Over the past few weeks, we’ve looked at two fad diets — gluten-free and paleo — and examined how they work and even if they work. This week, we’ll do a quick dive into the Ketogenic Diet.
What is the Ketogenic Diet?
This diet basically attempts to cut down carbohydrate intake to as low as possible(1). Your diet consists of moderate amounts of protein and high amounts of fat(1).
What we think it does:
By reducing the easiest source of energy — carbohydrates — you force the body to find other ways to get its energy. The body will now learn to feed on fat through a process called ketosis which breaks down your fat stores to create compounds known as ketones, or ketone bodies, which are then used for energy(2).
What it actually does:
At the end of it all, by largely removing carbs from your diet (to less that 20g a day) and replacing them with food that takes more time and more energy to digest (e.g. protein and fats which show improved satiety)(3), the major thing we are doing is reducing our caloric intake. Therefore, we can enter a state of caloric deficit which results in weight loss. The benefits to this diet are undeniable — in addition to the weight loss, there is diabetes control(4), appetite control, apparent epilepsy control(5), lower serum triglycerides (fat in the blood)(6), and some even report more concentration — but it does not come without risks. Little things like ‘keto breath’(7) (sometimes a fruity smell or even a smell similar to nail polish remover — this is the acetone that is created in ketosis) can kick in. Additionally, the first few days are tough for everyone. The lower carb intake would make it harder to exercise as energy stores are not as readily available. Long-term use of this diet may also increase the risk of developing gallstones (for people who are predisposed)(8), and could potentially lead to heart rhythm problems, vitamin deficiencies, gut-health issues and cardiovascular issues (due to the increase of fat)(9).
How to safely go keto:
First of all, consult a dietician/nutritionist as well as your doctor to see if it is safe to start such a diet. Certain medical conditions make this diet more risky than others. Don’t think of keto as a long-term diet. You should think of it within a 6-12 month time frame (some can go longer) to kick-start your dietary changes, but, overall, sticking to a caloric deficit while getting all nutrients is a better approach.
How do you feel about going keto now? Does this diet fit in with your lifestyle? Do you think it will aid you in your health journey? Read up on it and see where it takes you. Next week we’ll take a little walk through the land of Intermittent Fasting.
1. Joshi Shilpa, Viswanathan Mohan (2018). Ketogenic diets: Boon or bane?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6251269/#sec1-2title
2. Joshi Shilpa, Viswanathan Mohan (2018). Ketogenic diets: Boon or bane?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6251269/#sec1-4title
3. M Veldhorst, A Smeets, S Soenen, A Hochstenbach-Waelen, R Hursel, K Diepvens, M Lejeune, N Luscombe-Marsh, M Westerterp-Plantenga (2008). Protein-induced satiety: effects and mechanisms of different proteins
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18282589/
4. Talib A Hussain, Thazhumpal C Mathew, Ali A Dashti, Sami Asfar, Naji Al-Zaid, Hussein M Dashti (2012). Effect of low-calorie versus low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet in type 2 diabetes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22673594/
5. Isabella D’Andrea Meira, Tayla Taynan Romão, Henrique Jannuzzelli Pires do Prado,Lia Theophilo Krüger, Maria Elisa Paiva Pires, and Priscila Oliveira da Conceição (2019). Ketogenic Diet and Epilepsy: What We Know So Far
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6361831/#__sec24title
6. David S Ludwig (2019). The Ketogenic Diet: Evidence for Optimism but High-Quality Research Needed
https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/150/6/1354/5673196
7. (2019). How to get rid of keto breath
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325256
8. Nur Arslan, Orkide Guzel, Engin Kose, Unsal Yılmaz, Pınar Kuyum, Betül Aksoy, Tansel Çalik (2016). Is ketogenic diet treatment hepatotoxic for children with intractable epilepsy?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059131116302023
9. Natali Helms (2019). Ketogenic diet: What are the risks?
https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/health-and-wellness-articles/ketogenic-diet-what-are-the-risks