Fact v/s Fiction: Keto Diet

Keto diet, mostly known to show results immediately is a diet that causes the body to release ketones into the bloodstream. Generally, body cells prefer to use blood sugar, which comes from carbohydrates, as the body’s main source of energy. If the circulating blood sugar from food is absent, cells start breaking down stored fat into molecules called ketone bodies (the process is called ketosis). Once a person reaches ketosis, most cells will use ketone bodies to generate energy until he/she starts eating consuming carbohydrates again. The drastic shift, from using circulating glucose to breaking down stored fat as a source of energy, usually takes two to four days of eating fewer than 20 to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Fiction: Keto diets only work because people eat fewer calories

Fact: Many people claim that the only reason people lose weight on keto diets is due to reduced calorie intake. This is true but doesn’t tell the whole story. The main reason behind weight-loss of such diets is that weight loss occurs easily but also carries more risk than usual diets.

People feel so full that they end up eating less food without keeping a check on calories or controlling portions. Keto diets also tend to be high in protein, which boosts metabolism, causing a slight increase in the number of calories you burn. Also, keto diets are not always about losing weight. 

Fiction: Keto diet is a fad diet

Fact: The term “fad diet” was used for crash weight-loss diets or diets which are in trend but show no or zero results and these types enjoyed short-term popularity. Nowadays, it’s often misused for diets that don’t have common cultural acceptance, including low-carb diets. Plus, it has been popular for decades. It is actually a scientific diet used to treat certain conditions like epilepsy.

Fiction: Keto diet reduces your intake of healthy plant foods

Fact: A low-carb diet is not a no-carb diet and is not considered good. It’s a myth that cutting down on carbs means that you need to eat fewer plant foods. Instead, you can include a good amount of vegetables, berries, nuts, and seeds without exceeding the limit of having carbs per day. However, in keto diet, you are generally required to cut carbs drastically to almost negligible amounts, which is not a healthy practice.

Fiction: Fats consumed in keto diet are good for health

Fact: Since keto diets mostly include having fats, it may not always be healthy. Not all fats might turn out to be healthy and the type of fat consumed may affect heart health and other factors like lipid profile. It can lead to higher cholesterol levels. Consuming good quality fats like omega-3 fatty acids present in walnuts is a safer and better option to go for. 

Over to you

Quick weight loss is the primary reason why people use the ketogenic diet. A ketogenic diet could be an interesting alternative to treat certain conditions, and may accelerate weight loss but may not be suitable for everyone. Also, it is recommended to consult a dietitian before following any type of diet.