By Aaron Boike, B.S. Kinesiology, ACE Certified Trainer and Health Coach
If you haven’t heard all the hoopla about the Keto Diet over the past year, you’ve likely been hiding under a rock. Keto is the “it” thing right now in diets, and it has everyone wondering; “Is keto right for me?” We’re going to dive in head first and explain exactly what Keto is, what the reported benefits are, and how safe and effective the research shows it is.
What is Keto?
Keto is short for Ketogenic, a diet that is very low is carbohydrate and high in fat. While it shares similarities with diets like Atkins, it also controls for protein intake, keeping it within a limit that keeps insulin at bay, and the body from turning protein into glucose via a process known as gluconeogenesis. Typically the ratio of macronutients in a keto diet are 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. Since this type of diet lacks the carbohydrate needed to provide the brain with sufficient glucose for proper function, the liver in turn produces ketone bodies, which can be used by the brain for energy. The body also switches over from running primarily on blood sugar, to running on dietary fat and body fat stores.
Does Keto Lead to Weight Loss?
There are now dozens of quality research studies that show that a very low carbohydrate diet produces weight loss in individuals, and in many cases faster than a conventional low fat / low calorie diet. That said, there is also mounting research that shows that over the long haul, the low-carb approach and conventional calorie restriction approach produce similar results in bodyweight. The biggest difference in approaches may be adherence, with it being easier for most people to feel satisfied eating a high fat diet, rather than a calorie restrictive low fat diet. This Healthline article provides a nice summary of 23 studies that compare the effects of low-carb vs. low-fat diets.
Is Keto Healthy?
Ketosis is theorized to have some major health benefits, the most notable being an improvement in blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity. To date, most studies seem to corroborate these theories. This means Ketosis may be an effective treatment for pre-diabetes and type II diabetes, a major health epidemic worldwide. One primary concern that medical professionals have with a high fat diet, such as Keto, is that cholesterol and blood lipid levels may rise. While there is still much controversy on the subject, the limited research we have that patients may have a slight increase in cholesterol in the beginning, which fades over time. Other studies have even shown improvement in HDL (good) cholesterol, and a gradual reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol over time. While the limited research shows promise for Keto’s health benefits, more long term quality research is still needed to be sure.
Is Keto Right for Me?
Ketosis is an interesting and promising approach to nutrition, but it is not necessarily right for everyone. Even most who recommend it, do not recommend it as a long term dietary approach. Ketosis is hard to stick to due to the severe limitation of carbohydrates, and it might not necessarily lead to optimal health and energy levels for those who are more active, such as athletes. When clients ask me about Keto, I encourage them to give it a try, but also to plan on returning to a balanced whole food plant-centric diet within a couple of weeks. The Keto movement has helped to show us that high-fat, lower carbohydrate approaches to nutrition can be a healthy (maybe even healthier) alternative to simply counting calories, and can produce fantastic results in weight loss and other health indicators. I believe that for long term health, the biggest factors are the quality of your diet, rather than just the macronutrient breakdown. Focus on eating real foods, mostly plants, and not too much, and chances are you’ll be able to reach your ideal weight and health without tirelessly tracking calories or macronutrients or worrying about keeping up with the latest dietary craze.
Want to know what foods are “keto friendly?” Check out this guide.
Sources:
23 Studies on Low-Carb and Low-Fat Diets – Time to Retire The Fad. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets#section5
Campos, M. (2017, July 18). Ketogenic diet: Is the ultimate low-carb diet good for you? Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/ketogenic-diet-is-the-ultimate-low-carb-diet-good-for-you-2017072712089