What Scientists Say About the Keto Diet

If you’ve ever ventured into the diet world, you’ve probably come across the keto diet.

As many as 7 percent of Americans will be following this eating plan in 2022, according to data from the International Food Information Council, and the global ketogenic diet food market soared to $8.8 billion that year.

The keto diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet with moderate levels of protein. And while this restrictive eating pattern may have great short-term results, is it really “good for you”?

newsweek We spoke to experts to find out.

“the goal [of the keto diet] “This is such extreme carbohydrate restriction that the body shifts from burning a combination of glucose and fat for fuel to burning only fat for fuel, a condition called ketosis.” Director Christopher Gardner said. said a nutrition researcher at the Stanford Prevention Research Center at Stanford University. newsweek.

But what does this “extreme” restriction actually look like? “Carbohydrates should be about 5 percent of your calories,” Gardner says. “This is very bold because in the typical American diet, about 50 percent of calories come from carbohydrates.”

A common misconception is that these carbohydrates can be replaced with high-protein foods and meat. “Many people misunderstand diets and think they’re high in protein and high in meat,” Gardner says. ”[But] The body has no place to store excess protein. [So] Once your daily needs are met, excess protein is converted to carbohydrates, which is exactly what you need to avoid to get into ketosis.

“To get into ketosis, you need to focus on fat. A ‘well-formulated ketogenic diet’ is about 75 percent fat. The typical American diet is about 35 percent fat, so This means more than doubling your fat intake.”

So what can you actually eat as part of a ketogenic diet plan?

“Foods that are encouraged to eat include butter, lard, poultry fat, vegetable fats (olive, palm, coconut oil), avocados, coconuts, certain nuts (macadamia, walnuts, almonds, pecans), and seeds ( Sunflowers, pumpkin, sesame seeds, hemp), non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens and kale, cauliflower/broccoli, onions, cucumbers, lettuce), small amounts of berries, 90% or more dark chocolate, plain coffee and tea,” says dietician and manager Nancy Oliveira. She is from the Division of Nutrition and Health Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School. newsweek.

“Protein from beef, chicken, fish, pork, bacon, organ meats, eggs, tofu, and certain nuts and seeds is kept in moderation.

”[You’re] forbidden [to eat] Bread, pasta, rice, all grains, flour, most fruits, potatoes, winter squash, corn, peas, beans, regular milk and dairy products. ”

It obviously takes a lot of willpower to stick to this strict eating plan, but is it worth it?

“The ketogenic diet has been shown to produce favorable weight loss results in a short period of time,” said Kristen Smith, a nutritionist and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. newsweek.

“In addition to weight loss, the ketogenic diet also showed short-term positive changes in insulin sensitivity, which increased. [‘good’] Decrease in cholesterol and triglycerides [the most common type of body fat.]”

Therefore, some people may benefit from a ketogenic diet. “For people who are prediabetic or diabetic, a ketogenic diet can be very helpful in lowering blood sugar and blood insulin levels,” Gardner said.

The keto diet is also often used as a treatment for people with epilepsy, and was actually first developed in the 1920s as a treatment to control seizures in children with epilepsy.

But is this diet suitable for everyone?

“For most people who try this diet, success is short-term,” Gardner says. “The restrictions are so severe that most people are unable to maintain them long-term. A 2019 meta-analysis looked at the effects of the diet at 6 months and 12 months. 6 months There were some benefits, but by 12 months they were gone.”One reason the effects don’t last is that you can’t stick to the diet. ”

Not only is the keto diet difficult to stick to, it can be detrimental to your overall health.

“I don’t recommend this diet,” Gardner said. “It’s a diet high in saturated fat and low in fiber. It consistently causes weight gain.” [‘bad’] cholesterol. I study the microbiome and research shows the benefits of dietary fiber for a healthy microbiome. ”

Research shows that a healthy microbiome, the trillions of bacteria and microorganisms that call our guts home, protects our bodies from a variety of health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and cognitive impairment. It has been found that it may play an important role in protecting Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, staying well-nourished is essential to our overall health.

Not consuming enough fiber can lead to a deficient gut microbiome as well as other unpleasant side effects. “Constipation is a common symptom for people on a ketogenic diet, especially in the early stages of the diet,” says Smith.

This is not the only drain that may be affected. “Potential negative side effects of a long-term ketogenic diet include an increased risk of kidney stones (this is seen in people who follow a ketogenic diet long-term as a treatment for epilepsy) and an increased risk of kidney stones” “It could be an increase in blood levels of uric acid, which is a contributing factor (because a diet that prevents gout includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products),” Oliveira said.

In addition to being low in fiber, the restrictive nature of the keto diet makes it extremely difficult to get adequate levels of important vitamins and minerals. “I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone starting a keto diet to lose weight or manage diabetes, because I don’t think you can create a balanced diet from a keto diet,” Oliveira says. “Sure, you can take multivitamins, but they don’t contain fiber, so they won’t nourish your gut microbiome. And they don’t have any of the hundreds of health-promoting nutrients found in whole foods. You also miss out on phytochemicals.”

There are certain people who should avoid this diet at all costs. “The ketogenic diet is not suitable for everyone because it is severely restricted in key macronutrients and difficult to adhere to,” Smith said. “Some groups who shouldn’t follow a keto diet include pregnant women, people with a history of eating disorders, and people who are at high risk for heart disease.”

So how should you eat it instead? “In my opinion, the key is to eliminate as much of the simple sugars (i.e. the added sugars and refined grains that characterize junk food) as possible,” Gardner said. “According to national data, approximately 40 percent of the calories in the U.S. diet come from these low-quality carbohydrates. Half of that should be replaced with foods high in unsaturated fats; I think you should replace it with foods that are rich in fiber.

“Because the Mediterranean diet is flavorful and non-restrictive, more people can follow this pattern for long periods of time, sometimes for the rest of their lives.”