The ketogenic diet is all the rage: actresses Vanessa Hudgens, Alicia Vikander and Halle Berry are following suit. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time celebrity recommendations have clashed with evidence-based medicine. Understand why the keto diet is not the healthiest way to lose weight.
Where did the ketogenic diet come from?
The ketogenic diet is by no means new: it was invented in the 20s for the treatment of seizures. It was a humane substitute for fasting, which in those years was the only cure for epilepsy. True, in 1938 anticonvulsants appeared, so now the keto diet is used mainly for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in children.
Most likely, the ketogenic diet will remain an exotic method from the arsenal of neuroscientists. But in the 1970s, an American cardiologist, Robert Atkins, read a paper that found that this diet helped people lose weight. Based on this data, the enterprising doctor created his own nutritional system and wrote several books about it.
The Atkins nutrition system is simple, understandable, and even gives fast results. It became a hit with Hollywood stars and other public figures who quickly made the ketogenic diet famous.
How the keto diet works
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. The standard ketogenic diet contains 70% fat, 20% protein and 10% carbohydrates, but the number of calories that can be obtained from the "ketogenic diet" remains standard: 2000 kcal per day.
Carbohydrates in the ketogenic diet only amount to 20-50 g. For our bodies, which are designed to get most of their energy from carbohydrates, this is too little. Therefore, once on a ketogenic diet, the body begins to burn glycogen - the "reserve" of carbohydrates in the liver.
When glycogen stores are depleted (and this already happens on the 2-4th day of such a diet), the body switches to fat stores. When fat is broken down, ketone bodies are formed, from which energy can also be extracted - hence the name of the diet.
What's the problem with the keto diet?
Evolution has "rewarded" us with the ability to store fat solely so that we can get through tough times. We are simply not designed for long term nutrition with fat. If you suddenly give up carbohydrates and "lean" fat with protein, over time you can "get" serious health problems.
Provoking obesity
It would seem - how can that be, since it has been proven that the ketogenic diet helps to lose weight? This is true - but the problem is that the lost weight returns immediately.
In short, in this situation, the "yo-yo effect" is triggered. After each cycle of a very low carb diet, the body learns to better extract energy from the food that comes there. When a person who has lost weight on the wrong ketogenic diet starts eating carbohydrate foods again, the weight returns very quickly, although the food portions remain the same.
If a person tries to lose weight again by dieting, the body responds with an increase in appetite, so after it's over, the poor person begins to overeat - and "gets" obesity.
Breaking digestion
Important sources of carbohydrates are cereal products: cereals, pasta, and breads. But in this product, in addition to carbohydrates, there is another important component: fiber. Soluble fiber "feeds" the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, while insoluble fiber helps prevent constipation. People who are deficient in fiber due to the ketogenic diet are more likely to suffer from digestive problems.
Causes nutritional deficiency
The main problem with all low-carb diets is that a person starts eating less vegetables and fruits - they are also sweet. But vegetables and fruits are the main sources of vitamins.
Studies on the ketogenic diet in children with epilepsy show that patients who adhere to it do not receive enough of the nutrients needed for health. In this situation, children with epilepsy are prescribed vitamins in capsules. But healthy adults who decide to lose weight usually don't even think about such risks.
hurt
Excess fatty foods are in principle harmful to the cardiovascular system. It increases the synthesis of cholesterol - the main ingredient for atherosclerotic plaque, which "likes" to clog blood vessels, causing a heart attack or stroke.
But low-carb (including ketogenic) diets have their own problems: It turns out that such an eating plan can disrupt heart rhythm, causing deadly atrial fibrillation. So it's no surprise that the misunderstood ketogenic diet increases the risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
Causes gallbladder problems
Excess fatty foods can trigger gallstone disease. It works like this: if excess cholesterol appears in the body, the liver begins to "throttle" it into the gallbladder. There it sometimes begins to crystallize, forming gallstones.
Can cause ketoacidosis
Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening condition that usually occurs in people with diabetes. However, science knows of at least one case when the keto diet triggered ketoacidosis in healthy breastfeeding women.
Contraindicated in people with pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is a disease of the pancreas in which you cannot eat more than 20 grams of fat per day. Excess fat on the keto diet can trigger disease attacks.
Nutritionists do not recommend following a low-carb diet for those who exercise a lot or exercise professionally.
The keto diet in athletes not only causes the loss of a certain amount of adipose tissue, but also depletes muscle, because under conditions of aerobic and mixed training, the body does not have time to oxidize fat to obtain the required amount. energy and is forced to destroy its own protein.
Of course, this also affects well-being - the athlete becomes weak, an indicator of endurance and speed-strength falls.
What's the Difference Between a Keto Diet and a Good Weight Loss Program?
The keto diet doesn't take people's real energy needs into account. As a result, a person who adheres to it often not only reduces his intake of carbohydrates from the food - he also dramatically reduces the overall calorie content of the food. All of this triggers a "yo-yo effect, " and the person gains weight as soon as he or she returns to a normal diet. In addition, the ketogenic diet is often unbalanced - as a result, a person does not receive essential nutrients and provokes health problems.
A competent weight loss program is aimed not only at losing weight, but also at maintaining this effect in the future. The only way to avoid the yo-yo effect is through a program built on healthy eating principles.
A diet that allows you to lose weight should:
- diverse - so that a person receives not only proteins, fats and carbohydrates, but also vitamins, trace elements and fiber;
- tasty - to avoid the "temptation" of fast food and snacks;
- nutritious enough - so that there is enough strength and energy for mental work, sports and other pleasures of life;
- should not contain excess or lack of calories.
A good weight loss program will not work without general lifestyle improvements and do not provide quick results. But weight loss on such a program occurs smoothly, the results are stored for a long time, and health only gets stronger.