VA Secretary Wilkie: Keto Diet Is Dangerous for Veterans With Diabetes

Instead of protecting veterans' health, the Department of Veterans Affairs is considering putting it at risk by partnering with Virta Health Corp. to place veterans with type 2 diabetes on a low-carb, ketogenic (keto) diet, which current science suggests is a risky choice for diabetes.

A keto diet also carries serious short- and long-term health risks including impaired artery function, elevated LDL cholesterol, nutrient deficiencies, increased risk of colon cancer, and increased risk of death.

Read the letter I sent to Veteran Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie today, which describes the dangers of a keto diet and urges the VA to instead use the proven power of plant-based nutrition to help veterans fight diabetes.

• Read the letter.