Scientific Analysis and Comparison Between Bigu and Keto Diet

Abstract

Chinese Taoists have a long traditional practice of "Bigu", which has a similar process and results as the ketogenic diet, or Keto, that has recently become popular. These diet regiments make people lose weight, reduce their appetite, increase energy, and think clearly. Keto was used in the twentieth century to treat epilepsy and later became a popular form of health practice - a rich-fat, moderate protein, and minimal carbohydrates diet that forces the human body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates as the primary calorie source. In 2016, Prof. Koizumi of Japan provided the scientific basis of the ketogenic diet and won the Nobel Prize. “Bigu”, which means “Avoid Grain” in Chinese, has been a way of health preservation in China for thousands of years. There are surprisingly few research projects comparing these two popular diet practices.  This paper surveys and analyzes the recent researches to compare the differences between Bigu and Keto, proposes new bigu standards, and recommends future research directions.