The Keto Diet And Its Advantages And Disadvantages
The keto diet is gaining popularity and moving into the mainstream. Yet, is it just another buzz diet, or does it have some proven benefits?
The jury is still out in some regards. Despite low-carb diets being popular since before the Atkins days, the research to date has been somewhat limited. However, there are currently in excess of 70 different clinical trials looking into the keto diet.
Why? Put simply, it’s because so many people are coming forward and ‘singing from the rooftops’ about what it has done for them. It’s gaining an incredible following, and with good reason.
Particularly, proponents of the keto diet are saying that it mitigates the impact and development of type 2 diabetes. Some even say it reverses its effect. Others say that it has created sustained weight loss and enabled them to overcome obesity.
Then there are more who say it has helped with everything from PCOS and hormonal problems, to treatment (and prevention) of some cancers.
What is the keto diet?
The origins for the keto diet, in medical or health terms, actually started with its successful use for treating patients suffering from epileptic seizures.
The ketogenic diet (or ‘keto’ for short) is felt by many to be the natural way of eating. If we stepped back to pre-agricultural days, this is what our diets may have looked like. If it’s ‘natural’ then that’s what our bodies are designed for. The basic principle is that the keto diet is made up of approximately 75% fat, 20% protein and 5% carbohydrates.
It’s these proportions which denote the stricter regime of a keto diet, rather than simply low-carb. These more exacting amounts are needed, specifically to cause the body to burn ketones for fuel (and as such, fat) as opposed to glucose.
How does the keto diet work?
This dietary combination puts your body into a state of ketosis. In ketosis, your body starts burning fat for fuel, rather than carbs. As such, a keto diet aids weight loss. Indeed, it can be quite a rapid form of weight loss.
What can you eat on a keto diet?
The important thing with the keto diet is to enter ketosis. This requires you to consume a careful balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates, in the proportions stated above. You can do this through various ways, including the use of MCT powder to make meal replacement shakes and smoothies. Fat can be gained from many different sources. A particularly healthy option is coconut oil.
The advantages of the keto diet
There are multiple benefits of a keto diet, including:
· Weight loss:
Numerous studies show that the keto diet supports weight loss. It’s not just the ‘burning fat for fuel’ thing either. As well as aiding fat burning, fat makes you feel fuller for longer. It is satiating and, therefore, will make you feel satisfied.
This helps you to resist the cravings usually associated with dieting, particularly when artificial sweeteners get in on the act. What’s more, those following a keto diet, frequently opt for MCT powder and MCT oil. Those using these experience even greater weight loss. Therefore, a number of different factors combine to help the keto diet be successful where weight loss is concerned.
· Lower cholesterol:
That’s right, a high fat diet may in fact help your cholesterol levels – it’s all about the balance of good and bad. This is true for the vast majority of people who follow the keto diet. However, do check out the disadvantages below for a small caveat to this point.
· Reduces risk of heart disease:
Various research projects which have shown that significantly reducing your carbohydrate intake can help reduce your risk of heart disease. Let’s also not forget that reducing obesity is also associated with improved heart health, and the keto diet helps this.
· Lowers blood pressure:
Similarly, the keto diet is linked to lower blood pressure. Again, with weight loss we typically see a lower blood pressure anyway.
· Diabetes friendly:
A keto diet can help those with diabetes or blood sugar difficulties to regulate their insulin levels. As with the points above, weight loss comes in to play here too. If the keto diet helps an individual to lose weight, and then maintain that healthy weight, then they are helping to arm themselves against the onset of type 2 diabetes.
· Cognition friendly:
Then there’s your brain power. Studies show that a keto diet improves your cognitive function. It’s even now being considered as a course of action for those with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Additional advantages of a keto diet are that it improves your mood, enables you to function on less sleep, and boosts energy levels. For women, many report that a keto diet supports hormonal balance.
The disadvantages of a keto diet
Many proponents of the keto diet, having tried it, would argue that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. This is because many of the disadvantages are temporary or mild at best. As we said at the beginning of this article, many studies are currently underway or planned. We should therefore learn more about the long term benefits (and any downsides), of the keto diet, over the coming years.
· Getting used to it:
It does take a while to enter ketosis, usually a week or two. That transition can be tricky. Some people report experiencing ‘keto flu’ during that time.
· Bowel complaints:
Again a short term issue, but whilst your body adapts, you may experience either diarrhoea or constipation.
· It may feel restrictive:
While you’ll typically feel more satiated, you do need to stick to the fat, protein and carb proportions. That can be hard to get used to. For ideas on how to use coconut milk powder, and how to use coconut oil, head over to our recipes section.
· High cholesterol:
Some followers of the keto diet don’t experience the benefit of improvements in their cholesterol level, but actually see it rise. It’s worth getting yours checked.
Getting started on the keto diet takes a little thought and preparation. Find out more about dried coconut milk powder and how to use it. You can also buy your MCT powder, coconut oil and coconut powder over in our shop.