How to detect bias by Roxana Soetebeer MHP PHC
How to detect bias
Again, WebMD distorts the truth about saturated fats, followed by a hit piece on the keto diet: What Happens When You Stop Eating Carbs. Reviewd by a doctor. Oh, well. Judge for yourself. Let me know what you think on X.
Very low-carb diets also are high-fat. Your saturated fat intake should be no more than 5% to 6% of your total. Focus on healthy fats like those in avocados, olives, and nuts. https://t.co/i7VbZ5eNYp pic.twitter.com/yHBYWpqIpu
— WebMD (@WebMD) September 28, 2024
I took the time, shall we go through their little hit piece point by point.
Carbs are a basic nutrient your body turns into glucose, or blood sugar, to make energy for your body to work. A very low-carb diet, like keto and the early phase of the Atkins Diet, triggers your body into nutritional ketosis. Your liver starts to make ketones -- a fuel that kicks in when your body doesn’t have enough sugar to run on -- by breaking down fat."
Reality: Ketosis is a natural, efficient process for burning fat as fuel, providing steady energy without relying on dietary glucose. Carbs may be basic, but not vital, because the body can make all the glucose it needs provided enough protein is consumed. And keto has been around much longer than Atkins. Ketones are not produced to replace a lack of dietary glucose. They are used as fuel, in addition to the dietary fat consumed. First of many of fun facts: Babies are born in ketosis and remain in ketosis while breastfed. One of the reasons that babies have so much fat on their bodies.
To bring about nutritional ketosis, extreme low-carb diets cap your carb intake at less than 10% of your total macronutrient intake. That translates to 20 to 50 grams a day of carbs. Low-carb diets generally shoot for under 26% of nutrition intake, or 130 grams."
Reality: Actually 5%, but let's not be nitpicky. Nutritional ketosis can be achieved with “total” carb intake as low as 20-50g per day. This still allows a range of healthy, nutrient-dense foods such as meat, eggs, low-carb vegetables, and small amounts of berries and nuts, and even dairy. The body does not require dietary carbohydrates to function optimally, as it can efficiently create glucose through gluconeogenesis from proteins and fats. Fun fact: protein and fat are essential for survival, while carbohydrates are not.
A sudden lack of carbs will make you lose weight. It’s mostly water weight at first, though. This is mostly because cutting carbs also wipes out the glycogen stores in your muscles. Glycogen helps your body retain water. You may also lose some salt along with the carbs you cut out. When you start to eat carbs again, the water weight comes right back. It takes 2 to 3 weeks for ketosis to rev up and start to burn fat."
Reality: OK, this made me laugh. Cutting carbs does not wipe out glycogen stores. What are they smoking? Impressive at least to make a distinction between water and fat loss. Yes, initial weight loss on keto includes water, as glycogen holds water in muscles. But it is not limited to water. And when the body begins burning fat for energy (pretty much immediately), that leads to significant fat loss. And who wants to hold all that water anyway? The temporary water weight regain after reintroducing carbs is irrelevant to the long-term fat loss and metabolic benefits that a ketogenic diet provides. Many people sustain long-term fat loss on keto, without the constant weight fluctuations common in high-carb diets. And to be completely honest, I will not go back to a high-carb diet that made me sick in the first place.
Ketosis can lead to weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and headaches, which can feel a lot like flu symptoms. More serious side effects can happen too, like stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. Some doctors think this is caused by not getting enough nutrients from fruits, beans, veggies, and whole grains -- foods not allowed, or strictly limited, on a keto diet."
Reality: I have never seen anyone vomit from omitting carbs. What a ridiculous statements. Anyway, this argument of not feeling well sounds a bit like ‘an alcoholic should never stop drinking, because the withdrawal might cause tremors’. Very cool strategy. The "keto flu" is temporary and usually due to electrolyte imbalances, not a lack of nutrients. Many nutrient-dense foods like all animal products, leafy greens, avocados, and nuts are still part of a keto diet. Electrolytes, particularly sodium, magnesium, and potassium, are easily managed to prevent or mitigate keto flu symptoms. Most people who adapt to ketosis experience sustained energy and well-being after this short adjustment period.
You may feel foggy as your body tries to keep up normal blood sugar levels. It might be hard to sleep at first. You might feel very tired, which will make your brain feel even fuzzier for a while."
Reality: Yep, they said it, “for a while.” Brain fog can occur briefly during the transition phase, but once adapted, most people report enhanced mental clarity and improved cognitive function. The brain actually thrives on ketones, which are a more stable and efficient energy source than glucose. In the long run, keto diets have been associated with improved focus and brain function. Even patients with cognitive decline, like those with Alzheimer’s, have shown improvements with ketones. Who knew. OK, apparently WebMD doesn’t know.
Low-carb diets are also low on fiber. Constipation can strike, although it usually clears up in a few weeks. You can get some fiber from watery fruit like watermelon. Also, gas can get trapped in your digestive tract. Your stomach might feel too full and hurt. If you stay well-hydrated and get enough electrolytes (minerals that help balance your body water and nourish your cells), your symptoms might not be as serious or last as long."
Reality: Are we being a bit dramatic now? A well-formulated ketogenic diet includes plenty of fibre-rich, low-carb vegetables like leafy greens, cauliflower, and broccoli. Bloating and constipation are not common when a keto diet is done properly with an emphasis on adequate fat intake, hydration and electrolytes. Many people actually report reduced bloating on keto because they eliminate common irritants like grains and sugars, which are often the real cause of digestive issues. Interestingly, many experience fewer digestive issues, on zero fibre, particularly those with previous sensitivities when following the guidelines. It’s science, baby.
When your body runs on fatty acids instead of carbs, it releases ketones through your breath as acetone. Your breath might smell fruity or sweet. Some say it tastes like decaying apple. Also, if your mouth is dry, you can have bad breath. That’s because there’s not enough saliva to get rid of bacteria and extra food particles in your mouth. So stay hydrated."
Reality: May or may not … yawn. Isn’t it beautiful though? Breathing out acetone? Weight loss in the making. But yes, some people may notice a change in breath when entering ketosis due to the release of acetone, but it is temporary. Hydration, good oral hygiene, and proper electrolyte balance can help mitigate this. As the body fully adapts to ketosis, this issue typically subsides.
A super low-carb diet can lower your blood sugar levels. This can help if you have diabetes. But in true ketosis, hypoglycemia is a risk. This happens when your blood sugar dips too low. The go-to treatment is to have 15 grams of carbs to raise it. If it’s still too low after 15 minutes, you’ll need another 15 grams. If you have diabetes, check your sugars often and know that you may need to adjust your meds while on this diet."
Reality: True ketosis? Isn’t that the point of a ketogenic diet? Now, why would blood sugar levels dip too low on a keto, unless blood sugar lowering or insulin or insulin increasing meds are involved? Keto actually helps stabilize blood sugar levels, especially for individuals with insulin resistance or Type 2 diabetes. In fact, many diabetics find they need significantly less medication or even reverse their condition on keto, thanks to its ability to improve insulin sensitivity. Hey, I was able to get off of both 50 units insulin and 2000 mg Metformin while lowering my A1c fromm 8.5 to 5.2. What’s that, T2D is chronic progressive? I guess not.
Very low-carb diets also are high-fat. Your saturated fat intake should be no more than 5% to 6% of your total. Focus on healthy fats like those in avocados, olives, and nuts. On the keto diet (as well as less strict low-carb diets like Atkins and Paleo), your triglycerides and HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels will likely get better. But you may see a rise in LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, which can also lead to heart disease."
Reality: Studies show that keto diets improve triglycerides, HDL, and pretty much every other heart health marker. While LDL may rise in some cases (not all), it’s the particle size and density that matter most. Many on keto experience an increase in large, fluffy LDL particles, which are not associated with heart disease. The focus on saturated fat as the sole risk factor for heart disease is outdated, as emerging research shows it’s refined carbs and sugars that are more harmful. And another fun fact, the heart prefers ketones. Yes, it does better on ketones. Follow the science, not the money.
Your state of mind can get wonky when you sharply cut healthy carbs that send sugar to the brain. You might feel grouchy. One study found people who followed low-carb diets over time had less serotonin in their brains than those who were on low-fat diets. Healthy serotonin levels help guard against anxiety and depression."
Reality: First, dietary carbs are not healthy. Yes, they send glucose to the brain, in amounts that far surpass the needs of the brain causing havoc. Just throwing the term type 3 diabetes out there. While there may be a short period of adaptation, most people report stable moods and improved mental well-being on keto once they’ve adjusted. Blood sugar fluctuations from high-carb diets are more likely to cause mood swings, whereas the steady energy from fat metabolism promotes mood stability. One study claimed that low-carb diets lower serotonin? Really? Why then do most people experience enhanced mood and cognitive performance on keto. Not only that, but keto has often reversed mental disease like bipolar disorders. Don’t cherry pick science.
On a low-carb diet, your liver has a lot more fat to process. This can make an existing condition worse."
Reality: The liver naturally produces ketones and processes fat efficiently during ketosis. In fact, it has been shown that a ketogenic diet can reverse fatty liver disease in as little as 7 days. Fatty liver is caused primarily by excess sugar and carbohydrates, not dietary fat. As for dietary fat, the liver does not process any of that. I can’t tell if WebMD is being intentionally deceptive, or they just don’t care for details. Whether body fat is utilized and processed by the liver through keto or any other diet, shouldn’t make a difference. Right?
Nutritional ketosis may bump up uric acid levels, leading to kidney stones or gout flares. One study found people with mild chronic kidney disease on the keto diet did OK with close medical supervision. But others show those who eat any diet high in red meat and low in whole grains, low-fat dairy, and fruit are 97% more likely to get kidney disease. This is partly why some dietitians advise against doing extreme low-carb diets on your own."
Reality: May or may not … another yawn. But I have not seen any evidence that it does. Fun fact, most people with gout stop having flares on keto. But for those suffering from kidney stones, they should find the cause. It is not keto as in fewer carbs. Carbs do not protect against gout or kidney stones. It’s more likely related to high oxalate intake, often found in almonds, chocolate, and spinach, a staple on keto. Most individuals with healthy kidneys have no issues with a ketogenic diet. The claim that red meat causes kidney disease is misleading; it's the combination of a high-carb, high-sugar diet that worsens kidney function. A well-formulated keto diet provides adequate nutrients without overburdening the kidneys. Another fun fact: I reversed stage 3a CKD on animal based keto. And I assure you, I am not a paradox.
People have used the keto diet for some 100 years to treat epilepsy, mainly in children who don’t respond to meds. It means that someone will have to watch you and do frequent lab checks and urine tests. Studies go on as to how the keto diet might also help people with brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease. There aren’t any firm results yet, though."
Reality: The ketogenic diet has a well-established history in controlling epilepsy, especially in drug-resistant cases. In addition to epilepsy, emerging studies are showing promise for keto in managing other neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. While the mechanism isn’t fully understood, ketones provide a neuroprotective effect, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain. Monitoring is necessary in certain medical contexts, but for most people, the health benefits of ketosis extend far beyond just seizure control and show potential in improving overall brain health.
If you want to learn more about the benefits of a ketogenic diet, I highly recommend this book:
Ketogenic: The Science of Therapeutic Carbohydrate Restriction in Human Health
