The keto diet is popular, but is it safe?



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Pieces of fatty meat. Thick slabs of cheese. Bacon Piles

These are some of the keystones of the fashionable "keto" diet, a diet rich in fats and carbohydrates that sweeps the nation.

The purpose of the diet is to alter the body's metabolism. Melanie Boehmer, Registered Dietitian at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York

The human body normally relies on carbohydrates for most of its fast energy, but in ketosis, the body changes orientation. "When you intentionally put your body in ketosis, your body becomes incredibly effective at burning fat for energy," Boehmer said. And that translates into lost kilograms.

But nutritionists warn that the diet is hard to follow and does not include many nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables.

In addition, it may present heart risks, especially for people

Origins in the care of epilepsy

The keto diet is a popular new product, but it was originally developed to treat epilepsy, said Cat Taylor, dietitian at Nutrition on Demand

"We used very low carb diets to treat epileptics in a setting clinic for a very, very long time, "said Boehmer. "Now, it's the first time we see it being used by a more general population for weight management and diabetes."

The standard ketogenic diet is to eat a lot of fat with moderate amounts of protein and very little carbohydrate. The traditional distribution is 70% of calories from fat, 25% from calories of protein and 5% from calories of carbohydrates.

"I see many people baduming that the keto diet includes all the fats and proteins you want, but in fact even the proteins have to be monitored because the body can break down proteins and turn them into carbohydrates," he said. Taylor. "Fats are the only nutrient that the body can not turn into carbohydrates for fuel."

Difficult to Follow

People following diets require complex dietary plans to get the right amount of fat, protein and for this reason, people really need to approach Eating keto as a full-fledged lifestyle rather than a quick diet if they want long-term weight loss, said Boehmer

. we're talking about diets, where there's a beginning and an end, so automatically we're kind of getting ready for failure, "said Boehmer." I'd say if people want to try a style it would be a better way to approach it. "

People adopting the diet develop what is called" keto-flu "while their metabolism goes from carbohydrates to fats, says Boehmer symptoms may include fatigue, foggy mental function, increased hunger, difficulty sleeping, nausea, constipation, or diarrhea

Ketosis usually occurs three days to a week after the start of the diet

"If it lasts more than three or four weeks, you are probably not in ketosis and you are swinging back and forth" between the two metabolic states, did you she noted.

"The recommendation is to reintroduce the carbohydrates d "Their recommendation is to be in ketosis for two or three months even before you start trying to do it," said Boehmer

. "The nightmare of the cardiologist"

"Although there are small studies supporting the benefits of the keto diet, no factual founded research has been published and, most ominously, the only one that has been published. the long-term impact of the keto diet is not clear, "Taylor said.

Some nutritionists are wo Taylor said that by avoiding carbohydrates, people are missing essential nutrients found mostly in the fruits and vegetables rich in carbohydrates. "Many essential nutrients for health are contained in foods rich in carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains," said Taylor. "A single medium apple contains about 17 grams of net carbohydrate, which is of concern because these vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients contained in the aforementioned foods are essential for health, immunity and disease prevention." [19659002] Dense foods are a concern, especially if people choose a large amount of saturated or trans fats, which are linked to an increase in "bad" LDL cholesterol that has been linked to higher rates of heart disease, "he said. Taylor.

"Boehmer said," You should be focusing on whole foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates, "said Boehmer

.A final warning – people who take the keto diet should not be fooled by the early weight loss early, said Boehmer.If they start adding carbohydrates too soon, they will regain their weight and could prolong their keto-flu.

"When you switch to a ketogenic diet, people lose a lot of weight very quickly, "said Boehmer." It's not because they lose weight, it's because carbohydrates contain more water, so they lose weight, it's another thing to recognize, it takes consistency to see the actual loss and weight change. "

Image Credit: iStock



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