Keto diet issues- Environmentally unsustainable? Too expensive?

(Tom Seest) #21

The steel toed work boots were provided by the company my dad worked for.

(Guardian of the bacon) #22

Things get real when you walk in somebody elses shoes.

(Meri) #23

I am lucky- I live in a rural-ish area with a large community of small farms. There are many farmers markets and small family farm stands, orchards, etc where I can purchase local beef, bison, chicken, and cheeses. My meat comes from friends who raise beef cattle, pigs, and chickens. I know how they are raised, what they are fed, and how they are processed. We have transformed our backyard into edible plantings and gardens, working with the local department of agriculture rep who advocates and educates about soil health and sustainable agriculture. I learned how to can and freeze what we harvest, and need to purchase very little in the way of produce. Iā€™m supporting small family farms who are not utilizing environmentally harmful factory farming practices, and the food that I purchase, other than the items like avocados, oils, etc that I canā€™t source locally, isnā€™t transported long distances- decreasing the consumption of fuel and vehicle pollution. I eat so much less now that even with the higher prices of better quality food, my total expenditure is lower. I think that for people who live in areas like me, still relatively rural, itā€™s very easy to Keto this way. I feel for the city folk, who donā€™t have as many local options. The only way Keto isnā€™t environmentally sustainable is if people source their food from major stores who purchase factory farmed meat, and mass produced produce, or exotic out of season items that require long transport. However, this is also true of the SAD. Eating local benefits the environment no matter what WOE you follow.

(Meri) #24

Farms definitely need subsidies. There is no incentive to become a farmer. Long hours, hard physical work, hard mental work (nutrition, veterinary, genetics, soil health, mechanical knowledge to keep equipment runningā€¦), and very, very little profit. The price of milk to farmers is so low right now that it is impossible to envision a future there. As the older generations of farmers retire, their children arenā€™t interested in taking overā€¦they can make exponentially more money with a lot less effort with a different career path. Farmers make more leasing their pasture land for solar farms than growing hay or feed corn for their herds. It is really scary to think that as these farms are sold for subdivisions for increasing suburban sprawl, our food supply chain is being outsourced to places where it isnā€™t as tightly regulated, and cheaper shortcuts are allowed.

(Carol Hawkins) #25

When calculating the cost of keto, you should factor in the savings that may result from eliminating medications. Instead of buying insulin or other drugs and paying for doctor visits, you can buy healthy food instead.

(Genevieve Biggs) #26

I save money eating Keto, because now I mostly buy meat. No need for special flours or substitute foods. Just meat and dairy, especially on sale. :smiley:

(jilliangordona) #27

preaching to the choir! I teach agricultural science to students as a living :smile:. Current farming economy is not very helpful for those providing our food

(jketoscribe) #28

Money is tight in our house, so it has been a commitment to change our diets. We spend a lot more than we used to on pastured eggs, some grassfed meat, organic veggies, dairy, and chicken. But our budget has not changed much in the last five years, because of what we are not buying. We donā€™t buy cereals, much bread (husband and kids still some, though), sodas and juices, packaged ā€œconvenience foodsā€, snacky carbage, Packaged desserts. We mostly buy bulk ingredients to make our own real food, so we arenā€™t paying a lot for manufacture, shipping, storage, and disposal of plastic, metal, and glass containers (environmental bonus). We almost never eat out any more which saves a lot when there are four people to feed.

I get by on very little medication these days which is a huge cost savings I really notice since I canā€™t afford both my health insurance premiums AND my deductibles and co-pays for expensive asthma medications. Iā€™m looking at $400 out of pocket to get my first inhaler this year and I just canā€™t afford it. But thanks to Keto, I donā€™t suffer without it. I get to see ā€œpay the farmer or pay the doctorā€ up close and personal right away.

#29

I used to ā€œlive to eatā€ flicking through cook books, catering for big parties n fantasising about trying this or that dish while watching the food network channel on tv. I ate constantly and would be thinking about the next meal even when my belly was bursting from the last one. Since transitioning to keto n no carb, i find myself on one meal daily no longer distracted, obsessed or even affected by the smell of the canteen or other peples lunch boxes. I feel that something in me has shut down, no longer craving or seeking but just enjoying the same 3 or four meals cycled according to whats on offer.
I buy the 3 for Ā£10 meat offers which is enough meat for the week, a block of chedder Ā£2.50, cream cheese 46p. The most expensive items are the kerrygold, coconut oil and olive oil. By buying in bulk when things are on offer, i can ā€œeat to liveā€ on Ā£20 per week. I love this life n wish i could hold up a beacon to show how easy n cheap it can be to live this way and i never go hungry. I used to listen to the 2 dudes n think who lives like they do in this day n age. Now i can say, ā€œi doā€. God bless em. Dee

(Tony Sheldon) #30

Is the keto diet sustainable for our environment? - Iā€™d say itā€™s as substainable as our agriculture system is now. There is large tracks of land that is currently in crop production that could be used for grazing.

Is the keto diet too expensive to be helpful for lower-income populations, who take up a large portion of the diabetic population? - Honestly, I donā€™t think Keto is as expensive as everyone makes it out to be. There is lots of ways to save money on Keto. That and itā€™s a lot cheaper when you figure in the medical costs of diabetes not only to the end user but insurance companies and welfare.

(Vesa McD) #31

When you think about it, the vegans (or at least vegetarians) and keto folks want the same thing. For everyone to be healthy and animals not to be harmed, living happy lives.

If we could transition back to smaller grazing plots and agriculture with food forests, there would be more jobs for everyone (less automated feed lots), there would be happier animals, and healthier food.

People would still get their bacon and eggs, but they just might know the farmer who took care of the animals. Maybe there would/could even be shared communal effort to take care of the animals and food systems.

Of course Iā€™m a dreamer and this would require a massive overhaul of the current system, but since I think monocrop agriculture and feedlots will prove their weaknesses and failuress eventually, itā€™s just a question of time.

Until then, Iā€™ll just have to do the best I can with what we have. We all will. Good luck, and KCKO.

(L. Amber O'Hearn) #32

Agreed. I often say I probably have more in common with most vegetarians than random other people.

(Nathan Hall) #33

I raise my own goats and chickens which, when done right, is quite sustainable. I realize thatā€™s not an option for everyone as it takes a fair amount of time and land. One thing that makes them more sustainable is that Iā€™m not using strictly ā€œagriculturalā€ land. The goats are happy to eat brambles and shrubs, etc. The chickens love to roam about and scratch for treats.

(Sarah Barnbrook) #34

Great discussion. I think that there are more sustainable ways to live a keto lifestyle. Like many others who posted, we also have access to a small community of farmers. We can access locally grown vegetables and fruit. Itā€™s not always the cheapest option though, but it is nice to belong to a community where I can swap my home grown zucchinis for blueberries.

We are currently living on a disability pension and able to continue with keto, as many have said, we eat so much less when we are fully fat adapted. We have turned our front yard into a large veggie garden so are able to eat what we are growing. We also saved up and got a chicken coup, with five chickens who give us a healthy supply of free range eggs.

The food we do buy is usually nutrient dense and we donā€™t need so much to fill us up. If you limit the amount of ā€œextrasā€ (like keto muffins and cheesecakes) to treats a few times a month, then you can easily make your keto dollar stretch.

#35

Great Topic. This is something that I too was asking myself when I started out, but after having been eating this way for 2 months, I came to two realizations.

The first was:
Iā€™m eating WAY less. Especially if you practice IF, youā€™re eating a smaller number of meals, and the meals you do eat tend to be have much more nutrient dense food, which, in most cases means that it is better for the environment. And while not as budget friendly, buying local grass fed meats and organic produce means you have a much smaller environmental footprint than most other ways of eating (especially the SAD). But even if you cant afford local or organic, just by eating more nutrient dense food and less food overall, you are still reducing your footprint. And while not the MOST environmentally friendly diet out there, as more people become aware, we will find better ways to do things to lessen our impact.

The second was:
I feel incredible when Iā€™m running on ketones. It saved me money by lifting me out of a depression (no therapist needed), I know by helping me lose weight Iā€™m reducing doctor bills and future health problems, and when I feel good, I want to get outside and do things, work on projects, and add experiences to my life, which means Iā€™m not sitting at home, browsing the web for the latest gadget, or looking a flyers with sales that ā€œsaveā€ me money. And even if keto is more expensive, I would gladly pay more if its means I will feel and look good.

(Pye) #36

Saw a sign in my eco friendly city.
It roughly said

ā€œWe have only 100 more harvests before weā€™ve depleted the soils nutrimentsā€

Heres a link

(Guardian of the bacon) #37

As a farmboyā€¦I call BS

(Guardian of the bacon) #38

The article is rubbish

(Nathan Hall) #39

Yes, overly intensive farming methods are a concern, but there are too many ways to rebuild the soil. Thereā€™s animal manure, green manure (cover crops), composting, fallowing, etc.
Acreage that was a dust bowl in the 1930s is arable farm land now. To say that there are only 100 harvests remaining is tantamount to fear mongering.

(Pye) #40

Farmboy is not a credential. Why is it rubbish?