Teicholz Op-ed: Reduce Pandemic’s Toll with Low-carb

Investigative journalist and low-carb advocate Nina Teicholz is urging the US government to recommend low-carb eating to help reduce the toll of the coronavirus.

In an impassioned op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, Teicholz argues diet-related conditions like diabetes and heart disease leave people more vulnerable to Covid-19. But federal dietary guidelines don't reflect the evidence that eating fewer carbohydrates can help to reduce these conditions.

Americans with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other diet-related diseases are about three times more likely to suffer worsened outcomes from Covid-19, including death.

To combat this and future pandemics, we need to talk about not only the masks that go over our mouths but the food that goes into them.

Wall Street Journal: A Low-Carb Strategy for Fighting the Pandemic's Toll

She notes that next month an expert committee will issue its advisory report on the federal government's official dietary guidelines for the next five years. These guidelines drive the National School Lunch Program, feeding programs for the elderly and the poor, and military food as well as doctors' dietary advice to patients.

The government's dietary guidelines stand in the way of making low-carb diets a viable option for the 60% of Americans with at least one chronic disease.

She cites a growing body of research that shows dietary changes to low-carb can bring about measurable improvements in health in "a matter of weeks." These health improvements include losing weight, reducing high blood pressure, stabilizing blood sugars, and even reversing diabetes.

A 2019 ADA report stated that a low-carbohydrate diet "has demonstrated the most evidence for improving glycemia," that is, for keeping blood sugars in check. This could be a crucial factor for avoiding Covid-19's worst outcomes.

Teicholz, who is also the executive director of the Nutrition Coalition, has been featured regularly at Diet Doctor in podcasts, articles and profiles. Her videos and cooking demonstration are available for viewing with a free trial of Diet Doctor membership.

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