Care to also post links to scientific evidence next to the reddit? Sure it has information, but from a quick glance it's information without much science/proof to back it up, from people who are already convinced. I think way more is needed to convince the rather critical spirits on HN :)

Lyle McDonald's e-book on Ketogenic Diet is probably the best thing I've ever read. It's well referenced and pretty comprehensive.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/the-ketogenic-diet

AFAIK, there are several experimental results supporting low carb diets, but all are refutable, as in someone can always come up with a counter-argument. Robert Lustig and his "Sugar: The Bitter Truth" lecture (available on youtube) is probably currently the best-supported argument.

There's an initiative called the "Nutrition Science Initiative" (nusi.org) that apparently attempts to put an end to the debate with irrefutable research, which will finally convince everyone one way or the other. They seem to be still in the early stages.

ultra-low to no carb on a daily basis has severe issues with it as well. Things like carb-cycling, or low (but not ultra-low) attempt to address those issues.

The main points being (1) brain needs glucose, can't fuel any other way (2) glucose is needed for maximum muscle response so if you are fit/athletic in any way you can be short-changing your performance if you have no glycogen stores to tap for "burst fuel"

>brain needs glucose, can't fuel any other way

Not so: the brain can be fueled by ketone bodies, which the liver can create from fat.

P.S. I agree with your larger point that avoiding all carbs for many days at a time should only be done by people who have informed themselves of the risks (acidosis and kidney stones).

What did humans do before large numbers of carbs were widely available? Die of kidney stones? Or perhaps this is because modern people have become accustomed to them being available?

There is carbs in vegetables. Beans too. Just not as much in most of them as grains.

If you are "tapping for burst fuel" why are you worrying about your diet (apart from the sensible am I having good things enough worry...) Surely these diets are aimed at people who need to loose >10% of body weight ?

Or for underweight people, part of the solution.

Also, most people have no idea the type and variety of foods you can continue to eat while on an extreme low carb diet:

http://www.reddit.com/r/ketorecipes/top/

I came here to post this. I wish people knew more about keto.