Keto Diet: What's Free And What's Not?

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has gained popularity for its potential benefits for weight loss and blood sugar control. The diet typically restricts carbohydrates to 20-50 grams per day, which puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. While the keto diet has shown promising results for weight loss and improved health, it is not without its drawbacks and side effects. It is a highly restrictive diet that can be challenging to follow and may not be suitable for everyone. Before starting the keto diet, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional to ensure it is safe and appropriate for your individual needs.

Keto diet and weight loss

The keto diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate, and moderate-protein diet. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. The keto diet is often used for weight loss, and some research suggests that it may be as effective for weight loss as a low-fat diet.

The keto diet typically limits carbs to 20–50 grams per day. This forces the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it uses fat as an alternative energy source. Ketosis is usually achieved within 3-4 days of restricting carb intake. During this process, the body turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain.

The keto diet includes high-fat meats, processed meats, fish, oils, lard, butter, nuts, high-fat dairy such as cheese, and low-carb vegetables such as leafy greens, as well as specific fruits such as avocado. It's important to ensure you get enough fiber, so non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini are good options.

When on the keto diet, you will need to eliminate bread, pasta, rice, cereals, and baked goods. You will also need to avoid legumes, beans, root vegetables, most fruits, and starchy veggies, such as potatoes. You will also need to watch what you drink – fruit juices, fizzy drinks, cordials, and even milk-based drinks will need to be avoided.

The keto diet may help with weight loss, blood sugar control, and improved insulin sensitivity, especially in those with diabetes. It may also lead to reductions in diastolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels. However, the keto diet is very restrictive and may be challenging to follow long-term. It may also lead to side effects such as "keto flu," which can include symptoms like headache, weakness, irritability, bad breath, and fatigue.

Who should not follow the keto diet?

The keto diet may not be suitable for everyone. Diabetics, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and anyone with a pre-existing medical condition, especially kidney or liver disease, should consult their doctor before starting the keto diet. It may also be challenging to follow for extended periods due to its restrictions on food choices and social eating.

Keto diet and diabetes

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can help with weight loss and improve health. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy.

The keto diet can be particularly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. By reducing carbohydrate intake, the keto diet can help lower blood glucose (sugar) levels and improve insulin sensitivity. This can lead to better blood sugar management and a reduced need for insulin medication.

However, it is important to note that the keto diet should be approached with caution for people with diabetes. The diet can cause side effects such as "keto flu," which may include symptoms like headache, brain fog, dizziness, nausea, and constipation. Additionally, there is a risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) if ketone levels in the blood become too high. DKA is a serious condition that can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

For people with type 1 diabetes, the keto diet may not be recommended due to the risk of DKA and hypoglycemia. It is crucial for individuals with diabetes to consult their doctor or healthcare provider before starting the keto diet to ensure it is safe and appropriate for their specific situation.

Overall, the keto diet has shown promising results in managing type 2 diabetes, but it should be undertaken with medical supervision and careful monitoring of blood glucose and ketone levels.

Keto diet and epilepsy

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been used to control seizures in people with epilepsy since the 1920s. The diet is usually recommended for children whose seizures have not responded to medication. The diet is typically stricter than the modified Atkins diet, requiring careful measurements of calories, fluids, and proteins. The name "ketogenic" comes from the fact that the diet produces ketones in the body, which are formed when the body uses fat as its primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates.

The ketogenic diet has been shown to be particularly helpful for some epilepsy conditions, including infantile spasms, Rett syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, Dravet syndrome, Doose syndrome, and GLUT-1 deficiency. It is also an important alternative treatment for patients with refractory epilepsy who are not candidates for surgery. The diet has been found to reduce or prevent seizures in many children whose seizures could not be controlled by medications. Over half of the children who go on the diet experience at least a 50% reduction in the number of their seizures, and some children, around 10-15%, even become seizure-free.

The ketogenic diet has also been found to have positive effects on the gut microbiome, with changes in the gut microbiota leading to an increase in the GABA/glutamate content in the brain, which is associated with seizure protection.

While the ketogenic diet can be effective in controlling seizures, it is not without its drawbacks. It is often difficult to follow due to restricted food choices, and it can cause side effects such as constipation, high cholesterol levels, and gastrointestinal symptoms. It is important for anyone considering the ketogenic diet to consult with a doctor and dietitian to ensure it is a safe and suitable option for them.

Keto diet and heart disease

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that can help with weight loss and lower the risk of certain diseases. The diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy.

The ketogenic diet may help improve risk factors for heart disease, including body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar. However, there is some concern that the diet may increase the risk of heart disease due to its high-fat content.

Some studies have shown that the ketogenic diet can lead to elevated levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol, a known risk factor for heart disease. The American Heart Association has also raised concerns about the potential impact of the diet on cardiovascular health.

Overall, while the ketogenic diet may offer some benefits for heart health, there are also potential risks that need to be considered. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet, especially if there are existing health concerns.

Keto diet and gut health

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a high-fat, very low-carb diet. Meals are 70–80% fat and around 5-10% carbs. The aim is to enter a state of ketosis, where fat is used for fuel instead of carbohydrates. This is achieved by eating less than 20g of carbohydrates per day for several days in a row.

The Impact of Keto on Gut Health

Research has shown that the keto diet does influence gut bacteria, but the health implications of these changes are not yet fully understood.

Positive Effects

The keto diet has been shown to increase certain beneficial bacteria in the gut, including Bacteroidetes, Lactobacillus, Akkermansia, Firmicutes, and Bacteroides. These bacteria improve digestive processes in the gut and aid in the stimulation of essential immune cells. The diet has also been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, weight loss, and reduced seizures in people with epilepsy.

Negative Effects

The keto diet has been found to decrease the species of bacteria involved in the digestion and metabolism of high-fat nutrients, such as Bacteroides spp., E. coli, and A. muciniphila. It also decreases the species connected to the digestion of complex carbohydrates, such as Faecalibacterium spp., bifidobacterium, E. rectale, and E. dialister. This reduction in bacterial diversity can negatively affect intestinal inflammation and is associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and other gut issues.

Precautions and Recommendations

The keto diet can cause digestive issues such as constipation, nausea, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. It is also important to note that there is limited information on the long-term effects of the keto diet, partly because it is difficult to maintain.

To support gut health while on the keto diet, it is recommended to include keto-friendly foods high in fibre, prebiotics, and probiotics, such as low-carbohydrate vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fermented foods. Staying hydrated is also crucial, as water can help reduce constipation.

Additionally, intermittent fasting has been found to help people enter ketosis faster and may have benefits for gut health by boosting bacterial diversity in the microbiome.

While the keto diet can lead to some positive changes in the gut microbiome, there are also potentially harmful effects. More research is needed to fully understand the long-term implications of the keto diet on gut health. It is important to consider all the positive and negative consequences of the keto diet and take proactive measures to support gut health if choosing to follow this dietary approach.

Frequently asked questions