Keto diet! What do you think?
“Ketogenic diet" or "keto diet" you've probably heard these terms on social media, or on television. When you search the internet for "best diet for weight loss," it's likely to come up as one of the first results. It's possible that your friends and relatives will rave about it. It's possible that your favorite health influencer swears by it. Your new best pals are "Fat Bombs" and fried butter balls. But exactly, what is the Ketogenic diet? We've come to give you the truth.
WHERE DOES THE KETOGENIC DIET COME FROM?
The Ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that was first used to treat epilepsy in children in the 1920s. If you want to go Keto, you'll need to consume 70% of your daily calories from fat, 10%-20% from protein, and 5%-10% from carbohydrates. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, fat should account for 20-35 % of total calories, protein for 10-35 %, and carbs for 45-65 %.
HOW DOES IT WORKS?
The body enters ketosis, a metabolic condition that stimulates starvation, when it consumes a high fat and low carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, the body's primary source of energy. When glucose is no longer accessible, the body begins to break down and metabolize fat. As a result, the liver produces ketones, which are used as an alternative energy source.
The body enters ketosis when ketones accumulate in the blood. This ketotic condition causes the body to "burn fat," or use its own fat stores to generate energy, resulting in weight loss. Increased intake of high-fat foods can also lead to increased satiety, lowering appetite and total calorie intake.
WHAT STUDIES SAY?
According to studies, people on the Ketogenic diet lose weight quickly at first, in as little as 1-2 weeks. During this time, you could lose up to 10 pounds. However, because ketones have a diuretic effect, this quick weight loss is frequently attributed to water weight. Regardless, there is proof that the diet helps people lose weight.
Several studies have revealed that people who follow a Ketogenic diet lose much more weight than those who follow a low-fat diet. Another study found that people who followed a ketogenic diet for eight weeks had decreased circulating levels of ghrelin, an appetite stimulating hormone. As a result, on the Ketogenic diet, these people felt less hungry and ate fewer calories overall.
Short-term health benefits of the ketogenic diet have been demonstrated, including improvements in insulin resistance, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol and triglycerides, and HDL (or "good") cholesterol levels. The essential keyword here, though, is "short-term."
Hepatic steatosis, hypoproteinemia, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and an increased risk of gout are all possible long-term side effects. Due to the Ketogenic diet's exclusion of several different food groups, vitamin and mineral deficiencies might develop. Furthermore, one study indicated that even after a year, the short-term impacts were not significantly different from the weight loss and health benefits of more traditional weight loss programs.
BEFORE YOU GO KETO, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
To be effective, you must closely follow the fat, carbohydrate, and protein ratios in the diet.
It is critical to be aware of the types of fats you consume. Saturated and trans fats should be avoided in favor of healthy, unsaturated fats such olive oil, avocados, salmon, nuts, and seeds. If your body is no longer in ketosis and you're eating fat bombs or double pieces of bacon for breakfast, you can be unintentionally raising your risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can lead to cardiovascular disease.
Be aware of the negative consequences. You may have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headache, lethargy, dizziness, and insomnia when you first start the diet. This is referred to as the Keto flu.
If you're not sure if Keto is right for you, talk to your doctor and dietitian. There are several contraindications to the diet, and those who are at risk should avoid it or follow it under the guidance of a medical team. Diabetes patients are more likely to develop ketoacidosis, a life-threatening illness, so they should avoid it.
The ketogenic diet is also not recommended for people with pancreatitis, liver failure, or fat metabolism issues.
TO CONCLUDE - TRUST YOUR DIETITIAN
The Ketogenic diet can help you lose weight, but there's still a lot to understand about it. More research is needed to determine its long-term safety and efficacy. The diet is very tough to maintain and takes a great deal of self-control. An extremely restrictive diet may not be the best method to improve one's quality of life. There are various strategies to reduce weight in a healthy way without missing your favorite foods.
If you do decide to go Keto, I recommend consulting with your medical team. Furthermore, I recommend that you do it under the guidance of a trained dietician. A dietitian can assist you in creating meal plans that are individualized. This will help you avoid nutrient deficits and health problems in the future.
