Complex Numbers

Chewing the Fat

Food.

We all need it, but here in the developed world, at least, it's become a source of anxiety and a victim of misinformation.

Case in point:

https://www.popsci.com/not-in-ketosis/

Sorry, keto fans, you're probably not in ketosis

Then again, you shouldn’t be anyway.

I haven't bitched about nutrition science in here lately, so it's probably about time. To recap, my problem with nutrition science is at least two-pronged: 1) Studies, done with limited participants and often questionable methods, tend to be non-replicable, but only the initial results are usually reported; moreover, reporting tends to be breathless and sensationalized. 2) The funding source for any of these studies can skew the outcome; thus, we end up with numerous articles claiming that chocolate is good for you - many of the studies for which were funded by the likes of Nestle.

Over the course of my lifetime, I've seen numerous fad diets and lousy reporting, as well as things like the see-saw findings about eggs: first they were good for you, then bad, then good, then bad, then only the whites were good, then it turned out that the whole egg is good, but not in excess (to be fair, nothing is good in excess, not even water). Fats were necessary, then to be avoided and replaced with carbs, but then suddenly carbs were poison, and then some fats are okay and some carbs got the green light... about the only constant, so far, has been an acknowledgement that the third macro, protein, is kinda necessary for life. But then people started arguing about sources of protein, leading to eating disorders such as veganism. And then, on the other end of that particular spectrum, you had things like the Atkins diet, which as I understand it (I probably don't, really) is mostly protein.

This is all complicated by the stunning discovery that everyone is different and has unique nutritional needs, thus throwing all of the one-size-fits-all studies into question.

My own weight loss has been made possible by two things: a formal plan that balances the three macronutrients (lipids, carbs, protein), and exercise. I still have a ways to go, but I've made significant progress. It works for me; it may not work for everyone. So, to get back to the point of this particular entry, it's good to find a plan that works for you -- but at the same time, it's important to get all the facts.

And facts can be hard to find amidst all the hype.

Keto is hard. If it's not hard, you're probably not doing it right.

You can say that about a lot of things, not the least of which is the double entendre so obvious that it's hardly (snort) worth mentioning.

The diet gets billed as a miraculously enjoyable diet—eat all the fat you want, just cut out the carbs.

And I'm sure that's some peoples' idea of "enjoyable," but for me, bread is life. I'm fine with mostly eating whole-grain, fiber-rich versions, in moderation, but there's no way in hell I'm ever going to give up bread. I'd stop drinking first. You can pry my baguette from my cold, dead fingers. Hell, someone will probably have to.

Researchers aren’t exactly sure what those differences are, but Fung says it's so hard to get adults into deep ketosis (which is likely deeper than a dieter's target) that often nutritionists don't even attempt it as a therapy.

Nutritionists are commonly a divided lot, so if most of them are in agreement about something, it's probably worth noting.

“Keto is not easy to maintain, it’s not a palatable diet,” says Andrea Giancoli, a dietician and nutrition consultant in California. Getting 80-90 percent of your calories from fat—which is what’s generally required for keto—is actually difficult.

Leaving aside for the moment the question of whether "dietician and nutrition consultant" is an actual thing or if it's something anyone who's read a couple of books can claim, I simply can't imagine eating that much fat. Or, well, sure, I can imagine it, just like I can imagine the carnage afterward.

And when you're (nutritionally) starving, your body will start to break down protein just to get those sweet, sweet carbs. Of course, you have a source of protein in your body already: your own muscles. "When in starvation mode, your body breaks down muscle in your body," says Giancoli. "Ketosis is a way of trying to preserve that protein. It's not ideal, but it's your body's way of saving you."

Biology is insanely, diabolically complicated. I'm always hearing about how people are math-phobic, but math is beautifully simple compared to biology. I can't even pretend to understand more than a tiny sliver of the subject matter. Most people can't. Part of that is because of the way we categorize different branches of science - physics is physics; chemistry is chemistry; quantum theory is quantum theory; fluid mechanics is fluid mechanics; and biology is all of these sciences plus a few more thrown in for good measure, plus all the math. The miracle is that anyone understands anything about it.

Of course, ketosis itself comes with its own risks. Circulating ketone bodies make your blood too acidic, and your body will draw calcium from your bones as a buffer.

See? Chemistry. Both organic and inorganic. Fun!

Without the fiber from whole grains and fruits, you're also likely to get constipated and have other digestive issues. Plus you need fiber to maintain a health[sic] gut microbiome, which tends to come from the kind of whole grains that you can't eat on the diet, and though it is possible to get enough fiber from vegetables on the keto diet you have to carefully monitor your eating to ensure that.

Now look, earlier snark about veganism aside, I'm not here to cast judgment on what anyone eats. For one thing, like I said, we're all different individuals with different needs and desires; for another, I know jack shit. But for your own sake, do the research and try not to fall into the trap of confirmation bias.