Is the Keto Diet Dangerous?
The keto diet has become increasingly popular in recent years, and for good reason. Studies show that a ketogenic diet can increase energy, improve cognitive function, and reduce the risk of certain diseases. It’s also especially effective for weight loss. But for every article touting the benefits of the keto diet, you’ll find another that claims that being in ketosis for an extended period of time can lead to major health risks. So, how do you know what to believe?
It’s understandable that there is so much confusion around the ketogenic diet. For decades, we have been told to avoid dietary fat and to make carbohydrates the foundation of our diet. But plenty of research shows that this approach can actually increase the risk of many degenerative diseases, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer.
In fact, the modern Western diet -- which is high in carbohydrates and processed foods -- is so closely linked to these diseases that they are often referred to as diseases of civilization. These types of health problems simply aren’t seen at the same extent in parts of the world that still adhere to more traditional hunter-gatherer diets.
The Fat Myth
Most of us have been well conditioned to avoid dietary fat. We’ve been told that fat can raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. We believe that eating fatty foods will make us gain weight. But these claims are false. High-quality fats are good for us. Fat is necessary for many functions throughout the body, and recent studies have shown that eating less saturated fat doesn’t actually reduce the risk of heart disease.
Inflammation and Disease
More and more research is also focusing on the role of chronic inflammation in degenerative disease. All of the previously mentioned diseases of civilization have one underlying factor in common: chronic inflammation. What causes inflammation? Many foods and lifestyle factors contribute to inflammation inside the body, but one of the biggest is a diet that is high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Benefits of the Keto Diet
The keto diet can be especially effective at helping to reduce chronic inflammation because it completely eliminates the intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates.
Plenty of research points to the safety and efficacy of the ketogenic diet. Low-carbohydrate diets have been shown to help regulate hormones and improve the body’s response to insulin. The keto diet is also especially effective for weight loss because the body is no longer taking in excess carbohydrates that must be stored in the body as fat. Vegetable-based low-carbohydrate diets are also associated with a lower risk of death from all causes, and especially from heart disease.
If you’re interested in a keto diet but uncertain about the health benefits, you may want to work with a pro-keto doctor or a keto health coach who can help you navigate this new way of eating.
