Study: Swedish Nutrition Students Are Consuming Fewer Carbs and More Fat

[Julieanne]

Franziska Spritzler
February 1 2020

Attitudes about low-carb diets have continued to shift in a positive direction worldwide.
In Sweden, for instance, so many people follow a LCHF or keto lifestyle that a few years back it was rumored the country had adopted low-carb dietary guidelines.
Although that wasn’t the case, this way of eating has remained popular among Swedes. And according to a new study, this includes college students who are interested in nutrition:

Read more: https://www.dietdoctor.com/study-swe...s-and-more-fat

[Mr. Wizard]

I wonder how low can carbs be reduced before causing harm. The "keto lifestyle" emphasizes--for some--less carbs and more protein. As the body breaks down protein, uric acid increases and crystallizes in the joints if not properly excreted by kidneys. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that over 50 million Americans suffer from various forms of arthritis, and the number is growing. I know many factors contribute to arthritis, but I wonder if the increasing move to the keto diet may be more of the contributing factor than we realize??

[Islander]

I have one friend on the keto diet. My understanding is that it's primarily fat, followed by some protein and very few carbs. Now I haven't seen this chap in a while so I don't know how he is doing, but the last time I spoke with him he seemed to be fine. However, I've heard Mercola advise a periodic break from time to time. That's not my friend's habit, he's 100% keto every day.

[Julieanne]

If I ate fewer carbs I might disappear altogether! I just can't seem to put on weight. Of course, I get no sympathy - in fact I sometimes get what feel like critical comments about being too thin. I wouldn't dare call anyone 'too fat', but this is OK? Sigh!

[Mr. Wizard]

I would love to be called "too thin." Lol. Consuming more healthy fats, like organic extra virgin olive oil & coconut oil, has always increased my weight. A mere Table-spoon of EVOO contains 14 grams of healthy fat. I can easily gain 5 lbs. in a month using 2 Tablespoons of EVOO a day.

[Islander]

Which just goes to show once again, how different we all are. I do most of my frying/sautéing in coconut oil or butter (I save olive oil mostly for salads and polenta). I could easily consume a tablespoon of coconut oil and another tablespoon or two of butter on any given day without affecting my weight at all, I guess because that's part of my normal food intake. For instance, if I have a couple of soft-boiled eggs, at least a half a tablespoon of butter goes in the bowl with them. If I have a 3-4 oz. portion of fish for supper with, say, a cup of buttered green beans and a small side of quinoa, the fish will be cooked in coconut oil.

I try to weight my diet toward healthy fats but I probably don't get enough of them since the meat I consume doesn't come with a lot of fat attached. The above example was heavy on the protein, as you can see, but I find it hard to get in more fat and less protein. Some days I might have quinoa or oatmeal with coconut oil and fruit for the first meal, and something like a broccoli-cauliflower-cheese for the evening meal, so not much protein but not enough fat in relation to the carbs. In other words, I have a hard time getting the balance right when there are only two meals a day.