unsustainable, doesn't effect my performance. U MAD!
There's no need to be a jerk about it. You can respectfully share your opinions without taunting.
(the mom in me just came out!)0 -
The TYPICAL American today is also overweight and very unhealthy, so I won't use their way of eating as a standard for good health.
Since breads, pastas, sugar, etc have a very high calorie content, and may not keep you satiated for a long time, then most people on high, refined carbs will automatically be eating a higher calorie diet, thus leading to high blood sugar and insulin levels and ultimately obesity.
Higher protein and healthy fats in a diet, combined with high fiber carbs, help me, along with many others, easily stay within their calorie goals and prevent carb binges and cravings.
As far as sustainability, I have no problem living without bread, donuts, pasta, and french fries. I had already lowered them quite a bit the past 4 years, and since I started strictly adhering to a calorie limit as well, my weight loss is even quicker. And it isn't just water weight.
I believe sincerely that it is a combination of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat, that will give you long-term success.
There are many people who can lose and sustain on higher carb diets. Either they are very active, or just have the body composition that a higher carb diets works well for.
But for many people like me, we do much better on lower carbs.
We aren't 'special snowflakes', we just have different dietary needs.
Nor am I suggesting that lowering carbs is bad. What that article is talking about and what does seem rather severe is not low carb diet but very low carb diet that are part of ketogenic diets. Are you truly on a ketogenic diet or are you just low carbing?
I would say there is a lot of confusion on the subject.
A true ketogenic diet is 4:1 ratio of fat to (protein+carbs). Is this what you are following?
And everythingFirefox says above makes sense. I'll underline one thing.There are plenty of mainstream healthcare professionals advocating a reduced/ moderate/ controlled carb diet (glycaemic index, glycaemic load, portion control) for ....
Yes, absolutely - and none of that is a ketogenic diet.
I have to say, I'm sorry that 100 g number appeared in my OP - it was not intended to suggest that all eating under that number is ketogenic, it isn't but that it is difficult to remain long term there and that ketogenic diets with their very low ratios of carbs and proteins vs fats are well below that.0 -
The TYPICAL American today is also overweight and very unhealthy, so I won't use their way of eating as a standard for good health.
Since breads, pastas, sugar, etc have a very high calorie content, and may not keep you satiated for a long time, then most people on high, refined carbs will automatically be eating a higher calorie diet, thus leading to high blood sugar and insulin levels and ultimately obesity.
Higher protein and healthy fats in a diet, combined with high fiber carbs, help me, along with many others, easily stay within their calorie goals and prevent carb binges and cravings.
As far as sustainability, I have no problem living without bread, donuts, pasta, and french fries. I had already lowered them quite a bit the past 4 years, and since I started strictly adhering to a calorie limit as well, my weight loss is even quicker. And it isn't just water weight.
I believe sincerely that it is a combination of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat, that will give you long-term success.
There are many people who can lose and sustain on higher carb diets. Either they are very active, or just have the body composition that a higher carb diets works well for.
But for many people like me, we do much better on lower carbs.
We aren't 'special snowflakes', we just have different dietary needs.
Nor am I suggesting that lowering carbs is bad. What that article is talking about and what does seem rather severe is not low carb diet but very low carb diet that are part of ketogenic diets. Are you truly on a ketogenic diet or are you just low carbing?
I would say there is a lot of confusion on the subject.
A true ketogenic diet is 4:1 ratio of fat to (protein+carbs). Is this what you are following?
And everythingFirefox says above makes sense. I'll underline one thing.There are plenty of mainstream healthcare professionals advocating a reduced/ moderate/ controlled carb diet (glycaemic index, glycaemic load, portion control) for ....
Yes, absolutely - and none of that is a ketogenic diet.
I think you've hit on the key here. The extremes are always the thing that bothers me. Some do great on a Keto diet and have no trouble with compliance. Great for them but that doesn't mean that most everyone else is eating the Typical American Diet. There is a huge middle ground that involves appropriate consumption of all macro nutrients. The order of priority for setting nutritional goals is: 1) appropriate caloric intake 2) appropriate protein intake for your of activity level 3) fat intake of .35 to .45 grams per lb of body weight 4) carbs with what's left. Assuming a reasonable amount of exercise, this will naturally drop carbs into a moderate range for most. Beyond that, common sense in choosing nutrient dense foods in each category the majority of the time and you are there.
These discussions always seem to get so polarized by the logical fallacy that if, for example, someone doesn't do keto, they are doing the typical american diet and are eating high carb. Maybe so, but not necessarily. Lyle McDonald has written on this phenomena.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/excluding-the-middle.html0 -
Commenting to bookmark in "My Topics" for later.0
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bumping to read later0
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The TYPICAL American today is also overweight and very unhealthy, so I won't use their way of eating as a standard for good health.
Since breads, pastas, sugar, etc have a very high calorie content, and may not keep you satiated for a long time, then most people on high, refined carbs will automatically be eating a higher calorie diet, thus leading to high blood sugar and insulin levels and ultimately obesity.
Higher protein and healthy fats in a diet, combined with high fiber carbs, help me, along with many others, easily stay within their calorie goals and prevent carb binges and cravings.
As far as sustainability, I have no problem living without bread, donuts, pasta, and french fries. I had already lowered them quite a bit the past 4 years, and since I started strictly adhering to a calorie limit as well, my weight loss is even quicker. And it isn't just water weight.
I believe sincerely that it is a combination of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat, that will give you long-term success.
There are many people who can lose and sustain on higher carb diets. Either they are very active, or just have the body composition that a higher carb diets works well for.
But for many people like me, we do much better on lower carbs.
We aren't 'special snowflakes', we just have different dietary needs.
Nor am I suggesting that lowering carbs is bad. What that article is talking about and what does seem rather severe is not low carb diet but very low carb diet that are part of ketogenic diets. Are you truly on a ketogenic diet or are you just low carbing?
I would say there is a lot of confusion on the subject.
A true ketogenic diet is 4:1 ratio of fat to (protein+carbs). Is this what you are following?
And everythingFirefox says above makes sense. I'll underline one thing.There are plenty of mainstream healthcare professionals advocating a reduced/ moderate/ controlled carb diet (glycaemic index, glycaemic load, portion control) for ....
Yes, absolutely - and none of that is a ketogenic diet.
I have to say, I'm sorry that 100 g number appeared in my OP - it was not intended to suggest that all eating under that number is ketogenic, it isn't but that it is difficult to remain long term there and that ketogenic diets with their very low ratios of carbs and proteins vs fats are well below that.0 -
bump0
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Bless your heart for your misplaced "concern," but I think you need to do a little research to bring yourself up to date. This is not a discussion about diabetic or not diabetic, fad or not a fad.
Start with a quick Internet search of the community of cardiologists, then continue to really learn something from Phinney. He, in particular, extensively studied the use of a nutritional ketogenic diet on elite cyclists.
You may find it all very interesting, at the very least, thought provoking.0 -
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Great post. Bumping to read the study later.
One comment though- there's a big difference between not advocating low-carb and pushing high-carb. There are a few examples of posters on the boards I can think of that actually push high-carb diets, but in general the idea is pretty passé and I don't know many people that are behind it. Even the big-guns like the AHA are slowly changing their tune about grains being the foundation of a healthy diet (really slowly, it's pretty embarrassing for them to say 'oops! sorry we misdirected billions of dollars and impacted countless lives). But anyway, seems to be some misunderstanding here assuming not-low-carb means high-carb, which is not true.0 -
Tagging to follow what is likely to be a very lively debate0
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Tagging to follow what is likely to be a very lively debate
^this0 -
Bless your heart for your misplaced "concern," but I think you need to do a little research to bring yourself up to date. This is not a discussion about diabetic or not diabetic, fad or not a fad.
Start with a quick Internet search of the community of cardiologists, then continue to really learn something from Phinney. He, in particular, extensively studied the use of a nutritional ketogenic diet on elite cyclists.
You may find it all very interesting, at the very least, thought provoking.
I'm actually a little aware of Phinney's work, as a cyclist. If I remember correctly most of his work is 6-8 week diets and not long term. However feel free to correct me if it is otherwise.
A quick search of an article of his that I had brings this to light.
His words on performance.Therapeutic use of ketogenic diets should not require constraint of most forms of physical labor or recreational activity, with the one caveat that anaerobic (ie, weight lifting or sprint) performance is limited by the low muscle glycogen levels induced by a ketogenic diet, and this would strongly discourage its use under most conditions of competitive athletics.0 -
Well if you're looking to build muscle, keto isn't the way to go.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/578951-ketogenic-diets-not-good-for-muscle-building?hl=ketogenic+diet+not+good#posts-8235696
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
This whole low fat vs low carb debate is as likely to be resolved as whether God or Allah exists.
I could find as many articles arguing either point as the other - I am going on what personally works for me and not criticising those who find something different works for them....0 -
I don't follow the Keto diet, and altho I understand the basics of it, I am no expert. I believe that Keto is under 20g of carbs, but I could be wrong.
I am more in line with a South Beach, or Mediterranean style diet, minus the grains. My carbs percentages are around 25%. I stay between 50-75g of net carbs now. For the first 3 months I kept below 50 net carbs, but have recently started adding some quinoa and a little more fruit. Other than that, my carbs come from non starch veggies. My fats come mostly from nuts, seeds, avocados, whole eggs. I eat Turkey bacon, rather than real bacon. I eat cheese, but try to use fat free cheese whenever possible. I eat a lot of chicken, eggs, fish, and lean pork for my proteins. I don't intentionally add lots of butter and creams to my diet, as I see many Keto dieters do. I just can't bring myself to do that, but if they want to, go ahead if it works for you.
My point wasn't that extreme no carbing might not have some adverse health effects and be hard to sustain long term, but that lumping everything under 100g into the super high fat style of Keto, was way off base.
I have eaten under 100g of carbs per most days for many years, and it is certainly sustainable for me, and for many others long term.
As for the rest of my macros, I eat around 50-60g of healthy fats, and 70-100 g of protein. Since fat grams are so many more calories than protein grams, that puts my % higher for fats, calorie-wise than my proteins. But gram-wise, I eat more proteins than fats.
I keep my sugar levels under 20-25 grams per day as well.
I agree that most people fall into a large range of middle, between the extremes. And different people have different definitions of what constitutes 'extreme'.
So if the article had been directed solely at those on the Keto diet, it could have addressed certain issues more directly, rather than lumping us all into a bunch of blanket statements, many of which are outdated at this point in time.0 -
Suggested reading: http://www.ccjm.org/content/68/9/761.full.pdf
Points that should be stressed:
• Obesity-related conditions improve with a weight loss of only 5% to 10%, even though a weight loss of 30% may be needed to
reach the ideal body weight. A 5% reduction in weight maintained for 1 year is considered successful long-term weight loss.
One more thing I have to comment on. I can't agree that a 5% reduction in weight could be considered successful long term weight loss, altho I guess if you lost 1 pound and kept it off for a year, you could technically say you were successful in maintaining your weight loss. And for those in the obese category, technically any weight loss is better than nothing, but at my highest weight of almost 240 at one time, a measly 12 pounds would not, and did not, make a significant improvement in my health. It took getting below 200, and a serious exercise regimen, to see significant improvements for me. Others may have experienced greater improvements at lower percentages.
I'm not really sure why the author of the article felt the need to add those claims into the argument against low carb diets. Seemed a bit out of place to me.0 -
I don't follow the Keto diet, and altho I understand the basics of it, I am no expert. I believe that Keto is under 20g of carbs, but I could be wrong.
I am more in line with a South Beach, or Mediterranean style diet, minus the grains. My carbs percentages are around 25%. I stay between 50-75g of net carbs now. For the first 3 months I kept below 50 net carbs, but have recently started adding some quinoa and a little more fruit. Other than that, my carbs come from non starch veggies. My fats come mostly from nuts, seeds, avocados, whole eggs. I eat Turkey bacon, rather than real bacon. I eat cheese, but try to use fat free cheese whenever possible. I eat a lot of chicken, eggs, fish, and lean pork for my proteins. I don't intentionally add lots of butter and creams to my diet, as I see many Keto dieters do. I just can't bring myself to do that, but if they want to, go ahead if it works for you.
My point wasn't that extreme no carbing might not have some adverse health effects and be hard to sustain long term, but that lumping everything under 100g into the super high fat style of Keto, was way off base.
I have eaten under 100g of carbs per most days for many years, and it is certainly sustainable for me, and for many others long term.
As for the rest of my macros, I eat around 50-60g of healthy fats, and 70-100 g of protein. Since fat grams are so many more calories than protein grams, that puts my % higher for fats, calorie-wise than my proteins. But gram-wise, I eat more proteins than fats.
I keep my sugar levels under 20-25 grams per day as well.
I agree that most people fall into a large range of middle, between the extremes. And different people have different definitions of what constitutes 'extreme'.
So if the article had been directed solely at those on the Keto diet, it could have addressed certain issues more directly, rather than lumping us all into a bunch of blanket statements, many of which are outdated at this point in time.
Just as a point of information it is generally thought that when consuming under 100 grams of carbs you are in ketosis. The only question is degree. Obviously, the lower the number the greater the amount of ketosis. I don't really know at what level a diet is considered "ketogenic" and a type.
The diet you descibed that you follow, I would consider mildly ketogenic and pretty faily balanced overall. Sounds like it's working well for you! I don't know what your exercise program looks like (you may have said but I don't recall). If it were more intense and inlcuded some strength training, you might struggle with energy levels and recovery at that low a carb level, although some adapt well.
Personally, I am not a fan of either exteme. I don't really see many advocating a very high carb diet. There are some that strength train very extensively and based on thier burns can intake a fairly high amount of carbs just like those who do endurance cardio. My personal plan is 2250 per day with 160 grams of protein, 80 grams of fat and about 175 grams of carbs. I strength train 3x per week and do 2 cardio sessions per week but they are rarely long endurance sessions.0 -
Bump.0
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The ketogenic diet is the oldest diet known to man. Every single one of us are here today because of beta-hydroxybutyrate. It has allowed us to evolve through the harshest famines in human history by endogenously providing 80% of the brain's energy and sparing protein and glucose unlike any compound ever known to mankind.
Many things can be said about it, but you don't inspire confidence by including it in the category of "fads" or describing it using a hopelessly hackneyed MFP phrase. It's the entire underpinning of evolutionary biology.
Parenthetically, a person will not reach meaningful serum BHB levels without reducing carbohydrates to less than 50 grams a day and protein to between 0.6 and 1.0 grams per pound of lean mass.
I'd encourage you to give it a try. You might find that it's much better than spending your life as blood sugar's b*tch.0 -
The ketogenic diet is the oldest diet known to man. Every single one of us are here today because of beta-hydroxybutyrate. It has allowed us to evolve through the harshest famines in human history by endogenously providing 80% of the brain's energy and sparing protein and glucose unlike any compound ever known to mankind.
Many things can be said about it, but you don't inspire confidence by including it in the category of "fads" or describing it using a hopelessly hackneyed MFP phrase. It's the entire underpinning of evolutionary biology.
Parenthetically, a person will not reach meaningful serum BHB levels without reducing carbohydrates to less than 50 grams a day and protein to between 0.6 and 1.0 grams per pound of lean mass.
I'd encourage you to give it a try. You might find that it's much better than spending your life as blood sugar's b*tch.0
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