I am sure you’ve heard the terms “keto” and “keto” diet thrown around quite often lately. Do you know what exactly the keto diet is or what it has to offer? There are many diet crazes and trends that come and go with time, it’s hard to decipher what is effective or even worth committing to. The keto diet claims to have immense health benefits like weight loss, disease prevention, and more.
Keto is short for ketogenic. The premise of the diet is to eat foods that are high in fat and low in carbs. The ratio of fats, carbs, and protein varies from person to person. The purpose of the keto diet is to induce a state of ketosis. When the body experiences ketosis, fat stored within the body is broken down and used for energy. Generally, individuals following the ketogenic diet stay away from sugary foods, grains, legumes, sauces, and many fruits. This diet could be difficult if you like foods like pasta, rice, or potatoes!
Pros:
Appetite control: when the body experiences ketosis, appetite & unhealthy cravings are reduced
Weight loss: individuals following keto diet experience great initial weight loss because fat is burned for energy
Abdominal fat reduction: it’s true you can’t spot reduce fat, but studies show individuals who follow healthy, high-fat diets are more likely to decrease lower belly fat
Cons:
Nutrient deficiency: anytime you cut out major food groups you also cut out beneficial nutrients, some common deficiencies under keto are vitamin B9, selenium, and biotin
Brain fog: restricting carbs can induce mental fogginess and mood instability
Insomnia : keto can cause loss of sleep due to low levels of melatonin and serotonin
Ultimately, it’s important to note that most restrictive diets or eating plans are difficult to sustain for long periods of time. The effectiveness and success of the diet is different for each person, don’t expect the same results as someone else on the same diet. Falling off the diet can result in gaining all or most of the weight back.
