Exposing the Myths: The Truth About Low-Carb Diets
It’s about time. The misinformation surrounding low-carbohydrate diets has persisted for decades, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Thanks to the relentless investigative work of Nina Teicholz and a group of esteemed experts, the recent paper "Myths and Facts Regarding Low-Carbohydrate Diets", published in Nutrients (2025), sets the record straight.
For too long, low-carb and ketogenic diets have been dismissed as unsustainable, unhealthy, or even dangerous. Yet, this article—authored by doctors, researchers, and clinicians who have spent years studying and applying low-carb nutrition—reveals what many of us have already experienced firsthand: low-carb is not a fad, but a powerful, evidence-based tool for improving health.
Breaking Down the Myths
The paper addresses many of the common misconceptions about low-carb eating, systematically dismantling the flawed studies and outdated dogma that have shaped public opinion. Here’s what the research actually says:
🛑 Myth: Low-Carb Diets Are Bad for the Heart
💡 Fact: Critics argue that low-carb diets raise LDL cholesterol, but they ignore the full picture. Research shows that while LDL may rise in some individuals, it is often the large, fluffy LDL particles—considered less harmful—rather than the small, dense particles linked to heart disease. More importantly, low-carb diets consistently improve key cardiovascular markers, including reducing triglycerides, raising HDL (“good cholesterol”), and lowering inflammation. In fact, studies show that low-carb diets reduce overall heart disease risk, not increase it.
🛑 Myth: The Body Needs Carbs to Function
💡 Fact: The idea that carbohydrates are “essential” is simply not true. Unlike protein and fat, there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate. The body is more than capable of producing the small amount of glucose it needs through a process called gluconeogenesis. The belief that we need grains and sugars for energy is one of the biggest dietary myths of our time.
🛑 Myth: Low-Carb Diets Damage the Kidneys
💡 Fact: This is a classic fear-mongering tactic. The concern over kidney damage comes from outdated and misapplied research about high-protein diets. But low-carb does not mean high-protein—it means moderate protein and higher healthy fats. Numerous studies confirm that low-carb diets do not harm kidney function, even in those with mild kidney disease.
🛑 Myth: Low-Carb Diets Cause Nutritional Deficiencies
💡 Fact: A well-formulated low-carb diet provides all essential nutrients. Meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds contain everything the body needs. Moreover, low-carb diets tend to be higher in bioavailable vitamins and minerals than the grain-based diet promoted by mainstream health authorities.
🛑 Myth: The Keto Flu Proves It’s Unhealthy
💡 Fact: The so-called “keto flu” is nothing more than a temporary electrolyte imbalance as the body shifts from burning sugar to burning fat. It is easily preventable by increasing salt, potassium, and magnesium intake. Dismissing the entire diet because of a minor and temporary adaptation period is absurd.
🛑 Myth: Low-Carb Diets Are Unsustainable
💡 Fact: People who successfully adopt a low-carb lifestyle stick with it for years because it works. Unlike low-fat, calorie-restricted diets that leave people hungry and frustrated, low-carb eating is naturally satiating, making it easier to maintain.
Shifting the Narrative: The Science Is Clear
The experts behind this paper are not pushing an agenda—they are challenging decades of flawed nutritional guidance with hard evidence. The low-fat experiment has failed. We are living in an era where nearly 93% of American adults have metabolic dysfunction. Obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are skyrocketing. It is time to stop clinging to outdated dietary dogma and embrace the truth.
Low-carb, high-fat diets have been unfairly demonized for years, but thanks to rigorous research and investigative work by experts like Nina Teicholz, the truth is finally emerging. This paper is a must-read for anyone who still believes the old myths.
The future of nutrition must be based on facts, not fear. It’s time to turn the tide, expose the misinformation, and give people the real solutions they deserve.
If you’re interested in diving deeper into the research and reading the full article by Nina Teicholz and her team of experts, you can access it here: Click here to read the full study. Knowledge is power—arm yourself with the facts and take control of your health!
This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.
In crafting this blog post, I aimed to encapsulate the essence of research findings while presenting the information in a reader-friendly format that promotes critical thinking and informed decision-making.
