A century-old diet turned modern-day craze may help you lose weight, but what are the potential benefits and drawbacks? Those are two of the questions many people have about the ketogenic (keto) diet. Let’s dig into those questions and more.
What Is the Keto Diet?
Developed more than 100 years ago to treat epilepsy in children—and still prescribed for that purpose—the keto diet calls for obtaining most daily calories from fat (70%–80%), a moderate amount from protein (10%–20%) and very little from carbohydrates (5%–10%).
Typically, the body gets most of its energy from glucose derived from carbohydrates. The keto diet forces it to turn to an alternative source—substances called ketones, which the body creates from fat. High-fat foods permitted by the keto diet include red meat, fatty fish, avocado, butter, oils, cheese and nuts. Acceptable protein sources include poultry, red meat, pork, eggs and fish. Berries and nonstarchy vegetables are also allowed.
High-carbohydrate foods, including beans, bread, pasta, starchy vegetables, rice and most fruits, are permitted only in very small amounts, for a daily total of less than 50 grams.
How Does the Keto Diet Lead to Weight Loss?
Researchers haven’t reached a consensus on whether the keto diet is helpful for weight loss. Some think the keto diet may cause weight loss by reducing appetite, making people feel fuller, accelerating the breakdown of fat in the body or—at least in the short term—releasing stored water in the body derived from carbohydrates.
What Are the Potential Benefits?
Potential benefits of the keto diet include weight loss, improvement of blood sugar control in people with Type 2 diabetes from significantly reducing carbs and improvement of cardiovascular disease. However, each of these potential benefits comes with drawbacks, and there isn’t sufficient evidence to support the use of the keto diet in managing these conditions.
What Are the Drawbacks?
Potentially difficult to maintain because of its restrictiveness and the need to meticulously weigh and track foods, the keto diet can initially cause flu-like symptoms like fatigue and headache. It can also lead to kidney stones and vitamin and mineral deficiencies, as well as constipation from lack of fiber.
Because the keto diet is high in fat, people often assume they can eat all of the cheese, butter and bacon they want, but that can be extremely harmful and increase their risk of cardiovascular disease. Those foods are high in saturated fats, which raise LDL, or ‘bad,’ cholesterol.
Is the Keto Diet Right for You?
You may have more interest than ever in eating healthy and losing weight, but does that mean you should take up the keto diet? If you have an eating disorder, gallbladder disease, pancreatic disease, or liver or thyroid problems, the diet may not be safe for you.
One could argue that the keto diet would be safe for a generally healthy individual who has no chronic diseases and is interested in weight management. However, there is still a lot of research needed on the use of this diet for general weight loss.
If you decide to try the keto diet, consult a registered dietitian to ensure you get all the nutrients you need. Focus on healthy sources of fat, such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds and fatty fish, and lean sources of protein, such as chicken or turkey breast.
More to Read
- How to Eat a Mediterranean Diet
- How to Eat a Plant-Based Diet
- Anti-Inflammatory Diet Helps Prevent or Reverse Metabolic Syndrome
- What Should a Kidney Disease Diet Include?
Medically reviewed by Brooke Sawicki, MS, RD
