Is the Keto Diet Good or Bad?
Given all the buzz, adopting a ketogenic diet may be the perfect weight loss plan, especially if you have diabetes, or want to try this approach to lose those troublesome extra pounds. After all, it’s a very low-carb meal plan that promises effective weight loss while also lowering your blood sugar to the point where you could possibly stop taking medication. By all accounts, the “keto” diet, as it’s widely known, may even reverse type 2 diabetes, at least for some lucky individuals.
Another advantage to the keto diet: It can help reduce systemic inflammation, which can have a variety of negative effects on your entire body.
Unlike some of the other popular low-carb diets, which typically are high in animal protein, the keto diet focuses on getting to the body to burn stored body fat instead of sugar as the main fuel. When body fat is broken down in the liver instead of glucose, s an energy byproduct known as ketones are produced.
Make Certain Your Keto Diet is Well Formulated
While like any diet, you need to find the right proportion and balance of macronutrients (ie, fat, protein, carbs) in order for your body to begin burning accumulated fat rather than stored glucose.
The amount of fat you eat when following a keto diet is quite a bit higher than on most other diets. You’ll want to aim to consume about 60 to 75% of your calories come from dietary fat and 15 to 30% protein, with the remaining calories for carbs, says Sharon Zarabi, RD, director of the bariatric program at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
“There is still some debate on the effects of saturated fats and what constitutes a healthy dose. There has been quite a bit of buzz around grass-fed cows producing cream, dairy, and butter. Ghee has been popular on the market as well, as a clarified form of butter,” Ms. Zarabi says. “It’s really the trans fats that I think people need to understand and the harmful effects on the heart and cholesterol.”
It’s really the trans fats that you’ll want to avoid completely. “Trans fats are highly processed, and heated to a point where they create free radicals in the body, which increase your risk of cancer.,” she says, “Trans fats are found in hydrogenated oils (be on the lookout for this form of fat listed on the ingredients), and these are mostly used in the preparation of processed crackers and packaged foods.”
The best low-carb foods include peppers, cauliflower, greens (eg, spinach, arugula, kale), and zucchini. When starting a keto diet, your goal should be to gradually reduce your carb intake to about 20 grams for at least two weeks but aim for six weeks in order to allow your body to adjust to this fat-burning process.
The Pros and Cons of Following a Keto Diet
“The major benefit of the keto diet is that it does work so you lose weight,” says Ms. Zarabi. “But then again, it is a diet and like all diets, it is a short term solution, something you do, then you stop. It is not really a sustainable diet in real life situations. More importantly, your goal is not just to lose weight—anyone can lose weight. The more necessary goal is to keep the lost weight off.”
The keto diet can be an effective way to reduce excess body fat but there are several cons that should be noted by anyone wanting to follow this eating plan, says Ms. Zarabi says. In fact, the keto diet has serious risks. For one thing, it’s high in saturated fat, which has been linked to heart disease. Additionally, a nutrient deficiency and constipation could occur since the keto diet is very low in fibrous foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Liver problems for those with existing liver conditions could possibly worsen since the keto diet puts stress on the liver, and kidney problems could also occur.
If you are considering going on the keto diet, work with a knowledgeable practitioner or seek out a registered dietitian with experience in prescribing it and following you to avoid any adverse effects, Dr. Goss says.
Fair Warning: There Are Challenges to Choosing a Keto Diet
- The first few days are extremely difficult as your body tries to acclimate to such a low level of carbs. During this adjustment to burning fat instead of glucose, the side effects will make you feel awful; hence the term, keto flu.
- You’ll be depriving yourself in social situations
- You’ll need to prepare meals ahead and take them with you since you are confined to eating specific foods.
3 Common Mistakes to Keep In Mind When On a Keto Diet
Use Fat Wisely Rather Than Excessively. While the keto diet means your food choices are geared to a low carb/high fat intake, it does not mean adding fat to everything you eat. You do not need to fall for one of the most trendy keto tricks— adding a pat of butter to your coffee. This might be useful at the very beginning as you transition away from a high carb diet but should not be continued once you are past the initial shift once your body has adapted to this new eating rhythm. Instead, listen to your body for cues. If you are feeling hungry right after a meal, you probably didn’t have enough protein or fat. When followed correctly, a keto-based meal will leave you feeling full and satiated for hours.
Seek Nutritional Ketosis, Not Higher Ketone Levels. To gain the most benefit from this diet, you’ll want to aim for a level of ketosis between 1.5-3.0 mol/L on a blood ketone meter. You’ll be there when you are eating well-designed meals that carry you through to the next meal without hunger or other adverse symptoms (ie, nausea, insomnia, crankiness, inability to exercise). Higher ketone levels suggest you have more circulating ketones in your blood but don’t confuse this with efficient fat burning, which is the goal of this diet.
Ketosis Isn’t Forever. It’s recommended that you follow this diet to arrive at a state in which your body adapts to burning fat and glucose stores for fuel. Then you’ll want to take an occasional ketosis holiday, adding a serving of unprocessed, whole grains to allow your body to chance to work less hard. Staying in ketosis long-term—without breaks— can cause muscle aches, nausea, and fatigue.