Although ketogenic and low-carbohydrate diets are considered controversial by some health professionals, there is now high-quality evidence to support their routine use for weight loss and certain metabolic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some forms of dyslipidemia. There is also preliminary evidence for its use in other conditions.
There is scientifically substantiated evidence that natural saturated fats are not a health hazard; warnings about the health hazards of red meat are based on weak evidence; low-fat diets do not appear to have any special health or weight benefits beyond those of a low-carbohydrate diet.
Here are some notable studies from the large amunt of scientific data that support and clarify many myths we have about food:
- The Lancet. Diabetes and Endocrinology 2015: Effect of low-fat diet interventions versus other diet interventions on long-term weight change in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis [strong evidence]
- Nutrition Reviews 2019: Effects of Carbohydrate-Restricted Diets on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis [strong evidence]
- Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, 2018: LDL-C does not cause cardiovascular disease: a comprehensive review of the current literature
- Cochrane 24.08.2017: Whole grain cereals for cardiovascular disease
- Annals of Internal Medicine 2019: Effect of lower versus higher red meat intake on cardiometabolic and cancer outcomes: A systematic review of randomized trials [strong evidence]
- Book: Proteins, Pathologies and Politics: Dietary Innovation and Disease from the Nineteenth Century. 2018 : Chapter 7 – From John Yudkin to Jamie Oliver: A Short but Sweet History on the War against Sugar. Rachel Meach.
- JAMA Intern Med. 2016 Nov. Sugar Industry and Coronary Heart Disease Research. A Historical Analysis of Internal Industry Documents
- British Medical Journal 2019: WHO draft guidelines on dietary saturated and trans fatty acids: time for a new approach? [overview article; ungraded evidence]
- Business Insider 20.September 2018: Here’s What Fruits And Vegetables Looked Like Before We Domesticated Them.]
- Harvard Health Publishing. 6.01.2020: Glycemic index for 60+ foods. Measuring carbohydrate effects can help glucose management.
- The effect of statins on average survival in randomised trials, an analysis of end point postponement. 24.Sep 2015
- Lack of an association or an inverse association between low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and mortality in the elderly: a systematic review. 12. Jun 2016
- Effect of Lower Versus Higher Red Meat Intake on Cardiometabolic and Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials. 19. Nov 2019
- Dietary stearic acid leads to a reduction of visceral adipose tissue in athymic nude mice. 15. Sep 2014
- Review Dermatoendocrinol 2016.:The risks and benefits of sun exposure 2016
- Skin Cancer Report 2020:
- J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2014 Dec. Cancer, sunlight and vitamin D
- JIntern Med, 2016 Oct. Avoidance of Sun Exposure as a Risk Factor for Major Causes of Death: A Competing Risk Analysis of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden Cohort
Bibliographic References
- Each Organ Has a Unique Metabolic Profile – Berg JM, Tymoczko JL, Stryer L. (2002).
- Multi-dimensional roles of ketone bodies in fuel metabolism, signaling, and therapeutics – Puchalska P, Crawford PA (2017).
- Preferential Utilization of Ketone Bodies in the Brain and Lung of Newborn Rats – Y Y Yeh, P M SheehanY Y Yeh, P M Sheehan (1985).
- Clinical review: Ketones and brain injury – Hayden White and Balasubramanian Venkatesh (2011).
- Glycemic Instability and Spontaneous Energy Intake: Association With Knowledge-Based Work – Jean-Philippe Chaput , Vicky Drapeau, Paul Poirier, Normand Teasdale, Angelo Tremblay (2008).
- Novel ketone diet enhances physical and cognitive performance – Andrew J. Murray, Nicholas S. Knight, Mark A. Cole,,3 Lowri E. Cochlin, Emma Carter, Kirill Tchabanenko,4 Tica Pichulik, Melanie K. Gulston, Helen J. Atherton,* Marie A. Schroeder,* Robert M. J. Deacon, Yoshihiro Kashiwaya, M. Todd King, Robert Pawlosky, J. Nicholas P. Rawlins, Damian J. Tyler, Julian L. Griffin, Jeremy Robertson, Richard L. Veech, and Kieran Clarke (2016).
- Ketones Keep Neurons Alive– Carl E Stafstrom (2006).
- Glucose metabolism following human traumatic brain injury: methods of assessment and pathophysiological findings – Ibrahim Jalloh,corresponding author Keri L. H. Carpenter, Adel Helmy, T. Adrian Carpenter, David K. Menon, and Peter J. Hutchinson (2015).
- The Ketogenic Diet as a Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury: A Scoping Review – Alexandre McDougall 1, Mark Bayley 2, Sarah Ep Munce (2018).
- Feasibility and efficacy data from a ketogenic diet intervention in Alzheimer’s disease – Author links open overlay panelMatthew K.TaylorabDebra K.SullivanabJonathan D.MahnkenacJeffrey M.BurnsadeRussell H.Swerdlowadef (2018).
- Sugar Addiction: From Evolution to Revolution – Wiss DA, Avena N, Rada P. (2018).