The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) is a low carb, high fat diet that offers many health benefits. In fact, many studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve your health. Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
KETO BASICS:
The keto diet was created by Dr. Gianfranco Cappello, an associate professor of surgery at the Sapienza University in Rome, Italy.
He claims great success among thousands of users. In his study, more than 19,000 dieters experienced significant, rapid weight loss, few side effects, and most kept the weight off after a year.
According to the reported results, patients lost an average of 10.2 kilograms, or about 22 pounds, after 2.5 cycles of the keto diet. Cappello concluded that the diet was a successful way for overweight and obese people to lose weight, and the few side effects, such as fatigue, are easily managed.
The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
When this happens, the body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.
Ketogenic diets can cause significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has some health benefits.
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs. It occurs when you significantly reduce your consumption of carbohydrates, limiting your body’s supply of glucose (sugar), which is the main source of energy for the cells.
Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils.
BENEFITS
-
Supports weight loss
- The keto diet may help a person lose weight. The ketogenic diet may help promote weight loss in several ways, including boosting metabolism and reducing appetite.
Ketogenic diets consist of foods that fill a person up and may reduce hunger-stimulating hormones. For these reasons, following a keto diet may reduce appetite and promote weight loss. -
Improves acne
- Acne has several different causes and may have links to diet and blood sugar in some people.
Eating a diet high in processed and refined carbohydrates may alter the balance of gut bacteria and cause blood sugar to rise and fall significantly, both of which can adversely affect skin health.
According to a 2012, by decreasing carb intake, a ketogenic diet could reduce acne symptoms in some people. -
May reduce risk of certain cancers
- Researchers have examined the effects of the ketogenic diet in helping prevent or even treat certain cancers.
Although some research indicates that the ketogenic diet may have some benefit in cancer treatment, studies in this area are limited. Researchers need to carry out more studies to fully understand the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet in cancer prevention and treatment. -
May improve heart health
- When a person follows the ketogenic diet, it is important that they choose healthful foods. Some evidence shows that eating healthful fats, such as avocados instead of less healthful fats, such as pork rinds, can help improve heart health by reducing cholesterol.
High levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. A keto diet’s reducing effect on cholesterol may, therefore, reduce a person’s risk of heart complications.
However, the review concluded that the positive effects of the diet on heart health depend on diet quality. Therefore, it’s important to eat healthful, nutritionally balanced food while following the keto diet. -
May protect brain function
– Some studies, such as this 2019 review, suggest the ketones that generate during the keto diet provide neuroprotective benefits, which means they can strengthen and protect the brain and nerve cells.
For this reason, a keto diet may help a person prevent or manage conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
However, more research is necessary into a keto diet’s effects on the brain. -
Potentially reduces seizures
- The ratio of fat, protein, and carbs in a keto diet alters the way the body uses energy, resulting in ketosis.
The Epilepsy Foundation suggest that ketosis can reduce seizures in people with epilepsy — especially those who have not responded to other treatment methods. More research is necessary on how effective this is, though it seems to have the most effect on children who have focal seizures.
The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) is a low carb, high fat diet that offers many health benefits. In fact, many studies show that this type of diet can help you lose weight and improve your health. Ketogenic diets may even have benefits against diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.
KETO BASICS:
The keto diet was created by Dr. Gianfranco Cappello, an associate professor of surgery at the Sapienza University in Rome, Italy.
He claims great success among thousands of users. In his study, more than 19,000 dieters experienced significant, rapid weight loss, few side effects, and most kept the weight off after a year.
According to the reported results, patients lost an average of 10.2 kilograms, or about 22 pounds, after 2.5 cycles of the keto diet. Cappello concluded that the diet was a successful way for overweight and obese people to lose weight, and the few side effects, such as fatigue, are easily managed.
The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, high fat diet that shares many similarities with the Atkins and low carb diets. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
When this happens, the body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.
Ketogenic diets can cause significant reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased ketones, has some health benefits.
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body uses fat for fuel instead of carbs. It occurs when you significantly reduce your consumption of carbohydrates, limiting your body’s supply of glucose (sugar), which is the main source of energy for the cells.
Following a ketogenic diet is the most effective way to enter ketosis. Generally, this involves limiting carb consumption to around 20 to 50 grams per day and filling up on fats, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils.
BENEFITS
-
Supports weight loss
- The keto diet may help a person lose weight. The ketogenic diet may help promote weight loss in several ways, including boosting metabolism and reducing appetite.
Ketogenic diets consist of foods that fill a person up and may reduce hunger-stimulating hormones. For these reasons, following a keto diet may reduce appetite and promote weight loss. -
Improves acne
- Acne has several different causes and may have links to diet and blood sugar in some people.
Eating a diet high in processed and refined carbohydrates may alter the balance of gut bacteria and cause blood sugar to rise and fall significantly, both of which can adversely affect skin health.
According to a 2012, by decreasing carb intake, a ketogenic diet could reduce acne symptoms in some people. -
May reduce risk of certain cancers
- Researchers have examined the effects of the ketogenic diet in helping prevent or even treat certain cancers.
Although some research indicates that the ketogenic diet may have some benefit in cancer treatment, studies in this area are limited. Researchers need to carry out more studies to fully understand the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet in cancer prevention and treatment. -
May improve heart health
- When a person follows the ketogenic diet, it is important that they choose healthful foods. Some evidence shows that eating healthful fats, such as avocados instead of less healthful fats, such as pork rinds, can help improve heart health by reducing cholesterol.
High levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. A keto diet’s reducing effect on cholesterol may, therefore, reduce a person’s risk of heart complications.
However, the review concluded that the positive effects of the diet on heart health depend on diet quality. Therefore, it’s important to eat healthful, nutritionally balanced food while following the keto diet. -
May protect brain function
– Some studies, such as this 2019 review, suggest the ketones that generate during the keto diet provide neuroprotective benefits, which means they can strengthen and protect the brain and nerve cells.
For this reason, a keto diet may help a person prevent or manage conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.
However, more research is necessary into a keto diet’s effects on the brain. -
Potentially reduces seizures
- The ratio of fat, protein, and carbs in a keto diet alters the way the body uses energy, resulting in ketosis.
The Epilepsy Foundation suggest that ketosis can reduce seizures in people with epilepsy — especially those who have not responded to other treatment methods. More research is necessary on how effective this is, though it seems to have the most effect on children who have focal seizures.
RISKS
-
May lead to the keto flu
- Carb intake on the keto diet is typically limited to fewer than 50 grams per day, which can come as a shock to your body. As your body depletes its carb stores and switches to using ketones and fat for fuel at the start of this eating pattern, you may experience flu-like symptoms.
These include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and constipation — due in part to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that happen as your body adjusts to ketosis.
While most people who experience the keto flu feel better within a few weeks, it’s important to monitor these symptoms throughout the diet, stay hydrated, and eat foods rich in sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes. -
May stress your kidneys
- High fat animal foods, such as eggs, meat, and cheese, are staples of the keto diet because they don’t contain carbs. If you eat a lot of these foods, you may have a higher risk of kidney stones.
That’s because a high intake of animal foods can cause your blood and urine to become more acidic, leading to increased excretion of calcium in your urine.
Some studies also suggest that the keto diet reduces the amount of citrate that’s released in your urine. Given that citrate can bind to calcium and prevent the formation of kidney stones, reduced levels of it may also raise your risk of developing them.
Additionally, people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) should avoid keto, as weakened kidneys may be unable to remove the acid buildup in your blood that results from these animal foods. This can lead to a state of acidosis, which can worsen the progression of CKD.
What’s more, lower protein diets are often recommended for individuals with CKD, while the keto diet is moderate to high in protein. -
May cause digestive issues and changes in gut bacteria
- since the keto diet restricts carbs, it can be difficult to meet your daily fiber needs.
Some of the richest sources of fiber, such as high carb fruits, starchy vegetables, whole grains, and beans, are eliminated on the diet because they provide too many carbs.
As a result, the keto diet can lead to digestive discomfort and constipation.
What’s more, fiber feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Having a healthy gut may help boost immunity, improve mental health, and decrease inflammation.
A low carb diet that’s lacking in fiber, such as keto, may negatively affect your gut bacteria — although current research on this topic is mixed.
Some keto-friendly foods that are high in fiber include flax seeds, chia seeds, coconut, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens. -
May lead to nutrient deficiencies
- Since the keto diet restricts several foods, especially nutrient-dense fruits, whole grains, and legumes, it may fail to provide recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Keep in mind that the nutritional adequacy of this diet depends on the specific foods that you eat. A diet rich in healthy low carb foods, such as avocados, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables, provides more nutrients than processed meats and keto treats. -
May cause dangerously low blood sugar
- Low carb diets like keto have been shown to help manage blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
In particular, some studies suggest that keto may help decrease levels of hemoglobin A1c, a measure of average blood sugar levels.
However, individuals with type 1 diabetes may be at a high risk of more episodes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which is marked by confusion, shakiness, fatigue, and sweating. Hypoglycemia can lead to coma and death if not treated.
Theoretically, this could also happen to individuals with type 2 diabetes who are taking insulin medications. -
May damage bone health
- The keto diet is also associated with impaired bone health.
Several studies in animals link the keto diet to decreased bone strength, likely due to losses in bone mineral density, which may occur as your body adapts to ketosis. -
May increase your risk of chronic diseases and early death
- The ketogenic diet’s effect on your risk of chronic illness, such as heart disease or cancer, is hotly debated and not entirely understood.
Some evidence suggests that high fat, low carb diets that focus on animal foods may lead to poor health outcomes, while diets that emphasize vegetable sources of fats and proteins provide benefits.
Testing ketones can indicate whether or not you need to make adjustments to your diet, or can simply confirm you are on the right track. Many keto dieters find them to be motivating when they see the color indicating a job well done. If the ketone strips don't show ketosis, it's a good idea to re-examine your diet to search for hidden carbs which may be keeping you out of ketosis and stalling weight loss.
Measuring ketosis using urine
If you want to know if you’re in ketosis, urine or keto strips are a cheap and convenient way of finding out. Ketone test strips results are not only fast but are very straightforward and easy to read.
You can purchase urine strip kits or ketone test strips over-the-counter at your local pharmacy and supermarket, as well as online. They’re relatively inexpensive and can contain from 50 to several hundred strips.
The strips typically expire within three to six months after opening, so keep in mind how often you intend to use them.
If you want to check your urine ketones day-to-day, stick with a specific time, like in the morning or several hours after your last meal of the day, for best comparison.
The process of using keto strips looks like this:
- Wash your hands, then take a urine sample in a small container.
- Immerse the absorptive end of the strip into the sample for a few seconds, then remove.
- Wait for the amount of time outlined on the package for the strip to change color.
- Compare the strip with the color chart on the packaging.
- Dispose of the urine and strip in an appropriate manner before washing your hands.
Reading Ketone Test Strip Result:
- The color corresponds to the concentration of ketones in your urine, which can range from no ketones to high concentrations. The darker the color, the higher your ketone levels.
It is possible to find a balance between all of the noise we constantly hear about food. A great way to start would be to try to get in tune with what foods your body is craving and why you might be craving them. Self-awareness is important. And weight is an important thing to be conscious about too, but remember that it’s not the only determinant of health. Let us not be too obsessed with weight loss and damage our relationship with food. A better option? Find an eating style that is sustainable, enjoyable and nourishing.
But, if you think ketosis will help – then go on and try. You have gone over its benefits above and we can’t discount the many advantages it offers. Self-monitor your ketone levels thru ketone test strips or 10 parameter test strips for added benefits and look forward to a better, healthier you.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319196#5-may-protect-brain-function
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dangers-of-keto-diet
- https://foodinsight.org/keto-diet-101-what-to-know-before-you-commit/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwkbuKBhDRARIsAALysV59HGO1NLqiYD3gvCTel6UqcWgUjlpX5FgngpugZC7Nj2kUwIXVthcaAk1qEALw_wcB
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/keto-strips#urine-strips
- https://www.healthline.com/health-news/keto-diet-is-gaining-popularity-but-is-it-safe-121914#Where-its-helpful
- https://ketologic.com/blogs/articles/ketone-strips