The ketogenic diet is popular: 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. Understand 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 in the 20s to treat seizures. It was a humane replacement for fasting, and in those years it remained the only cure for epilepsy. True, in 1938 an anticonvulsant appeared, so now the keto diet is used mainly for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children.
Probably, the ketogenic diet remained an exotic method from the arsenal of neurologists. But in the 1970s, an American cardiologist, Robert Atkins, read a paper that found that 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 nutrition system was simple, understandable, and even resulted in fast results. It was a hit with Hollywood stars and other public figures who quickly made the ketogenic diet famous.
how does the keto diet work
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate-protein, high-fat diet. The standard ketogenic diet is 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrates, but the number of calories that can be obtained from the "ketogenic diet" is still the standard: 2000 kcal per day.
Carbohydrates in a ketogenic diet only make 20-50 g. For our body, which is designed to get most of its energy from carbohydrates, this is not 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 already happens on the 2-4th day of such a diet), the body switches to fat reserves. When fat is broken down, ketone bodies are created, from which energy can also be extracted - hence the name of the diet.
what are the problems with the keto diet
Evolution has "rewarded" us with the ability to store fat just so we can get through hard times. We are simply not designed for long-term nutrition with fats. If you suddenly give up carbohydrates and "lean" on fats with proteins, over time you can "earn" serious health problems.
Promotes obesity
It would seem - how then, because it has been proven that ketogenic diets help to lose weight? This is true - but the problem is that the lost weight will soon come back.
In short, in this case, the "yo-yo effect" is induced. After each cycle of extremely low carbohydrate diets, the body learns how to extract energy from the food it comes across. When a person who has lost weight on a poorly designed ketogenic diet starts eating carbohydrate foods again, the weight returns very quickly, even though the food portions remain the same.
If a person tries to lose weight again with a diet, the body responds with an increase in appetite, so that after finishing the poor person begins to overeat - and "earns" obesity.
It overcomes digestion
Cereal products are an important source of carbohydrates: cereals, pasta and bread. But in these products, in addition to 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 are undernourished in fiber are more likely to have digestive problems due to a ketogenic diet.
It results in nutritional deficiencies
The biggest problem with all low carb diets is that one starts eating 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 case, vitamins in capsules are prescribed for children with epilepsy. But such a risk is usually not worth thinking about for healthy adults who decide to lose weight.
The heart hurts
In principle, too much fatty foods are harmful to the cardiovascular system. This improves the synthesis of cholesterol - the main material for atherosclerotic plaques, which "like" a blood vessel clock, causing a heart attack or stroke.
But low-carb diets (including ketogenic) have their own problem: It turns out that such meal plans can disrupt the heart's rhythm, causing fatal atrial fibrillation. So it's no surprise that a poorly designed ketogenic diet increases the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
It causes gallbladder problems
Excessive fatty foods can trigger gallstone disease. It works like this: if an excess of cholesterol is seen in the body, the liver starts "dumping" it into the gallbladder. Sometimes it starts to crystallize there, forming gallstones.
It may cause ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that usually occurs in people with diabetes. However, science knows at least one case where a keto diet induced ketoacidosis in a healthy breastfed woman.
Contraindicated in people with pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas that you cannot eat more than 20 grams of fat per day. Too much fat on a keto diet can trigger an attack of sickness.
Nutritionists do not recommend following a low-carb diet for those who exercise a lot or play sports professionally.
The keto diet in athletes leads not only to the loss of a certain amount of fat tissue, but also consumes the muscles, since under aerobic and mixed training conditions, the body only has time to oxidize fat to obtain the necessary amountget. energy and is forced to destroy its own proteins.
Of course, this also affects the well-being - the athlete becomes weak, indicators of endurance and speed-strength fall.
What is the Difference Between a Keto Diet and a Good Weight Loss Program?
Keto diets do not take people's true energy needs into account. As a result, a person who adheres to the diet not only reduces the intake of carbohydrates from food - it significantly reduces the total calorie content of the diet. All this encourages the "yo-yo effect", and the person gains weight as soon as he returns to a normal diet. In addition, ketogenic diets are often unbalanced - as a result, one does not get essential nutrients and triggers 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 based on the principles of healthy eating.
A diet that allows you to lose weight should be:
- diverse - so that a person gets a complete, not only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also vitamins, trace elements and fiber;
- tasty - to avoid the "temptation" of fast food and convenience foods;
- nutritious enough - so that there is enough strength and energy for mental work, sports and other pleasures of life;
- there should be no excess or deficit of calories.
A good weight loss program does not work without general lifestyle improvement and does not provide quick results. But weight loss on such programs occurs smoothly, the result is stored for a long time, and health is only getting stronger.