Ketomedicine nutrition myths
Keto Medicine
Nutrition Myths
More and more scientists are questioning the official dietary recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). In particular regarding saturated fats, statistics were falsified, scientists were paid off, and the economic interests of the food industry were promoted. The sugar lobby in particular contributes greatly to ensuring that high-carbohydrate diets continue to be advertised and fat is generally portrayed negatively. Industry-sponsored studies must therefore be viewed with the utmost caution and assessed much more critically than public media currently do.
Oil Change in the Kitchen
The common low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet of the past 40 years is being disproven by new studies. A reduced-carbohydrate diet, supplemented with the right fats, is now recommended because it offers health-promoting benefits. Due to the widespread lack of omega-3 fatty acids—mainly caused by low fish consumption—it is advisable to eat fatty ocean fish or take omega-3 oils as a dietary supplement. Olive oil as well as nut and flaxseed oil are well suited for salads, while safflower, sunflower, soybean, and corn oil are less recommended because of their high omega-6 content. Rapeseed oil should only be used in its native, organic form, as it may pose health concerns according to EFSA and may contain mineral oil residues. Trans fatty acids, the unhealthiest fats, are produced during high-heat frying and industrial food processing and should be avoided.
Is Coconut Oil Supposed to Be Toxic?
It consists of 90% saturated fatty acids. The body needs both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, as they all have different important functions. Coconut oil is neither toxic nor a miracle cure. Its advantage is its oxidative stability when frying, especially at high temperatures. Initial case reports and small studies show positive effects in Alzheimer’s disease. Within the context of ketogenic diets, coconut oil can also be very supportive in diabetes, lipid metabolism disorders, cancer, neurological diseases, and fatty liver due to its high MCT content, and can contribute to the formation of anti-inflammatory ketone bodies. For this reason, we recommend coconut oil for frying—along with clarified butter and ghee—and prefer it over rapeseed oil and other oils for cooking.
Do Saturated Fats Damage the Coronary Arteries?
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommended lowering the intake of saturated fatty acids 50 years ago, based on a hypothetical assumption with weak evidence. Recent studies from the past 20 years challenge this assumed association with cardiovascular disease. On the contrary, metabolic markers such as lipids, insulin, inflammatory values, and blood pressure reportedly improve on a high-fat diet containing saturated fats. An increased intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from industrial vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oil— as recommended by the German Nutrition Society (DGE)—may, according to this perspective, promote oxidative stress and inflammation. Natural fats such as clarified butter, coconut oil, and ghee are presented as preferable, as well as the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA from native, organic olive oil, which are described as essential for heart and brain health. Excessive intake of PUFAs can, according to this text, lead to an imbalance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids and may encourage inflammatory processes, increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Keep Blood Sugar Levels Constant / Five Meals a Day?
This has long been disproven: high blood sugar levels promote insulin resistance and lead to diet-related diseases. Fasting/intermittent fasting/overnight fasting (e.g., 16/8): There are various ways to give the body breaks from eating. During this time, the body undergoes “clean-up” processes. The metabolism works at full speed during fasting periods and also needs them in order to produce important growth and repair hormones. This acts like a kind of reset in the body: the ketone bodies produced during fasting periods have strong anti-inflammatory effects and serve as substitute nutrients for sugar. From an evolutionary point of view, humans appear to be adapted not only to food intake but also to periods without food.
Two to three meals a day are entirely sufficient, and regular fasting is described as both highly effective preventive healthcare and a “royal path to healing” for many conditions.
Ketogenic Diet – Does This Mean Eating Huge Amounts of Sausage and Meat?
First and foremost, a ketogenic diet is one that is based on a very high intake of vegetables—about 700 g to 1 kg per day. It is further characterized by a strong restriction of carbohydrates combined with the consumption of high-quality, healthy fats. The emphasis on “high-quality, healthy fats” is also what makes this diet particularly flavorful. A ketogenic diet is recommended both for the prevention of diet-related diseases and as an accompanying approach to their treatment. Current studies show impressive results in athletic nutrition as well as in autoimmune diseases, migraine, neurological conditions, diabetes, cancer, fatty liver disease, and—as a classic use case—weight loss. It should be carried out under medical supervision and monitored through laboratory testing.
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