The Pros And Cons Of Keto Foods That You Should Know About
By Catherine M, Staff Editor
Last Updated on March 6th, 2023 / Published on August 21, 2019
The keto diet has become a staple for every person who cares about their fitness, as it has proven to be a great weight loss strategy. It also is a great preventive measure for many diseases. Keto, unlike most diets, is not just another boring diet plan that forces you to stay away from yummy, fatty foods like cheese and chocolate. Instead, it actually encourages you to consume them. Interesting, right?
The keto diet is essentially a low-carb, high-fat diet, which includes cheese, butter, cream, cottage cheese, eggs, meat and poultry, seafood, nuts, and berries. However, before you decide to follow this diet, it’s important for you to understand how it works. There is a natural metabolic process called ketosis, which occurs when the carbohydrate intake is low.
The body generally derives energy from carbohydrates, which are then converted to glucose. When the glucose level dips, the mechanism switches to another mode and converts the available fats into “ketones” in the liver. This is where energy is derived from.
It is necessary to be aware of what your body needs and this diet’s pros and cons before you make any decisions. Additionally, you should consult your doctor in case you are already undergoing treatments for serious conditions.
Pros:
- A keto diet aids in weight loss. In a 24-week study, it had been observed that people on the keto diet lost almost twice as much fat as those on other low-fat diets.
- Early evidence has shown that the keto diet also reduces the risk of various cancers, epilepsy, and neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In fact, this diet came into being after it was proved to be helpful for the symptoms of epilepsy and seizures.
- Keto diet improves blood sugar control for patients with Type 2 diabetes.
- While the other forms of dieting can induce hunger, a low-carb diet does not do that. As a result, it makes you feel full with far fewer calories.
- It lowers the triglyceride level in the bloodstream. Triglycerides are fat molecules that pose a risk of heart diseases.
Cons:
- It causes a lot of discomfort in the initial phase, which is quite similar to the flu. This is also known as the keto flu. It causes headaches, nausea, fatigue, poor sleep, and brain fog.
- Because of the lack of fiber in your food, there may be metabolic uneasiness, causing constipation and other digestive ailments.
- There have been complaints of bad breath due to the acetic content in the food.
- The body is deprived of other vitamins, minerals, and fibers that are also essential to maintain balanced health.
- For athletes who perform, a low-carb diet may cause their performance to take a hit.
- Keto is also not recommended for breastfeeding women.
- Increased ketones put a lot of pressure on the kidneys and increase the risk of dialysis.
- With so much fat to metabolize, the keto diet could worsen any existing liver problems.
That being said, the keto diet is a dynamic choice for short-term weight loss strategies. If you want to go ahead with this diet plan, get your doctor’s advice and follow the prescribed guidelines. Burning that stubborn fat isn’t easy and comes with some words of caution which you should definitely not take lightly.