Fact or Fiction; Controversy Surrounding Keto Diet

The Keto diet has undoubtedly made its mark in the world of nutrition. While some individuals swear by its benefits, others vehemently oppose it. The opinions are as diverse as they come, with some believing it can lead to a longer life, while others argue it might be a shortcut to an early grave. Then, there are those who stand somewhere in between, unsure of which side to support. In this post, we delve into the controversial Keto diet and separate scientific facts from anecdotal claims.

Keto diets are very low carbohydrate diets, and as we know that about 75% of out body calories come from fat, 20% from protein and about 5% to 10% from carbohydrates. While this is known, we cannot deny the fact that keto diets have been praised online by a lot of people for helping in weight loss, diabetes management, improvement of heart health, and although unproven, for some weird reason, some people believes it can fight cancer.

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A study titled "Dietary Carbohydrate Intake and Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study and Meta-Analysis" offers valuable insights. This extensive research, spanning over three decades, enlisted over 15,000 participants from four regions across the United States. Participants were categorized into low-carb, moderate-carb, and high-carb groups based on their carbohydrate intake percentages.

The low carb group got lesser than 40% of their calories from carbohydrate, the moderate carb group got about 50% to 55% of their calories from carbohydrate, while the high carb group got more than 70% of their calories from carbohydrate. From the research article, the low carbohydrate groups and the high carbohydrate group died faster than the moderate carbohydrate intake group with a 4 year difference in their life expectancy.

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From the article, the group that ate plant based fate and protein lived longer than people who were consuming animal based diets and this can be a tough one because personally, I love steaks a lot and I enjoy my meats so well but we cannot overrule the result gotten. This conclusion is undoubtedly challenging, especially for those who relish animal products. But the data speaks for itself. Meta-analyses spanning different countries reveal that individuals adhering to plant-based diets tend to enjoy longer lives.

From the research article, it is clear that people who eat low Carb diets high in meat products are likely to die early. Also, it is important to eat more plant based proteins such as nuts, vegetables, and oils but this doesn't mean that you should neglect meat completely because eating organ meat like liver can help get vitamin A which is important for eyes and bones, as well as vitamin D is is important for bones. Also, eating fish can help with Omega-3 fatty acid which will improve the heart.

The controversy surrounding the Keto diet is understandable, given the multitude of conflicting opinions. However, scientific research leans towards certain truths. While the Keto diet has its merits, it's imperative to approach it with caution. Straying into the extreme by favoring low-carb, meat-centric diets may not be the best when it comes to longevity. Instead, the evidence suggests that incorporating more plant-based proteins is a wise choice, as it aligns with the data indicating longer and healthier lives.

Reference

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30122560/
https://www.thelancet.com/article/S2468-2667(18)30135-X/fulltext
https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2011-04/fyi-what-would-happen-if-i-ate-nothing-meat/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3936685/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-Consumer/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4975785/
https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-bone-health