Business Insider
Bacon became my new best friend on the ketogenic diet.`
A diet that goes against conventional wisdom on healthy eating is gaining momentum among Silicon Valley tech workers. And it involves eating a lot of fat.
The ketogenic (or "keto") diet - which first became popular in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy and diabetes - limits carbohydrates to no more than 50 grams a day, which is the rough equivalent of a plain bagel or a cup of white rice. By comparison, dietary guidelines laid out by the USDA recommend consuming between 225 and 325 grams of carbs a day.
On the keto diet, the body goes into starvation mode and taps its own fat stores for fuel. Studies suggest the low-carb, high-fat diet may promote weight loss, dull hunger, and stave off age-related diseases. More research is needed on its long-term effects, especially in healthy people.
An increasing number of health nuts - from internet entrepreneur Kevin Rose tp podcaster Tim Ferriss - swear by the keto diet. I spent the last two months eating bacon, butter, and avocado to see why the keto movement is so popular.