Keto diet pros and cons
Let’s take a closer look at the keto diet pros and cons. The ketogenic diet has become one of the most popular diets as it is widely promoted to provide rapid and significant weight loss.
However, there is conflicting evidence that the ketogenic diet is an effective way to reduce obesity, help athletes or maintain a healthy weight. In addition, some experts have raised concerns about the sustainability of eating plans and their long-term effects on heart health. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of ketogenic diets.
Pros
- Provides quick weight loss
- Boosts satiety
- Can reduce abdominal fat
- Might improve athletic performance in some
- Many online resources and recipes
- May improve health markers such as blood pressure, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels
- Effective management strategy for some seizure disorders
Cons
- Hard to maintain because food choices are limited
- Side effects during initial stages
- May lead to nutritional deficiencies
- Healthiest version of the diet can be expensive, inaccessible
- Contraindicated for certain populations
- May not be healthy for pregnant women, those with risk factors for health disease, and other medical conditions
Let’s look at the keto diet pros and cons .
Fast Weight Loss
A ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that triggers metabolic changes in your body. When carbohydrates are not consumed and stored, your body reduces its water content and therefore your overall weight temporarily decreases
There are four underlying physiological reasons for rapid weight loss during the first weeks and months of a ketogenic diet:
Decreased appetite/satiety and altered ghrelin
Reduce fat storage and increase fat utilization
Increase fat burning efficiency,
The thermal effect and caloric utilization required to break down protein into fuel and convert it into glucose (and fat) increases
While rapid weight loss is likely on a ketogenic diet, the big question is whether long-term weight loss and weight maintenance are sustainable. If a person returns to a normal lifestyle on the Keto diet, they will regain their weight.
Increased feeling of fullness
Several studies have confirmed that ketogenic diets are an effective way to lose weight because they increase feelings of fullness
Foods high in fat promote satiety. While the fiber-rich foods in a ketogenic diet are very limited, other foods recommended in the plan can help you feel fuller for longer. Foods high in fat provide satisfying taste and texture, which can help you eat less.
Protein takes longer to burn off and digest. This can help you feel full longer after eating.
Ketogenic diets may be good for ghrelin.
Many people go on a diet in order to lose weight, and they hope that the weight loss will happen in the abdomen. Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose where to cut fat. However, there is some evidence that a ketogenic diet may preferentially target abdominal fat.
Improve athletic ability
A review of the ketogenic diet examined whether a low-carb, high-fat diet plan could improve athletic performance. According to research, ketogenic diets can help athletes improve their athletic performance
Weight control
Reduce body fat
Maintain muscle mass in weight-sensitive exercises
In some cases, endurance athletes seem to adapt to ketogenic diets and burn fat more efficiently than their high-carb, low-fat counterparts. Other ketogenic athletes showed similar muscle glycogen levels and tissue repair rates as athletes on a typical high-carb diet. Increased fat oxidation and glycogen recovery rates may have significant benefits for some endurance athletes.
Keto Diet has many online resources
If you choose to follow a ketogenic diet, you have access to a wealth of free recipes, meal plans, tips, cooking advice and other online resources. For those who love to cook, there are also plenty of keto-friendly recipes available for purchase. In addition, products that test for the presence of ketones are widely available in pharmacies and drugstores.
Improved health markers
Some studies have shown that following a ketogenic diet can improve certain health indicators. A study examined the long-term effects of a ketogenic diet on obese patients. After 24 weeks, patients lost weight, BMI, triglyceride levels, LDL cholesterol, blood sugar, and HDL cholesterol, the study authors found
However, it is not clear whether all people on a ketogenic diet will benefit from these benefits, as there is wide variation in how to follow the ketogenic diet and the types of foods (particularly fat types) consumed.
disadvantages
Like all diets, the ketogenic diet has its drawbacks. Because it’s such a strict diet, a lot of people can’t keep it up. Dieting often leads to weight gain.
Limited food options
Ketogenic diets eliminate all grains and grain products, legumes, most fruits, starchy vegetables, alcohol, and all sugar. Certain milk and dairy products are also excluded, as are some fats.
While maintaining appropriate caloric intake, ketogenic diets are highly restrictive.
Extreme restrictions on any diet are often counterproductive.
Another factor that makes ketogenic diets difficult to maintain is the onset of side effects, usually during the first week or so of planning, as your body gets used to ketosis.
