Dante Carrillo
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb way of eating. By limiting carbohydrates, the body enters a state of ketosis, burning fat for energy instead of glucose. This is why fat is essential on keto: it provides the body with enough calories and energy to function correctly. If you don't eat enough fat on keto, you will feel hungrier, which can lead to binge eating highly processed, carb-loaded junk food. You may also experience symptoms like diarrhoea and headaches. In addition, not eating enough fat can lead to an overreliance on protein, which can cause protein poisoning when consumed in excess.
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What You'll Learn
You will feel hungrier and binge eat
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The basic principle is that by reducing your carbohydrate intake, your body will enter a state of ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat and using it for energy instead of glucose. This fat-burning makes keto a popular choice for people looking to lose weight.
However, if you don't eat enough fat on keto, you will feel hungrier. This is because fat helps you feel full when you eat, making it easier to regulate what you eat and avoid snacking. When you're hungry, you're more likely to eat any available food and to binge on highly processed and carb-loaded junk food. Eating the wrong foods means you'll miss out on the benefits of healthy fats.
If you're not getting enough fat from your diet and you're not eating many carbs, then you're not getting enough calories. Even if you're trying to lose weight, your body needs enough calories and energy to function. If you're not eating enough, your metabolism could slow down because your body doesn't have the necessary energy to maintain it.
Fat is fuel for keto dieters. When you don't eat enough fat, your body goes into survival mode, which has a negative effect on your wellbeing. You will feel hungry and tired all the time because your body is low on fuel. After a few weeks of low-fat consumption, you may experience symptoms like diarrhoea and headaches.
To balance your keto diet, you need to make sure you're getting enough fat. Depending on your source, you might be recommended to get around 60% of your daily calories from fats, but it could be up to 80%. In contrast, about 5-10% should come from carbs and about 10-20% from protein.
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Your body will lack energy and slow metabolism
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The basic principle is that by reducing your carbohydrate intake, your body will enter a state of ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of glucose.
Fat is fuel for keto dieters. If you don't eat enough fat on keto, your body will lack energy and your metabolism may slow down. This is because your body won't have the necessary energy to maintain a high metabolic rate. When you don't eat enough fat, you will feel hungrier, and are more likely to snack and eat more than you need. This can lead to an overreliance on protein, which can cause protein poisoning when consumed in excess of 35-50% of your caloric intake.
On keto, fat should make up 60-80% of your daily calories. If you're not getting enough fat, you're not getting enough calories, and your body won't have enough energy to function. This can lead to feelings of exhaustion and irritability, and can negatively impact your hormones.
If you're trying to lose weight on keto, it's important to get the right balance of fat and protein. Eating too much protein can overload your kidneys, causing protein to spill over into your urine. It can also lead to fluid retention, with swelling in the feet and lower legs.
To avoid these issues, it's important to ensure you're getting enough fat in your diet. Avocados, butter, cheese, bacon, nuts, and fatty meats are all good sources of healthy fats.
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You will miss out on healthy fats and nutrients
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The basic principle is that by reducing your carb intake, your body will enter a state of ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat and using it for energy instead of glucose. This is why fat is essential on keto—it serves as fuel and helps you stay full.
However, if you don't eat enough fat on keto, you will miss out on the benefits of healthy fats and nutrients. You will feel hungrier, which can lead to binge eating and make fat loss nearly impossible. Your body will go into survival mode, prioritising storing fat. You will also be at risk of not getting enough calories, which can slow down your metabolism.
Healthy fats like avocado, butter, cheese, bacon, salmon, and nuts are recommended on keto. These foods are nutrient-dense and provide essential vitamins and macros that your body needs to function well. For example, fatty keto meats are a good source of vitamins A and D, which directly regulate bile acid production needed for metabolizing the high-fat intake of a keto diet. Deficiencies in these vitamins are common, and a keto diet that includes healthy fats can help address this.
In addition to the benefits of specific healthy fats, getting enough fat in your keto diet overall can help you feel full and regulate what you eat. This is because keto diets aim to keep insulin levels low, which allows your brain to read leptin, the hormone that tells your brain when to stop eating. As a result, you feel fuller for longer.
Therefore, it is important to ensure you are getting enough fat on keto to avoid missing out on the benefits of healthy fats and nutrients and to support your body's vital functions.
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Your body will store fat, making weight loss harder
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The basic principle is that by reducing your carbohydrate intake, your body will enter a state of ketosis, where it becomes very efficient at burning fat for energy instead of glucose. This makes keto a popular choice for people looking to lose weight.
However, if you don't eat enough fat on keto, your body will go into survival mode. This means it will start to prioritise storing fat, making weight loss harder to achieve. When you don't eat enough fat, you will feel hungrier because fat helps you feel full. The more you snack, the more calories you will eat, and you could end up eating more than you need. You may also experience symptoms like diarrhoea and headaches.
In addition, if you're not getting enough fat, you're likely not getting enough calories, which can cause your metabolism to slow down. This is because your body doesn't have the necessary energy to maintain its metabolic rate. Not getting enough fat can also lead to serious problems that arise from overreliance on protein, such as protein poisoning.
To avoid these issues, it's important to make sure you're getting enough fat in your diet while on keto. Depending on the source, it's recommended that around 60-80% of your daily calories come from fats, with only 5-10% from carbs and 10-20% from protein. Avocados, butter, cheese, bacon, and fatty meats are some good sources of healthy fats for a keto diet.
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You may experience side effects like diarrhoea and headaches
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that puts your body in a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. While the keto diet can be effective for weight loss, it can also cause some unpleasant side effects, such as diarrhoea and headaches.
Diarrhoea is a common side effect of the keto diet and can be caused by various factors. One reason may be that the keto diet is high in fat, and consuming too much fat, especially the wrong types of fat, can lead to diarrhoea. For example, vegetable and seed oils high in omega-6 fats, such as soybean, corn, safflower, or sunflower oils, can cause digestive issues and diarrhoea. Additionally, consuming more dairy products on the keto diet may reveal a dairy intolerance, which can also cause diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal problems. Furthermore, a sudden change in diet can disrupt gut bacteria, leading to diarrhoea and other GI issues.
To relieve diarrhoea while on the keto diet, it is important to stay hydrated and replenish electrolytes. Drinking water and sugar-free electrolyte beverages can help replace lost fluids and electrolytes. Adding probiotics and prebiotics through supplements or probiotic-rich foods can also support gut health and improve digestion. Eating fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and kimchi, and increasing fibre intake from greens, cucumbers, broccoli, and cabbage can also help relieve diarrhoea.
Headaches are another common side effect of the keto diet, especially during the initial stages when the body is transitioning to ketosis. This transition can cause a drop in blood sugar levels, which can lead to mental fatigue, brain fog, and headaches. Additionally, dehydration and electrolyte imbalances are common on the keto diet and can contribute to headaches. Intense exercise during the initial days of keto can further increase the likelihood of headaches as it can stress the body.
To prevent and alleviate keto headaches, it is crucial to stay hydrated, maintain proper electrolyte levels, and consume nutritious meals. Drinking plenty of water, eating water-rich foods, and limiting alcohol can help with hydration. Avoiding intense exercise during the initial phase of keto can also reduce stress on the body and lower the risk of headaches. Planning low-carb, nutrient-dense meals can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and minimize headaches.
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Frequently asked questions
The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet. The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose for energy. When there are not enough carbs, the body goes into a stage called ketosis, where it becomes efficient at burning fat for energy instead of glucose.
If you don't eat enough fat on keto, you will feel hungrier, and your body will prioritise storing fat, making weight loss harder. You may also experience symptoms like diarrhoea and headaches. You may also miss out on the benefits of healthy fats, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K2, which are important for maintaining vital body functions.
Healthy fat options such as avocado, butter, cheese, bacon, salmon, nuts, and oils are recommended on the keto diet, as long as they are not saturated or trans fats.
If you feel hungry on keto, it may be a sign that you're not getting enough fat. Eating enough fat helps you feel full for longer. You can also keep a food journal to track your fat intake and identify any patterns that may prevent weight loss.
