The Origin Story Of The Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a high-fat, low-carb, adequate-protein diet that was originally designed to treat epilepsy. The idea for the diet was inspired by research on fasting for health, which dates back to Ancient Greece. In the early 20th century, physicians began experimenting with fasting as a treatment for epilepsy, and in the 1920s, Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic developed the ketogenic diet as a way to mimic the effects of fasting over a longer period. The diet became popular for treating epilepsy, but its use declined with the introduction of anticonvulsant medications. More recently, keto has gained traction as a weight loss strategy and has been promoted by celebrities and influencers.

The ketogenic diet was originally designed to treat epilepsy

The first modern study of fasting as a treatment for epilepsy took place in France in 1911. This study found that epilepsy patients who consumed low-calorie diets combined with periods of fasting experienced fewer seizures and had fewer adverse health effects. Around the same time, an American osteopathic physician named Hugh Conklin began recommending fasting to his epileptic patients, claiming a 50% success rate for adults and a 90% success rate for children.

However, the obvious complication with fasting is that it is temporary, and many patients found that their seizures returned once they resumed their regular diet. This led to the development of the ketogenic diet as a way to induce a similar metabolic state to fasting without the same restrictions. The original ketogenic diet, known as the "classic keto", was designed in 1923 by Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic. This diet consisted of a 4:1 ratio of fat to protein and carbohydrates, with 90% of calories coming from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbohydrates.

The ketogenic diet was widely used in the 1920s and 1930s as a treatment for epilepsy, but its popularity waned with the introduction of effective anticonvulsant medications. Despite this, the diet has continued to be studied and used in certain cases, particularly for children with hard-to-control epilepsy. Today, the ketogenic diet is available at most major children's hospitals and continues to attract scientific interest for its potential benefits in treating neurological disorders.

The diet was created in the 1920s by Dr Russell Wilder

The keto diet, or more specifically, the ketogenic diet, was created in the 1920s by Dr Russell Wilder, a physician at the Mayo Clinic. Wilder's work built on the research of Rollin Turner Woodyatt, who, in 1921, reviewed the effects of diet and diabetes. Woodyatt found that the liver produces three water-soluble compounds (known as ketone bodies) when the body is starved or consumes a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet.

Dr Wilder coined the term "ketogenic diet" to describe a diet that produced a high level of ketone bodies in the blood. Wilder's aim was to obtain the benefits of fasting—a treatment for epilepsy since 500 BC—in a dietary therapy that could be maintained indefinitely. His trial on a few epilepsy patients in 1921 was the first use of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for epilepsy.

The diet became known as the "classic keto" approach, which involves a 4:1 ratio of fat to protein and carbs, with 90% of calories coming from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbs. Wilder's colleague, paediatrician Mynie Gustav Peterman, formulated the classic diet, which was standardised and is still followed today.

The ketogenic diet was widely used in the 1920s and 1930s, but its popularity declined with the introduction of effective anticonvulsant medications. However, it has since experienced a resurgence, with people adopting it for weight loss and other health benefits.

The diet is high-fat, low-carb and adequate-protein

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and adequate-protein diet. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis.

When in ketosis, your body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Ketogenic diets can cause significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels, which can lead to various health benefits.

The standard ketogenic diet (SKD) typically contains 70% fat, 20% protein, and only 10% carbs. However, the classic keto approach advocates for a 4:1 ratio of fat to protein and carbs, with 90% of calories coming from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbs.

On the ketogenic diet, you can eat a variety of animal proteins, dairy, vegetables, other plant-based foods, and fats and oils. Here are some examples of foods to eat and avoid on the keto diet:

Foods to Eat on the Keto Diet:

• Meat: red meat, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, chicken, and turkey
• Fatty fish: salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
• Eggs: pastured or omega-3 whole eggs
• Butter and cream: grass-fed butter and heavy cream
• Cheese: unprocessed cheeses like cheddar, goat, cream, blue, or mozzarella
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, walnuts, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, etc.
• Healthy oils: extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil
• Avocados: whole avocados or freshly made guacamole
• Low-carb veggies: green veggies, tomatoes, onions, peppers, etc.

Foods to Avoid on the Keto Diet:

• Sugary foods: soda, fruit juice, smoothies, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
• Grains or starches: wheat-based products, rice, pasta, cereal, etc.
• Fruit: all fruit, except small portions of berries like strawberries
• Beans or legumes: peas, kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• Root vegetables and tubers: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
• Low-fat or diet products: low-fat mayonnaise, salad dressings, and condiments
• Alcohol: beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity due to its potential benefits for weight loss and blood sugar control. Additionally, early evidence suggests that this low-carb, high-fat diet may help treat certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and other health conditions. However, it's important to note that the keto diet is very restrictive and may not be suitable for everyone.

The diet puts the body into a state of ketosis

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, adequate-protein eating regimen that puts the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This is achieved by limiting carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams per day and deriving 90% of calories from fat. The body typically relies on glucose from carbohydrates for energy, but when there is a lack of glucose, it starts breaking down fat into compounds called ketones, which are used as an alternative fuel source.

The state of ketosis has been linked to various therapeutic benefits for both sick and healthy individuals. For example, it has been shown to reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures, with around half of children and young people with epilepsy experiencing at least a 50% reduction in seizures after trying some form of the keto diet. Additionally, ketosis can lead to reduced hunger and increased focus, as well as improved health outcomes for those with type 2 diabetes.

The idea of entering ketosis is not new and can be traced back to ancient practices of fasting for health reasons. Ancient Greek physicians, including Hippocrates, advocated for fasting as a treatment for epilepsy and other health problems. However, the term "ketogenic" wasn't coined until the 20th century. The modern keto diet was developed in the 1920s by Dr. Russell Wilder at the Mayo Clinic as a treatment for epilepsy. Wilder's keto diet aimed to mimic the metabolic state of fasting, where the body burns fat instead of glucose, by drastically reducing carbohydrate intake.

The classic keto diet, also known as the original ketogenic therapy, consists of a 4:1 ratio of fat to protein and carbs, with 90% of calories derived from fat, 6% from protein, and 4% from carbs. This strict ratio puts the body into a state of ketosis, forcing it to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. While the classic keto diet is the most restrictive, there are now several variations of the keto diet that offer more flexibility in terms of macronutrient ratios and food choices.

The diet was popularised by a 1994 episode of Dateline

The ketogenic diet was originally developed in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy. However, by the 1990s, it had been largely forgotten, and those who studied it viewed it as a historical curiosity rather than a medical fact. This changed in 1994 when the TV show Dateline aired an episode about Charlie Abrahams, the two-year-old son of Hollywood producer Jim Abrahams, whose severe epilepsy was effectively controlled by the keto diet.

The episode reported on Charlie's case and how the ketogenic diet diminished his seizures. It triggered a surge of scientific interest in the diet and attracted so much attention that Charlie's father directed the film "First Do No Harm" in 1997 about their experience with the diet, which starred Meryl Streep and aired on national TV. The foundation sponsored a research study, the results of which—announced in 1996—marked the beginning of renewed scientific interest in the diet.

The episode played a pivotal role in reintroducing Americans to the ketogenic diet and showcasing its potential benefits beyond epilepsy treatment. This media exposure and subsequent research helped propel the keto diet back into the mainstream, paving the way for its widespread adoption as a popular weight loss and health-improving strategy in the years that followed.

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