The ketogenic diet is a popular thing: actresses Vanessa Hudgens, Alicia Vikander and Halle Berry follow it. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time celebrity endorsements have clashed with evidence-based medicine. Find out why the keto diet isn't 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 1920s to treat seizures. It was a humane replacement for fasting, which in those years remained the only medicine for epilepsy. True, in 1938 an anticonvulsant appeared, so now the keto diet is mainly used 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, American cardiologist Robert Atkins read an article that said this diet helped people lose weight. Based on this data, the enterprising doctor created his own nutrition system and wrote several books about it.
The Atkins food system proved to be simple, understandable and even produced fast 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-carb, 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 are 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 - a "reserve" of carbohydrates in the liver.
When glycogen reserves are exhausted (and this happens already on the 2-4th day 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 of the 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 built for long-term fat eating. If you suddenly give up carbohydrates and "lie down" on fats with proteins, over time you can "win" serious health problems.
It causes obesity
It seems - how come, because ketogenic diets have been proven to help you lose weight? This is true - but the problem is that the weight lost soon comes back.
In short, in this situation the "yo-yo effect" is triggered. After each cycle of extremely low-carbohydrate diets, the body learns to better extract energy from the food that comes to it. When a person who has lost weight withill-conceived ketogenic diet, start eating carbohydrate foods again, the weight comes back very quickly, although the portions of food remain the same.
If a person tries to lose weight again with a diet, the body reacts with an increase in appetite, so after completion, the poor person begins to overeat - and "gains" obesity.
It disturbs digestion
An important source of carbohydrates are cereal products: 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 due to a 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 a 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 show that patients who follow it are not getting 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 even think about such a risk.
it hurts the heart
Excess fatty foods are generally harmful to the cardiovascular system. This enhances 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) have their own problem: It turns out that such meal plans can disrupt heart rhythms, causing deadly atrial fibrillation. So it's no surprise that an ill-conceived ketogenic diet increases the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
It causes gall bladder problems
An excess of fatty foods can provoke gallstone disease. It works like this: if there is an excess of cholesterol in the body, the liver begins to "dump" it into the gallbladder. There it sometimes begins to crystallize, forming gallstones.
May cause ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that commonly occurs in people with diabetes. However, science knows at least one case where a keto diet provoked ketoacidosis in a healthy lactating woman.
Contraindicated in people with pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas in which you cannot eat more than 20 grams of fat per day. Excess fat on a keto diet can trigger a flare-up.
Nutritionists do not recommend a low-carbohydrate diet for those who exercise a lot or do professional sports.
The keto diet in athletes leads not only to the loss of a certain amount of adipose tissue, but also exhausts muscles, because under conditions of aerobic and mixed training, the body simply does not have time to oxidize fat to get the necessary amount of energy and is forced to destroy its ownproteins.
Of course, this also affects well-being - the athlete becomes weak, the 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 into account people's actual energy needs. As a result, a person who adheres to it often not only reduces the intake of carbohydrates from food - they also dramatically reduce the total calorie content of the diet. All this triggers the "yo-yo effect" and a person gains weight as soon as he returns to a normal diet. In addition, ketogenic diets are often unbalanced - as a result, a person does not receive essential nutrients and provokes 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 the principles of healthy eating.
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 semi-finished products;
- nutritious enough - so that there is enough strength and energy for mental work, sports and other joys of life;
- it should contain neither an excess nor a deficit of calories.
A good weight loss program does not work without general lifestyle improvement and does not produce quick results. But weight loss in such programs happens smoothly, the result is preserved for a long time, and health only gets stronger.