Testing the Keto Diet Theory by Michael Greger M.D. FACLM - November 28, 2023 - Do low-carb and ketogenic diets have a metabolic advantage for weight loss? When you don’t eat enough carbohydrates, you force your body to burn more fat. “However, this rise in fat oxidation [burning] is often misconstrued as a greater rate of net FM [fat-mass] reduction” in the body, ignoring the fact that, on a ketogenic diet, your fat intake shoots up, too. What happens to your overall body fat balance?