The ketogenic diet is a popular thing: actresses Vanessa Hudgens, Alicia Vikander and Halle Berry follow it. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that celebrity endorsements have clashed with evidence-based medicine. Find out why the keto diet is not the healthiest way to lose weight.
Where did the ketogenic diet come from?
The ketogenic diet is not a fad at all: it was invented back in the 20s to treat seizures. It was a humane substitute for fasting, which remained the only cure for epilepsy in those years. True, in 1938 an anticonvulsant appeared, so now the keto diet is used mainly to treat drug-resistant epilepsy in children.
Most likely, the ketogenic diet would remain an exotic method in the arsenal of neurologists. But in the 1970s, an American cardiologist, Robert Atkins, read a paper that found this diet helped people lose weight. Based on this data, the enterprising doctor created his own nutritional system and wrote several books about it.
The Atkins diet system turned out to be simple, understandable and even led to quick results. It was a hit with Hollywood stars and other public figures who quickly made the ketogenic diet famous.
How the keto diet works
A ketogenic diet is a low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein, high-fat diet. The standard ketogenic diet contains 70% fat, 20% protein and 10% carbohydrates, but the number of calories that can be obtained from the "ketogenic diet" remains standard: 2000 kcal per day.
Carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet make up only 20-50 g. For our body, which is designed to get most of its energy from carbohydrates, this is too little. Therefore, once on a ketogenic diet, the body begins to burn glycogen - the "reserve" of carbohydrates in the liver.
When glycogen stores run out (and this happens after 2-4 days of such a diet), the body switches to fat reserves. When fat is broken down, ketone bodies are formed from which energy can also be extracted – hence the name diet.
What are the problems with the keto diet?
Evolution has "rewarded" us with the ability to store fat solely to get us through hard times. We're just not designed for a long-term high-fat diet. If you suddenly give up carbohydrates and "lean" on fats along with proteins, over time you can "earn" serious health problems.
It provokes obesity
It would seem - how come, because ketogenic diets have been proven to help with weight loss? That's true - but the problem is that the weight lost soon comes back.
In short, in this situation the "yo-yo effect" is activated. After each cycle of extremely low-carbohydrate diets, the body learns to better extract energy from the food it receives. When a person who lost weight on a poorly designed ketogenic diet starts eating food againwith carbohydrates, the weight comes back very quickly, even though the food portions remain the same.
If a person tries to lose weight again with a diet, the body reacts by increasing appetite, so that after the end, the poor person begins to overeat - and "earns" obesity.
It disturbs digestion
An important source of carbohydrates are cereal products: cereals, pasta and bread. But in these products, besides carbohydrates, there is another important component: fiber. Soluble fiber "feeds" the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, while insoluble fiber helps prevent constipation. People who do not have enough fiber due to the ketogenic diet are more likely to suffer from digestive problems.
It leads to nutritional deficiencies
The main problem with all low-carb diets is that the person begins to eat less vegetables and fruits - they are also sweet. But vegetables and fruits are the main source of vitamins.
Studies of the ketogenic diet in children with epilepsy have shown that patients who adhere to it do not get enough nutrients needed for health. In this situation, children with epilepsy are prescribed vitamins in capsules. But healthy adults who decide to lose weight usually don't think about such a risk.
it hurts the heart
Excess fatty food is generally harmful to the cardiovascular system. This increases the synthesis of cholesterol - the main material for atherosclerotic plaques, which "like" to clog blood vessels, causing a heart attack or stroke.
But low-carb diets (including ketogenic ones) have their own problem: It turns out that such meal plans can disrupt the heart's rhythm, causing deadly atrial fibrillation. It is therefore not surprising that a poorly designed ketogenic diet increases the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
Causes gallbladder problems
Excess fatty foods can cause gallstones. It works like this: if an excess of cholesterol appears in the body, the liver starts to "eject" it into the gallbladder. This is where it sometimes begins to crystallize, forming gallstones.
May cause ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that usually occurs in people with diabetes. However, at least one case is known to science where the keto diet caused ketoacidosis in a healthy breastfeeding woman.
Contraindicated in people with pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas where you cannot eat more than 20 grams of fat per day. Excess fat on a keto diet can trigger an attack.
Nutritionists do not recommend following a low-carbohydrate diet for those who exercise a lot or are involved in professional sports.
Keto diet in athletes leads not only to the loss of a certain amount of fat tissue, but also exhausts the muscles, because in the conditions of aerobic and mixed training, the body simply does not have time to oxidize fats in order to get the necessary amount of energy and is forced to destroy its own proteins.
Of course, this also affects well-being - the athlete becomes weak, indicators of endurance and speed-power fall.
What is the difference between a keto diet and a good weight loss program?
The keto diet does not take into account people's actual energy needs. As a result, the person who adheres to it often not only reduces their carbohydrate intake from food - they also dramatically reduce the total caloric content of their diet. All this triggers a "yo-yo effect", and the person gains weight as soon as they return to a normal diet. In addition, ketogenic diets are often unbalanced - as a result, the person does not receive essential nutrients and causes health problems.
Competent weight loss programs are aimed not only at losing weight, but also at maintaining this effect in the future. The only way to avoid the yo-yo effect is through programs built on healthy eating principles.
A diet that allows you to lose weight should be:
- diverse - so that a person fully receives not only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also vitamins, trace elements and fiber;
- tasty - to avoid the "temptation" of fast food and ready-made food;
- sufficiently nutritious - to have enough strength and energy for mental work, sports and other joys of life;
- it should not contain either an excess or a lack of calories.
A good weight loss program does not work without a general lifestyle improvement and does not produce quick results. But weight loss on such programs occurs smoothly, the result is stored for a long time, and health only gets stronger.