Nina Teicholz and the Truth About Low Carb Nutrition
For years, we have been told to avoid saturated fat, eat plenty of grains, and stay away from low-carb diets. This message came from the USDA, nutrition authorities, and well-intentioned professionals. Many people followed this advice and still struggled with weight, blood sugar, and chronic inflammation. At some point, we have to pause and ask the question none of us were encouraged to ask. What if the advice was wrong.
Nina Teicholz has spent more than a decade reviewing the science behind our nutrition guidelines. She wrote The Big Fat Surprise, a book that challenged the fear of dietary fat. Now she has published a new peer reviewed review that addresses one of the strongest beliefs in modern nutrition. The idea that low-carb and ketogenic diets are unsafe.
Her new analysis deserves attention. In a 2024 review published in Nutrition Reviews, Teicholz and her research team evaluated more than one hundred controlled studies on low-carb diets. Their conclusion was consistent. Low-carb diets are safe. They often work better than low fat diets for weight loss, blood sugar control, and several markers of heart health.
This matters because many people still repeat old ideas about fat and cholesterol. The evidence tells a different story.
The research showed clear patterns. People lost more weight on low-carb diets, even without restricting calories. People with type 2 diabetes saw lower A1C and better insulin sensitivity. Triglycerides improved. HDL improved. Several studies showed a drop in inflammation. These changes support long term health in ways that most traditional diets do not.
Despite this, the current U.S. Dietary Guidelines still encourage a pattern high in grains and low in fat. This has left millions confused. Obesity and diabetes keep rising. People move from diet to diet and see no lasting progress. This new review confirms what many of us have experienced firsthand. When you lower sugar and refined carbohydrates and stop fearing fat, your body responds. Weight steadies. Your mind feels clear. Hunger becomes predictable. Blood sugar settles.
This blog exists because of my own journey with nutrition. When I began studying it formally, I realized how different real research is from what we hear online. Popular answers are not always accurate answers. I learned how to read studies and how to challenge long-standing beliefs.
For decades, we followed guidance that was not backed by strong science. Chronic diseases grew during the same years that low fat advice was promoted. Many of the health problems we see today are tied directly to food quality and blood sugar dysregulation. I have a deep respect for doctors, but most are not trained to look at root causes. They are trained to manage symptoms. Real healing begins with food.
I have followed a ketogenic lifestyle for almost a decade. My experience matches the research. Better energy. No cravings. No constipation. No fear of fat. A calmer mind. Less inflammation. A steady sense of well-being.
That is why this new review from Nina Teicholz is important. It confirms what many people have lived for years. Low-carb is not a trend. Low-carb is not harmful. Low-carb is a science supported approach for improving metabolic health and quality of life. The information has been slow to reach the public because nutrition policy changes slowly. The data are clear.
If you are unsure about trying a low-carb lifestyle, consider this your starting point. The research continues to point in one direction. Lowering carbohydrates helps regulate blood sugar. It supports weight loss. It improves key markers of health without the frustration of chronic dieting.
You do not have to fear fat. You do not have to follow guidelines that never worked for you. You deserve clear information that respects both science and your own experience. Listen to your body. Ask questions. Choose real food. You will feel the difference.
Source of Nina Teicholz’s study
Title: Myths and facts regarding low carbohydrate diets
Published in Nutrition Reviews, January 2024
Authors: Nina Teicholz, David S. Ludwig, Jeff Volek, Laura Saslow, and others
Available through Oxford Academic
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.
