During very low carbohydrate intake, the regulated and controlled production of ketone bodies causes a harmless physiological state known as dietary ketosis. Ketone bodies flow from the liver to extra-hepatic tissues (e.g., brain) for use as a fuel; this spares glucose metabolism via a mechanism similar to the sparing of glucose by oxidation of fatty acids as an alternative fuel. In comparison with glucose, the ketone bodies are actually a very good respiratory fuel. Indeed, there is no clear requirement for dietary carbohydrates for human adults. [...] Contrary to popular belief, insulin is not needed for glucose uptake and utilization in man.
The main thesis of this article, as stated directly by the subtitle, is that "hunger isn’t in your stomach or your blood-sugar levels. It’s in your mind – and that’s where we need to shape up". Interestingly enough, the author then proceeds to tell us that he changed his diet to something that looks a lot like a regular low-carb diet, and lost a lot of weight, without having much hunger or cravings.
That low-carb diets reduce hunger and thus often bring people to eat less has been known for quite a while. Gary Taubes' NYT article from 2002, "What if It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?" [1] describes this phenomenon in detail, and tells how it's been known to researchers for already quite some time. The explanation however, doesn't seem to be merely "psychological" but rather physiological: in Taubes' words "[Sugar, starches and floor] are known in the jargon as high-glycemic-index carbohydrates, which means they are absorbed quickly into the blood. As a result, they cause a spike of blood sugar and a surge of insulin within minutes. The resulting rush of insulin stores the blood sugar away and a few hours later, your blood sugar is lower than it was before you ate. As [David] Ludwig [a Harvard endocrinologist] explains, your body effectively thinks it has run out of fuel, but the insulin is still high enough to prevent you from burning your own fat. The result is hunger and a craving for more carbohydrates."
Personally, I moved to a low-carb style of nutrition about two years ago and, lost about 8kg over a period of several months and have managed to keep the low weight ever since, without suffering hunger or cravings. It may not sound like much, but I wasn't obese to start with but towards the high end of the normal BMI range, whereas now I'm right in the middle of the range with a weight I hadn't have since my early 20s (I'm 45 now). My nutrition style is like the one explained in this website [2] which, incidentally, looks pretty much like the diet described in the article.
Dead on! According to his own description, he was eating "salmon, peanut butter, pork chops, apples, tomatoes, chicken with the skin, tofu, eggs", which looks to me like a regular low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diet as described, for example, here: http://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb
By the way, high-fat doesn't mean you have to "snack on entire sticks of butter" as the author suggests. Just eating the naturally-occurring fat in foods such as meat and dairy will usually do, and that's what most experts recommend.
From the abstract:
During very low carbohydrate intake, the regulated and controlled production of ketone bodies causes a harmless physiological state known as dietary ketosis. Ketone bodies flow from the liver to extra-hepatic tissues (e.g., brain) for use as a fuel; this spares glucose metabolism via a mechanism similar to the sparing of glucose by oxidation of fatty acids as an alternative fuel. In comparison with glucose, the ketone bodies are actually a very good respiratory fuel. Indeed, there is no clear requirement for dietary carbohydrates for human adults. [...] Contrary to popular belief, insulin is not needed for glucose uptake and utilization in man.