Pros And Cons Of A Keto Diet

The complete name for the keto diet is the ketogenic diet. It’s been used for decades to help control epileptic seizures, but more recently has found its way to the world of weight loss. As with many specialty types of diets that limit certain food groups, the keto diet has pros and cons. Until the 1920s doctors used fasting to control epileptic seizures but no matter how much it helped, people couldn’t fast forever. That’s when they found a duet low in carbohydrates was successful. It also helped weight loss. Bodybuilders discovered that secret in the 1980s and made it their tool to build muscle and lose fat. It’s now widely used for weight loss.

What is a keto diet?

There are many different types of keto diets. Each one has a variation of calories from protein to carbs and fat. In a traditional keto diet, 5% of the calories come from carbs, 20% from protein, and 75% from fat. There are similar low-carbohydrate diets, but they contain more carbs than a keto diet. The carbs in a keto diet are the equivalent of 15 grapes or one serving size of cooked carrots. The keto diet lets you eat foods not in another diet, such as bacon. That is one reason it’s so popular.

What are ketones in the keto diet?

When you don’t have enough carbohydrates to burn, your body breaks down fat. That creates ketones. The body uses ketones for energy instead of glucose. The burning of fat is one benefit, but there are others. When you’re burning ketones instead of glucose it reduces the body’s insulin levels. It also prevents the inflammation that can occur when insulin levels are high. You’ll also feel fuller longer so you won’t eat as much. You can break the sugar addiction on a keto diet.

There are negatives to the keto diet.

When you first start a keto diet it can lead to what people call the “keto flu.” It’s your body adjusting to using ketones for energy. A keto diet can stress your kidneys and cause digestive issues. It can change the gut microbiota and lead to nutritional deficiencies. The keto diet can negatively affect bone health and may lead to low blood sugar levels in some people.

• Some research indicates that a diet high in animal products and low in carbs can cause a higher risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses or conditions.
• One reason the keto diet can benefit health is that it eliminates food with added sugar due to the severe carbohydrates. However, many people fail to include the healthiest fats like avocado and nuts and instead focus on animal fats.
• While eating all the bacon you can hold may sound like a dream come true, keto diets are very limited in the healthy foods you can eat. That makes it hard to stick with for the long haul.
• Choosing meat and animal protein from pastured animals can make the keto diet healthier. One problem when following the diet is lack of fiber, so constipation is a big problem.

For more information, contact us today at Prime Fitness Studio