Do you hate the word 'diet'?
- Jude Bliss
- 17 Mar 2025
When you hear the word 'diet', what's the first feeling you experience?
Dread? Anxiety? Stress?
I think for most of us, we associate diet with restrictive eating or eating things we don't like. Going on a diet may feel like a form of punishment.
Actually, the noun 'diet' just means the food you normally eat, although we probably associate it more with weight-loss.
Over the years, many diets have gone in and out of fashion. In the 18th and early 19th century, Lord Byron advocated vinegar for weight loss. Calorie-restricted diets became common in the early 20th Century. Since then we've had cabbage diets, keto, paleo, blood-type diet, 5:2 diet, even the werewolf diet (no werewolves were harmed). With so many options to choose from, how do you know which is best?
If you come across a diet that promises weight loss and longevity, first thing to do is check the science. Let's do this with one as an example, say the Keto (ketogenic) diet.
Keto Diet
The Ketogenic or Keto Diet feels like a modern diet but in reality, it comes from the 1920s when it was developed by the Director of The Mayo Clinic to help manage paediatric epilepsy[1].
Fast-forward to the 1970s when it started being used for various conditions, to its common use for weight loss today. It's a high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate diet, with some evidence showing it has beneficial effects on type 2 diabetes, heart disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer tumours, and yes, weight loss[2].
So why aren't we all on a keto diet?
It's not quite that simple. A meta-analysis published in the Journal 'Nutrition' in 2022 found that a very low carbohydrate ketogenic (VLCK) diet appears to control blood sugar levels and decrease body weight for up to 6 months in people with obesity and diabetes, but after that the effect on blood glucose and weight is negligible (although it can improve cholesterol levels for another 6 months). The analysis concluded that the "quality of currently available evidence is not sufficient to recommend VLCK diets"[3].
In addition, there are risks. Apart from a very uncomfortable 'keto flu' that can last up to a few weeks (symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, reduced exercise tolerance, and constipation), there are also long-term adverse effects including kidney stones, nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, cognitive decline, and digestive issues.
So, the science tells us that keto isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' diet, neither is it a long-term solution to healthy eating as the benefits dissipate after 12 months[4].
So next time you're reading about a new miracle diet you want to try, ask yourself:
What does the science say?
Even if all your friends or multiple social media influencers are promoting it, remember, popularity does not equal truth. What you eat affects your health for life, good or bad, so don't gamble your health and wellbeing on misinformation. For straightforward advice, the British Nutrition Foundation are a great source of evidence-based information.
My personal view? Find a healthy eating plan that works for life, not a short-term, temporary fix. A 'diet' should be sustainable, enjoyable, nourish your body and help prevent many serious health conditions. You will be able to get to the right weight with the right plan, and lose that feeling of dread when you hear the word 'diet'.
Looking for the right plan? I can help you find it.