The Keto diet is popular, but is it good for you?



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"However, the biggest risk of the ketogenic diet may be the most overlooked: the cost of opportunity not to eat unrefined high-fiber carbohydrates," the authors wrote. "Whole grains, fruits and legumes are among the most beneficial foods for the health of the planet. They are not responsible for epidemics of type 2 diabetes or obesity, and their avoidance can hurt. "

Dr. Shivam Joshi, co-author of the article, said that this publication had generated an avalanche of emails from people around the world. Some expressed praise and support, while others expressed their condemnation, a sign of dietary bias, said Dr. Joshi, attending physician at NYC Health + Hospitals / Bellevue and clinical assistant professor at the faculty of medicine at the University of New York.

"It's a burning issue, and this document has struck a chord," he added.

While the ketogenic diet may seem to be the latest in a never-ending stream of fad diets, it has a long history of therapeutic uses. Diabetics routinely practiced the restriction of carbohydrates before the discovery of insulin in the 1920s and Johns Hopkins' physicians and other hospitals had been using this diet for nearly a century to reduce seizures at home. patients with epilepsy.

One of the benefits of the carbohydrate restriction is that blood sugar remains stable after a meal, resulting in lower insulin levels, a hormone responsible for weight gain, said Dr. David Ludwig , an endocrinologist at Harvard Medical School and a sales writer on low carb diets.

"Insulin is like a Miracle-Gro for fat cells," he said. "By lowering insulin levels, fewer calories from the meal can be stored in fat cells, leaving more to fuel the metabolism and feed the brain. As a result, you may feel fuller longer after eating.

In a series of studies over the years, Dr. Ludwig discovered that low carb diets force people to burn more calories and lose more weight compared to low-fat diets. According to the theory of obesity on carbohydrates and insulin, whole grains, starchy vegetables and tropical fruits are healthier than processed carbohydrates. But they can still cause fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin after a meal, which can be particularly problematic for people with diabetes, said Dr. Ludwig.

In May, the American Diabetes Association released a consensus statement on nutrition strategies for people with diabetes. It has been found that a variety of diets rich in unprocessed foods, such as Mediterranean and vegetarian diets, could help people prevent and manage the disease. But he also concluded that reducing overall carbohydrate consumption "was the most effective proof" to improve blood glucose control.

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