Katz vs. Keto KoolAid
 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/toas...kool-aid-david/

Bit of nonsense Katz states in the comments section;




Out of six billion people on the planet, roughly six billion of them eat a grain-based diet. Why do the longest lived people eat grains? He makes the observation that the Inuit aren't especially long-lived. Comparing the longest lived peoples among a sample of billions to the longest lived peoples among a sample of thousands. It's not a reasonable comparison. Also, whole grain, who eats whole grains? Mostly not people who've been told to, mostly it's people who haven't had more processed, sugary foods as even much of an option.



This isn't even vaguely true, real food ketogenic diets started early in the 20th century (before this there were earlier diets like Banting that probably had people in ketosis, but until ketones could be measured and compared between low carb diets and fasting, I don't see how the analogy could be drawn.) What he's referring to are liquid protein diets from the 60s that used collagen, an incomplete protein that might have contributed to breakdown of proteins in the heart, rather than an ancestor to ketogenic approaches, this probably set them back by decades by prejudicing people against other approaches that mimicked fasting more safely.

Also the body being indiscriminate in autophagy also isn't true, perhaps the system breaks down sometimes, but indiscriminate as the default isn't a thing.

This assumes the body is so dumb that it will burn heart tissue for food, instead of fat stores?

If he is saying that, good grief.

Katz is not on my list of objective nutrition writers. He's always had a horse in the race, and his vague writings with many technical references sound like one who is very knowledgeable until one actually critically reads his stuff. Veracity is not one of his strong points; however, arguing his agenda is always in play.

From his article:

He's trying hard to protect his book sales.

An incomplete protein diet might as well be a no protein diet. Take in calories, to spare some of your body fat, but no protein--the ratio of lean mass to fat mass going up isn't a surprise, and if you're overweight, the extent to which you're losing lean mass might not be obvious to the naked eye. Generalizing from this to a ketogenic diet with complete proteins is really unsupportable.

Although I'm a member over at Diet Doctor (because I appreciate that they distribute excellent healthy eating advice for free on the front page) I don't read much in the diet advice universe these days. I guess the last book I bought was Taubes's Sugar book.

A basic very low-carbohydrate way of eating seems to work well for me as a lifestyle. I maintain a weight I can live with, and I don't bounce around in new information (and new decisions) all the time. I did appreciate the YouTube video I found here where a Dr. Barry talks about supplements--but only as far as it kind of reinforced what I already know and do.

All that said, I enjoy tuning in to the discussion here, as it's always wise to try to keep track of the facts as far as possible. Especially in these days when "alternative facts" can drive a person crazy.

Carry on!

Since I'm definitely not selling anything to anybody so can't be classed with the profiteering hypocrites, I guess I'm one of those deluded folks who drank the low-carb Kool-Aid. My delusions take the form of thinking that since drinking the LC kool-aid my scales now indicate 180 lbs instead of 270 lbs, that I'm wearing size 14 slacks instead of size 22, and that my fasting blood glucose has dropped from about 120 to around 80. Isn't it amazing all the ways we can "delude" ourselves. :lol:

Count me as completely deluded . . .

Just FYI - I posted a comment on the Katz article Teaser linked to above sharing my personal experience. Will be interesting to see what responses I get

All righty. I caved and actually read (superficially, similar to the way in which it was written) the Katz article. So...what's his problem? Is he trying to save all the stupid people in the world from killing themselves with ketosis? Fat chance, so to speak.

What's this about selling a diet? Buy a book? Buy more vegetables? Buy less Fruit Loops? I manage to feed myself in a healthy way without a single special purchase. Okay. I buy some supplements--but I'd do that anyway.

Why is he going on like this?

Nice post, bevangel. But aren't you concerned that your diet will lead to you to a condition with parallels to ongoing cocaine use or consumption?



Burden of proof arguments just about always make me cringe. You want us to prove it? So get the heck out of our way. :lol:

I didn't read it. I skimmed it and decided to skip it. Why would Katz's blather convince me when my experience from eating low carb/keto for 15 years says otherwise? Like Barbara I don't buy special products designed for a ketogenic diet. I eat only real food, (mostly meat fish and veggies with some flax seed and sunflower seeds, coconut oil and olive oil) keep my net carbs under 20 (usually no more than 15) daily and take some supplements. Fifteen years of success. Can't see a reason to stop drinking the keto kool aid.

Jean

The problem, as I see it, is that his blather is not really aimed at those of us who've tried the "keto-kool aid" and discovered just how good it really is! He's aiming it at all those who MIGHT decide to try keto. He wants to keep the drumbeat of fear pounding loud enough so that folks who actually might benefit from a ketogenic diet won't experiment but will continue to buy his books and follow HIS gospel instead.

I have so many relatives (including two brothers) who are seriously overweight and suffering diabetes or prediabetes along with all the other illnesses that go along with carbohydrate intolerance. It breaks my heart to see them mired in the carbohydrate quicksand.

And, despite SEEING for themselves that low carb has helped me and my husband, they remain terrified to try it. After all, the two of us MIGHT just be outlier cases and we might drop dead tomorrow due to our unhealthy diet.

After all "science" has shown that "low-fat with plenty of healthy whole grains is the only healthy way to eat" and the AHA and their own doctors and leading nutrition doctors like Dr. Katz SAY low-carb ketogenic is an unhealthy fad. So, they think they just need to work harder at eating fewer calories and exercising more.

And if doesn't work, well it's because they're gluttons without the self-discipline to push themselves away from the table and exercise more.

When I read Katz's diatribe, something clicked and I decided that maybe we need more people posting comments ON the blogs of the anti-keto people saying "I beg to differ, let me tell you - and all YOUR readers - about my personal experience." And I decided to post there under my real name because, since I'm telling the truth about MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, that makes it a tiny bit harder for him to dismiss me as a troll or someone with a book to sell.

bevangel - keep us posted regarding the responses you receive. There are likely to be some exceptional ones. I understand your rationale in this case. Katz does blather, but he's also got a willing audience among those who haven't taken the time to investigate and understand a ketogenic approach.

In my late 60s and in my 5th year of a VLCKD having been able to drop all my visceral fat, having become healthy and free of medications and sleep apnea due to this approach over the 5 years, I'm wondering how in the world I'm going to sustain this WOE . . . :D

If everyone drank the keto koolaid, Katz would have no patients and go broke.

I read your post Bev, that was good!!!