The Low-down on the Ketogenic Diet

By now everyone seems to have heard of the Ketogenic diet. Made popular by celebrities, cross-fitters, and even endurance athletes, abiders of the “keto” diet say it has helped them lose more weight than other diets and claim they have never felt better.

So what exactly does this diet entail and is it healthy?

To put it simply, the keto diet is a high fat, low to moderate protein, and super low carbohydrate diet that was originally developed to help treat children with epilepsy.

The premise of this diet is that you lose weight because your body goes into ketosis. Ketosis occurs after a few days of very low carbohydrate intake—less than 20 grams per day. Eating such a small amount of carbohydrates depletes your stored carbs (found in the liver and muscles) and forces your body to break down fat into ketones to use as energy.*

So, basically, your body switches to using fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Some of this fat will be from the diet, but some of it will be from stored body fat, which is one reason you lose weight. The restrictive nature of this diet means that you are likely to consume fewer total calories and rely more on those fat stores.* Additionally, research suggests that eating this way helps stave off hunger.

Diet staples on the ketogenic diet include cream, butter, oils, nuts, avocado, fatty meats, and cheese. You are also allowed some fruit such as berries and low carb veggies such as broccoli for a total of 30-50 grams of carbohydrate per day. In comparison, a typical American adult consumes around 245 grams of carbohydrates per day.*

While research suggests that the keto diet may help people lose weight, whether it’s more effective than traditional weight loss diets is still up for debate. Here is a look at some of the pros and cons of the keto diet:

Keto Pros:

• Noticeable weight loss from the start of the diet—your body depletes your stored carbohydrate in the first few days and then starts breaking down fat.
• Some research suggests greater weight loss in the long run than traditional low-fat diets.
• Improvement in some cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and HDL cholesterol.
• Improved Hemoglobin AiC levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Keto Cons:

• It’s a very restrictive diet to follow, which may make it difficult to maintain in the long run.
• The need for a special diet may impact home life and social life.
• “Keto Flu” – dieters may experience flu-like symptoms during the first week as the body switches from using stored carbohydrate to fat for energy.
• Nutrient deficiencies – you will need to take a supplement.
• Low in fiber, which can lead to constipation and other problems. You will need to take a fiber supplement.
• Reduced bone mineral density and increased risk of osteoporosis.
• We don’t know much about long-term safety.
• Very high in saturated fat, which may cause an increased risk of heart disease, particularly in people with diabetes, although some research suggests improved lipid profiles. (1)

Bottom Line

Everyone is unique, which means that this diet may be a good fit for some but not for others. Carefully review the above pros and cons before “going keto”. You should also discuss any new diet with your doctor, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Certain groups of people, including children, women who are pregnant or nursing, and the elderly should not try the keto diet.

Have you tried to go-keto before? What did you like/dislike about it? Share in the comments below!

*Source: “Carbohydrate Confusion – Should You Avoid Carbs at All Costs?” Nutrition Action Healthletter. October 2018.