Keto can help you lose a good amount of weight, fast. It also could be hard on your heart.
The Keto diet is a fad diet but unlike some others, it seems to be sticking around for a while. (Like, for almost one hundred years, so far!) If you’re committed to losing weight this year and you’re shopping around for the right approach, it might be something you’ve considered.
Does Keto work, what are the benefits and drawbacks and should you try it? Here’s a look.
Where did the Keto diet come from?
The Keto diet was invented by a doctor at the Mayo Clinic in 1924 named Dr. Russell Wilder. Wilder was trying to develop a treatment for epilepsy before anticonvulsant medications had been developed and his specialized diet proved to be successful. The Keto diet involves eating a diet of 75% fat, 20% protein, and just 5% carbohydrates.
The goal of the original Keto diet wasn’t to help the body lose weight in any way, but simply to deplete it of sugar in an effort to mimic the effects of fasting. When your body switches from running on sugar to fueling itself from fat, it causes your neurons to fuel themselves on fat byproducts known as ketone bodies. Hence, the name “Keto diet”. When the switchover happens in people who suffer from epilepsy, for some, their symptoms improve.
Other dieticians have revisited the Keto diet over the years, most notably the cardiologist Robert C. Atkins, who harnessed the idea of a low-carb diet for weight loss for the masses in the 1970s.
What’s good about the Keto diet?
One of the best things about the Keto diet is that those who swear by it say it really works. The evidence for weight loss success on the Keto diet is abundant through personal stories on the internet. For some, the diet is attractive because the higher fat intake is successful in suppressing their appetite. No more cravings, (unlike the experience with many other diets).
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The Keto diet is also very restrictive, and as such, many people find they eat out less and cook more at home when following it. This is a bonus as it allows you to save money and focus on eating less processed, restaurant-heavy food. The many other diets, Keto can also make you think a lot more about what you’re eating, which can be a plus, depending on the person.
What are the drawbacks to the Keto diet?
The Keto diet is quite extreme and there hasn’t been a lot of research focused on the potential long term effects of following it, which could make it an iffy choice. Some dieticians recommend following the Keto diet for no more than 6 months at a time. This is because the emphasis it places on consuming saturated fats and the lack of nutrients associated with it may affect your heart health over time.
In addition, if not done properly, patients have shown an increased risk of kidney stones, micronutrient deficiencies, liver disease, and constipation when following the Keto diet.
All this being said, many people have found the Keto diet really works for them and seems to keep their weight lower. As with any major adjustment to your diet, it’s quite important to talk with your doctor before diving in. Ask a health professional if the Keto diet may be right for you and get their supervision when following it.
photo credits: Elena Shashkina/Shutterstock.com
