Noakes has characterised mainstream dietary advice, which emphasizes carbohydrate consumption, as "genocide", and instead advocates a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) dieta variation of the
low-carbohydrate dietoften referred to in South Africa as the "Noakes Diet" (or, less commonly, the "
Banting" diet). Noakes founded the Noakes Foundation in 2012 to help promote the diet, which is described in detail in Noakes's 2014 book
The Real Meal Revolution. Noakes' father died from diabetes. Despite following his diet, Noakes's fasting glucose levels barely budged, and he started taking the diabetes management drug
metformin and
dietary supplements to control the condition. He now describes himself as "cured" as long as he follows this regimen. Registered dietician Megan Pentz-Kluyts said that omitting food groups, as Noakes's diet does, is the hallmark of
fad diets not backed up by scientific evidence. After members of the
Parliament of South Africa expressed support for his diet, fellow faculty members at the
University of Cape Town accused him of making "outrageous, unproven claims about disease prevention" in an open letter they sent to the
Cape Times.
Wim de Villiers, dean of the faculty, accused Noakes of having no real scientific evidence to back up his assertions. In February 2014 a
registered dietician complained to the
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) that Noakes tweeted to a mother that she should wean her baby onto low-carbohydrate, high-fat foods, which he described as real foods. The HPCSA held a hearing about the allegation against Noakes over the next few years. Controversially, on 28 October 2016, the HPSCA incorrectly released a statement announcing that Noakes had been found guilty of misconduct, namely "giving unconventional advice over social media". In a second press release issued over three hours later, the HPSCA apologised for the mistake. Noakes was cleared of misconduct in April 2017. The HPSCA lost its appeal in June 2018 and the appeal committee dismissed the HPSCA's case by unanimous decision. Noakes commented: "Acquitted on all counts, twice, by two different judging panels". to which Noakes responded. Clinical dietitian Ingrid Schloss, citing a 2018 study, pointed out that no significant differences were found between low-fat and low-carb diets, and suggested that instead of the "fundamentalism" of the Noakes diet, people should be encouraged to reduce added sugar and refined grains; choose more whole foods, and include a wide variety of vegetables. ==Other controversies over public statements==