- Keto has been ranked among the worst diets by the nutritionists for the third consecutive year due to its high saturated fat, low fiber and strict restrictions on carbohydrates.
- Low-carb advocates like Gary Taubes say keto diets work for people who have struggled to lose weight with general nutritional advice, eating whole grains and avoiding too much fat.
- While research is underway on whether keto really works better, we can all benefit from choosing higher quality carbohydrates in our lives.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The ketogenic diet is again considered by nutritionists to be among the worst health cases.
But proponents of a low-fat, low-carb diet are pushing back, arguing that conventional nutritional advice does not work for everyone.
Gary Taubes, a low-carb journalist and advocate, said he was one example of how the common wisdom of ‘eat less, move more’ can leave people hungry and frustrated without helping them lose weight or get healthier.
As someone who has been trying for over 20 years to lose weight on a low-fat, mostly plant-based diet, Taubes told Insider that many people become disillusioned with the usual diet if the advice does not lead to results. When he started a high-fat Atkins diet (similar to keto) in the early 2000s, he lost weight for the first time and did not feel bad like on other diets.
“The problem is that we get dietary advice from lean and healthy people. My argument is that if we do what they do, we get hungry and fat so we can not do it,” said Taubes, author of the new book “The Case For Keto” (his original working title was “In Praise of Fad Diets”, he said).
Although not all fast diets are the same, Taubes argues that keto works because it challenges conventional wisdom. While many diets, for example, limit rich foods such as bacon and butter, keto dieters are not only allowed, but also encouraged to enjoy.
“Nutritionists say the best diet is what you can stick to,” Taubes said. “People may think they can consider keto as a fad diet, but if it works for you, you’ll probably keep doing it.”
Experts are skeptical about chain kits and are concerned about the long-term risks
According to Taubes, the disappointment of trying to eat healthy, without seeing results, can drive skeptical dietitians like him to so-called “fad” diets, including keto.
But experts have repeatedly expressed concern about the fact that the keto diet involves large amounts of saturated fat with little fiber.
Research suggests that carbohydrate diets are linked to a higher risk of disease if people eat too much saturated fat and cholesterol, and include fruits and vegetables (which are healthy but often high in carbohydrates).
While experts now consider dietary fat less harmful than previously thought, it is still moderately recommended, especially saturated fat.
Taubes says the way we study nutrition is outdated
Proponents of a high-fat diet question the quality of evidence for saturated fat and cholesterol
heart disease
.
Most studies linking fat to health risks are observational, meaning that over the years they may detect the link between diet and disease, but may not directly indicate whether certain foods cause more or less risks.
There are very few randomized controlled trials – the “gold standard” of evidence – that directly test how participants respond to a given treatment such as a diet or medication. But it is expensive and very difficult to do for long periods of time if you find something like food.
Consequently, Taubes and other proponents of low-carb diets argue that we cannot rely on published evidence to tell us which diet is best for long-term health, and which is worst.
An effective diet is one that you stick to. Taubes says the rapid, visible results of keto keep people motivated.
Taubes says we need to measure the effectiveness of a diet by looking at the health benefits (blood sugar, cholesterol), how it helps control weight, but also how likely the person is to stick to it.
Keto does have measurable health benefits. For example, there is evidence that keto is a promising treatment for diabetes. More studies are being done on keto for diabetes and weight loss, although nutritional authorities such as the USDA still do not recognize carbohydrate diets as a viable form of healthy eating.
But while other diets may have similar benefits, Taubes said, he finds keto unique in delivering quickly visible results. It is important to keep people motivated and on the diet.
A quick internet search discovers a myriad of personal stories that illustrate how people allegedly lost weight and improved their lives on a keto diet. There is no clear evidence that low carbs are better due to health or weight loss, nor is it true that weight loss automatically leads to better health.
‘You can include the diet low in carbohydrate fat and become healthier according to any definition of health other than LDL cholesterol. “You can actually experience better health and you will know it,” he said. ‘So are you staying on the diet that will make you live hypothetically longer, even if you are heavier and have medication? Or do you do the diet that makes you feel healthier in the short term and hope that it is true in the long run? “
What can we learn from the keto diet?
The available research is not yet clear whether the keto diet works as Taubes and others theorize, and that keto may not be the right diet for everyone.
Some people who try the keto diet but eventually eat back to carbohydrates may include some carbohydrate-poor elements in their daily lives, such as eating healthy fats and whole foods, while avoiding refined sugars and starches.
One thing that is not controversial with the ketogenic diet is that for some people it is a successful way to save processed foods and added sugar, which experts say is unanimous.
“If someone wants to be healthy, they will be healthier and stay healthier if they limit refined carbohydrates and sugars. I think someone will benefit from improving the quality of carbohydrates they eat,” Taubes said.
Read more:
Nutritionists explain why they think keto is one of the worst diets – even the less restricted version
A nutrition journalist has been on a diet all his life and is still gaining weight. Then he tried the keto diet and ‘it was like a switch being turned on’.
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